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ENTIRE WORKS
OF THE
REV. CHARLES SIMEON, M.A
WITH COPIOUS INDEXES,
PREPARED BY THE REV.
THOMAS HARTWELL HO11NE, B. D.
L o N DON:
IMUNTUD bY RICHAKD CLAY, BREAD-STREET-IIJLL.
HOR^E HOMILETICLE:
OR
DISCOURSES
(PRINCIPALLY IN THE FORM OF SKELETONS)
NOW FIRST DIGESTED INTO ONE CONTINUED SERIES,
AND FORMING A COMMENTARY
I PON EVKRY BOOK OF
THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT;
TO WHICH IS ANNRXKH.
AN IMPROVED EDITION OF A TRANSLATION OF
CLAUDE S ESSAY ON THE COMPOSITION OF A SERMON.
IN TWENTY-ONE VOLUMES.
BY THE REV. CHARLES SIMEON, M.A.
SENIOR FELLOW OF KING S COLLEGE, CAMIWIDGE.
VOL. IV.
FIRST OF CHRONICLES TO JOB.
~ : Kr^ L !
LONDON:
HOLDS WORTH AND B A L L,
18, ST. PAUL S CHURCH-YARD.
MDCCC xxxir.
4-5 a (n
CONTENTS TO VOL. IV.
Discourse.
Text.
Subject.
Page.
1 CHRONICLES
383.
iv. 10.
1
384.
xii. 32.
The Propriety of considering Times
and Circumstances
4
385.
xvi. 7 15.
David s Thanksgiving at the carrying
9
386.
xvi. 43.
David s Attention to his Household- .
14
387.
xvii. 24.
God s Relation to his People . .
16
388.
xxii. 9, 10.
Solomon a Type of Christ ....
23
389.
xxii. 19.
Seeking after God
28
390.
xxviii. 9.
David s Advice to Solomon . . . .
31
391.
xxix. 2.
David s Preparation for the Temple .
35
392.
xxix. 15.
Saints Strangers on Earth ....
39
393.
xxix. 17.
Uprightness of Heart required .
43
394.
xxix. 17, 18.
Liberality in God s Service commended
49
2 CHRONICLES
395.
v. 13, 14.
Use of Church- Afusic .
57
*-* 1
396.
vi. 7, 8.
God s Acceptance of David s good
Desires
65
397.
vi. 18.
Condescension of God in becoming In
carnate
70
398.
vi. 41.
Dedication of the Temple ....
75
399.
vii. 15, 16.
God s Regard for his own House . .
79
400.
xi. 13, 16.
84
401.
xii. 7.
Humiliation the Means of Deliverance
88
402.
xii. 14.
The Evil of neglecting Prayer .
93
403.
xiii. 12.
Abijah s Remonstrance with Jeroboam
96
404.
xv. 2.
The Equity of the Divine Procedure
100
405.
xv. 7, 8.
Encouragement to Exertion ....
103
406.
xv. 1215.
Asa s Covenant with God ....
105
407.
xvi. 9.
God s Regard for his People
112
VI
CONTENTS.
Discourse
Text.
Subject.
Pag".
408.
2 CHRONICLES
xvii. 9.
The Royal Edict
116
409.
xix. 2.
Jehoshaphaf s Connexion with Ahab re-
127
410.
xx. 2 4.
Prayer the best Means of defeating In-
132
411.
412.
413.
414.
xx. 20.
xxii. 3, 4.
xxiv. 2.
xxiv. 14.
Faith the Means of National and Per
sonal Prosperity
The Danger of following evil Counsel
The Life and Character of Joash . .
The Re-opening of the Temple by King
137
140
146
151
415.
xxv. 9.
Amaziatis Conflict between Duty and
Interest
155
41G.
xxv. 16.
The Sin and Danger of despising God s
Counsel
160
417.
xx vi. 5.
Connexion between Diligence and Pros
perity .
166
418.
419.
xxvi. 15, 16.
xxviii. 10.
The bad Effects of Prosperity .
A Sense of Sinfulness a good corrective
of evil Passions
167
171
420.
421.
422.
xxviii. 22.
xxix. 10, 11.
xxix. 20 29.
The Conduct of Ahaz in his Distress .
The Use of covenanting with God . .
Restoration of the Temple Worship by
Hezekiah
177
181
185
423.
xxix. 31.
After Confirmation
190
424.
425.
426.
xxx. 1 11.
xxx. 1820.
xxx. 22, 23.
Hezekiah s Zeal for the Glory of God
God s Condescension to the Upright
Delight in Ordinances ....
193
197
9Q3
427.
xxxi. 20, 21.
Hezekialis Character
206
428.
429.
430.
431.
xxxii. 26.
xxxii. 31.
xxxiii. 1013.
xxxiv. 27.
Humiliation for the Sin of the Heart .
The Weakness and Depravity of Man
Manasseh s Repentance . .
Josiatis Penitence
211
214
218
ooo
432.
xxxvi. 15, 16.
Forbearance of God brought to a
Close . . .
99f\
433.
434.
EZRA
iii. 1113.
vi. 10.
The Re-building of the Temple . .
Sermon on the King s Accession .
230
236
CONTENTS.
Vll
Discourse.
Text.
Subject.
Page.
EZRA
435.
vi. 14.
The Subserviency of a faithful Minis
try to the Erection of God s spiritual
Temple
247
436.
vii. 23.
The Decree of Artaxerxes ....
250
437.
ix. 5, 6.
Ezra s Humiliation for the Sins of his
256
438.
ix. 13, 14.
Use of God s diversified Dispensations
260
XEHEMIAH
439.
ii. 20.
The Zeal of Nehemiah
264
440.
iv. 6.
The Efficacy of Zeal and Diligence .
267
441.
v. 15.
The Fear of God a Principle of Action
271
442.
vi. 3, 4.
NchcmiaJis Firmness
97-)
443.
vi. 11.
Christian Firmness . . .
i 1 \J
*>7S
444.
vi. 15.
The Expedition with which the Wall of
-- 1 O
284
445.
viii. 5, 6.
Effect of Ezras Preaching ....
289
446.
viii. 10.
The Joy of the Lord is our Strength .
293
ESTHER
447.
iii. 8, 9.
Hainan s murderous Proposal
297
448.
ix. 27, 28.
302
JOB
449.
i. 5.
Job s Anxiety for his Children . . .
308
450.
i. 9.
Uncharitable Judgment reproved
314
451.
i. 20, 21.
Trials and Resignation of Job .
320
452.
ii. 1113.
Friendly Sympathy illustrated .
325
453.
iii. 1.
Job curses the Day of his Birth . .
329
454.
iv. 12 19,
T33
455.
v. 1927.
The Security of God s People .
339
456.
vii. 1.
Mans Time on Earth fixed . .
343
457.
viii. 814.
Bildad warns Job of the Danger of
Hunocrisu ... .
347
O J /
458.
ix. 24.
The Folly of Self-righteousness and
1
352
459.
ix. 20, 21.
The Evil of a self-justifying Spirit
357
460.
x. i.
Impatience reproved
30
ou-
161.
x. 7.
Conscious Intcuritu
3i/7
Vlll
CONTENTS.
Discourse
Text.
Subject.
Page
4G2.
463.
4G4
JOB
xi. 712.
xii. 5.
xiv 10
The Incomprehensibility of God
A Want of Sympathy condemned .
Death ... ...
372
377
383
4G5.
466.
467.
xiv. 14.
xv. 31.
xvi. 19.
The Change that takes place at Death
The Folly of trusting in Vanity .
Job s conscious Integrity .
386
389
393
468.
469.
470.
xvii. 9.
xix. 2527.
xx. 4 7
Dark Dispensations overruled for the
Establishment of the Saints .
Christ a living Redeemer ....
Against Hypocrisy
398
403
408
471.
472.
473.
xx. 22.
xxi. 14, 15.
xxii. 21.
The Emptyness of earthly Possessions
Conduct of Sinners towards God .
Acquaintance with God
411
414
418
474.
xxiii. 10.
The upright Person s comfort under
475.
476.
477.
xxiii. 12.
xxiv. 13.
xxvii. 6.
Job s Love to the Word of God . . .
Rebelling against the Light ....
Self-reproach
423
427
432
478.
479.
xxix. 2.
xxix. 11 16.
Spiritual Declension considered
Job s Character
437
444
480.
xxx. 23.
The Certainty of Death ...
449
481.
482.
xxx. 25.
xxxi. 14.
Job s Compassion for the Poor .
The Importance of preparing for our
great Account
452
457
483.
xxxi. 24, 25, 28.
Spiritual Idolatry ....
462
484.
485.
486.
xxxiii. 23, 24.
xxxiii. 27, 28.
xxxiv. 29.
The Benefit of Visiting the Sick . .
The Nature and Efficacy of Repentance
The Importance of being in favour with
God
467
474
479
487.
488.
xxxv. 10.
xxxv. 14.
The Impiety and Folly of Mankind .
The Source and Remedy of desponding
Fears .
482
489
489.
xxxvi. 13.
Hypocrisy exposed
492
490.
xl. 2.
Sin of reprovina God .
497
491.
xl. 4.
True Humiliation .
501
492.
xlii. 5, 6.
The Effect which a Sight of God pro
duces ....
50")
493.
xlii. 10.
Job s Restoration to Health and Pros
perity .
508
1 CHRONICLES.
CCCLXXXIII.
THE PRAYER OF JABEZ.
1 Chron. iv. 10. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, say
ing, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my
coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou
ivouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me ! And
God granted him that which he requested.
REMARKABLE is the honour which God puts
upon prayer, and numberless are the instances
which are recorded of its efficacy. Jabez is here men
tioned in a long catalogue of names ; but while the
names only of others are recorded, he is particularly
noticed : he is even declared to have been more
honourable than all his brethren. This distinction
indeed might be given him on account of his primo
geniture, but it was certainly still more due on ac
count of his piety ; like the patriarch Jacob, he
" wrestled with God, and pre vailed "-
I. The prayer he offered,
1. The subject-matter of it-
fin its primary sense it evidently related to temporal
blessings. God had promised his people an inheritance in
Canaan, but they were not able of themselves to drive out the
inhabitants. Jabez therefore, sensible of his insufficiency,
prayed to God for help. He begged for the blessing of God
upon his own endeavours : he desired to be preserved from the
dangers to which his military exploits would expose him ; and
to have, through the divine interposition, an enlarged inhe
ritance in the promised land. These requests he urged with
a significant and earnest plea a .
a Almost all Hebrew names had some peculiar signification.
Jabez signifies sorrow : the name was given him in remembrance of
VOL. IV. B
2 I CHRONICLES, IV. 10. [383.
But there is reason to think it had also a spiritual meaning.
The earthly Canaan was typical of the heavenly kingdom. The
enemies also that were to be driven out, were typical of the
enemies with whom the Christian has to contend. Moreover,
the assistance, which God rendered to his people, was in
tended to shew us what aid we might expect from him. And
what evil will a child of God deprecate so much as sin?
Surely nothing is so "grievous" to him as the prevalence of
corruption b . Well therefore may Jabez be considered as
looking beyond this world, and as imploring a secure pos
session of his heavenly inheritance.]
2. The manner in which it was offered
[It is the sentiment, rather than the expression, that
gives excellence to prayer; but in both respects we may
admire that before us.
It was humble. He felt his entire dependence upon the
power and grace of God. This is intimated not merely in the
petitions offered, but in the very manner in which they were
offered " Oh that," &c. Such humility is absolutely neces
sary to render prayer acceptable. The more we abase our
selves, the more will God exalt us. Let this be remembered
in all our addresses at the throne of grace.
It was importunate. He enforced his request with a very
earnest plea. Nor, in reference to sin, could any plea be
more proper for him. But we may also properly deprecate
sin as " grievous" to our souls. Yea, a disposition to do this
is both an evidence of our sincerity, and a pledge of the divine
acceptance.
It was believing. The title, by which he addressed the
Deity, argued his faith in God. It expressed a confidence in
God as the hearer of prayer c . It is in this way that we also
should approach the Deity. Without such faith our petitions
will have but little effect; but with it, they shall never go forth
in vain d .]
Prayer possessing such qualities could not fail of
success :
II. The success with which it was attended
We have no detailed account of God s kindness
towards him, but we are informed that " God granted
the unusual sorrows his mother endured in childbirth. And it was
in reference to this that he deprecated the evils to which he was ex
posed; " Keep me," c. lest I be Jabez in my experience, as well as
in my name.
b Rom, vii. 24. c Gen. xxxii. 28. d Mark xi. 24.
383.] THE PRAYER OF JABEZ. 3
him all that he requested," and this speaks loudly to
us
It shews us,
1. That we ought to spread all our wants before
God in prayer -
[We have seen how comprehensive the prayer of Jabez
was. And ours also should include our every want, temporal,
spiritual, and eternal. There is nothing so great, but we are
at liberty to ask it; nor any thing so small, but we must
acknowledge our entire dependence on God for it. In fact,
there is nothing great or small, either before God, or in refer
ence to ourselves : for, as all things are alike easy to him, who
formed the universe by his word, and watches over the very
hairs of our heads, so there is nothing, however minute, which
may not prove of the utmost possible importance to us, as
every part of the inspired volume attests. The direction of
God to us is, " In every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God e ."]
2. We should urge our petitions with an impor
tunity that will take no denial
[So did Jacob ; " I will not let thee go, except thou
bless me f ." And so it should be with us. We have, in
fact, a better plea than Jabez was able to offer. We may go
in the name of Jesus Christ, and plead all that he has done
or suffered for us. We may look to him as our Advocate
with the Father, and assure . ourselves of the acceptance
both of our persons and our prayers through his continued
mediation and all-prevailing intercession. The conduct of
King Joash should be a warning to us. The Prophet Elisha
told him that he should smite the Syrians who had sorely
oppressed the whole Jewish people : and he bade him to
smite the ground with the arrows which lie had in his hand,
and thereby to express the desires and expectations which he
felt in reference to this great event. The king smote the
ground only thrice, when he should have smitten it five or six
times ; and thus by his own want of zeal he restrained the
exertions of Almighty God in his favour s. And thus it is that
we act. If we were more earnest in our desires, and more
enlarged in our expectations from God, there would be no
bounds to the mercy which God would exercise towards us.
" We are not straitened in him, but in our own bowels."
Were we to " open our mouth ever so wide, he would fill it h ."
e Phil. iv. 6. f Gen. xxxii. 26.
2 Kings xiii. 29. h Ps. Ixxxi. 10.
B2
4 1 CHRONICLES XII. 32. [384.
We might ask what we would, and it should be done unto
us 1 .]
3. We should ask in faith nothing doubting-
[A doubting mind will rob us of all blessings, and make
our most urgent prayers of no effect k . We must " believe
not only that God is, but that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him 1 ." Yea, we must "believe that we do
receive in order that we may receive." And "according to our
faith it shall be done unto us." In fact, there is a kind of
omnipotence in the prayer of faith, and, if I may so speak,
God himself cannot, I may surely say, will not, reject it. He
speaks as if it had a commanding power m . Of course, this idea
must not be pressed too far : but we are sure that, as God
never did, so he never will, say to any of the seed of Jacob,
" Seek ye my face in vain."]
APPLICATION
[Is there then any Jabez, any son of sorrow, here ? Go to
God, the God of Israel, and say, "Oh that thou wouldest bless
me indeed ! Let me be strengthened by thee for all my spi
ritual conflicts. Let mine enemies, my indwelling corruptions,
be slain before me." And let me be put into full possession
of the heavenly Canaan, where I shall rest from my labours,
and be for ever happy in the bosom of my God." Then, bre
thren, shall your every request come up with acceptance before
God, and return in blessings upon you to the full extent of
your necessities.]
1 John xiv. 13, 14. k Jam. i. 6, 7. ! Heb. xi. 6. m Isai. xlv. 22.
CCCLXX^IV.
THE PROPRIETY OF CONSIDERING TIMES AND CIRCUM
STANCES.
1 Chron. xii. 32. The children of Issachar were men that had
understanding of the times, to know zvhat Israel ought to do.
THE doctrine of expediency is of difficult investi
gation : but it is highly deserving of our attention ;
because the greater part of our conduct in every
situation of life depends upon it : and it is no small
honour to the tribe of Issachar, that they were dis
tinguished above all the other tribes of Israel in
practical acquaintance with this important branch of
human knowledge. In the account given of the
384.1 ATTENTION TO TIMES AND CIRCUMSTANCES. 5
other tribes who came to David to Hebron, we are
merely told, how many they brought with them to
place David on the throne of Israel : but in relation
to the tribe of Issachar we are informed, that they
acted from a dispassionate consideration of David s
claims, as compared with those of the house of Saul,
and from a full conviction, that, in supporting David,
they performed an acceptable service to God himself.
From the character here given of them we shall
take occasion to shew,
I. That our conduct must often be affected by times
and circumstances
We are in the midst of a world changing every
moment, ourselves also changing with the things
around us. Hence arises a necessity of attending to
times and circumstances in our concerns, of what
ever nature they be :
1. Civil-
fit is the knowing how to judge of the various occurrences
that arise, and how to improve them to the good of the state,
that constitutes the great science of politics : and it is to this
knowledge, that the expression of " understanding the times"
primarily refers 3 . A statesman cannot determine what will be
fit to be done a year hence, because circumstances may arise
which would render all his plans abortive. He may indeed
display much wisdom in the exercise of foresight, and in pro
viding for contingencies ; but still he must of necessity follow
events which he cannot control, and be himself controlled by
existing circumstances : and he is the greatest benefactor to
the state, who is enabled to judge of them most correctly, and
to adapt his measures to them most wisely.]
2. Social-
[All of us have, as it were, a little world around us,
wherein we move ; and all experience the same vicissitudes as
are found in larger communities. In our families, innumerable
things arise from day to day, which require us to vary our line
of conduct. Sometimes ease and gaiety may become us, and
at other times seriousness and reserve : sometimes a yielding
spirit will be proper, and sometimes it will be necessary to be
firm. It is no little wisdom to know how to conduct ourselves
towards persons of different dispositions and of different habits :
a See Esth. i. 13.
6 1 CHRONICLES, XII. 32. [384.
but we should labour diligently for the attainment of this
wisdom, because the happiness both of ourselves and others
most essentially depends upon it.]
3. Personal
[It is obvious, that a very different deportment becomes
us in youth and in age, in prosperity and adversity. Solomon
tells us, that " there is to every thing a season, and a time to
every purpose under heaven b "- To discern all these
occasions, and to improve them aright, is the grand line of
distinction between the thoughtless and considerate, the fool
and the wise .]
But if our conduct must be influenced by them in
temporal matters, there is still reason to inquire,
II. How far it may properly be affected by them in
the concerns of religion
That we may attend to times and circumstances,
is certain
[This appears both from the example of Christ and his
Apostles, and from many plain directions given us in the
Scripture. Our blessed Lord at one time was silent before his
accusers, (" insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly,")
and at another time " witnessed a good confession before many
witnesses :" at one time he hid himself from his enemies, and
at another delivered himself into their hands : at one time de
livered his instructions darkly in parables, and at another spoke
" plainly and without a parable." In like manner St. Paul
did not deem " all things expedient that were lawful d ;" but
would sometimes conform to the ceremonial law, and at other
times neglect and even oppose it ; at one time sanctioning cir
cumcision, and at another withstanding it with all his might :
and in his ministry he would set before his audience milk or
strong meat, according as he saw occasion. So all the Apostles
were to fast indeed, but not whilst the bridegroom was with
them,
Such conduct is also prescribed to us. We are to recom
mend religion to the uttermost ; but " not to set our pearls
before swine:" we are to enforce the practice of it in its utmost
extent ; but not to put new wine into old bottles : we are to
" answer a fool at one time according to his folly ; " and, at
another, " not according to his folly."]
b See Eccl. iii. 18. Eccl. ii. 14. Prov. xxii. 3.
d 1 Cor. vi. 12. and x. 23.
384.J ATTENTION TO TIMES AND CIRCUMSTANCES. 7
But how far we may attend to them, is not easy
to determine
[Every distinct case must be determined by the peculiar
circumstances that attend it : it will be in vain therefore to
descend to particulars. We may however lay down one gene
ral rule, which will be of service in determining most of the
cases that can occur. The consideration of times and circum
stances is never to affect our principles, but only the application
of them.
Our principles must be fixed by the unerring standard of
God s word. The love of God, and the love of our fellow-
creatures, a regard for truth, and honour, and integrity, with
all other Christian graces, must be as fixed principles in our
minds, from which we are never to swerve on any account.
We must not regard life itself in comparison of these. But
then the peculiar mode in which these principles are to operate,
must be a matter of discretion, arising from the circumstances
of the case. And herein is the difference between a novice in
religion, and one who has been long walking in the ways of
God: the love of the more advanced Christian has " grown in
knowledge and in all judgment;" " he discerns" more clearly
than others " the things that differ;" and is enabled to com
bine, what we should always study to unite, " the wisdom of
the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove."]
It being clear, then, that our conduct may be af
fected by them, we proceed to shew,
III. What there is in the times and circumstances of
the present day to affect it-
There is no little resemblance between the times
of which our text speaks, and of the times wherein
we live 6 .
The elevation to the throne of Israel was typical
of the elevation of Christ to an empire over the
souls of men
[Christ is the true David, to whom all the tribes of Israel
must bow f . A long series of prophecies have foretold his
reign ; and have given us reason to expect that that reign shall
be universal
e Any circumstances that may have occurred, as sudden deaths,
&c. might here be brought forward, as motives to exalt Jesus to the
throne of Israel.
f Hos. iii. 5. Isai. xlv. 23 25.
8 1 CHRONICLES, XII. 32. [384.
And the circumstances of the present day loudly
call upon us to install Jesus in our hearts
[Never since the Apostolic age was there such a zeal for
the Bible as at the present day. Princes and Nobles, no less
than the ministers of religion themselves, are expatiating on
its value, and commending to us the Saviour, as therein re
vealed. When all the tribes then are uniting in this blessed
object, shall not we concur to the utmost of our power? True
indeed the numbers belonging to Issachar bare no proportion
to those of other tribes: they were only two hundred, when the
others were thirty, forty, and even a hundred thousand men.
But we must observe, that these two hundred were the heads
and governors of that tribe; and "all the rest were at their
command." So let it be amongst us : let those who are fore
most in rank, in learning, in wealth, lead the way, saying,
" Come let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual cove
nant that shall not be forgotten : " and let all others unite with
heart and hand, to seat Jesus on the throne of their hearts,
and to glorify him as our Lord and our God.]
In applying to yourselves this subject, we would
suggest a CAUTION or two :
1. Guard against yielding to any corrupt bias-
fin consulting times and circumstances, you will be in
danger of being warped by your interests or passions. But
you must watch and pray against them, and beg help from
God that you may not be drawn aside by them.]
2. Bear in mind that God will judge you in the
last day according to what he knows to have been
your true motives
[We cannot deceive him and should be careful
not to deceive ourselves.]
3. Beg of God to give you the " wisdom that is
profitable to direct "-
[God has promised to give wisdom, even " sound wisdom
and discretion," to all who ask it of him g . And let none be
discouraged, as though a want of education or abilities inca
pacitated them for the due discharge of their duty; for the
heart, and not the head, is the seat of this wisdom ; and God
has promised, that " the meek he will guide in judgment, the
meek he will teach his way."]
s Jam. i. 5.
385.]
DAVIDS JOY ON CARRYING UP THE ARK.
CCCLXXXV.
DAVIDS THANKSGIVING AT THE CARRYING UP OF THE
ARK.
1 Chron. xvi. 7 15. Then on that day David delivered first
this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Ampli and
his brethren. Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing
psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory
ye in his holy name : let the heart of them rejoice that seek
the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face
continually. Remember his marvellous ivorks that he hath
done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye
seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen
ones. He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the
earth. Be ye mindful always of his covenant.
IF any one entertain a doubt whether " the ways
of religion be ways of pleasantness and peace," he
needs only look to the history before us, and his
doubts will vanish in an instant. It may be thought
indeed, that, because the former attempt of David to
carry up the ark was attended with sorrow, the
general effect of God s service is not such as has been
represented : but it must be remembered, that, on
that occasion, though David meant well, he was
criminally negligent respecting the mode of carrying
his purposes into effect; and that God on that ac
count had frowned upon him a . But when he was
duly observant of God s commands respecting the
ark, his soul was filled with unutterable joy, to which
he gave vent in the Psalm before us.
This Psalm is taken out of several others. As far
as the 21st verse, it occurs in the 105th Psalm ; the
greater part of the remainder is found in the 96th.
It was given by David for the use of the Church, on
occasion of carrying up the ark to Jerusalem. In
the part which we have just read, we behold religion
in its full exercise : we see exhibited in the brightest
colours,
a 1 Chron. xiv. 10, 11. with xv. 13.
10 1 CHRONICLES, XVI. 715. [385.
I. The general frame of mind that it requires
We have not now to speak of moral actions, but
rather of spiritual affections. We are to contemplate
the Christian now in the dispositions of his mind
and the exercises of his soul towards God. And
here we observe,
1. That God should be the supreme object of his
regard
[The worldly man rises no higher than the world : " he
minds" and savours nothing but what is earthly and carnal b .
But the spiritual man " minds the things of the Spirit," and
endeavours to set God, as it were, always before him. In the
Psalm before us, there was evidently but one object in David s
mind. The world, and all that is in it, was forgotten ; and
God was " all in all." Mark every sentence, or member of a
sentence; and this will instantly appear. And should not this
be the general frame and habit of our minds ? Undoubtedly
it should. We need not indeed be always occupied in religious
exercises ; for there are many other duties to be performed :
but we should never for a moment lose the habit of holy and
heavenly affections : a sense of God s unbounded love and
mercy should be wrought, as it were, into the very consti
tution and frame of our minds, so that we should no more
cease to feel a supreme regard for him, than a worldly man
does for the things of this world. In a word, his perfections,
his word, and his works, should be ever so present to our
mind, as it was to David on this occasion, or to Adam in
paradise ]
This, whatever it may be called by ungodly men,
.is truly rational religion
[A supreme delight in God is by many deemed enthusiasm:
and the religion that consists in speculation, and theory, and
form, is supposed to be exclusively entitled to the appellation
of rational. But, if God be so infinitely glorious, that even
angels themselves are in comparison of him no more than a
glow-worm to the sun, he ought to be proportionably elevated
in our hearts : and if the wonders he has wrought for us are
beyond the powers of language to express, or of imagination to
conceive, we should shew our sense of them by thinking of
them, and speaking of them, and living continually under a
sense of our obligations to him on account of them. Were
the Jews required to testify their gratitude in this manner for
the mercies vouchsafed to them ? How much more should we
b Rom. viii. 5. Phil. iii. 18, 19.
385.] DAVID S JOY ON CARRYING UP THE ARK. 11
labour to express our gratitude for that infinitely greater work
of redemption which he has wrought out for us by the blood
of his only dear Son !
Again ; if Christ our Saviour be now in heaven, should not
our affections be there ; and " our conversation be there"
also d ? I say, that, provided we be not led to neglect our
worldly duties, (which are in no respect incompatible with hea
venly affections,) it is not possible to have our minds too much
filled with love to God : on the contrary, the total surrender
of all our faculties and powers to him is a " reasonable ser
vice 6 ."]
But we shall see yet more clearly the excellency
of religion, if we consider,
II. The particular duties it enjoins
St. Paul gives us a short summary of duties, very
similar to those that are enjoined in the text : " Re
joice evermore ; pray without ceasing. In every
thing give thanks : for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you f ." Thus David exhorts
us,
1. To thank the Lord for all his past mercies
[Were this exhortation addressed to the most miserable
and the most abandoned of the human race, it would be highly
reasonable, since the long-suffering which God has exercised to
wards him is itself a great salvation g . But it is addressed to
" the children of Israel," even " the chosen ones" of the Lord:
and who can ever find cause for praise, if they do not? If
they fill not the air with their hosannahs, the very " stones
will cry out against them." Do but reflect on your unnum
bered mercies, especially the gift of God s only dear Son for
you, and the gift of salvation by him to you. Surely you
should sing to him, yea, be singing his praises from day to day :
you should be already anticipating the employment of heaven,
and be singing day and night, " Salvation to God and to the
Lamb for ever and ever."]
2. To pray to him for future blessings
[The ark, as being the symbol of the Deity, was that be
fore which the prayers of the high-priest were to be made, and
from whence Jehovah was pleased to communicate his answers.
Hence, in our text it is called " his strength." This ark was
a type of Christ, " in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the
c Col. iii. 14. d phil. iii. 20. e R om< x ii. i.
f 1 Thess. v. 1618. e 2 Pet. iii. 15.
12 I CHRONICLES, XVI. 715. [385.
Godhead bodily," and who is the fountain from whence all spi
ritual blessings must flow h . To HIM therefore the Psalmist
points, when he says, " Seek the Lord and his strength, seek
his face continually." There is not any occasion whereon it is
not our duty and our privilege to seek him. Nothing should
be regarded as too small, nothing too great, to ask at his
hands. The command is, " In every thing, by prayer and sup
plication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known
unto God." And the promise for our encouragement is, " Ye
shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." O that
we could go thus to God "continually," as children to their
parent ! Surely, however " wide we opened our mouths, he
would fill them."]
3. To glory in him as our God and portion-
fin our text, David observes, " He is the Lord our God :"
and elsewhere he says, " O Lord, thou art my God." This it
is which elevates the soul to the highest state of bliss that it
can enjoy on earth. The man of this world glories not in
wealth, or honour, unless he can call them his. It is the pro
perty w r hich we have in them that produces the feelings of
joyous exultation, We should therefore strive to the utter
most to ascertain this point, that we are interested in the
Saviour, and are authorized on good grounds to say, " My
Beloved is mine, and I am his." As for all other objects of
glorying, we should renounce them all, as incompatible with
the Saviour s honour; and should determinately say with the
Apostle, " God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ."]
4. To be always mindful of his covenant
[The covenant here spoken of, is the covenant made with
Abraham, and confirmed with an oath unto Isaac 1 . In its
literal sense it refers to the land of Canaan as the inheritance
of Abraham s descendants : but in its mystical import it refers
to all the spiritual seed of Abraham, who are made partakers
of an infinitely nobler inheritance in and through the Lord
Jesus Christ. Indeed the other was a mere shadow : and this
is the substance. This was the covenant made with Christ
before the foundation of the world k ; " a covenant ordered in
all things and sure," an everlasting covenant that shall never be
annulled. This covenant should be for ever in our minds : we
should regard it as the one source of all the blessings we enjoy,
and our great security for the continuance of them. This it
h John i. 16. and xiv. 13, 14. with Eph. i. 22, 23.
1 ver. 16 18.
* Gal.iii. 17. and Heb. vi. 13, 14, 17, 18. 2 Tim. i. 2.
385.] DAVID S JOY ON CARRYING UP THE ARK. 13
is that will keep the mind firm and stable amidst all the diffi
culties and temptations that we have to encounter ; since the
execution and fulfilment of all its provisions depends on the
faithfulness of an unchanging God 1 . We should therefore
contemplate this covenant, and trust in it, and plead it before
God, and rejoice in an assured hope, that we shall in due time
inherit the kingdom provided for us " before the foundation of
the world" 1 ."]
To IMPROVE this subject, we will add a few words,
1. Of reproof
[How little is there of such religion as this in the midst of
us ! The generality know nothing of it by actual experience
and many, of whom we may hope that they are
" God s chosen ones," scarcely ever rise higher than to a state
of mourning for their sins, and of trust in God for his mercy.
They are occupied so much about themselves, as almost to forget
their God : that is, they do not contemplate as they ought, his
unbounded excellencies, or delight themselves in him as their
God and portion. O let not any of you rest in a state so un
profitable, and destitute of comfort as this ! but seek to attain
the full enjoyment of God in this world, as the best prepara
tion for enjoying him in the world to come.]
2. Of encouragement
[That which in our text is an exhortation, " Be mindful
always of his covenant," is, in the Psalm from whence it is
taken, a declaration respecting God, that " He hath remem
bered his covenant for ever"." Yes; he has remembered it,
and ever will remember it ; nor will he ever suffer one jot or
tittle of it to fail. In that covenant he has made ample pro
vision for all our necessities: so that, if we are ready to
despond, (as if this elevated state of mind could never be
attained, nor these duties ever be performed,) we need only
look to that covenant, and all our fears will be dispelled. It
is, as has been before observed, " ordered in all things, and
sure ;" and therefore the weakest shall have grace sufficient
for him, and the most timid find security in the arms of an
unchanging God.]
1 Jer. xxxii. 40. Mai. iii. 6.
m In treating this subject, care should be taken, as much as pos
sible, to preserve the life and spirit of the text.
n Ps. cv. 8.
14 1 CHRONICLES, XVI. 43. [386.
CCCLXXXVI.
DAVID S ATTENTION TO HIS HOUSEHOLD.
1 Chron. xvi. 43. And David returned to bless his house.
IT is truly delightful to see the operation of reli
gion on the soul of man ; how it transforms him
from a carnal and selfish creature, into a spiritual and
heavenly being, who, like the sun in the firmament,
steadily pursues his course, and shines brighter and
brighter unto the perfect day. Beautifully was it
exemplified by David in the history before us ; in
illustration of which we shall notice,
I. The work in which he had been engaged
This was, the bringing up of the ark from the
house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem : and,
A glorious work it was
[In itself, it was a work of vast importance. For many
years had the ark lain in obscurity at Kirjath-jearim, without
any application being made to it for instruction from God.
But, when brought up to Jerusalem, it would be accessible at
all times ; and, in all difficult emergencies, the will of Jehovah
might be learned from it. Indeed, the whole account respect
ing it shews us clearly, in what light it was viewed by the
nation at large
As a typical act, its importance rises still higher in our esti
mation. It was undoubtedly typical of Christ s ascension into
heaven ; for in that view it is spoken of in a great variety of
Psalms a , and in that view the Psalms relating to it are quoted
in the New Testament b . Let other Psalms, from the 96th to
99th, be read as referring to both these events, and they will
fully illustrate the importance of the work which David had
just completed
And it had been performed in a manner most, ac
ceptable unto God-
fin its commencement, it was begun by consulting all the
great men in the nation, who were stirred up to concur in
it c - - In its progress, nothing was left to human inven
tion, as before; but all was conducted with the strictest
a Ps. xxiv. xlvii. Ixviii. cxxxii.
b Compare Ps. Ixviii. 18. with Eph. iv. 8.
1 Chron. xiii. 1 3.
386.] DAVID S ATTENTION TO HIS HOUSEHOLD. 15
attention to God s revealed will. Nor did David commit the
service altogether to others : no ; he himself attended the
procession, and played and sang with all his might ; yea, and
danced also before the ark with such holy ecstasies, as to subject
himself to the scorn and censure of his own wife ; who being a
stranger to those divine raptures, imputed them, not to pious
fervour, but to indecent wantonness. But his joyous exulta
tion was such as the occasion required, and such as, though
condemned by Michal, was most pleasing unto God.]
Having seen the service to which he had gone
forth, we proceed to notice,
II. The work to which he returned
Though he might be well supposed at the conclu
sion of his service to need repose, yet he went home
only to protract his labours in another way. He
returned to bless his house ; that is,
1. To obtain blessings for them by his prayers
[He would not confine his religious exercises to public
occasions, but went home to stir up in his family those blessed
emotions with which his own soul was filled. He was anxious
that all his wives, his children, and his servants should be par
takers of his joy : and therefore he would unite with them in
fervent supplication to the God of all grace, that they might
themselves " know the Lord from the least even to the greatest
of them," and all experience the blessedness of his salvation.
Here we behold a bright example, which it behoves us all to
follow. Family prayer is, alas ! too often neglected, or at best
but coldly performed, by many, who profess a high regard for
public ordinances : but the true child of Abraham will " com
mand his house and children after him to fear the Lord d ," and
will say with Joshua, " Whatsoever others may do, I and my
house will serve the Lord e ." If we have family wants, and
family mercies, we should unite our prayers and our praises
with our families, that God may be acknowledged as the one
source from whence all good either has issued, or can be hoped
for : and though we can easily imagine circumstances wherein
such domestic services are impracticable, yet we cannot ima
gine any real piety to exist where such duties are wilfully
neglected.]
2. To render himself a blessing to them by his
conduct
[It was promised to Abraham that he should not only be
d Gen. xviii. 19. e Josh. xxiv. 15.
16 1 CHRONICLES, XVII. 24. [387.
blessed himself, but be a blessing also to others : and this pro
mise is in fact made to all the believing seed of Abraham. To
make others happy was no small part of David s ambition.
Hence he went to his house determined to contribute as far as
possible to the edification and comfort of all connected with
him. He would instruct the ignorant; and teach, not by
precept only, but by example also. His determination was to
" walk before his house in a perfect way f " - He would
not be proud, or imperious, or passionate, or fretful ; but
would regulate all his tempers and dispositions by the golden
rule of doing as he would be done unto : and " the law of
kindness would be ever in his lips."
How different is this from the conduct of many, who from
the public ordinances, in which they profess to take delight,
go down to their houses to make them wretched and miser
able, rather than to bless them! O let the professors of
religion look well to this : for, as a consistent Christian is a
blessing wherever he goes, so an inconsistent Christian is a
curse, and a stumbling-block to all around him.]
LEARN then from hence,
1. How highly we are privileged
[The ark, even the Lord Jesus Christ himself, is present
in the midst of us. To him we may have access ; and of him
we may inquire continually : and every blessing which was
typically derived from the symbol of his presence, shall be
really and spiritually obtained by all who seek him. If then
David and the whole kingdom of Israel felt such exalted joy
in the possession of that which was a mere shadow, let us not
be unmindful of our privilege in possessing the substance.]
2. In what way we should improve our privi
leges
[Let us not only rejoice in them ourselves, but endeavour
to communicate the benefit of them to others. Let all who
see us, be the better for us ; and all who stand in any relation
to us be constrained to say, that " God is with us of a truth."]
f Ps. ci. 2.
CCCLXXXVII.
GOD S RELATION TO HIS PEOPLE.
1 Chron. xvii. 24. The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel,
even a God to Israel.
A SENSE of God s kindness to us will invariably
inspire us with a zeal for his glory. The more
387.] GOD S RELATION TO HIS PEOPLE. 17
deeply we feel our obligations to him, the more ready
we shall be to speak good of his name, and the more
desirous that he should be honoured by every child
of man. It was David s happy lot to be eminently
favoured of his God. He had been taken from the
sheep-folds, to feed God s people Israel ; and he had
received a promise from God, that the kingdom
should be perpetuated in his family to very distant
generations. Overcome, as it were, with the con
templation of these stupendous mercies, he adores
his God with the profoundest gratitude : " O Lord,
there is none like thee, neither is there any God be
sides thee, according to all that we have heard with
our ears a ." Then, looking for the establishment of
God s blessed word in relation to himself and his
descendants, he prays that God himself may be
glorified by means of it: "Let it even be established,
that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying,
The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God
to Israel;" that is, " I have found thee a God to me:
and I desire that thou mayest be known to Israel,
and acknowledged by Israel, under that endearing
character, to the latest generations."
Let us, for the illustrating of these words, con
sider,
I. The relation which God bears to his people-
He is here called " The God of Israel." But there
seems, at first sight, to be nothing very peculiar in
that, since he is " the God of the whole earth 1 ," yea,
and of all his creatures, whether in heaven or hell ;
all being alike subject to him, and all equally under
his control. The title here given to him must evi
dently import something of a more restricted nature,
something that more immediately connects him with
Israel as his peculiar charge. Its real signification is,
1. That he has chosen them out from amongst the
world, which lieth in wickedness
[This lie did, when he called Abraham out of Ur of the
Chaldees. Abraham was an idolater, in the midst of an
a ver. 1620. > Isai. liv. 5.
VOL. IV. C
18 1 CHRONICLES, XVII. 21. [387.
idolatrous family and nation. And God, of his own sovereign
will and pleasure, chose him, and called him out from his fa
mily and nation, and " separated him for himself 6 ." And it is
precisely thus that he calls all his people, whether those who
were Abraham s lineal descendants, or those who are heirs of
Abraham s faith. What was said to Israel in the wilderness,
may be said to God s Israel to the very end of time : " Thou
art a holy people unto the Lord thy God : the Lord thy God
hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all
people that are upon the face of the earth d ." Nor, in one
instance more than another, can any reason for this choice be
assigned, but simply God s sovereign will and pleasure 6 . In
every instance, he is found of them that sought him not, and
made known to them that inquired not after himV]
2. That he has given himself to them in a peculiar
way
[He gave himself to Abraham and the nation of Israel, as
their God, in a more especial manner; so that he watched over
them, and revealed himself to them, and exerted himself for
them in a way that he never had done for any other people.
The same he does for his chosen people at this time, only in
a less visible manner. He takes them under his special pro
tection : he orders every thing for them : and he makes him
self known to them, as their Father and their Friend.]
3. That he avows that relation to them before the
whole universe
[This he did to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, calling
himself their God : and when he would afterwards make him
self known to their posterity in Egypt, he particularly com
manded Moses to say to them, " The Lord God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, hath sent me
unto you. This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial
unto all generations g ." And though the names of his people be
not, nor can be, severally mentioned, he is as much their God,
as ever he was Abraham s God. Wherever there are any
persons who have been called out from the world to " seek
after a better country, that is, an heavenly, he is not ashamed
to be called their GodV]
But let us inquire more distinctly,
II. What, under that relation, we may expect at his
hands
c Ps. iv. 3. d Deut. vii. 6. e Deut. vii. 7, 8,
f Rom. x. 20. s Exod. iii. 15. h Heb. xi. 16.
387. J GOD S RELATION TO HIS PEOPLE. 19
" The God of Israel, is a God to Israel:" and
whatever a God can do, that he will do for them.
Hence, then, they may assuredly expect from him,
1. The care of his providence
[See what he did for Israel of old. They needed a
deliverer from their bondage : and he delivered them with a
mighty hand, and a stretched-out arm. They needed guidance
through the wilderness : and he himself went before them in
the pillar and the cloud. They needed food : and he gave
them bread from heaven to eat, and water from the stony
rock for their refreshment. And will he not provide for us
also whatsoever we stand in need of? " Is his ear heavy, that
it cannot hear ? or is his hand now shortened, that it cannot
save?" No: he is the same gracious God as ever, and has
pledged himself, that " they who seek his face, shall want no
manner of thing that is good*."]
2. The communications of his grace
[Without these, it were to little purpose that he were
called our God: for it would be impossible for us ever to
behold his face in peace. " Without him we can do nothing."
We should still continue slaves to sin and Satan ; and perish
for ever amongst the enemies of God. But we need not fear.
" He will give us both grace and glory k ." As our necessities
increase, " he will give us more grace 1 : " and however great our
trials may be, he engages that " his grace shall be sufficient
for us m ." Yea, so effectual shall be his communications, that,
"through him strengthening us, we shall be able to do all
things ."]
3. The manifestations of his love
[Who that would approve himself as a father, would
withhold from his child the tokens of his love? And will God,
when he promises to be " a God unto us," be so unmindful of
us, as never to lift up the light of his countenance upon us ?
No: He will give us " a Spirit of adoption, whereby we may
cry, Abba, Father ." He will give us also " the witness of the
Spirit, as the earnest of our future inheritance p ." And to such
a degree will he " shed abroad his love in our hearts 1 ," as to
fill us with " a joy that is unspeakable and glorified 1 ."]
4. The possession of his glory
[This is particularly declared by our Lord himself, as in
separably connected with the relation we are now considering.
i Ps. xxxiv. 10. k Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. > Jam. iv. 6.
m 2 Cor. xii. 9. n Phil. iv. 13. Rom. viii. 15.
i j Rom. viii. 16. <i Rom. viii. 5. r 1 Pet. i. 8.
c ^
20 1 CHRONICLES, XV1T. 24. [387.
When a doubt was entertained, whether there was ever to be
a resurrection of the body, our Lord referred to the very name
of God, as " the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob,"
as a demonstration of the point in question. For, if he was
their God, he was the God of their whole persons, of their
bodies as well as of their souls: and if their bodies should not
be raised again, he would cease to be their God, as far as their
bodies were concerned. But that relation should never cease :
and, consequently, their bodies must be raised from the dead,
in order that they might participate in the promised bliss 8 .
No doubt, therefore, he will exalt to glory all his chosen
people : for can he be a God to any in hell? There he will be
only an avenging Judge. It is in heaven alone that he can
execute all that that relation imports : we may be sure, there
fore, that, as he is the God of his people, so " he will be their
portion, and the lot of their inheritance " for evermore.]
Whilst, however, we contemplate our privileges in
consequence of God s relation to us, we must bear in
mind,
III. What, under that relation, he is entitled to ex
pect from us
Beyond a doubt, if he considers himself as bound
to us, we also are bound to him : and if he is our
God, we must be his people. The one is compre
hended in the other : and, wherever one is men
tioned, the other, if not absolutely mentioned, is
always implied. Just before the text it is said, " Thy
people Israel didst thou make thine own people for
ever ; and thou, Lord, becamest their God 1 ." In the
Epistle to the Hebrews, not only is the mutual rela
tion specified, but it is stated precisely in our text ;
" I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a
people"." This, then, may God expect from us :
1. That we " be a people to him"-
[We are not to be satisfied with calling ourselves his : we
must be really his. A servant considers himself, his time, his
talents, his all, as at the disposal of his master : and from day
to day he inquires how they can be improved for him. He
never, for a moment, considers it sufficient to compliment his
master with the name of master : but he waits upon him to
receive his orders ; and he departs from him only to execute
s Matt. xxii. 31, 32. t ver . 22. Ileb. viii. 10.
387.1 GOD S RELATION TO HIS PEOPLE. 21
them. Thus, then, we must "be a people to" the Lord. We
must inquire what we can do for him. We must diligently
learn what is the duty which he has appointed us to perform ;
and we must strenuously set ourselves to the performance
of it- -]
2. That we give ourselves to him, as he has given
himself to us
[We must do it freely, and cheerfully. There was no
constraint on God s part in giving himself to us: he did it of
his own mind and will. Thus must we surrender up our
selves to him. We must not wait till we are beset with the
terrors of hell, and then give ourselves to him by compulsion.
We should rather, from a view of his excellency, and from a
sense of the unspeakable privilege of serving him, desire to
be numbered amongst his favoured people x . We must do it
also wholly and unreservedly. Jehovah is not our God in part;
doing some things for us, and not others : there is nothing
that he has not done ; for he has given his only dear Son to
die for us: nor is there any thing he will not do; for " having
given up his own Son for us, we may be assured he will much
more do for us every thing else that we can need y ." On no
consideration, therefore, should we withhold any thing from
him. " Our whole body, soul, and spirit, should be sanctified
to him 2 ." Nothing should be accounted too much to do or
suffer for him : if the sacrifice even of life itself should be
called for, it should be freely made ; and we should rejoice
that we are counted worthy to render him so honourable a
service. We must also do it unchangeably and for ever. God
never repents of what he has done for us a : he tells us that he
will not forsake his people, " because it hath pleased him to
make us his people b ;" but that, " having loved us, he will love
us to the end c ." And so should it be with us : "after having
once put our hands to the plough, we should never look back
again 1 ." We should " never faint or be weary in well-doing e ."
We should give our ear to be bored in his service ; and never
relinquish it, till we are called to serve him in a better world 1 .
This, I say, is what God may justly expect from us : and
I conceive there is not a person upon earth so stupid and
brutish, as not to see and acknowledge that it is " a reasonable
service 8 ." If our expectations from God are greater than
those of others, our services also should be greater. The SCT-
x Isai. Ixiv. 9. > Rom. viii. 32. * 1 Thess. v. 23.
a Rom. xi. 29. h 1 Sam. xii. 22. c John xiii. 1.
d Luke ix. 02. e Gal. vi. 9. f Exod. xxi. 0.
R Rom. xii. 1.
22 I CHRONICLES, XVII. 24. [387.
vices of others are no rule for us. The question that will be
put to us will be, " What did ye more than others? "]
Let me, then, conclude with two PROPOSALS :
1. That we, at this very hour, accept Jehovah as
our God
[He offers himself to us under this endearing character.
He calls on every child of man to " lay hold on his covenant ;"
and in that very covenant he makes over himself to us as our
God h . Let us from this moment renounce all other gods, and
say, " Thou, O God, shalt be my God for ever and ever 1 ." In
accepting him, however, let us accept him for all the ends for
which he gives himself to us. It is not to save us only that
he gives himself to us, but to " be a God unto us ;" to be the
one source of all our joy ; the one object of all our love ; the
one. end of our very being. Let us then, open our hearts to
receive him under this character. If there be any other that
is more worthy of this place in our regards, or that can better
fulfil the office committed to him, then will I consent that you
shall take him for your God in preference to Jehovah : but if
Jehovah alone can answer all the necessities of your souls,
then, I say, accept him now as your God, and avouch him to
be so in the presence of the whole universe k .]
2. That we now consecrate ourselves to him as
his people
[This, as you have seen, must accompany the former : nor
is there any man so blind, as not to see that the two are, and
must be, inseparably connected. Let us, then, at this hour,
"join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant, that
shall not be forgotten V Unite with me now, my Brethren,
in a solemn surrender of ourselves to God.
Lord, our God, thine we are by every tie. To thee we
owe our very being, for thou hast created us. To thee
we owe our well-being, for thou hast upheld us every
moment, and supplied us with all things needful for us.
Above all, to thee we owe our hopes of happiness in a
better world ; for thou hast redeemed us by the blood of
thine only dear Son. " We are not our own ; we are
bought with a price : and are therefore bound in every
view to glorify thee with our bodies and our spirits,
which are thine m ." We acknowledge with shame that
" other lords besides thee have had dominion over us :
but by thee will we henceforth make mention of thy name,
h Jer. xi. 24. J Ps. xlviii. 14. k Deut. xxvi. 17, 18.
1 Jer. 1. 5. m 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.
388.]
SOLOMON A TYPE OF CHRIST.
even of thine only 11 ." Behold, O Lord, we now dedicate
to thee all that we are, and all that we have. We know
it to be our duty : we believe it to be our privilege : we
are assured that it is our highest honour and happiness.
Make us sincere in this, we pray thee : and " keep it for
ever in the imagination of the thoughts of our hearts ! "
Oh, let us never go back from thee, nor ever alienate
from thee any portion of those regards which are due to
thee alone. Let the measure of our expectations from
thee be the measure of our dedication to thee : and, as
we hope that thou wilt be fully and for ever ours, so en
able us to be fully and for ever thine !
Beloved Brethren, do you truly add to this your hearty
" Amen p ?" The Lord grant you may ! and may what we
have now done be accepted of our God, and be for ever ratified
in heaven ! Amen, and Amen !]
n Isai. xxvi. 13. 1 Chron. xxix. 18.
P At the Lord s table, we all do what is here done. " Here we offer
and present unto thee, Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a
reasonable, holy, and lively sacrijicc unto thee."
CCCLXXXVIII.
SOLOMON A TYPE OF CHRIST.
1 Chron. xxii. 9, 10. Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who
shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his
enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I
will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He
shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son,
and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of
his kingdom over Israel for ever.
IF God have any great work to do, he will raise
up fit instruments for himself, and qualify them for
executing his will. Nor will he make use of such
persons only as, of their own minds., covet the em
ployment, but oftentimes such as are either averse
to it, or unconcerned about it. Has he ordained to
bring his people out of Egypt, or to gather to him
self a people from the Gentile world ? He raises up
a Moses, or converts a Paul, that, as his agents, they
may accomplish his gracious purpose. Thus when
David was solicitous to build an house for God, and
had made great preparations for it, God forbade him
24 1 CHRONICLES, XXII. 9, 10. [388.
to carry into effect his designs ; and conferred that
honour on Solomon, his son. While we adore this
exercise of his sovereign will, we are led to contem
plate a mystery veiled under this dispensation, and
to trace the resemblance which was by this means
produced between Solomon, and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Though the words of the text in their literal sense
relate to Solomon, yet they have undoubtedly a
further reference to Christ ; of whom Solomon was
a type,
I. In his dearness to God-
Solomon was eminently favoured of the divine
Being
[He was a subject of prophecy before he was born ; and
was called " Jedidiah," by God s special appointment, in token
of the peculiar love which God bore towards him a . His mental
endowments were such as never had before been possessed by
fallen man. His knowledge of natural philosophy was won
derfully extensive b ; and his qualifications for administering
the affairs of his kingdom were so perfect, as to be the envy,
and admiration, of all who knew him c . He was honoured with
repeated visions of the Almighty, and with most signal evi
dences of divine acceptance 11 . Throughout his life did God
regard him as a beloved child ; nor were the judgments inflicted
on him toward the close of life for his awful declensions, to be
considered in any other light than as paternal chastisements :
for though we are not expressly told that he ever was recovered
from his lewdness and idolatries, we cannot but hope that he
became a real penitent, and died, as once he had lived, " beloved
of the Lord 6 ."]
But Jesus was, infinitely beyond all others, the
beloved of the Father
[Jesus had been a subject of prophecy, not for a few years
merely, but from the foundation of the world. The name,
Emmanuel, was given him many hundred years before he
became incarnate ; and He was called Jesus, by the angel,
before his conception in the womb f . Thrice, by an audible
a 2 Sam. xii. 24, 25. l > 1 Kings iii. 12. and iv. 29 34.
c 1 Kings iii. 16 28. d 1 Kings ix. 2.
e It is most probable that the book of Ecclesiastes was written in
consequence of his restoration to the divine favour.
f Isai. vii. 14. Matt. i. 21.
388.1 SOLOMON A TYPE OF CHRIST. 25
voice from heaven did God proclaim him his " beloved Son, in
whom he was well pleased." As for the endowments of his
mind, he not only had the spirit of wisdom and understanding
resting upon him g , but all the treasures of wisdom and know
ledge hid in him h , so that " he spake as never man spake." So
perfectly was he qualified for every part of his regal office, that
" Righteousness was the very girdle of his loins," with which
he was always girt for the discharge of his duty 1 . And it is
worthy of particular notice, that the very \vords of the text,
which confessedly point out Solomon as a son of God, are
quoted, by an inspired Apostle, as referring to Christ, and as
declaring his superiority to all both in heaven and earth k . While
therefore, with the Apostle, we consider Solomon as a type of
Christ, we learn to entertain the most exalted thoughts of
Christ, as " the brightness of his Father s glory."]
We may observe a further resemblance of Solo
mon to Jesus,
II. In the office assigned him
It was to Solomon that God assigned the honour
of building an house for his name
[David had shed much blood in the course of the many wars
in which he had been engaged ; and, though he had done this
both by the direction and assistance of God himself, yet it un
fitted him in God s estimation, for building the temple. But
Solomon, whose very name imported Peace, and who was to
have rest on every side, was more fit to represent " the Prince
of Peace," and more at leisure to execute so great a work.
Him therefore did God prefer: nor could any man prove him
self more worthy of the employment. He entered on his work
with zeal and piety ; and, having finished the noblest edifice
that ever the world beheld, and supplied it with most costly
furniture in every part, he consecrated it in a solemn and
public manner to Jehovah.]
But there is a far more glorious house which
Christ alone erects
[The temple of Solomon was only a shadow of another
temple, the Church of God, in which God dwells, not by any
visible symbol of his presence, but by his quickening, com
forting, and sanctifying Spirit. Of this temple we ourselves
are, as it were, the stones, hewn out by the Lord himself;
fitted by him for the place we are designed to occupy ; and so
disposed by him, that " all the building fitly framed together
s Tsai. xi. 1 3. h Col. ii. 3. Isai. xi. 5.
k Comp. 1 Chron. xvii. 13. with HeK i. 5.
26 1 CHRONICLES, XXII. 9, 10. [388.
may grow unto an holy temple in the Lord 1 ." Moreover,
Christ is declared, both by Prophets and Apostles, to be
the founder and finisher of his house 111 . And how infinitely
does it exceed, both in beauty and magnificence, the structure
by which it was typified! That was composed, like other
buildings, of earthly and perishable materials ; this is com
posed of lively stones, built upon a living Foundation-stone,
and cemented, in every part, by the Spirit of the living God" :
That was enriched with gold and silver ; but this with all the
gifts and graces of the Spirit, yea, with the " unsearchable
riches of Christ" himself.]
Perhaps in nothing was Solomon a more glorious
type of Christ than,
III. In the peacefulness and perpetuity of his king
dom-
Very remarkable were the peace and prosperity of
Solomon s reign
[God had either put down all his enemies, or disposed
their hearts to peace and amity ; so that, till Solomon had de
parted from the Lord, and thereby provoked his displeasure,
his kingdom enjoyed uninterrupted tranquillity. And though,
for his transgressions, the ten tribes were rent from his imme
diate successor, and ever afterwards continued separate, yet
the kingdom of Judah was transmitted to his posterity, and
preserved in his family, as long as the kingly government
itself existed.]
This however was a very faint image of what
exists in the kingdom of Christ-
fit is true, that the Church has never yet enjoyed much
outward peace : for though it has often been free from those
bloody persecutions, with which it has at some times been ha
rassed, yet it has never ceased for one moment to be an object
of reproach, and abhorrence, amidst an ungodly world. Still,
however, may we justly speak of the peacefulness of Christ s
kingdom, since all his subjects have peace with God, and in
their own consciences, even a peace that passeth all under
standing . And there is a time coming, when the enmity of
the carnal heart shall be slain ; and all mankind, brought into
one blessed family, shall live in harmony with each other,
" the wolf lying down with the lamb, and the lion eating straw
with the ox; there shall be none to hurt, or destroy, in all
1 Eph. ii. 21.
m Zech. iv. 9. and vi. 12, 13. with Heb. iii. 3, 6.
n 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. IsaL liv. 13. Ps. Ixxii. 7.
388.] SOLOMON A TYPE OF CHRIST. 27
God s holy mountain?." Of this kingdom too there shall be
no end : for though the present mode of administering it shall
be changed q , (there being no more occasion for a Mediator,
when all the saints shall be glorified,) yet shall he, who now
sits upon the throne of David, reign over Israel for ever and
ever 1 .]
REFLECTIONS
1. How great and glorious a person must Christ
be!
[We justly admire Solomon on account of the singular
honour which God put upon him: but what were the endow
ments of his mind, what the grandeur of his works, or what
the stability of his kingdom, when compared with the excel
lencies of the King of Zion ? Surely they were but as dark
ness that renders Emmanuel s light more visible. Let us then
fix our eyes on our adorable Saviour; and learn from the
faint glimmering of the brightest star, to admire the infinitely
brighter glories of the Sun of Righteousness.]
2. How happy are the subjects of the Redeemer s
kingdom !
[The Queen of Sheba, filled with wonder at what she saw
and heard in the court of Solomon, exclaimed, " Happy are
thy men, happy are these thy servants, who stand continually
before thee, and hear thy wisdom 8 !" But how incomparably
happier must they be, who stand in the presence of Jesus,
and hear his voice; and not only behold, but participate, his
glory ! Believer, know thy privileges, and learn to estimate
them aright. And let all earthly glory be despised by thee
as not worth a thought, in comparison of that which thou
already possessest, and shalt possess, when all the kingdoms of
this world have vanished away.]
3. How inexcusable are they who neglect the
Saviour !
[Our Lord warned his hearers, that the Queen of the
South would rise up in judgment against them, and condemn
them, because she went from the very ends of the earth to hear
the wisdom of Solomon ; whereas they, when they had One
greater than Solomon in the midst of them, despised and re
jected him 1 . And will she not in a still greater degree con
demn us, who, even while we profess ourselves the followers
of Christ, shew no love to his person, no admiration of his
P Ps. Ixxii. 10, 11. Isai. xi. 69.
i 1 Cor. xv. 28. r Luke i. 32, 33. Isai. ix. 7.
s 1 Kings x. 8. t Matt. xii. 42.
28 1 CHRONICLES, XXII. 19. [389.
glory, no zeal for his honour? Shall not we perish under a
most aggravated load of guilt, when, under the meridian light
of the Gospel, we prefer darkness to light, and the service of
sin to the service of our Lord? May God the Spirit come
down to convince us of our sin, and effectually subdue us to
the obedience of faith !]
CCCLXXXIX.
SEEKING AFTER GOD.
1 Chron. xxii. 19. Now set your heart and your soul to seek
the Lord your God.
THERE are many subjects, which, whilst in
themselves they are plain and simple, derive much
importance from the occasions on which they arise,
or the circumstances with which they are attended.
The duty of " seeking after God" is inculcated in
the Holy Scriptures, times without number : and
the insisting upon it, though interesting and neces
sary in its place, may seem to promise little that is
new, or beyond the bounds of common pastoral in
struction. But, if the occasion on which these words
were uttered be taken into our consideration, they
will be found to possess a very peculiar interest.
Let us, then, notice,
I. The occasion on which this injunction was given
[David w r as now at an advanced period of life; and was
deeply concerned to improve his power and influence, for the
honour of God and the welfare of his people. Time was when
both he and all his people were in a very different condition
from that which they enjoyed at this time ; he being persecuted
and driven by. Saul, "as a partridge upon the mountains;"
and they being overrun and conquered by the Philistine ar
mies 3 . But now the whole kingdom being consolidated and
enlarged, and all their enemies being subdued, he was desirous
of building a temple to the Lord. That honour, however,
having been denied to him, and transferred to his son, he in
this chapter exhorts his son to prosecute the work with be
coming zeal; and, because his son was yet "young and
tender," he urges all the princes of the realm to aid him to the
1 Sam. xxxi. 7.
389.] SEEKING AFTER GOD. 29
utmost of their power. He mentions what preparations he
had made for the work, having amassed in gold and silver, at
the lowest computation, eighteen millions of our money, besides
materials of wood and stone and brass and iron to an immense
extent ; and at the same time having engaged the most skilful
artificers in every department ; so that nothing remained, but
that they should commence the work the very instant that his
son should succeed to the throne 1 - But, as they could
not hope for the divine blessing unless they should consecrate
themselves in the first instance to God, he entreats them now,
without delay, to " set their heart and their soul to seek the
Lord their God."
And have not we a temple to build ; a temple that shall be
" exceeding magnifical," not only "of fame and glory through
out all countries," but comprehending within its walls even-
nation upon earth ? And are not glorious preparations
made, such as never since the establishment of Christ s king
dom in the world were seen before ? Societies without num
ber are on foot amongst every body of Christians, for the
diffusion of light and knowledge, both amongst Jews and
Gentiles, in every quarter of the globe - Who sees not
how greatly the face of things is altered, even within a very
few years, in the Christian world ? Religion, instead of being
frowned upon to the extent it once was, is honoured ; and,
instead of being driven into a corner, is spread over the face of
Christendom, with a rapidity which but a few years ago could
not have been anticipated. And, as " Tyrians and Zidonians"
contributed to David " their cedars and their workmen," so
now, Hindoos and Heathens are co-operating with us in the
good work ; and, to change the metaphor, " the fields are
already white unto the harvest." " JVeM ," then, is the time for
all to " seek the Lord." As far as our personal interests are
concerned, this duty is equally seasonable at all times : but
for the interests of God s Church the present season is pecu
liarly propitious ; because an union of all Israel, both of
"princes" and of people, is- in progress; and by such com
bined efforts we may hope to advance this great and blessed
work.]
With a special view to these things, we proceed
to notice,
II. The injunction itself
Two things are here pointed out :
1. What is to be the great object of our life
b Cite vcr. 1,"), 14 10.
30 1 CHRONICLES, XXII. 19. [389.
[We must " seek the Lord our God." We must seek
his favour; for without that we can do nothing, to any good
purpose. But let us seek it in his appointed way, by faith in
his dear Son - " Christ is the only way to the Father,
nor can any come acceptably to God, but by him, and through
him c ."
We must seek Ms direction also, without which we are sure
to err. The Israelites in the wilderness did not need the
guidance of the pillar and the cloud more than we. Let us,
therefore, watch its motions ; and beg of God that we may
have at all times that promise fulfilled to us, " The meek he
will guide in judgment, the meek he will teach his way d ."
His glory, too, we must seek. We must on no account be
acting with a view to our own honour or interest, but simply
and entirely to the honour of our God. And this principle we
must carry into the minutest actions of our lives : " Whether
we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we must do all to the glory
of God e ."
In a word, we must seek in all things His final approbation.
To be applauded of men will be of little avail to us, if in the
last judgment we be condemned by our God. We must
proceed in the way of duty, whatever man may either say or
do : and to obtain the plaudit of our God, "Well done, good
and faithful servant!" must satisfy us, whatever we may sacri
fice for his sake, or whatever we may suffer.]
2. In what way we are to prosecute it
[We are not to engage in the Lord s work with a stupid
indifference; but to embark in it, even as David did, with
" our whole heart and our whole soul f ." It is thus that God
interests himself for his people : and shall we do less for him,
than he for us ? The work which we have to do is " our very
life g : " and on the manner of prosecuting it depends our whole
success. We must " set our heart and our soul to it h ;" and,
like Joshua, determine, that, though all other people should
dissent from us, " we will serve the Lord"- In this we
may learn even from the wicked. They, many of them at
least, have " their heart fully set in them to do evil," and they
do it " with both hands earnestly 1 :" and zve, also, must " with
full purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord k ," and " be stead
fast and immovable, and always abounding in the work he
has assigned us 1 ."]
c John xiv. 6. d Ps. xxv. 9. See also Isai. xxx. 21.
e 1 Cor. x. 31. f Jey. xxxii. 41.
g Deut. xi. 18. and xxxii. 46, 47. h Deut. iv. 29.
1 Eccl. viii. 11. and Mic. vii. 3. k Acts xi. 23.
1 1 Cor. xv. 58.
390. J DAVID S ADVICE TO SOLOMON. 31
And NOW,
1. Avail yourselves of the opportunities afforded
you for public usefulness
[Verily, these are days in which it is an inestimable pri
vilege to live. The facilities afforded for the exercise of piety
and benevolence are altogether unprecedented. The poorest,
as well as the rich, may contribute to the building of God s
spiritual temple, and by their prayers may prevail to an un
known extent. And our encouragement is great. There is
already a dawn of a very glorious day ; and we see the drops
that precede an abundant shower. Spread then your sails,
now that the wind is favourable : and in whatever department
of God s work you are employed, set your heart to it, and " do
it with all your might."]
2. Begin with a surrender of your whole souls to
God-
[All acceptable sendee to God must begin within our own
bosoms. If our religion begin not at home, we shall be only
like the builders of Noah s ark, who prepared for others a de
liverance of which themselves did not partake. The Macedo
nians were commended by St. Paul especially for this, that
whilst they exercised benevolence towards others with unri
valled zeal, " they first gave their own selves to the Lord" 1 ."
This is what we also must do : and this we shall do, if our
hearts be right with God : we shall, each for himself, and all
in concert, determine to " go and seek speedily the Lord of
hosts:" and, when we exhort others to that good work, we
shall, " every one of us, be forward to say, I will go also 11 ."]
m 2 Cor. viii. 35. n Zech. viii. 2022.
cccxc.
DAVID S ADVICE TO SOLOMON.
1 Chron. xxviii. 9. And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the
God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and
witli a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and
understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts : if thou
seek him, he will be found of thee ; but if thou forsake him,
he ivill cast thee off for ever.
WHATEVER may have been their own conduct
through life, it is the wish of most men in a dying
hour, that their children should walk in the ways of
32 I CHRONICLES, XXVIII. 9. [390.
probity and honour. But men of piety have higher
views : they wish their children not merely to pass
through this world with credit, but to obtain hap
piness beyond the grave. The advice of David in
the words before us, is precisely such as every reli
gious parent would wish to give to his surviving
family. Let us observe,
I. The advice here given
The occasion was most solemn. David had de
sired to build a temple for the Lord, but was for
bidden ; and was directed to devolve that office on
his son Solomon. All the princes and great men of
the nation were convened to assist at the solemnity :
and in the presence of them all did David direct his
son,
1. Whom to seek
[The terms here used have doubtless a peculiar force.
David does not say to his son, " Know thou the God of
Israel ;" but " Know thou the God of thy father ;" by which
expression he evidently called the attention of Solomon to the
character of Jehovah as exemplified in all his dealings towards
him: it is as though he had said, " Know thou that sovereign
God, who chose me above all to rule his people Israel
Know that almighty God who, in all my dangers from Saul or
other enemies, has preserved me to the present hour
Know that merciful God who forgave me all my great trans
gressions in the matter of Uriah and that faithful
God who has fulfilled to me all his great and precious pro
mises, in raising up thee to sit on my throne, and to build a
temple to the Lord " -
" Know" this God: study his character as displayed in all
his conduct towards me : acquaint thyself with him in the
most intimate and endearing manner : and seek him as thy
friend, thy portion, thine eternal great reward! But remember
that it is in Christ only that this character of God can be fully
seen Seek then to know God as reconciled to you in
the Son of his love; and let " this God be your God for ever
and ever."]
2. How to serve him
[Integrity of heart is indispensable in all who would serve
their God aright. Absolute perfection is not to be expected
by fallen man : but that measure of perfection which consists
in a total freedom from all guile, not only may, but must,
-390.] DAVID S ADVICE TO SOLOMON. 33
be attained. To be " Israelites indeed," we must be " without
guile." There must be no lust, which we desire to retain ; no
duty, from which we draw back; no sacrifice which we are
averse to make : the will of God, even his whole will, without
any limitation or exception, must be that to which we aim to
be conformed And in our labours to fulfil our duty,
we must not be constrained by slavish fear, but by filial love.
We must feel the service of our God to be perfect freedom ;
and find all our delight in it, like the angels, who " do his will,
hearkening to the voice of his word" - As we are to love
our God, so also are we to serve him, " with all our heart, and
mind, and soul, and strength."]
The importance of this charge is strongly marked
in,
II. The considerations with which it is enforced
Two arguments are here used to impress the more
deeply on Solomon s mind the foregoing exhortation.
They are briefly these ;
1. That God is privy to our inmost thoughts
[If God could judge only by the outward appearance, we
might with less danger be inattentive to our hearts* : but the
heart of man is as visible to him as the sacrifices when flayed
and divided asunder were to the priests of old a . Not the
thoughts only, but " the imaginations of the thoughts," the
very first risings of them before they are formed into a distinct
apprehension of the mind, are all seen and marked by Him, so
as to ascertain with precision their nature and quality; and to
make them infallible grounds of condemnation or acquittal in
the day of judgment. Not actions only, but " the spirits of
men are weighed by him," so as to discern how much there is
of good or evil in every inclination, af lection, appetite, and
motion of the soul.
What a reason is this for attending to the frame of our
minds in the service of our God ! That, and that only which
is according to his word, will be accepted by him : whatever
there is of formality, or hypocrisy, or of any evil principle, will
all be separated as chaff from the wheat, to be consumed in
the fire, when the wheat is treasured up in his garner. Alas !
how little that is truly good, will be found even in the best of
men! Consider this, all ye who would find acceptance with
God ; and endeavour to approve yourselves to Him, " who
searcheth the heart, and trieth the reins."]
a Heb. iv. 13.
VOL. IV.
34 1 CHRONICLES, XXVIII. 9. [390.
2. That he will deal with us according as we con
duct ourselves towards him
[It is grievous that men should explain away the plainest
declarations of God, in order to accommodate them to human
systems. There is nothing clearer in all the inspired volume,
than that " God will be found of them that seek him, and cast
off those who forsake him." We appeal to the experience of all
who are in the slightest degree acquainted with vital godliness.
" Did God ever say to any man, Seek my face in vain?"-
On the other hand, Who ever turned back from him, without
suffering loss in his soul ? Who has not found that the Spirit of
God may be grieved and provoked to withdraw his gracious
communications? Most assuredly he will not always strive
with man, but will give us up to our own hearts lusts, if we wil
fully harbour those dispositions or affections which are hateful
in his sight. Moreover, in the eternal world, he will recom
pense every man exactly according to his works ; adjudging to
his diligent servants a reward proportioned to their diligence in
improving their talents, and to the disobedient servants a
punishment proportioned to their guilt.
Who can reflect on this, and not feel the force of the advice
given in our text ? Our happiness both in time and in eternity
depends on our present diligence and fidelity. Let us there
fore implore help from God, that we may so devote ourselves
to him now, as to be approved by him in the day of judgment.]
ADDRESS
1. To parents
[You see in David, what should be your chief desire in
behalf of your children. We say not that you should be indif
ferent about their worldly advancement ; for that also is im
portant in its place : but your great concern should be to have
them truly pious and devoted to God. Labour then, by every
possible means, to attain this point. Call them to you, and
address them each by name with all tenderness and fidelity ;
remembering that you yourselves must answer unto God for
the influence with which he has invested you for their good ;
and that, if they perish through your neglect, their blood will
be required at your hands.]
2. To those who are coming forth into life
[Such advice as that which is given in our text, you are
ready to judge premature, or at least to think you have good
reason for delaying your attention to it. But are you young,
and moving in an elevated sphere, and engaging in concerns of
vast importance ? So was Solomon : yet were these no rea
sons for David to withhold the advice, or with Solomon to reject
391.] DAVID S PREPARATION FOR THE TEMPLE. 35
it. Remember, it is for eternity, and not for time only, that
you should live ; and, if you disregard the admonitions of your
parents, they who now so long for your welfare, will be swift
witnesses against you at the day of judgment.]
3. To all who are here present
[It is not unbecoming a minister of Christ to regard his
flock with parental solicitude, or to address them in the lan
guage of our text. Let me then address each of you, as it
were, in the presence of the whole collective body, and urge
you to seek after God with your whole hearts. Rest not in
a formal routine of duties, or in a partial conformity to his
revealed will : but see that your * hearts are right with him ;"
and never rest till you have " the witness of his Spirit," and
"the testimony of your own conscience, that in simplicity and
godly sincerity you have your conversation in the world." Such
a state of mind is most desirable for every one of us ; and it
is the best preparative, no less for the duties of this life, than
for the enjoyments of the life to come.]
CCCXCI.
DAVID S PREPARATION FOR THE TEMPLE.
1 Chron. xxix. 2. Now I have prepared with all my might for
the house of my God.
THERE is no end to the benefits which we may
derive from Scripture history. What if our situation
and circumstances be different from those which are
there adverted to ? the advantage to be received from
the relation of them is not a whit the less : on the
contrary, it often happens, that the voice of God in
them is on that very account the more powerful.
Take, for instance, the example before us. David,
of his own mind, desired to build a temple for the
Lord: and he was forbidden to do it: yet "with all
his might he prepared for it;" though it was never to
be done till he should be removed to a better world.
It may be said, and with truth, that we are not, nor
are at all likely to be, in circumstances like his : yet
will his example be found of very peculiar use, whilst
I set before you,
I. The zeal he manifested for the building of a ma
terial temple to the Lord
D2
SG 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 2. [391.
Though forbidden to execute his wishes, he was
not forbidden to prepare for the execution of them
by his son and successor on the throne of Israel. He,
therefore, availed himself of the wealth and influence
which God had given him, himself to contribute, out
of his own personal property, above eighteen millions
of our money ; and to promote a similar liberality
amongst his subjects, who contributed above thirty
millions. The amount of both together was fifty
millions of pounds. Now, it may be asked, On what
principle did he proceed ? And why should he so
strip both himself and his people of their possessions,
for the purpose of raising a structure to the Lord ?
I answer, he did it,
1. To honour God
[David had built for himself a noble palace : and he
could not endure to live in a house of cedar himself, whilst
the ark, which was the symbol of the divine presence, " dwelt
between curtains." True, no earthly house could be a fit
habitation for Him who filleth heaven and earth : but still it
was more seemly that there should be for God a fixed abode :
and by making it " exceeding magnifical," it would become an
object of admiration to all the surrounding nations. It would
also fill with reverence all his own people ; and thus be the
means of ^honouring God among them, and of exalting in their
esteem its Divine Inhabitant. And \vas not this an object
worthy to be promoted, whatever might be the trouble, or
w r hatever the expense ?]
2. To bring down a blessing upon his whole
land
[Greatly would it facilitate the access of all the people to
their God, especially when they should come up annually, at
the three appointed seasons, to worship there. And much
would they see that would afford them abundant edification.
Indeed, the candlesticks and lavers that were used in the
tabernacle were multiplied ten-fold in the temple : and the
accommodations for the worshippers would be enlarged, per
haps an hundred-fold. Whilst, therefore, the very sight of
that magnificent structure would fill them with reverential
awe, they would derive exceeding great comfort and encou
ragement from the increased facilities of social worship. And,
beyond a doubt, in proportion as they delighted in drawing
nigh to God, God \vould delight in drawing nigh to them ;
f391.]j DAVID S PREPARATION FOR THE TEMPLE. 37
and in proportion as they sought him, he would be found of
them, and pour out his benefits upon them.
And could a monarch improve his wealth and influence
better than in such a work ? No, surely : no labour, however
great, nor any sacrifice, however costly, would be ill bestowed
in the advancement of so blessed and desirable an end. Mil
lions of gold and silver were well appropriated to a cause like
this.]
But greater far is,
II. The zeal that becomes us in raising a spiritual
temple in his name-
In reference to this work, no prohibition is issued
to any living soul ; but, on the contrary, a command
ment is given to all. And infinitely more does it
deserve our utmost exertions : we all are called to
aid in raising this nobler edifice
[Yes, a nobler edifice it is indeed 1
Its foundation is more solid. The material temple, doubt
less, was built on a foundation well fitted for its support. But
Jesus Christ is, " the foundation laid in Zion :" on him must
we raise the edifice 3 ; or rather "on the foundation of the
Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief
corner-stone V
Its materials are more precious. Doubtless of timber and
stone there was the most careful selection that could be made.
But our temple consists of" living stones ," every one of them
penetrated by the Spirit of God, and animated with the very
life that is in Christ Jesus d .
Its architect is more honourable. Bezaliel and Aholiab are
immortalized by their unrivalled skill. But of the Temple in
which our assistance is required, it must be said, " Its Builder
and Maker is God e ." There is not a stone belonging to it
which has not been hewn out of the quarry by God himself,
and formed and fashioned by Him who built the universe : so
true is that declaration of the Apostle, " We are God s work
manship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works 1 ."
Far nobler sacrifices, too, are offered in it. All the cattle
upon a thousand hills were not worthy to be compared with
the sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit. " With every
such offering God is well pleased :" and the temple itself is
infinitely more raised in his esteem, on account of the offerings
presented there ? . Not one is ever inflamed with his heavenly
a Isai. xxviii. Hi. b Eph. ii. 20. 1 Pet. ii. 4, f>.
(i Gal. ii. 20. Col. iii. ;3, 1. ^ Ilcb. xi. 10.
1 Kph. ii. 10. P Lsai. Ixvi. 1, 2.
38 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 2. [391.
fire, but the odours of it ascend up before him with acceptance,
and are ** well pleasing to him through Jesus Christ h ."
The manifestations of God in it are also more bright. True,
in the material temple, God so filled it, that the priests could
no longer stop to minister there 1 . But in his spiritual temple
he dwells, not by a bright cloud, the symbol of his presence,
but by his own immediate presence ; making it " his habi
tation through the Spirit k ," and displaying to the view of every
faithful worshipper " all the glory of the Godhead in the face
of Jesus Christ 1 ."
The whole economy of it, also, is more lasting. The material
temple has been so entirely destroyed, that not even its site
can now be accurately ascertained. But the spiritual Temple
shall endure for ever, as we are told by the beloved Apostle :
" I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them,
and they shall be his people, and he will be their God. And
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and there shall
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things are passed
away m ." The Romans utterly subverted the one: but not
all the power and policy of hell shall ever prevail against
the other.]
What zeal, then, can be too great, in promoting
such a work as this ?
[Did David " prepare with all his might for the house
which he was forbidden to construct?" Surely we should spare
no labour and no cost in advancing the work to which we are
called. We should devote to it both our persons and our
property: our persons doubtless in the first instance , for with
out that sacrifice, all the wealth of kingdoms would be a vain
and empty, yea, a hateful and detestable offering : but with
that, we must present also our gold and our silver, to the
utmost extent of our power p . It cannot be that men should
go forth to preach the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles, all over
the world, at their own cost : nor can the Holy Scriptures be
translated into all languages, and be dispersed over all countries,
without great and liberal contributions. But if David and his
subjects gave so richly of their substance to raise a temple of
wood and stone, and even adored God for giving them the
inclination and ability to contribute 01 , much more should we
h Ps. li. 17. * 1 Kings viii. 10, 11. * Eph. ii. 22.
1 2 Cor. iii. 18. m Rev. xxi. 3, 4. n 2 Cor. viti. 5.
Isai. Ixvi. 3. Rom. xii. 1. P ver. 13, 14.
( i 2 Cor. viii. 3, 4. If there were only 12,500/. raised, as for the
London Society, it would occupy the space of 4000 years ! How little
do we, for the souls of God s Ancient People, in comparison of David!
392. J SAINTS STRANGEUS ON EARTH. 39
be willing to give all that we can spare I had almost said, all
that we possess, for the advancing of God s kingdom over the
face of the whole earth.
Shall it be thought that our present contributions are large?
Suppose them to be fifty thousand a year; there will be a
lapse of a thousand years before we have collected what David
and his servants gave, before so much as a single stone was laid.
Shall it be said, as it often is, in reference to the Millennium,
" It will not take place in our day?" Be it so, if you please :
yet learn from David, that that consideration, even if it were
certain, should not induce you in the least degree to relax
your exertions. You should still " prepare for it with all
your might," and help it forward to the utmost of your
power
If any one say, " I can do nothing towards that great work;"
let him know, that he has at least one Temple to prepare, even
his own soul, which must, ere it can be happy, become " a
Temple of the living God r :" that you must prepare, by peni
tence and faith, to be the habitation of Almighty God 8 . But
take care that " Christ be the foundation on which you build;
for there neither is, nor can be, any other 1 ." Take care, also,
what your superstructure is : " If it be hay, straw, stubble, it
will be burnt up. It must be of gold, and silver, and precious
stones," in order to be approved of the Lord u . Take care,
also, not to retain in your bosom any evil disposition. God
could not endure that his temple of old should be defiled ;
much less will he suffer with impunity any lusts to be harboured
in the soul of man: " If any man defile the Temple of God,
him shall God destroy : for the Temple of God is holy : which
Temple ye are x ." I call on every one of you, then, to be
"workers together with God" in this sacred cause y : and,
" whatever your hand findeth to do, do it with all your
might z ."]
r 1 Cor. iii. 16. and vi. 19. s 2 Cor. vi. 16.
4 1 Cor. iii. 11. " 1 Cor. iii. 1215.
x John ii. 1317. 1 Cor. iii. 17. > 2 Cor. vi. 1.
z Eccl. ix. 10.
CCCXCII.
SAINTS STRANGERS ON EARTH.
1 Chron. xxix. 15. We are strangers before thee, and sojourners,
as ivere all our fathers : our days on the earth are as a
shadow, and there is none abiding.
40 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 15. [392.
THE more truly pious we are, the more shall we
be clothed with humility. On no occasion had
David evinced more exalted piety, than in his pre
parations for the building and furnishing the temple,
which he was not permitted in his lifetime to erect.
" He had prepared for it with all his might," " be
cause he had set his affection to the house of his
God a ." He contributed to the amount of about
eighteen millions of money : and his people also
shewed a similar liberality, according to their power.
And what reflections did these efforts generate in his
mind? Was he filled with self-complacency ? or did
he assume any merit to himself? No: he gave to
God the glory of all that had been done, acknowledg
ing that the power to do it was the effect of his
bounty, and the disposition to do it the fruit of his
grace. A more sublime ascription of praise will
scarcely be found in all the Book of God, than that
which he uttered on this occasion. He bore in mind,
that, as his continuance here was but of short dura
tion, it became him to exert himself with all possible
zeal, whilst any opportunity to serve God remained.
The expressions which he made use of in my text
will lead me to shew you,
I. The state of man as it is here represented
Man is but "a stranger and sojourner" upon
earth
[This world is not our home. If we are saints indeed, we
have been born from above : we are children of a heavenly
Father : we are of " the family of which Christ is the head,"
and the glorified saints and angels are the members: and
heaven itself is the inheritance to which we are begotten b .
This world is but a wilderness, through which we are passing
to our Father s house. We are mere pilgrims here. The
people amongst whom we sojourn are governed by different
laws, and speak a different language, and are strangers to us,
even as we are to them. Our communion with them is such
as necessity alone requires. Wherever we are, we are only
like travellers in an inn. Our stay is of uncertain duration.
If our accommodations be good, we are thankful for them ; but
a ver. 2, 3, i> 1 Pet. i. 3, 4.
392.] SAINTS STRANGERS ON EARTH. 41
not much elated, because we regard them as merely momen
tary, and have our minds intent on far higher joys to come.
On the other hand, if our accommodations be of a less com
fortable nature, we feel no great disappointment. We con
sider that as incident to our state as travellers ; and are consoled
with the thought, that in due season we shall reach our home,
where there is fulness of joy for evermore.
This has been the state of all the saints, from the beginning :
the patriarchs " confessed it to be theirs ; " and gloried in the
thought that they were " seeking a better country, " which
they should inhabit for ever .]
This representation is confirmed by actual expe
rience
[" Our days on earth are but as a shadow, and there is
none abiding." Behold the shadow of a cloud passing over
the fields ; how rapidly does it proceed ! and how speedily does
it vanish, not leaving the slightest trace of it behind ! Thus
generations pass away, and " the places where they have lived
know them no more." " No one has found here any con
tinuing city." The antediluvians lived for eight or nine
hundred years ; yet they died at last. How short, then, is
our continuance, now that the term of life is reduced to seventy
or eighty years ! Let the oldest of us look back : our life seems
to have been but "a mere span:" it has "declined as a sha
dow 1 ;" it has come to an end, "as a tale that is told e ;" it has
been " as a vapour, that appeareth for a moment, and then
vanisheth away f ." Thus it has been with all, however great,
or however good. The kings of the earth, that have made all
the world to stand in awe of them, have passed away ; yea, and
their very empires have vanished with them. Where are now
the Assyrian, Babylonish, Persian, Grecian, and Roman em
pires ? They have been swallowed up, as it were, and lost ;
together with the monarchs by whom they were established.
In like manner, " the Prophets and Apostles, where are they?"
they filled but an appointed time, and then were taken to their
eternal rest. But, in truth, the very place where we are as
sembled gives us a convincing evidence, that, whether by choice
or not, the same character pertains to every one of us ; we are
but pilgrims upon earth, hastening every moment to our des
tined home.]
Let us, then, mark,
II. The conduct which the consideration of that
state is calculated to inspire
c Heb. xi. 13, 14. (1 Ps. cii. 11. c Ps. xc. 9.
f Jam. iv. 14.
42 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 1.5. [392.
Frequently is the consideration of that state urged
upon us, as a motive to that habit of mind which
the state itself demands. " I beseech you, then, as
strangers and pilgrims g ,"
1. Be moderate in your regards for earthly things
[A man intent on reaching his destined home, would not
think of making a place his rest, because of its beautiful pro
spects or its comfortable accommodations. He would be
pleased with them, and thankful for them as refreshments by
the way; but he would not think of resting in them as his por
tion. So must we look beyond these transient things, and rest
in nothing short of our destined home. To this effect is the
counsel of the Apostle Paul: " This I say, Brethren, the time
is short : it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as
though they had none ; and they that weep, as though they
wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not;
and they that buy, as though they possessed not ; and they that
use this world, as not abusing it : for the fashion of this world
passeth away V " Let your moderation, then, be known unto
all men:" and " set your affections on things above, and not
on things on the earth."]
2. Be diligent in the prosecution of your journey
heaven-ward
[You have no time to lose. Whether your stay in this
wilderness be more or less protracted, you will find every hour
short enough for the making of such a progress as will ensure
a happy termination of your labours. You are not merely in
a journey; but in a race, which requires the most strenuous
and unremitted exertions. Whatever advance you may have
made, you are to " forget what is behind, and to press forward
to that which is before, that so you may attain the prize of
your high calling." And never are you to be weary of well
doing; for " then only will you reap, if you faint not."]
3. Avail yourselves of the aids which God has pro
vided for you by the way
[To his people in the wilderness, God gave a daily supply
of manna from the clouds, and of water from the rock that
followed them. And similar provision has he made for us
also, in our way to the promised land : and, in the strength
of it, we may prosecute our journey without fear. If we are
" strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might," what may
we not undertake, with a full assurance of success ? We need
g 1 Pet, ii. 11. h 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30.
393.] UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART REQUIRED. 43
not draw back from any labour ; for " the grace of Christ shall
surely be sufficient for us: " nor need we fear any enemy; for we
shall be " more than conquerors, through Him that loved us."]
4. Keep your eye fixed on heaven, as your home
[What would ever divert your steps, or retard them for an
instant, if you contemplated, as you ought, the blessedness that
awaits you at the close of your journey? To be in your Fa
ther s house, in the very mansion prepared for you ; yea, and
in the very bosom of that Saviour, who went, as your fore
runner, to prepare it to have all your trials for ever terminated,
and all your dangers for ever past, and all your labours for
ever closed ; and to have nothing but an eternity of bliss, such
as no words can express, no imagination can conceive what
joy will you feel in the retrospect, what exultation in the
prospect, and, above all, what recollections as arising from the
stupendous mystery of redemption, whereby the whole has
been accomplished for you ! Set before you this prize ; and
then tell me, whether you will ever need any thing to carry
you forward in your heavenly course. Truly, the contempla
tion of that glory will swallow up every thing else, even as the
stars of heaven are eclipsed by the meridian sun. Joys will be
no joys, and sorrows no sorrows I mean, not worth being so
accounted if only you keep heaven in your view : for neither
the comforts " nor the sufferings of this present life are worthy
to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us V
Moses k , and Paul 1 , and all the saints m , yea, and even the Lord
Jesus Christ himself", were animated by this thought : and, if
it fully possess your mind, you can never faint, nor ever come
short of the rest that remaineth for you .]
i Rom. viii. 18. k Heb. xi. 24 26. l Acts xx. 24.
m Heb. xi. 35. n Heb. xii. 2. 2 Pet. i. 10, 11.
CCCXCIII.
UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART REQUIRED.
1 Chron. xxix. 17. I know also, my God, that thou triest the
heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness.
THE true way to form a correct estimate of our
actions is, to consider the principles from which they
flow : for it is very possible that an act, which may
be highly esteemed amongst men, may be an utter
" abomination in the sight of God V on account of
a Luke xvi. 15.
44 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17. [393.
the motives by which we have been actuated in the
performance of it. Jehu obeyed an express command
of God in destroying the house of Ahab ; and was
even rewarded by God for it ; whilst yet he was also
punished for it, because, in what he did, he was im
pelled only by his own pride and vanity, instead of
consulting, as he should have done, the glory of his
God b . " Man looketh only on the outward appear
ance; but God looketh at the heart c ." The efforts
which David made in preparing for the erection of
the Temple were amazing : yet, if they had proceeded
from a desire of man s applause, they would have been
of no value before God. But David sought only to
glorify his God : and for his integrity, in this respect,
he could appeal, yea, and did appeal, to the heart-
searching God: " I know, my God, that thou triest
the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness:" and I
can affirm, as in thy presence, that " in the upright
ness of my heart I have willingly offered all these
things*."
From this striking and confident declaration, I shall
take occasion to shew,
I. What is here affirmed of God-
Two things are here asserted respecting God:
1. His knowledge of the human heart
[" The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the
evil and the good e ." Nor is it a mere cursory view which lie
takes of the things that are passing in the world : he inspects
them all : he marks the most hidden actions of mankind : he
observes with accuracy the principles from which they flow.
Not so much as a thought escapes his notice; no, nor the
most fleeting " imagination of a thought 1 "." " He searches the
heart, and tries the reins B ," in order that not the slightest
motion of the soul may escape him. He so " ponders the
ways of men 11 ," that not a turn in them is unobserved ; and so
" weighs their spirits 1 ," as infallibly to ascertain the precise
measure of every principle contained in them. In natural
productions, this is done with a considerable degree of accuracy
l) Compare 2 Kings x. 30. with Hos. i. 4. c 1 Sam. xvi. 7.
d The text, with the clause following it. c Prov. xv. 3.
r Gen. vi. 5. 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. s Ps. vii. 9.
h Prov. xx i. 2. * Prov. xvi. 2.
393.] UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART REQUIRED. 45
by chemists : but no chemist can subject the heart of man to
this process : that is the work of God alone k : but it is a work
which he is executing every day, and every hour, over the face
of the whole earth : and in his book of remembrance he records
the result of his observations on every child of man 1 . In
truth, if he did not thus search the heart, he would not be
able to judge the world. But, seeing that " all things are
naked and opened before him, and that he is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart" 1 ," and that the darkest
recesses of it are to him as clear as the light of day", we may,
without hesitation, say with Job, " I know that no thought
can be withholden from thee ."]
2. His love of uprightness
[He requireth truth in the inward parts p ; and whatever
is contrary to it, he utterly abhors. " He made man upright"
in the first instance q , and pronounced his work to be "very
good r ." In his works of grace he seeks to restore to man that
uprightness : and never will he look with complacency on any
child of man, till that change is wrought. By uprightness,
however, we are not to understand sinless perfection : for, if
none but those who have attained that were objects of his
love, there would not be found one upon the face of the whole
earth ; seeing that " there is no man that liveth, and sinncth
not 5 ." But, in desire and purpose, we must be perfect. There
must be in us no allowed sin. " Our heart must be right with
God*." He will not endure " a divided heart 11 ." There must
be in us a simplicity of aim and intention : no leaning to self;
no corrupt bias ; no undue mixture of carnal motives or prin
ciples: we must be "without guile in our spirit x ," if we
would approve ourselves to him. Where a person of this
character is, God views him with pleasure y , and listens to him
with delight 2 . The testimony borne to Nathanael is a clear
evidence of this. No human eye saw him " under the fig-
tree;" nor could any person, who had seen him, have ventured
to pronounce upon his character in such decided terms. But
God had searched his heart, and " found it perfect before
him a ." That his delight in such characters might be fully
known, he has recorded it in his word ; and, for the encou
ragement of all future generations, has borne witness to
Nathanael, saying, " Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom
there is no guile V
k Rev. ii. 23. ] Ps. Ivi. 8. m Heb. iv. 12.
n Ps. cxxxix. 11, 12. Job xlii. 2. P Ps. li. G.
<i Eccl. vii. 29. r Gen. i. 26, 31. s 1 Kings viii. <1(j.
1 Ps. Ixxviii. 37. u Hos. x. 2. x Ps. xxxii. 2.
y Prov. xv 8, 9. 7 - Prov. xi. 20. a 2 Kings xx. 3.
b John i. 47.
46 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17. [393.
Know, then, that " God has pleasure in uprightness." He
has pleasure in it as a conformity to his Law, a correspondence
with his own image, the very end and consummation of all his
works.]
Such being the mind of Almighty God, let us con
sider,
II. What effect the knowledge of it should produce
upon us-
No subject whatever has a wider scope, or needs
more to be seen in all its diversified bearings, than
that before us. The consideration of God s omni
science, and of his exclusive approbation of what is
holy, should operate forcibly on every child of man.
It should operate to make us,
1. Humble in our review of our past lives
[Who amongst us could stand, if God were to enter into
judgment with us? Who, if God should "lay judgment to
the line and righteousness to the plummet," would be found
to have been upright before him? Let us take even the best
day of our whole lives, and try ourselves by the holy Law of
God ; or rather, not by the Law as it is in itself, but as it has
been known and understood by us ? Let us take even our
own standard of duty to God and man, and say whether we
have fulfilled whether we have even striven to fulfil it ?
whether we have laboured, as men in earnest, to get our views
of duty rectified and enlarged, in order that we might not,
through ignorance, come short of it in any thing ? Let us
think whether we can appeal to the omniscient and heart-
searching God, that we have studied his blessed word in
order to learn his will, and cried to him for grace to enable us
for the performance of it ? In short, let us see, whether for
one day or hour we have been truly upright before God, so
as to have not a wish of our hearts comparable to that of
pleasing, serving, glorifying him ? If, then, we cannot stand
this test even for the best day of our whole lives, what must
have been our state taken in the aggregate, from the first mo
ment of our existence to the present hour ? Tell me whether
it is possible for us to abase ourselves too much ? Job, with
all his perfection, " abhorred himself in dust and ashes c :" tell
me, then, what should be the posture of our souls before
God ? Verily, there should not be a day or an hour, through
out all our future lives, wherein we should not " put our
c Job xlii. 6.
393.] UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART REQUIRED. 47
hands on our mouths, and our mouths in the dust, crying,
Unclean, Unclean d ! "]
2. Earnest in our desires to be found in Christ
[Whither should such guilty creatures flee, but to the
Saviour ? to Him who has expiated our guilt, and wrought out
a righteousness wherein we may stand accepted before God ?
To think of procuring remission of our sins by any obedience
of our own, were madness. Satan himself might attempt it as
reasonably as we. ! with what joy should we hear of the
provision made for us in the Gospel ! of an incarnate God !
of a sacrifice for sin ! of a sacrifice commensurate with the
necessities of a ruined world ! of a free access to the Father
through that sacrifice ! of acceptance with Him, simply through
faith in it as a propitiation for our sins ! of every thing being
treasured up in Christ for us e , so that it may be secured
against a possibility of being lost f , and may " be received at
all times, out of his fulness," through the exercise of faith and
prayer^! Let us but see in what light we stand before God, as
viewed in ourselves, and we shall most cordially unite with the
Apostle Paul, in " desiring to be found in Christ, not having
our own righteousness, which is of the Law, but the righteous
ness which is of God by faith in Christ 11 ."]
3. Watchful against the assaults of our great ad
versary
[Even in Paradise, whilst yet our first parents retained
their integrity, did Satan prevail to beguile them. What,
then, will he not do with us, if we be not constantly on our
guard against him? He can assume " the appearance of
an angel of light 1 :" how, then, can we hope to stand against
his wiles, if Almighty God do not interpose to preserve us?
It is not necessary for his purpose, that lie should draw us into
gross sin: he effects our destruction no less certainly, if he
only " beguile us from the simplicity that is in Christ k ." If
he succeed only so far as to keep us from being upright before
God, he needs no more to ruin us for ever. Beloved Brethren,
reflect on this, and cry mightily to God to arm you against
him on every side ] ; that, whether he assume the violence of a
lion m , or the subtlety of a serpent", he may never be able to
prevail against you.]
4. Faithful in examining every motion of our
hearts
d Lev. xiii. 49. Lam. iii. 29. Col. i. 19.
f Col. iii. 3. * John i. 1C. h Phil. iii. 9.
1 2 Cor. xi. 14. k 2 Cor. xi. 3. ] Eph. vi. 11.
m 1 Pet. v. 8. " Rev. xii. 9.
48 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17. [;J<);j.
[If Satan were less active, we should still be in continual
danger, from the deceitfulness and depravity of our own
hearts. We are ever ready to " put evil for good, and dark
ness for light ." Self-love is so predominant in the best of
us, that we rarely can discern, and never without the most
careful observation, the true motives by which we are ac
tuated. We give ourselves credit for a purity, which we but
rarely attain : and hence, in ten thousand instances, we de
ceive our own souls p . But w r e cannot deceive God. When
he searches our heart and tries our reins, we cannot impose
on him. The least obliquity of mind or principle is as obvious
to him, as the greatest and most open enormity. We should
therefore carefully examine ourselves as to the motives and
principles from which we act; yea, and should beg of God,
also, to " search and try us, and to see if there be any wicked
way in us, and to lead us in the way everlasting q ."]
5. Constant in prayer for more abundant grace-
fit is by the grace of Christ alone that we can do any
thing that is good r . Without that, we should be "carried
captive by the devil at his will." But it is not by grace once
received, that we are to stand : we must have daily supplies of
grace : and in seasons of temptation we must have a greater
measure of grace imparted to us, according to the augmented
measure of our necessities. But this can only be brought in
by prayer. St. Paul, under the buffetings of Satan, cried
earnestly to the Lord Jesus Christ for succour and support.
Yet he did not at first succeed. Therefore he renewed his
supplications again and again; till at last the Lord Jesus
Christ answered him, " My grace is sufficient for thec;" and
assured him, that " Jehovah s strength should be made per
fect in his weakness 8 ." This enabled the Apostle to " glory
in his infirmities ; " and to acquiesce cheerfully in the trial,
from a confidence that " the power of Christ should rest upon
him." So should we also, under a sense of our constant
liability to fall, commit ourselves entirely to God ; crying
with eager and constant importunity, " Hold thou me up, and
I shall be safe 1 ."]
G. Careful in our endeavours to approve ourselves
to God-
[To God we should act, and not to man. Through a sweet
consciousness that he was doing this, David could rejoice in
his own uprightness : as Paul also did, when he said, " Our
rejoicing is this, the test : mony of our conscience, that in sim-
Isai. v. 20. P Jam. i. 26. <i Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24.
r John xv. o. s 2 Cor. xii. 9. l Ps. cxix. 117.
394J LIBERALITY IN GOD s SERVICE COMMENDED. 49
plicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by
the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world u ."
Our wisdom is, to " set the Lord alway before us x ," and to
walk as in his immediate presence. We know what an influ
ence the eye of a fellow-creature has over us, in things which
are cognizable to him : and if we could realize the idea of
God s presence, and see inscribed on every place, " Thou,
God, seest us?," we should walk far more circumspectly than
we do, particularly in our private intercourse with God. En
deavour, then, to " stand perfect and complete in all the will
of God 2 :" rest in no attainment short of that. " Let all
guile be put away from you." Determine, through grace,
that God himself shall discern no allowed evil within you : so
shall you " walk holily and unblamably before God," and be
kept " sincere and without offence until the day of Christ a ."]
u 2 Cor. i. 12. x Ps. xvi. 8. y Gen. xvi. 13.
z Col. iv. 12. a Phil. i. 10.
CCCXCIV.
LIBERALITY IN GOD s SERVICE COMMENDED.
1 Chron. xxix. 17, 18. Now have I seen witli joy thy people,
which are present here, to offer ivillingly unto thee. O Lord
God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this
for ever in the imagination of the thouglits of the heart of thy
people, and prepare their heart unto thee.
RELIGION, in whomsoever it is seen, is exceeding
beautiful ; and all its exercises and operations deserve
our most attentive regard. But when it shines forth
in persons of high station, or is exhibited in the united
efforts of a multitude, it excites our highest admira
tion. Who can behold the three thousand converts
on the day of Pentecost, " all of one heart and one
soul," all living together in the devoutest fellowship
with God and each other a , and dividing with each
other their possessions, that, being supported out of
one common stock b , they might be entirely freed from
all care about the things of this world; who can behold
this, I say, and not admire " the exceeding grace of
God in them?" In the chapter before us we have a
a Acts ii. 4147. b Acts iv. 3234.
VOL. IV. E
50 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17, 18. [394.
powerful monarch at the head of all the chief men in
his kingdom, devoting their property to God, for the
purpose of erecting a stately edifice to his honour.
The prayer which David offered on the occasion, in
the hearing of them all, expressed, doubtless, their
sentiments as well as his own, and shews that they
were actuated, not by warm affections only, but by
a just and heavenly principle: for, while they were
performing a most exalted act of piety towards God,
they were not elated with pride, but filled with gra
titude to him for enabling and inclining them to
render him this service.
In discoursing on the words which we have just
read, we shall consider them,
I. In reference to the history before us
David had purposed to build a house unto the
Lord : but his intention, though approved and ap
plauded by his God, was not suffered to be carried
into execution, " because he had been a man of war,
and had shed much blood." Nevertheless he made
great preparations for it, in order that he might at
least testify the sincerity of his wishes, and facilitate
the accomplishment of them in God s appointed time.
The princes and people heartily concurred with him
in this good work ; and thereby filled his soul with
joy and gratitude. We may notice in the text,
1. The grounds of his joy
[His subjects manifested on this occasion an extraordinary
zeal for God s honour, and liberality in his service. Had they
been disposed to excuse themselves from engaging in this
expensive work, they might have urged many specious reasons
for declining it. They might have said, God has not required
this at our hands ; why then should we do it ? His " ark has
abode within curtains" for five hundred years; why then should
it not continue to do so? Must not any building which w r e
can raise, be altogether unworthy of his notice ? Have we not
other, and more imperious, calls for our money ? Have we not
many poor, whom we might relieve ; and many ignorant, for
whom we might provide instruction? Besides, have not our
families a claim upon us, that we should not so prodigally
lavish the wealth by which we are enabled to provide for
394. ] LIBERALITY IN GOD s SERVICE COMMENDED. 51
them? But no such objections were made. A desire to
glorify God swallowed up every selfish and worldly considera
tion; and the people vied with each other in contributing to
the utmost of their power, insomuch that above thirty millions
in gold and silver were dedicated by them to this service.
And was not this a proper ground of joy to the pious
monarch? It was at least a presumptive proof that their souls
were penetrated with true religion. Some indeed might have
been influenced by baser motives ; but the greater part were
doubtless animated by love to God : for they had been long
amassing riches for this particular end : and, if their principle
had not been good, it would scarcely have operated so uni
formly and to such an extent. What then could afford a more
just occasion of joy than such a sight, whether to a prince
among his subjects, or a minister among his people, or a
parent among his children? Every one in whom true piety
exists, must of necessity rejoice in beholding such a testimony
of piety in others. But the people s conduct was also a pledge
that the grand design should in due time be completed. David
had set his heart on having the work accomplished, though it
was not to be performed by him, or even during his life.
Large as his own donations had been, they would not have
been sufficient without the aid of others: and if his own
example had not been followed while he was present to exert
his influence, he could have but little hope that any attention
would be paid to it after his death. But no room for such
fears was left. The people s zeal and liberality ensured suc
cess: and nothing remained, but that the plan which God
himself had given him for eveiy part of the work, should be
executed by Solomon his son. Well might he rejoice in such
a prospect. Well might he exult in the thought, that in
this amazing undertaking he had not laboured in vain or run
in vain.]
2. The expressions of his love
[Good impressions, especially when our temporal interests
are likely to be affected by them, are very apt to languish and
decay. As the gratitude of the Israelites, promising as it
appeared at the first moment when their enemies were over
whelmed in the sea, vanished within the space of a few days,
so the zeal and liberality which are called forth on some parti
cular occasions are too often found to yield after a time to the
suggestions of prudence and economy. None but God can
" put a good desire into the heart c ;" nor can any but God
preserve it there. Under a full conviction of this truth, David
entreated God to " keep these good dispositions in the hearts
c 2 Cor. viii. 16.
E 2
52 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17, 18. [394.
of his people," and to " prepare more fully and entirely their
hearts unto him." The accumulation of words which he uses
on this occasion suggests, that, if there be not a living prin
ciple of piety in the heart, the actings of it will be of short
continuance ; if there be no spring or fountain, the channel
will soon cease to flow.
Now this devout application to God on their behalf was the
strongest possible expression of his love towards them : for
what other thing could tend so much either to their present
or eternal felicity as a continuance of these liberal and devout
affections ? It conduced exceedingly to their present happiness.
From the joy which they manifested on the occasion, it might
be supposed rather that they had unexpectedly acquired some
large property. This would have been a more common and
natural source of joy. But they felt happiness in parting with
their wealth : they found it "more blessed to give than to receive :"
they experienced a more refined and elevated pleasure than
the largest acquisitions could possibly have conveyed d . And,
instead of thinking that they conferred any obligation upon
God by these sacrifices, they felt themselves indebted to him,
in exact proportion to the cheerfulness and liberality with
which they were enabled to offer to him 6 . Moreover it tended
also to their eternal happiness. Their gifts could not purchase
heaven, it is true ; nor could their liberality merit any thing
at God s hands: but God has been graciously pleased to say,
that even " a cup of cold water, if given to him, or for his
sake, in a becoming manner, shall in no wise lose its reward:"
nay, he would consider himself as " unrighteous, if he were to
forget our works and labours of love which we have shewn
towards his name f ." Without arrogating any merit to our
selves therefore, we may say, that " the fruits of generosity
shall abound to our account 8 ;" that " what we lay out for the
Lord shall be repaid us again h ;" and that in being ready to
distribute our wealth in his service, we " lay up in store for
ourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that we
may lay hold on eternal life 1 ."
On these accounts David prayed that these holy dispositions
might be kept alive in their hearts; and in this prayer he ex
pressed in the most effectual manner his love towards them.
If he had flattered them, he might have gratified their pride ;
but in praying for them he consulted their best interests.]
Having noticed the words in reference to the
history before us, we shall consider them,
d 2 Cor. viii. 0. e ver. 14.
f Heb. vi. 10. s Phil. iv. 17.
h Prov. xix. 17. 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19.
394.1 LIBERALITY IN GOD s SERVICE COMMENDED. 53
II. In reference to that which is typically represented
by it k
The material temple was a type of the Christian
Church, even of that temple which is " built on the
foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ
himself being the chief corner-stone ."
This temple we are now called upon to build
[God has of late years stirred up an almost unprecedented
zeal to erect this temple in heathen lands. Every denomina
tion of Christians has stood forth on this occasion. The
Moravians, with unrivalled perseverance, led the way. Inde
pendents and Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians, have
followed, according to their respective abilities. The Church
of England has long had two Societies engaged in this glorious
cause" 1 : and of late a third has arisen, whose attention is prin
cipally directed to AFRICA and THE EAST". None of these
interfere with each other: there is room for all; and there is
need of all. It might be thought better perhaps if all were
combined in one: but, considering what human nature is, we
cannot expect that all should so perfectly coalesce, as to pro
secute their plans with sufficient unanimity: and it is certain
that far greater efforts are likely to be made, when all can
exert themselves in a way congenial with their own sentiments,
than if they were called upon to support a plan which they
did not wholly approve.
That such a spirit should be so generally diffused, must
k If this were the subject of a Sermon for Charity or Sunday
Schools, the words following the text, " And give unto Solomon my
son a perfect heart," should form a part of the text. Then the
second head might be treated in reference to, 1st, The Christian
Church ; and 2dly, The souls of men. Under the former of these the
propriety of supporting Missions might be stated ; and under the
latter, (see 1 Cor. vi. 19. and 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5.) the importance of
having the soul built up as an habitation for God. The necessity of
postponing all other considerations to this may be shewn from hence,
that if David disposed of his wealth so liberally for the constructing
of an edifice of stone for God, much more should we disregard the
acquiring of wealth in comparison of making our souls a temple for
him. A particular address might then be made to the children, to
shew them, that the ultimate end of the charity was to put them in
the way of obtaining a perfect heart, and that they should concur in
this design to the utmost of their power.
I Eph. ii. 20.
m That for promoting Christian Knowledge ; and that for propa
gating the Gospel in Foreign Parts.
II Here an account may be given of what has been done by them.
54 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17, 18. [394.
surely be a matter of rejoicing to every one that has the
interests of religion at heart. And we trust that, in reference
to this assembly, we may adopt the words of the text, " Now
have I seen with joy thy people which are present here to offer
willingly unto thee."]
Let us then imitate the example now set before us :
1. Let us offer willingly
[Difficulties and objections are very apt to arise in the mind,
especially when we want a plea for withholding or limiting our
contributions. But what objection can be urged, which would
not have had incomparably greater force on the foregoing occa
sion ? Indeed the reasons that should animate us to exertion,
are ten-fold stronger than any which David could have urged in
support of his measure. God might have been known and
worshipped, even though that costly edifice had not been reared :
but how shall he be known among the heathen, if none be sent
to instruct them ? How could he have been known by us when
in our heathen state, if none had pitied our ignorance, and
laboured for our relief? Since then "we have freely received,
should we not freely give?" Though we have too much ignorance
at home, yet all have some means of instruction : and there are
none so far from God, but that the sound of the Gospel may
reach their ears, and convert their souls. But this is not the
case with the heathens. If we send them not the light of divine
truth, they must abide in darkness and the shadow of death.
Let us therefore discard from our minds every thought, except
that of zeal for God and compassion for our fellow-creatures.
And "let us give not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God
loveth a cheerful giver."]
2. Let us offer bountifully
[If we had been asked, what would be proper for David to
give towards the building of the temple, we should probably
have thought ten thousand pounds a large sum : we should
scarcely have judged it reasonable to require of him so large a
subscription as an hundred thousand pounds : yet he not only
gave as much as that, but ten times as much ; yea, a hundred
times as much; yea, almost two hundred times as much. Inde
pendent of the immense treasures dedicated as spoils taken
from his enemies, he gave, out of his own purse, gold and silver
to the amount of above eighteen millions of money. And what
was it that prompted him to such astonishing liberality ? He
himself tells us in the preceding context; " I have prepared
with all my might .... because I have set my affection to the
house of my God Let the same principle operate in us: let
ver. 2, 3.
394. J LIBERALITY IN GOD*S SERVICE COMMENDED. 55
us set our affection to the work of Christ, and the salvation of
our feUow-creatures, and then our ability alone will determine
the measure of our contributions. Instead of waiting for argu
ments to overcome a parsimonious and reluctant spirit, we
shall be "willing of our own selves to give, not only according to
our ability, but even beyond our proper ability ; and with
much entreaty we shall urge and compel, as it were, the ac
ceptance of our gifts" for the furthering of this blessed cause p .
The rich will give largely out of their abundance ; and the
poor will be casting in their not less acceptable mite ; and all
will unite in adoring God for the opportunity afforded them
to shew their love to him.]
3. Let us give in due order
[There is an offering which God requires, previous to his
acceptance of any other: it is this; "My son, give me thy
heart q ." Here then we must put to you the question which
David put to his subjects on that glorious occasion ; " Who
amongst you is willing to consecrate his service this day unto
the Lord 1 ?"
Who will consecrate himself to God as a Christian ? It
would be a blessed day indeed, if you w r ere all as unanimous
in this, as that assembly were in devoting their treasures unto
God. Could we but see you offering to him your hearts, we
need not add a word respecting your property ; for you would
feel that it is not possible to dispose of that in any other way
so happily for yourselves, so beneficially for the world, or so
honourably to God. Give then, I say, like the Macedonians ;
of whom St. Paul says, that "out of their deep poverty they
abounded unto the riches of liberality : " but, like them,
"give first YOUR OWN SELVES unto the Lord 8 ." Then you
will know, that all which you have is his ; and make no ac
count of your property, but as it may be subservient to his
glory 1 .
Permit me to ask further, Who will consecrate himself to
God as a Missionary ? It is in vain that materials are col
lected for a building, if there be none found to construct the
edifice. And alas ! here is the difficulty, here the want ! Of
those who are destined to the service of their God, how few
are found willing to sacrifice their earthly prospects, and their
carnal ease ! When God calls them to an arduous and self-
denying service, how do they, like Moses, multiply their ex
cuses, when they are actuated only by a fear of the cross !
God has been for many years saying to us of the Established
Church, "Who will go for us?" but there have been few
P 2 Cor. viii." 3, 4. <i Prov. xxiii. 26. r ver. 5.
8 2 Cor. viii. 2, 5. See also 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. * ver. 14, 16.
56 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17, 18. [394.
Isaiahs found to answer, " Here am I, send me u ." O that
there were less reason for that complaint, " All men seek their
own, not the things which are Jesus Christ s x !" If we even
knew that the fruits of our labours would not appear to any
great extent in our day, it were no reason for declining the
service to which we are called. David sowed, that others might
reap : our blessed Lord did the same : I pray God there may
be some found amongst us inclined and qualified to follow
their examples.]
To CONCLUDE
[If there be any, whether in the ministry or out of it, who
desire to be the Lord s, we pray that " our Covenant-God
would keep this in the imagination of the thoughts of their
hearts for ever." And if the raising of God s spiritual temple
among the heathen be an object worthy of our regard, let us
now vie with each other in our endeavours to promote it, and
shew our sense of its importance by the cheerfulness and
extent of our donations.]
u Isai. vi. 8. x Phil. ii. 21.
2 CHRONICLES.
cccxcv.
USE OF CHURCH MUSIC.
2 Chron. v. 13, 14. It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and
singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising
and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice
with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music , and
praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy
endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a
cloud, even the house of the Lord; so that the priests could
not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of
the Lord had filled the house of God.
EVERY duty which we owe to God is excellent
in its season; nor is there any which is not peculiarly
suitable for particular persons, and under particular
circumstances. Repentance, prayer, attendance on
the preached Gospel, are eminently proper, not for
the ungodly alone, but for the saints also, whenever
a sense of ignorance, guilt, or helplessness, call for
such exercises. But the duty of praise seems to claim
a just preference before all others, not only because
it is more pleasant, and more comely for the upright,
but because in all others we receive from God;
whereas in this we give to God. Indeed God himself
declares, that he is more especially honoured by the
due performance of this duty ; " Whoso offereth me
praise, glorifieth me :" and in my text, he has given
the most abundant testimony of its acceptableness
to him.
Solomon having finished the temple, had now
brought up the ark of the Lord, and placed it in the
58 2 CHRONICLES, V. 13, 14. [395.
holy of holies; he had also offered innumerable
sacrifices on this glorious occasion ; and, while he
was praising God in concert with the priests and
Levites, and an immense band of vocal and instru
mental music, God came down into the temple, and
filled it with his glory ; " It came even to pass, as
the trumpeters," &c. c.
In discoursing upon these words, we shall con
sider,
I. The manner in which they praised God ;
II. The subject-matter of their praise ;
III. The token which God gave them of his appro
bation.
I. Let us consider the manner in which they praised
God-
Never since the creation of the world was there a
more glorious display of religious zeal than at the
dedication of Solomon s temple. Solomon had as
sembled " the elders of Israel, even the heads of all
the tribes, and the chief men in all the families of
Israel, to Jerusalem." He had collected also, not the
priests of one particular course, but all the priests
and all the Levites, to assist in this solemnity : and
this vast concourse of people, after having deposited
the ark in the place prepared for it, joined in praises
and thanksgivings to God: they praised God, unitedly:
we are told that " the trumpeters and singers were
as one, to make one sound." It is much to be
regretted, that, in our worshipping assemblies, the
greater part of the congregation never join in this
part of the service: they seem to think, that they
are not interested in it, and that it may well be left
to those few who may have studied music as a
science. But would it not appear absurd in the
highest degree, if the prayers also were left to a few
select persons, and the bulk of the congregation
were to sit still, as though they had no need to join
in the devotions ? And if this would be so evidently
absurd in the one part of the service, why should it
395. ] USE OF CHURCH MUSIC. 59
not be so in the other ? All indeed are not alike
qualified to join aloud ; but there are very few who
might not, by a little attention, easily qualify them
selves to join in this act of worship ; nor can there
be any one who is not bound at least to exercise his
mind, and " make melody in his heart to the Lord."
Indeed this is one great use of musical instruments
in the public worship ; they are serviceable to unite
voices which might otherwise be discordant, and to
help forward those, who through ignorance or diffi
dence might otherwise be silent. Therefore David,
in the last Psalm, exhorts us to praise the Lord
with stringed instruments and with organs; and
well knowing how easy it would be with such helps
to sing, he adds, " Let every thing that hath breath,
praise the Lord."
We must not however imagine, that the mere
lifting up of the voice is a sacrifice pleasing to God :
no ; he requires the service of the heart : and there
fore we observe, in the next place, that they praised
God devoutly*
It is said, in my text, that the trumpeters and
singers were as one, to make one sound " in praising
and thanking the Lord."
We know, that the uttering of a prayer without
any sense of our need, or any desire of the things we
ask for, is no other than a solemn mockery, which
is in the highest degree displeasing to God : so the
singing of psalms and hymns without any sense of
joy and gratitude, is a hypocritical service, and
wholly unacceptable to God : we may indeed please
the congregation, and establish our own reputation
for skill ; but these are very unworthy motives to be
influenced by, when we are solemnly addressing the
Most High God : persons actuated by such consider
ations sing to their own praise and glory, rather than
to God s ; and therefore they must rest satisfied with
their reward, i. e. the reward they seek after ; for it is
certain that they will never receive any testimony of
God s approbation. Let me therefore remind you
all, that the end of singing is to thank and praise the
60 2 CHRONICLES, V. 13, 14. [395.
Lord; and that, whenever we join in psalms and
hymns, we must be especially careful that we " make
melody in our hearts to the Lord." In this we shall
be greatly assisted by a judicious use of instrumental
music ; which leads me to observe further, that the
Jewish assembly praised God WITH INSTRUMENTS OF
MUSIC.
Many are prejudiced against church music ; and
it is certain, that it is capable of very great abuse :
but it may also be employed to great advantage :
it is said in my text, that they lifted up their voices
with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of
music. Who can doubt but that the devotion of the
congregation was greatly aided by these ? Who can
doubt, but that if Solomon, the wisest of men, at the
most solemn season imaginable, not only used these
instruments, but (as we shall have occasion presently
to observe) was approved of God in the use of them,
who can doubt, I say, but that they may be used to
great advantage ? As far indeed as they contributed
to the pomp and grandeur of the temple worship,
they may well be dispensed with under the Christian
dispensation ; since the excellence of the Gospel
worship consists in its simplicity, in which respect
it is directly opposite to the Jewish worship : but,
inasmuch as it aided the devotion, its utility remains :
and, I trust, that in a little time we shall find that
effect arising from it.
In order to this, however, we must learn to dis
tinguish between the natural effect of music on the
organs of sense, and the spiritual effect of divine
truths upon the soul. Those who attend only to the
sound may experience the former ; but to experience
the latter, we must attend simply to the words we
sing. We shall sing to little purpose " with the
voice, if we sing not with our understanding also."
To promote this, I proceed to set before you,
II. The subject-matter of their praise
A sense of the divine goodness and mercy was
that which inflamed their souls. David had before
395.] USE F CHURCH MUSIC. Gl
recorded, in Ps. cxxxvi., the goodness of God, in his
works of creation, providence, and redemption ; and
no less than twenty-six times in as many verses had
he repeated that delightful truth, that " the mercy
of the Lord endureth for ever." In all probability
that Psalm was now used by Solomon s appointment;
so that with the commemoration of every fresh act
of mercy, the whole band united in singing, " For
the Lord is good ; for his mercy endureth for ever."
The grand subject therefore of their praise was, the
goodness and mercy of God. And what abundant
ground was here for praise ! Who that surveys the
wonders of creation, must not see the goodness of
God stamped indelibly on every part of the universe ?
Who that sees the sun, ruling by day, and the moon
and stars, ruling by night ; who that sees this ter
restrial globe furnished with every thing which can
contribute to the happiness both of the rational and
irrational creation ; who that observes the variety
and the beauty of God s works, the fitness of every
creature for its use, the subordination of one creature
to another, and the joint concurrence of all to one
common end ; who that observes the fabric of the
human body, that is so fearfully and wonderfully
made, or reflects on the powers of the soul, which
can in an instant soar from earth to heaven, and there
contemplate not the heavenly bodies only, but even
the Maker of them ; who, I say, can view any part
of the creation, and not exclaim with the Psalmist,
" The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all
his works ?" Nor does his goodness less appear in
the works of Providence : David, in the Psalm we
have referred to, recounts most of the gracious acts
which God had performed towards the Jewish nation
from the first bringing of them out of Egypt to the
time he penned that Psalm : those were no doubt
recited with joy and gladness. And may not we
also look back through the annals of our history,
and see how often God has preserved us from our
enemies, how he has prospered our nation in ten
thousand instances, and how he is yet protecting us
C>2 2 CHRONICLES, V. 13, 14. [395.
from foreign invasion and domestic tumults ? Do we
not see how good he is to us in making the earth to
bring forth plenteously, and in providing for all our
returning wants ? May not every individual amongst
us too trace the peculiar kindness of Providence to
himself, in averting ills, or overruling them for good ?
Surely we have all experienced enough of God s
goodness to make us joyfully unite in songs of praise.
But most of all is the goodness of God conspicuous
in the work of redemption : this the Psalmist notices
particularly, though indeed in hut few words. The
Jews fixed their attention more on the typical re
demptions : but now that the shadows are removed,
and the substance is set before us, we should survey
the redemption of Christ with incessant wonder.
Behold the goodness of God in giving us his only
Son ; in laying our iniquities on him ; and in opening
the kingdom of heaven to all believers ! Behold him
satisfying his own justice by the sufferings of his Son,
and opening a way for the exercise of his mercy
towards us consistently with his other perfections !
This is the wonder ; this is the bright display of
goodness ; this is the subject-matter of thanksgiving,
to all the saints on earth, and all the saints in heaven.
O that every tongue might pay its tribute of praise !
and that we might all with united hearts and voices
proclaim, that " the Lord is good !"
A further subject of their praise was the mercy of
God, " His mercy endureth for ever." How emi
nently did this appear in God s dealings with the
Jewish nation ! for, notwithstanding all their mur-
murings and rebellions in the wilderness, he brought
them into the land which he had promised them :
and in due time he raised up his servant David, to
whom he had confirmed all the promises which he
had made unto the patriarchs ; and now at last he
had in a figure taken possession of the temple of
Solomon, as a typical representation of his future
dwelling in the temple of Christ s body. These were
proofs of the perpetuity of God s mercy, and that
he would not withdraw it from those to whom he
395.] USE OF CHURCH MUSIC. 03
had promised it. But here again we survey his
mercy in far brighter colours : we see indeed that it
endureth for ever : we have seen the mercy pro
mised to our fathers long since performed : we have
seen the Son of God, the Saviour of the world ; we
have seen him living, dying, rising, and resuming his
throne of glory : we have seen him making an end
of sin, and bringing in an everlasting righteousness ;
and now we behold him pouring out all the blessings
of redemption on his Church and people. At this
moment is his mercy as full and free as at the time
he died upon the cross : at this instant do his bowels
yearn over sinners : he invites them all, and impor
tunes them to accept his proffered salvation : and to
those who have tasted of his mercy he still continues
to be gracious : he keepeth mercy for thousands,
when they would cast it utterly away : he does not
in anger shut up his tender mercies : he will chastise,
but not cast off: he will " hide his face for a little
moment ; but with everlasting kindness will he have
mercy upon us."
Such was the subject-matter of their praise : and
shall our tongues be silent ? Have we not incom
parably greater cause for thanksgiving than the Jews
were even able to conceive ? Let the praises of God
then be in our lips ; and let us unite our hearts and
voices in declaring the goodness and mercy of our
God.
Were this more the frame of our hearts, surely
we should find God more frequently present in our
worshipping assemblies ; for he would certainly never
leave us without " witness that we pleased him."
This brings us to consider,
III. The testimony which God gave them of his
approbation-
God had often vouchsafed to appear in a visible
manner to his people : he went before them in a
cloud through the wilderness, and conducted them
in all their journeys : and, when Moses had finished
the tabernacle according to the direction given him
64 2 CHRONICLES, V. 13, 14. [395.
by God, it pleased God to give him a signal token of
his presence and approbation. In Exod. xl. 34, 35,
it is said, " Then (when Moses had finished the
work) a cloud covered the tent of the congregation,
and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle : and
Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the
congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and
the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." Exactly
similar to this was the testimony which God now
gave of his approbation, both to Solomon and all
the assembly : " he came down in a cloud, and filled
the house with his glory, so that the priests could
not stand to minister there any longer."
This cloud was the Shechinah, or symbol of the
divine presence : and its coming down, and filling
the place at that time, was a signal manifestation
of the divine favour. This shadowy representation
of the Deity was suited to that dispensation, wherein
every thing was wrapped up in obscure types and
shadows : it was calculated to strike their senses,
and impress them with reverence for God ; while, at
the same time, the effect which it produced upon the
priests served to intimate, that, when Christ should
come, and the Deity truly appear in the temple of
Christ s body, the priests should cease to minister in
their former manner, and the whole of that dispen
sation should be done away.
It is particularly proper on this occasion to notice
the exact time when God was pleased to vouchsafe
this remarkable testimony of his approbation. If we
look to the text, we shall see that it was not when
the sacrifices were offered, nor even when the ark was
deposited in its place ; but it was when the singers
and the players on the musical instruments joined in
one grand chorus of praise and thanksgiving : " It
came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were
as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising
and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their
voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments
of music 9 and praised the Lord, saying, For he is
good, for his mercy endureth for ever ; that then the
396.] ACCEPTANCE OF DAVID S GOOD DESIRES. 65
house was filled with a cloud." We cannot doubt
but that God approved of every part of this grand
ceremony : but that which crowned the whole was,
the tribute of praise offered by the- chorus of vocal
and instrumental music. We have before observed,
that this, without the heart, would be a vain offering
indeed : but, with the heart, no doubt it is pleasing
and acceptable to God in the highest degree : it
comes as near as possible to the worship of heaven,
where, in one grand concert, they strike their golden
harps, and sing, " Salvation to God and to the Lamb
for ever!" In Rev. xiv. 1 3, St. John beheld in a
vision the glorious company of heaven ; and he says,
" I looked, and, lo ! a Lamb stood on the Mount
Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thou
sand, having his Father s name written in their fore
heads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the
voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great
thunder : and I heard the voice of harpers harping
with their harps ; and they sung as it were a new
song before the throne." Shall not we therefore
endeavour to anticipate that blessed employment ?
shall not we strive to bring down heaven upon
earth ? shall not we from henceforth lift up our
voices unto God, and every one be ambitious to join
as in one general chorus ? Yes, my Brethren, let me
hope that many of you will unite your endeavours :
call to mind the goodness of your God ; think of his
manifold and never-ending mercies ; think of Jesus
the fountain and foundation of all your blessings ;
stir up your hearts to gratitude ; let not one be
silent ; and while we are united in singing the high
praises of our God, may God himself come down in
the midst of us, and fill the house with his glory !
Amen, and Amen !
CCCXCVI.
GOD S ACCEPTANCE OF DAVII) s GOOD DESIRES.
2 Chron. vi. 7, 8. Noiv it was in the heart of David my father
to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel,
VOL. IV. F
M 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 7, 8. [396.
But the Lord said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was
in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst
well, in that it was in thine heart.
FROM our general notions of the Deity, we should
be ready to imagine, that he would not only permit,
but encourage, the execution of every good thought
that could come into our minds. But " his ways are
not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts : "
he appoints unto men their work according to his
sovereign will, and uses what instruments he pleases
for the accomplishment of his own designs. Moses,
who had brought the people of Israel out of Egypt
and led them through the wilderness, was not per
mitted to conduct them into Canaan ; he must
devolve that office on Joshua, and die without seeing
the completion of the work he had begun. Thus
David had conceived a noble idea of building a
temple unto the Lord, and had made preparations
for it to a most astonishing extent : yet God suffered
him not to execute the work, but ordered him to
leave it to Solomon his son. At the dedication of
the temple, Solomon brought this fact to the re
membrance of the people, partly perhaps with a view
to honour the memory of David his father, but prin
cipally to display the sovereignty of God who had
appointed him to that office, and the faithfulness of
God in having enabled him to complete the work.
But at the same time that he mentions the pro
hibition given to David his father respecting the
execution of his design, he declares God s gracious
acceptance of the intention just as much as if it had
been carried into effect, since it argued and evinced
that state of mind which alone could have rendered
the act itself acceptable in the sight of God.
In this incident, as related in our text, we notice,
I. The characteristic marks of true piety
From the example before us, we see that,
1. Its aims are high
[David sought to honour and exalt Jehovah s name : and
wherever real piety exibts, it will inspire us with similar views
396.] ACCEPTANCE OF DAVID S GOOD DESIRES. 67
and sentiments. To act merely with a view to this world, or
for the promoting of our own interests, will appear unworthy
of a rational and immortal being. We shall "look (that is,
aim] not at the things which are visible and temporal, but at
the things which are invisible and eternal." We shall carry
this spirit into all the common acts and offices of life : " whe
ther we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we shall endeavour to
do it all to the glory of God." In speaking on this subject,
St. Paul uses an expression of peculiar force : he says, that " as
Christ had been, so he should continue to be, magnified in his
body, whether by life or death a ." Perhaps it may be thought, that
such an aim was proper in an Apostle, but would be presump
tuous in us : but it is equally proper for all ; and indeed is
necessary for all : for, " being not our own, but bought with a
price, we should glorify God with our bodies and our spirits,
which are hisV]
2. Its efforts earnest
[David not only desired to build the temple, but collected
materials for it, and contributed towards it to an incredible
amount. Thus is piety always operative, and regards all earthly
possessions as talents to be improved for God. The more those
talents are multiplied to us, the greater obligation we shall feel
to honour God with them : and every service which we are
enabled to render him, we shall consider only as a step to fur
ther services. If we had attained the eminence even of Paul
himself, and, like him, had laboured more than all the other
Apostles, we should not be satisfied with any thing we had
done, \vhilst any thing yet remained for us to do : we should
" forget all that was behind, of the course we had already run,
and reach forth unto that which was before, and press toward
the mark for the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus ."
Yes ; " as many of us as are perfect and upright in the sight
of God, will certainly be thus minded d ."]
3. Its desires are unbounded
[Had David s means been augmented an hundred-fold, his
desire to use them for God would have proportionably increased :
his ability would still have been the measure of his exertions.
True piety regards, not the opinion of the world, but the will
of God : it looks at the precepts, the promises, the examples,
set before us in the Scriptures ; and makes them the standard
of its aims and efforts. The precepts require us to " love and
serve God with all our heart, and all our mind, and all our
soul, and all our strength :" the promises give us reason to hope
a Phil. i. 20. b 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.
c Phil. iii. 13, 14, a Phil. iii. 1.".
r>8 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 7, 8.
that we shall be " cleansed from all unrighteousness," and " be
renewed after the image of our God in righteousness and true
holiness :" and God proposes himself to us as our pattern, that
we should " be holy, as he is holy" and " be perfect, even as
our Father which is in heaven is perfect." However short of these
things the Christian falls in point of practice, he desires, if it
were possible, to fulfil all that is required of him, and to attain
" the full measure of the stature of Christ himself 6 ." In a
word, he realizes in his experience the prayer of Epaphras, and
"labours fervently and incessantly to stand perfect and com
plete in all the will of God f ."]
Whoever possesses such piety in his heart, shall
assuredly be honoured with,
II. God s approbation and acceptance of it
Without the heart, no services that we can render
to the Lord are pleasing to him
[God says to every one of us, " My son, give me thy
heart:" and, if we withhold that, he regards nothing else that
we can give him : our very prayers and our praises are only an
abomination to him ]
But, where the heart is, even the smallest services
are pleasing in his sight
[God judges not of our services by their magnitude in the
eyes of men, but by the measure of love and zeal with which
they are performed. The widow s mite was on this account
considered as " more" than all the offerings of the rich: in it
self, it was nothing; but, as indicating the state of her mind,
it w r as above all price. And it is worthy of observation, that
the most encouraging promises in Scripture are given to such
expressions of our feelings as most indicate the sincerity of our
hearts. A sigh, a groan, a look, a wish, a silent tear stealing
down the cheek, are amongst the most acceptable offerings that
we can present to God h . And when his Holy Spirit operates
most powerfully upon our hearts, it is " with groanings which
cannot be uttered 1 ." If he looked at the outward services
merely, the poor would labour under the greatest disadvantages :
but we are assured, that he forms no such partial estimate of
men s conduct ; but that, " if there be first a willing mind, he
accepts us according to what we have, and not according to what
we have not k ; " so that, provided our exertions be proportioned
e Eph. iv. 13. f Col. iv. 12.
s Matt. xv. 7 9. Isai. i. 11, 13. Amos v. 21 23.
h Ps. Ixxix. 11. and xxxviii. 9. and xxxiv. 5. and x. 17. and
cxlv. 19. and Ivi. 8.
1 Rom. viii. 23, 26. k 2 Cor. viii. 12.
396.1 ACCEPTANCE OF DAVID*S GOOD DESIRES. 69
to our ability, the poorest and weakest amongst us shall be
approved and rewarded equally with those whose abilities and
opportunities have been most enlarged : yea, if through the
good providence of God we be incapacitated for any service
whatever, yet, if we desire to serve God, he will bear testimony
to us before all, saying, " Thou hast done well, in that it was
in thine heart to serve me."]
APPLICATION
That we may obtain such a testimony from the
Lord,
1. Let the advancement of the Church be dear
unto us
[There is a temple which we are called to build, and of
which the temple of Solomon was but a type and shadow ; I
mean, the Church of Christ, which to all eternity shall be " the
habitation of God through the Spirit 1 ." For the advancement
of that, we should long, and pray, and strive ; and never cease
from our exertions, till God himself " shall bring forth the
head-stone, and the whole universe shall shout, Grace, grace
unto it m !"] n
2. Let us, in all that we do, be particularly atten
tive to our own hearts
[Many sinister motives are apt to arise, and to pollute
our best actions : our liberality is apt to savour of ostentation,
and our spiritual affections of pride and vanity. But God,
" to whom all things are naked and open," will judge accord
ing to what he sees in the inmost recesses of the heart ;
approving of the good that was there, though never carried
into eifect ; and disapproving of our latent hypocrisy, by
whatever specious appearances it had been concealed from
mortal eyes. Only take care that the heart be right witli
God, and then all will be well with us, both in time and
eternity.]
3. Let us be contented with doing what we can
for God, though we should not succeed according to
our wishes
[If our labours be crowned with present success, we re
ceive, as it were, a present recompence : but if our labour
appear to be in vain, we may expect a suitable recompence
hereafter. God will reward us, not according to our success,
1 Eph. ii. 2022. 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. m Zech. iv. 7.
n If this were a Mission Sermon, or for building a Church, here
would be the proper place to press the subject.
70 . 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 18. [397.
but according to our labour . The very consciousness of
endeavouring to honour God is itself an ample reward for all
that we can do. Whether we ourselves reap, or leave others
to enter into our labours, we should be equally well pleased to
serve our God. Let this thought animate us all in our
respective stations.; and whether our abilities be more or less,
let us all endeavour to obtain this testimony from the Lord,
" He hath done what he could v ."]
1 Cor. iii. 8. P Mark xiv. 8.
CCCXCVII.
CONDESCENSION OF GOD IN BECOMING INCARNATE.
2 Chron. vi. 18. Will God in very deed dwell ivith men on
the earth ?
IT is nothing but a want of reflection, that keeps
us from being filled with incessant wonder and asto
nishment. The things which God has done for us
in the works of creation and providence, if duly
searched out, would furnish abundant matter for our
profoundest adoration. But the provision which he
has made for our redemption exceeds all the bounds
of credibility. Even those manifestations of his
mercy whereby he shadowed forth the mystery of
his incarnation, were so stupendous, that Solomon,
who beheld them, could scarcely believe his own
eyes. He had erected a temple which was to be a
type of Christ s human body. He had just seen
God coming down in a cloud to take possession of
that temple, and filling it with his glory. He was in
the act of dedicating it to God, and of praying that
it might be, as it were, an habitation for him : but
struck with astonishment at the requests which he
was presuming to offer, he pauses, and breaks forth
into this hesitating, admiring, adoring exclamation,
" But will God in very deed dwell with men
on the earth?" This was an inconceivable act of
condescension as it respected his symbolic presence
in a temple of stone ; but it was infinitely more so,
as it respected his real presence in a body of flesh.
To illustrate this we shall,
397.1 GOD S CONDESCENSION IN HIS INCARNATIONS 71
I. Contrast the characters of God and man
We can be at no loss for matter to illustrate this
subject, since light and darkness, or Christ and
Belial, are not more opposite. But that we may not
exceed the limits proper for this part of our dis
course, we shall draw the contrast in two particulars
only :
1. The majesty of God, and the meanness of
man
[We have no higher ideas of majesty than those which
are conveyed under the terms appropriate to royalty. God
therefore, in order to suit himself to our feeble apprehensions,
adopts those terms in reference to himself. He assumes the
title of a king; he is " King of kings, and Lord of lords a ."
He has moreover all the ensigns of royalty ; " heaven is his
throne, and earth his footstool V Unnumbered hosts of angels
are his retinue ; " thousands of thousands minister unto him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him c ."
Instead of the equipage of an earthly monarch, he " maketh
the clouds Ins chariot, and rideth on the heavens as upon a
horse d ." So great is his majesty, that " all the nations of the
earth are before him only " as the drop of a bucket, or as
the small dust upon the balance ; " yea, " they are less than
nothing and vanity 6 ." And so " terrible is his majesty," that,
" if he touch the mountains, they smoke ; and, if he but look
upon the earth, it trembles f ." But in attempting to speak of
his majesty, we only " darken counsel by words without know
ledge." Suffice it therefore to add, that " the heaven of
heavens cannot contain him";" and that "his greatness is
unsearchable h ."
But what is man? an atom insect of an atom world. If we
compare him with the globe on which we stand, he is a mere
worm : but if we compare him with the visible creation ; and
still more, if we view the universe with the eye of a philosopher,
if we compute the distances of the fixed stars, if we suppose
that multitudes of them are, like our sun, the centre of dif
ferent and independent systems; if we then compare him
with these, what an insignificant being will he appear ! The
smallest grain of sand is not so diminutive in comparison of
the whole terrestrial globe, as the whole human race would be
when compared with the other works of God s hands. But
unworthy as man is of God s notice in this view, he has
a Rev. xvii. 14. b Isai. Ixvi. 1. c Dan. vii. 10.
d Ps. civ. 3. and Ixviii. 4. e Isai. xl. 15, 17.
e vcr. 18. Ps. cxlv. 3.
72 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 18. [397.
rendered himself incomparably more unworthy by the commis
sion of sin. By this he is become, not merely worthless, but
odious and abominable. In this respect the whole human
race are involved in one common lot : and so contemptible
are they in his eyes, that there is scarce an animal among the
brute creation to whom he does not liken them, and that too
in reference to their most hateful qualities : from whence we
may understand, that man is a compound of every thing that
is noxious and hateful.
And can we conceive, that so great and glorious a Being as
God should ever deign to notice man ; and not only to notice
him, but to dwell with him ?]
2. The purity of God, and the sinfulness of man
[Holiness is that attribute of the Deity which is most
eminently glorified by the heavenly choir : they cry day and
night, saying, " Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts 1 !" On
earth too this perfection is peculiarly admired by the saints,
who " give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness k ."
Such was God s abhorrence of iniquity, that he cast the fallen
angels out of heaven. Nor can he behold sin in man, without
feeling the utmost indignation against it 1 . But why do we
mention these things ? Such is the holiness of God, that " he
chargeth even his angels with folly" 1 ;" and " the very heavens
are not clean in his sight"."
As for man, he is, unhappily, a perfect contrast to God in
these respects. He is polluted in every member of his body,
and in every faculty of his soul. The inspired writers seem to
have laboured, as it were, to mark the extreme depravity of
man, by specifying that his members are altogether instru
ments of unrighteousness : his " eyes are full of adultery 1 *,"
and his " ears deaf as an adder q ;" his " mouth and lips full of
cursing and bitterness 1 ";" his " tongue is a world of iniquity,
set on fire of hell 8 ," and "his throat an open sepulchre 1 ;"
" both his hands are employed to work iniquity";" his "feet
are swift to shed blood x ;" and, to complete the whole, "his
inward parts are very wickedness y ." His soul is, if possible,
yet more depraved : his understanding is blinded, so that it
* puts evil for good, and darkness for light 2 ." His will is
rebellious, so that it cannot bow to the commands of God a .
His affections are earthly and sensual. His memory is retentive
Isai. vi. 3. k Ps. xxx. 4. J Hab. i. 13.
" l Job iv. 18. " Job xv. 15. Rom. vi. 13,
P 2 Pet. ii. 14. n Ps. Iviii. 4. r Rom. iii. 14.
s Jam. iii. (>. l Rom. iii. 13. u Mic. vii. 3.
x Rom. iii. 15. > Ps. v. 9.
2 for. iv. 1. Isai. v. 20. * Rom. viii. 7.
397. J GOD S CONDESCENSION IN HIS INCARNATION. 73
of what is evil, while it lets slip every good admonition or
advice. His conscience is partial, excusing where it should
condemn ; and, in too many, it is " seared as with a hot iron."
Contrast this character with that of God; and then say,
whether it be possible for God to dwell with man.]
Having thus prepared the way, we will,
II. Give an answer to the question proposed in the
text
Our answer is short : He not only will dwell with
man on the earth ; but he has done it. He has dwelt
with man,
1. Symbolically
[When Israel came out of Egypt, God went before them
in all their way, and guided them by a pillar and a cloud: and
even to the time of the Babylonish captivity, did he continue
by that symbol of his presence to dwell in the midst of his
people. This alone was sufficient to shew the condescension
and grace of God ; and to prove that he will make his abode
with those who are the objects of his special favour.]
2. Personally
[Wonderful as it may appear, God has taken upon him
our nature and dwelt amongst us. In the fulness of time, he
appeared on earth; and, though formed, without the inter
vention of man, by the agency of the Holy Ghost, he came
into the world like other infants, passed through the helpless
years of childhood, wrought at a low trade till the age of
thirty; and then continued nearly four years longer in the
exercise of his ministerial office, as the instructor of men, and
the Saviour of the world. While he was despised and rejected
of men, and accounted a worm and no man, he was ft God over
all blessed for evermore:" " in him dwelt all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily b ." It was in order to prepare the world for
this, that he so often appeared to the patriarchal saints, and
that he for so many centuries abode in the tabernacle and the
temple. By manifesting himself in our flesh, he has clearly
shewn, that " as his majesty is, so is his mercy."]
3. Mystically
[There is yet another temple in which God delights to
dwell, even in the broken and contrite heart . He has re
peatedly promised, that he will thus distinguish those who
seek him in spirit and in truth. " He will come to them, and
b Col. ii. 9. c Isai Ivii. 15.
71- 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 18. [397.
make his abode with them 11 ." " He will dwell in their hearts
by faith e ." " He will manifest himself unto them as he does
not unto the world f ." It was in this way that he enabled all
the primitive Christians to shine as lights in a dark world, and
to maintain their steadfastness in the midst of the most cruel
persecutions. It is in the same way that he still upholds
and sanctifies his chosen people : " Such honour have all his
saints."]
APPLICATION
Has God in very deed dwelt with man on the
earth ? Then let us,
1. Marvel at our own ingratitude
[Who would imagine that God should have become a man
for us, and should offer moreover to dwell in our hearts, and that
we should be so unmindful of him ? Is it a light thing that he
has done; to assume our nature, when he passed by the fallen
angels ; to assume it in its fallen debased state, as far as he
could consistently with his own unspotted holiness; to assume
it for the express purpose of bearing our sins and expiating
them by his own death ? Is it a light thing that he offers to
do, when he begs us to open our hearts to him, that he may
make them his habitation? Yet what are the returns we make
him? We do indeed commemorate both his incarnation, and
the descent of the Holy Spirit: but how? with holy feasting,
and with spiritual joy ? Do we not rather act, as if he came
to liberate us from all restraints, and to give us a licence to
forget him, and to abandon ourselves to carnal pleasure ? Let
us only reflect on the manner in which these holy seasons
have been spent by all around us, and how little our own
spirit and conduct have accorded with the mercies vouchsafed
unto us, and we shall see reason to blush and be confounded,
yea rather, to weep in dust and ashes.]
2. Seek to dwell with him in heaven
[For what purpose has God revealed himself to us in this
diversified and astonishing manner? Has it not been to display
the exceeding riches of his grace, and to encourage our
application to him for an interest in his favour? Yes; he
would not that we should " dwell with everlasting burnings;"
but rather that we should be made partakers of his glory.
It was for this end that he became incarnate, and died upon
the cross : it is for this end that he yet daily strives with us
by his Spirit. In very deed he dwelt with man on earth, that
d John xiv. 23. c Eph. iii. 17. f John xiv. 22.
398.] DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 75
we might dwell with God in heaven. Let us then make a
suitable improvement of his unbounded mercy; and secure
that exaltation, which he, by his own humiliation, has prepared
for us.]
CCCXCVIII.
DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE.
2 Chron. vi. 41. Arise, O Lord God, into thy resting-place,
tkou, and the ark of thy strength : let thy priests, O Lord
God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in
goodness.
THE fuller account of the dedication of Solomon s
Temple is given us in the 8th chapter of the First
Book of Kings. But in this pl^ce we have a most
interesting part of Solomon s prayer, which in the
former place is omitted. The piety and the pathos of
these concluding sentences are worthy of the highest
admiration. If we were to confine our notice of them
to that particular occasion, they would be found re
plete with instruction : but, knowing as we do the
figurative nature of that whole dispensation, we must
of necessity point out the bearing of these words upon
our own times, and upon the Christian Church : and
for that purpose we will shew,
I. What Solomon desired as the crown of all his
labours
He had built the temple, which in grandeur and
beauty exceeded any structure that ever existed
upon earth ; and he had deposited the ark in the
place prepared for it. But he was not satisfied with
having executed the office which God had so gra
ciously assigned him : he desired that God would
vouchsafe his presence in the temple, and render it
the means of manifesting his own glory, and of dis
pensing his blessings to his favoured people : and,
therefore, in this concluding prayer he implored,
1. The special presence of the Deity in the temple,
as His fixed abode
7G 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 41. [398.
[The ark had hitherto dwelt only in a tabernacle which
was moved from place to place. Henceforth it was to have
an abiding resting-place in the temple. But in vain would
the temple have been built, and in vain the ark fixed in its
place, if God himself did not accompany the ark with his
special presence. It had been hitherto " the ark of God s
strength; because God had, on many occasions, wrought as
it were in concert with it, exerting his almighty power
wherever it went : but if he should detach himself from it,
the people had already seen how incapable the ark itself was
of affording them protection, when it had not been able even
to protect itself from the Philistine army. Therefore Solomon
prayed, that God himself would, by that symbol of his pre
sence, the cloud of fire, abide upon it; and thereby give a
public testimony of his approbation of the measures which had
been adopted, and a visible pledge of his continued favour to
his people.]
2. An abundant effusion of his promised blessings
on all who should frequent it
[Without this, no good end would be attained. Without
this, God would not be glorified, nor sinners saved. Hence
Solomon prayed for all, both priests and people, that the one
might " be clothed with salvation," and the other " rejoice in
goodness." That temporal prosperity was included in his pe
tition is probable enough a : but, doubtless, spiritual blessings
were chiefly solicited, as the portion of them all. A holy
priesthood is an inestimable blessing to any people: for, if
" they who handle the Law transgress it b ," and " they who
should be a light to others are themselves in darkness ," what
can be expected, but that a general declension should ensue?
Hence he desired that the priests should be, not merely habited
in white garments, but clothed with righteousness and salva
tion; that so they might be examples to the flock, and edify
the people to whom they ministered. In behalf of the people,
too, he desired that they should find a rich feast in all God s
ordinances, " being abundantly satisfied with the fatness of
God s house, and drinking there of the rivers of his pleasures* 1 ."
In a word, he desired that universal piety might prevail, and
that the happiness attendant on it might be universally dis
pensed.]
But we hasten to shew,
II. What infinitely richer blessings we may expect
under our more perfect dispensation
a Neh. ix. 25. b Jer. ii. 8. c Rom. ii. 1921.
ll Ps. xxxvi. 8. with Isai. xxv. 6.
398.1 DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 77
The temple, with every thing pertaining to it, was
" a figure for the time then present," a " shadow of
good things to come."
[Here we must view the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the
true Ark, in which the tables of the Law were deposited, and
on which the mercy-seat was placed, and into which the angels
desired with incessant scrutiny to search 6 . Yes, in the verse
following my text, Solomon clearly refers to him : " O Lord
God, turn not away the face of thine anointed : remember the
mercies of David, thy servant!" What was the mercy here
pre-eminently referred to? It was, that God in due time
would raise up unto David that august progeny, " who should
sit upon his throne ; and of whose kingdom there should be no
end f ." The very words of Solomon are so applied by the
Prophet Isaiah g , and so explained by St. Peter, who both cites
them, and comments on them to this precise effect 11 . But that
which throws the fullest light upon this passage, is the Io2d
Psalm, (probably composed by Solomon himself on this very
occasion,) wherein all the same expressions are twice used ;
first, in a way of prayer ; and next, in a way of promise : and
their prophetic reference to Christ is plainly and incontro-
vertibly declared: " Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thou, and
the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed witli
righteousness ; and let thy saints shout for joy : for thy servant
David s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed. The
Lord hath sworn in truth unto David ; he will not turn from it;
Of the fruit of thy body iv ill I set upon thy throne 1 ."
What, then, in this sense of the passage, is the desire here
expressed? It is simply this: " Come, O blessed Lord, and
dwell in thy house, as thou hast promised!" Thou hast said,
" Wherever two or three are met together in my name, there
am I in the midst of them:" and again, " Lo, I am with you
alway, even to the end of the world." Let it now be seen
that thou art with us: " manifest thyself unto us, as thou dost
not unto the world: " and let it be clearly shewn, by the mighty
working of thy power upon our souls, that we are indeed thy
people !]
Heb. ix. 4, 5. 1 Pet. i. 12. f Luke i. 32, 33.
g Isai. Iv. 3. h Acts xiii. 34.
1 Ps. cxxxii. 8 11. and 13 16. In this Psalm the Incarnation
of Christ is specified : in the two preceding passages, the Resurrec
tion. If this subject were taken for a Christmas-day or an Easter-
day, those citations which are the most appropriate should, of course,
be most insisted on. As applied in a general way to the reign of
Christ, they are equally proper ; both of them being accomplishments
of the same prophecy.
78 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 41. [398.
The blessings we may expect are great, in propor
tion to the excellency of the dispensation under
which we live
[What ministers may we not hope to find in the Chris
tian Church, instructed as they are in the great mystery of
redemption, and commissioned as they are to proclaim salva
tion to men through the sacrifice of their incarnate God ! I f
" they who bare the vessels of the Lord," under the Jewish
dispensation, were required to " be clean ; " much more should
they be holy, and " clothed with righteousness," who go forth
as ambassadors from God, and stand in the very place of
Christ, to preach the word of reconciliation to a guilty world k .
And what ought our people to be ? What may we not expect
from them who are thus divinely taught, and who have all
" the unsearchable riches of Christ imparted to them?" We
are told, that, " by comprehending with all saints what is the
breadth and length and depth and height of the love of Christ,
we are to be filled with all the fulness of God 1 :" and there
fore we may well expect that those who, through the ministry
of the Gospel, are led into the knowledge of these incompre
hensible mysteries, will " rejoice in all this goodness," yea,
" rejoice in it with a joy that is unspeakable and glorified."
Certainly, the fruit of the Gospel should exceed that of the
Law : for so are we taught in Scripture to expect, that " the
light of the moon in our day should be as the light of the sun,
and the light of the sun seven-fold." " Behold," says God,
" I create new heavens and a new earth : and the former shall
not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad,
and rejoice for ever, in that which I create : for, behold, I
create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy : and I will
rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people : and the voice of
weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of
crying 11 ." This, then, Brethren, is the blessedness I desire
for you : and I pray God that all of us, both priest and people,
may so w r alk, as to approve ourselves to Him, who assumed
our nature, and tabernacled amongst us , and laid down his
life for us.]
To IMPROVE this subject, I would add,
1. Let us consecrate our souls to God, as his
temple
[Glorious as the Temple of Solomon was, and greatly as
God honoured it by his presence, I hesitate not to say, that it
was contemptible, in comparison of an abode which you may
k 2 Cor. v. 20. i Eph. iii. 18, 19. m Isai. xxx. 26.
" Isai. Ixv. 17 19. John i. 14.
f399.] GOD S REGARD FOR HIS OWN HOUSE. 79
offer him in a broken and contrite spirit 1 * -The Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, will come and take up their residence
within you, Brethren, if you will but open the door of your
hearts, and implore of them this high honour q . And what
holiness and happiness you shall then possess, I need not say.
Let every one of you seek this honour ; and not one of you
shall be disappointed of his hope ]
2. Let us plead with him his great and precious
promises
[Solomon entreats of God to " remember the mercies
promised to David." Thus take you every promise contained
in God s blessed word ; and spread it before him. He bids
you " put him in remembrance, and declare your affiance in
iiim r ." And if you do this, you shall be constrained to ac
knowledge, as Joshua after an experience of fourscore years
acknowledged, that not one of all the things which God has
promised to you has ever failed s - ]
P Isai. Ivii. 15. and Ivi. 1,2. f i John xiv. 23.
r Isai. xliii. 26. s Josh, xxiii. 14.
CCCXCIX.
GOD S REGARD FOR HIS OWN HOUSE.
2 Chron. vii. 15, 16. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine
ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For
now .have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name
may be there for ever : and mine eyes and mine heart shall be
there perpetually.
NEVER, from the foundation of the world, was
there so magnificent a structure as Solomon s Temple,
or so imposing a scene as that which took place at
the dedication of it a - -The prayer which So
lomon offered on that occasion was no less remark
able : in point of humility and fervour and propriety,
nothing could exceed it. The answer also that was
given to it was singularly encouraging. Compare
the petition to which my text refers, with the answer
given to it in the text itself: " Now, my God, let, I
beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears
be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place V
a This may be briefly described, ver. 12. b 2 Chron. vi. 40.
80 Q CHRONICLES, VII. 15, 16. [399.
These very words does God repeat to him in a way
of promise, and with great additional force : " Mine
eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the
prayer that is made in this place : for now have I
chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may
be there for ever : and mine eyes and mine heart shall
be there perpetually."
These words will afford me a fit occasion to shew,
I. The regard which God bears to his house
We marvel at the condescension of Almighty God,
when he says, " Mine eyes and mine heart shall be
there perpetually." But he regarded that structure,
and he regards every place that is built for his more
immediate service,
1. As the house where he will more especially
reside
[The whole land of Israel was dear to him in this view.
Moses says of it, " It is a land which the Lord thy God carcth
for ; the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from
the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year ."
But this house was his more peculiar residence : " lus name
was put there d ." He was invited by Solomon to come and
take possession of it : u Arise, O Lord, into thy resting-place,
thou, and the ark of thy strength 6 !" And, in answer to his
request, he came down visibly and abode within it: "Now,
when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came
down from heaven, and consumed the burnt-offering and the
sacrifices ; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. And
the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because
the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord s house*." To this
event the Psalmist refers, when he says, " The Lord hath chosen
Zion : he hath desired it for his habitation : This is my rest
for ever : here will I dwell ; for I have desired it g ." Hence it
may well be said, that " God loveth the gates of Zion more
than all the dwellings of Jacob 11 ."]
2. As the theatre where he will display his glory-
fin the temple were displayed, under types and shadows,
all the wonders of redeeming love. The sacrifices that were
offered, the consuming of them upon the altar, the carrying
c Deut. xi. 12. d Deut. xii. 11. with 2 Chron. vi. 5, 6.
e 2 Chron. vi. 41. f ver. 1, 2. e Ps. cxxxii. 14, 15.
h Ps. Ixxxvii. 2.
399. J GOD S REGARD FOR HIS OWN HOUSE. 81
of their blood within the vail to sprinkle the mercy-seat of the
Most High, the offering of incense also before the mercy-
seat, all prefigured the atoning sacrifice, and the prevailing
intercession of the Lord Jesus, through which every sinner in
the universe may find acceptance with God. The whole of
the services there offered were " a shadow of good things to
come 1 :" and in the temple alone were they suffered to exist.
But now are the same things declared plainly and explicitly
by every servant of the Most High that is called to preach the
Gospel of Christ. Yes, every minister that is taught of God
proclaims this truth: "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of
all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners*." And though this message may be greatly diversi
fied in the mode of its delivery, it is in substance the same with
all : for every faithful minister " determines, with the Apostle,
to know nothing among his people save Jesus Christ and him
crucified 1 ." And where is this mystery unfolded, but in the
house of God? True, the house of God is pre-eminently
"the house of prayer;" but it is also the place where "the
glory of God is displayed as shining forth in the face of Jesus
Christ," and a free salvation is proclaimed to all the sinners of
mankind.]
3. As the throne from whence he will dispense his
blessings
[To the temple of old, every sinner brought his offering :
and from thence he departed with a comfortable hope that he
was accepted of his God. And say, Brethren, whether you
have not found God in this place, ready to hear and answer
your most enlarged petitions ? Have you not found the word,
that was delivered in the Saviour s name, " quick, and power
ful, and sharper than a two-edged sword?" Has it not
brought conviction to your minds ; and been effectual, also, to
administer consolation to your souls? Has not grace been
administered by means of it? and have you not found it a
channel of communication to your souls, insomuch that you.
have here "drunk as of rivers of water," and "feasted, as it
were, upon fat things," that have nourished your souls unto
life eternal ? Yes verily, God has said that he would " beau
tify the place of his sanctuary, and make the place of his feet
glorious" 1 ;" and in these divine communications his own soul,
no less than the souls of his people, has been refreshed, and
filled with joy n .]
From the regard which God bears to his house,
we see,
1 Heb. x. 1. k 1 Tim. i. 15. 1 ] Cor. ii. 2.
m Isai. Ix. 13. n Jer. xxxii. 41. Zeph. iii. 17.
VOL. IV. G
82 2 CHRONICLES, VII. 15, 16. [399.
II. The feeling which we also should have towards
it-
Are God s " eyes and heart upon his house per
petually?" Then we also should regard it,
1. With a reverential sense of its sanctity
[I readily grant, that there is not the same measure of
sanctity in holy buildings and in holy vessels now, that there
was under the Mosaic economy, where " Touch not, taste not,
handle not," constituted so great a part of the divine Law.
But, on the other hand, there is an immense distance between
things sacred and things common : nor is there any person of
real piety who would willingly break down this distinction.
It is possible, I grant, for this idea to be carried to an extreme
of superstition : but it is equally possible for it to be spurned
at in a way of grievous impiety. Different usages may pre
vail in different places, in perfect consistency with a becoming
reverence for the house of God : but what our blessed Lord
did in driving the buyers and sellers out of the temple, may
serve to shew us, that w r hat has been consecrated to God
ought not to be turned to a profane use : and more especially,
whilst it is acknowledged as the place w r hich God delights to
honour with his peculiar presence, it should be approached
with reverence; and, in the spirit of our minds at least, we
should " put off our shoes, when we tread on such holy
ground:" for God has expressly and most authoritatively said,
" Thou shalt reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord ."]
2. With gratitude for mercies there received
[Methinks, of some of you it may be said, that " you were
born there P." And what a blessing is this! In comparison of
it, the whole world is lighter than the dust upon the balance.
Call to mind how ignorant you once were of those things which
belong to your everlasting peace. Once you knew not what
guilt you had contracted in the sight of God, and to what
tremendous judgments you were exposed. You knew not
what provision God had made for you in his Gospel. The
necessity of an atonement ; the suitableness and sufficiency
of the atonement which Christ has made ; the nature of a life
of faith on Christ; the work and offices of the Holy Spirit;
the beauty and excellency of holiness ; these, and a variety of
other things, were altogether unknown to you, till you heard
them in this place, and God " opened the eyes of your under
standing to understand them." Only call to mind what a load
of guilt has been removed from your souls; what peace and
Lev. xix. 30. i> Ps. Ixxxvii. 4.
399 J GOD S REGARD FOR HIS OWN HOUSE.
joy have flowed in upon you through the preached word; what
strength has been imparted to you to resist temptations, and
to fulfil your duties to the Lord ; and, finally, what anticipa
tions and foretastes of your heavenly inheritance you have here
enjoyed; and you will not regard with indifference the very
spot where such mercies have been vouchsafed unto you; but
will be ready to say, " If I do not remember thee, let my
tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth ; if I prefer not that
Jerusalem above my chief joy q ."]
3. With desire for yet further blessings
[To our latest hour shall we need yet further blessings
from the Lord. As all the males of the land came up to the
temple thrice every year to offer their accustomed offerings,
so we must still come up to the house of God, to renew our
supplications at the throne of his grace, and to receive from
him such communications as our necessities require. Even
when at a distance from the temple, the Jews looked towards
it with a view to express more fully their faith and hope in the
God of Israel: and so should we, not indeed to any individual
edifice, but to the house of God where his people are assem
bled; " panting after it as the hart after the water-brooks, and
saying, When shall I come and appear before God r ? " It should
be a comfort to us to reflect how often we have in past times
"gone up with the multitude to the house of God with the
voice of joy and praise 8 ;" and we should long to have those
opportunities renewed, that God may yet again be glorified in
us, and that the whole work of his grace may be perfected
within us.]
IMPROVEMENT
1. As members of the great community, let your
expectations be enlarged
[" When did God ever say to any, Seek ye my face in
vain?" No indeed; "God delighteth in the prayer of the
upright:" not a sigh shall pass unnoticed by him 4 , or a look
be directed towards him, without some special token of his
regard 11 . " Only draw nigh to him, and you never need fear
but that he will draw nigh to you x ."]
2. As individual believers, assure yourselves that
God will not overlook you
[Did God so regard the Temple of Solomon? Know,
that ye who believe in Christ are far more acceptable temples
than that. Whilst that was yet standing in all its glory, God
f Ps. cxxxvii. 6. r Ps. xlii. 1, 2. 8 Ps, xlii. 4.
1 Ps. xii. 5. Ps. xxxiv. 5. x Jam. iv. 8.
81- 2 CHRONICLES, XL 13, 16. [400.
poured contempt upon it in comparison of " a poor and con
trite spirit y ." Yes, " to a contrite sinner he will look" with
complacency 2 ; and " in him will he dwell, as in his temple a ."
Towards him " his ears shall be attent;" and on him shall be
fixed " his eyes and his heart perpetually." Know, then,
your privilege, my beloved Brethren; and value as you ought
the honour thus accorded to you.]
y Isai. Ixvi. 1, 2. z Isai. Ivii. 15. a 2 Cor. vi. 16.
cccc.
THE DUTY OF PROTESTANTS.
2 Chron. xi. 13, 16. And the Priests and the Levites that were
in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts
And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set
their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jeru
salem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers.
IN this age of Revolutions % it may be well to
turn our attention to perhaps the greatest, speediest,
completest and least sanguinary revolution that is
recorded in the annals of the whole world. The em
pire of Solomon, if not large in extent, was exceeding
powerful : but no sooner was he removed from it,
than his son, instead of conciliating the regards of
his subjects, disgusted them with the most insulting
menaces, and drove them, in utter desperation, to
revolt. Far the larger half of his people, even ten
tribes out of twelve, formed themselves into a sepa
rate and independent state ; and continued, through
out all successive periods of their existence, not only
an independent, but an hostile nation. To enter into
any discussion about the rights of the different par
ties, would be altogether foreign to our purpose, and
to the occasion for which we are assembled : though
we cannot refrain from expressing our most unqua
lified reprobation of Rehoboam s folly, in listening to
the extravagant counsels of his young friends, instead
of following the sage advice of the elders. But, in a
a In 1822, after the attempted Revolutions in Italy, and in the
midst of those in South America, and the commotions in Spain and
Portugal, and in Greece.
400.] THE DUTY OF PROTESTANTS. 85
religious view, this revolution was pregnant with con
sequences of the most important nature. Jeroboam,
in order to keep his new subjects from going up to
Jerusalem to worship according to the Law of Moses,
set up golden calves in Dan and Beth-el, that the
people might worship them, or, perhaps, that they
might worship Jehovah in and through them. Having
appointed a new worship, he appointed new priests to
officiate in it, excluding of course from that service
all the ministers of Jehovah. What now must be
done throughout all his dominions ? Shall the godly
conform to this idolatry ? No : a schism was in
stantly created : and all the godly in the land, whe
ther Clergy or Laity, forsook their country, and
united themselves to the worshippers of Jehovah in
Jerusalem ; entering thus their solemn protest against
the abominations which had been introduced.
Now this will lead me to set before you,
I. The conduct of Protestants in that day-
It was not on account of some trifling regulations
about non-essential matters, that they withdrew them
selves, but on account of the utter subversion of their
religion, and the establishment of idolatry in its stead.
Nor did they rise up in rebellion against the govern
ment, or attempt to maintain their religion with the
sword. They peaceably withdrew ; and sought to
enjoy in another country the blessings of which they
were deprived in their own. Their conduct was
altogether such as became the servants of the Most
High :-
1. They bore their testimony against the reigning
abominations
[Of all the clergy of the land, we read not of so much as
one who consented to renounce his principles for filthy lucre
sake. A noble example this! and nobly followed, too, by all
the godly of the land! for it is said, "After them" that is, after
their example, " out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their
hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem." It
is probable that they had no hope of effecting any thing by
remonstrance : but here was a testimony far more decisive
than any mere remonstrance could be. It was open and
86 2 CHRONICLES, XI. 13, 1G. [400.
visible to all ; and could not but produce a very great sensa
tion through the land. It spoke, in fact, so loudly and intel
ligibly, as to leave the whole nation without excuse.]
2. They adhered steadfastly to the service of their
God-
fit is said, " they came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the
Lord God of their fathers." It was by sacrifice only that they*
could approach their God: and it was in the temple only that
the sacrifices could be offered. Thither, then, they would go.
Nothing should detain them from thence. They would not
willingly offend man : but they were determined not to neglect
their God. His honour and his authority were, in their minds,
considerations of paramount importance : and, if enjoined to
worsliip any other God, or to refrain from serving him, their
answer was, " Whether it be right to hearken unto you more
than unto God, judge ye."]
3. They renounced all for conscience sake
[The priests left their cities, their suburbs, their posses
sions, and abandoned all for conscience sake. The people, too,
even all the godly of the land, forsook their all, that they
might approve themselves faithful to their God. This was a
severe test of their integrity : but their piety was equal to the
occasion. And though, in individual instances, we may cer
tainly find much greater sacrifices for conscience sake, yet
perhaps, on so large a scale, this was never equalled in any
country under heaven.]
But let us pass on to what more immediately con
cerns ourselves, namely,
II. Our duty, as Protestants, at the present day
The abominations of Popery are scarcely more
tolerable than those which Jeroboam established.
And it is a mercy to us that our forefathers had
courage and piety enough to protest against them.
But we have our duties also to perform
1. We should realize our own religious principles
[To what purpose do we renounce the superstitions of
the Romish Church, whilst we hold fast the greatest and most
fundamental error of all, the doctrine of human merit? I
grant that we do not maintain this error in the same open,
gross, and avowed way in which it is held by the Papists: but
on the subject of salvation by faith alone we have all the same
jealousies as they. Yes, though Protestants by profession,
the great mass of us arc looking for salvation by our own
400.] THE DUTY OF PROTESTANTS. 87
repentances or reformations, rather than by the simple exercise
of faith in Christ. In the ministry of the word, instead of
bringing forward the great doctrine of justification by faith
alone, as that which is universally admitted, approved, and
gloried in, we are forced to make a thousand apologies, in
order to ward off from ourselves the imputation of being
Antinomians and heretics. O Brethren ! it should not be thus.
We ought all to rejoice that we are emancipated from the
bonds in which Popery holds its deluded votaries, and to
glory in the Lord Jesus Christ as all our salvation and all
our desire ]
2. We should shew their superior efficacy to sanc
tify the heart and life
[There have been doubtless many eminently pious men
in the Church of Rome: but they were pious in despite of
their errors. So far as they were influenced by superstition,
their piety was debased, rather than advanced. Christianity
gives liberty to the soul, instead of reducing it to a state of
bondage : and, if we possess that liberty, it should elevate us
to a higher and nobler course than can be attained by the
servile principles of Popery. Papists withdraw altogether
from the world : ice, whilst in the world, should shew ourselves
above it; " dead to" its cares, and " crucified to" its allure
ments. They, in order to mortify the flesh, have recourse to
absurd and self-tormenting usages, which, whilst they lacerate
the body, puff up the soul with pride and self-applause. We
must seek the elevation of the soul in high and holy affections,
" having our conversation in heaven," and delighting ourselves
in God- -]
ADDRESS,
1. Those who are conforming to this vain world
[Behold the conduct of the pious Israelites, and blush.
They, for the honour of their God, forsook all that they pos
sessed : and if you, either from the love of the world, or from
the fear of man, are averse to make this sacrifice for your
Lord and Saviour, glory not in being Protestants ; but seek
to become Christians : for on no other terms than these will
Christ ever acknowledge you as his disciples b ]
2. Those who, like the Israelites, are " setting their
hearts fully to seek the Lord their God"-
[No man ever repented of " following the Lord fully."
Such persons may have less of this world; and may at times
be reduced to great necessities, even as the Apostle Paul was
b Luke xiv. 33.
88 2 CHRONICLES, XII. 7. [401.
on different occasions. But the presence of God with their
souls, and the testimony of a good conscience, will amply
compensate for all the losses they can sustain, and for all the
evils they can suffer, in so good a cause. Even in this pre
sent life will those who give up their all for Christ, " receive
in return an hundred-fold :" but what they shall reap in
the eternal world, who can tell? Ask those who are now
in heaven, " whither they came out of great tribulations 1 ,"
whether they have ever for one instant regretted the sacrifices
they made for the Lord : and take for your own comfort the
testimony which you feel well assured you would, without one
single exception, receive from them.]
Mark x. 29, 30. a Rev. vii. 1417.
CCCCI.
HUMILIATION THE MEANS OF DELIVERANCE.
2 Chron. xii. 7. And when the Lord saw that they humbled
themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying,
They have humbled themselves ; therefore I will not destroy
them.
REPENTANCE is so plain and acknowledged a
duty, that it is never unseasonable to call men to
the performance of it : whilst, on the other hand, so
great are our encouragements to it, that we rather
account it a privilege than a duty. The instances
wherein God has recorded his condescension to
penitents of old time, are almost numberless : the
one before us, even if there were no other, would of
itself be sufficient to encourage all, whether nations
or individuals, to abase themselves before him, and
to seek his favour with an assurance that they should
not seek it in vain.
For the space of three years Rehoboam continued
to walk in the ways of David and of Solomon 3 . But
having, as he thought, strengthened himself against
all assault from foreign enemies, " he forsook the law
of the Lord, as did all Israel together with himV
For this great defection God stirred up Shishak king
of Egypt to come forth against him with a large
a 2 Chron. xi. 17. b ver. 1.
401.] HUMILIATION THE MEANS OF DELIVERANCE. 89
army. Shishak doubtless was of himself willing
enough to invade a country which offered the pro
spect of such abundant spoil as Jerusalem did at
that time : but, though unconscious of any foreign
agency, he was only an instrument in God s hands,
sent forth to punish the transgressions of revolted
Israel . Success attended the invading army in all
their movements ; the fenced cities all successively
fell into their hands ; and at last Jerusalem itself
became their prey. In less than five short years
was all the wealth which David and Solomon had
treasured up in the temple and in the king s house,
swept away, and delivered over as a spoil to a vic
torious enemy. And now would Jerusalem itself
also have been utterly destroyed, if the arm of justice
had not been arrested by the penitential cries of
Rehoboam and his nobles. God had sent a prophet
to declare to them the grounds and reasons of the
judgments that were now inflicted on them: and
they, seeing that all other hope had failed them,
betook themselves to repentance. To this God had
respect, as our text informs us ; and, on seeing their
repentance, he sent the same prophet to assure them,
that he would suspend his uplifted arm, and forbear
to execute upon them his judgments according to
the full measure of their deserts.
Now from the message which was sent them from
the Lord we may properly observe,
I. That sin will surely bring the judgments of God
upon us-
flt matters not by whom sin is committed ; for all are
equally amenable to the laws of God, and must stand on an
equal footing at the bar of judgment. Kings and princes are
in this respect on a level with the lowest of mankind : for
" with God is no respect of persons."
Nor must we imagine that those sins only which are of
greater enormity in our eyes will be noticed by God : for he
notices the violations of the first table, as well as of the
second ; and those of defect as well as those of actual trans
gression. The sum of the two tables is, that " we should
love the Lord our God with all our heart, and soul, and mind,
90 2 CHRONICLES, XII. 7. [401.
and strength; and our neighbour as ourselves:" and it will be
to little purpose, that we have not bowed down to strange
gods, if we have withheld from Jehovah the entire devotion of
our souls ; or that we have not injured our neighbour by the
open crimes of adultery and murder, if we have withheld from
him those holy exercises of brotherly affection which God has
made his due. Sins of omission must be accounted for, as
well as those of commission : and not one escapes the notice
of the heart-searching God.
Our iniquities, because committed long ago, may be for
gotten by us : but not one of them is forgotten by God : they
are all recorded in the book of his remembrance : and the pre
cise measure of " wrath " that is due to each " is treasured
up," against the day that the vials of God s wrath shall be
poured out upon the whole world. Every sin leaves a stain
behind it : and as the hunted stag, though far removed from
the sight or hearing of his pursuers, is traced by them till he
is overtaken and destroyed, so will the sinner be by the judg
ments of the Most High; according as it is said, " Evil shall
hunt the wicked man, to overthrow him." Yes, to every sin
ner under heaven must it be said, " Be sure your sin will find
you out."]
Nor is there any possibility of escape, but by re
pentance ; since God has ordained,
II. That sin, in order to its being forgiven, must be
repented of
[" God has commanded all men everywhere to repent:"
and has declared, that, "except we repent, we must all
perish."
But let it not be thought that repentance is a mere light and
transient emotion : no indeed : repentance is a far different
thing from what is generally supposed. It must be general,
not relating to some few particular acts, but to the state and
habit of our souls throughout our whole lives. It must also
be deep, like that of the publican, leading us to smite on our
breasts with deep contrition, and to cry for mercy as the most
unworthy of mankind. One thing in particular we notice in
Rehoboam and the princes ; they acknowledged, that " God
was righteous" in all that he had brought upon them d . And
till we also are brought ingenuously and from our inmost
souls to acknowledge, that he may justly enter into judgment
with us, and consign our souls over to everlasting perdition,
we are not truly penitent : w r e see not our own demerit : we
virtually deny God s right to punish us : we are proud, un-
humbled, unsubdued.
d ver. 0.
401. J HUMILIATION THE MEANS OF DELIVERANCE. 91
Our penitence must also lead us to cast ourselves altogether
upon God s promised mercy in Christ Jesus. This it is which
constitutes the difference between that " repentance which
is unto salvation," and which is " never to be repented of,"
and that repentance which will fall short of salvation, and
leave room for everlasting penitence in the world to come. If
our hope terminate on any thing short of the blood and right
eousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have not yet learned the
extent of our fall, or the impossibility of being saved by any
name but his.]
It is, however, no little consolation to know,
III. That sin, truly repented of, shall assuredly be
forgiven
[How delightful the evidence of this in the passage before
us ! God sends his servant to announce to his penitent people
his compassion towards them, and his readiness to forgive ;
expressly grounding his forgiveness on the penitence which
they had evinced. And where shall we find any instance of
penitence despised, or of judgments inflicted on one who with
sincerity of heart implored mercy at God s hands ? We will
take an instance of one whose crimes perhaps exceeded those
of any other individual from the foundation of the world, the
idolatrous, and murderous Manasseh. He, like Rehoboam and
his courtiers, thought not of repentance, till he was reduced,
as it were, to the lowest ebb of misery : but even then his cry
was heard ; and his supplication entered into the ears of the
Lord of Hosts 6 . So, if we be truly penitent, whatever may
have been the extent of our iniquity, it shall be forgiven.
" Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man
his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will
have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly
pardon f ." Only let us "repent and turn ourselves from all
our transgressions, and then iniquity shall not be our ruin g ."
Though "our sins have been many, they shall be forgiven 11 ;"
and " where sin has abounded, the grace of our God shall
much more abound 1 ."]
And now permit me to institute a most important
INQUIRY
[Respecting Rehoboam and the princes, it is said, " God
saw that they humbled themselves :" and of this God testified,
saying, " They have humbled themselves." Now then I ask,
Can he bear the same testimony respecting you? Has he seen
c 2 Chron. xxxiii. 11 13. f Isai. Iv. 7. e Ezek. xviii. 30
h Luke vii. 47. Rom. v. 20.
92 2 CHRONICLES, XII. 7. [401.
you weeping in secret on account of your multiplied iniquities?
Can he say of you as he does of Ephraim, " Surely I have
heard Ephraim bemoaning himself;" and can he, as he did in
Ephraim s case, rehearse the very language of your lips and
hearts, and attest your every motion, whether of body or
mind, as indicating the depth and sincerity of your repent
ance k ? Call to mind the time, the place, the occa
sion Say whether it arose only out of some particular
circumstances, or whether it be the stated habit of your mind ?
Were this indeed the general frame of your souls, we would
congratulate you, assured that God has already said concerning
you, "Is not Ephraim my dear son? Is he not a pleasant
child ? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember
him still : therefore my bowels are troubled for him ; I will
surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord 1 ." There can be
no doubt respecting any " one who thus sows in tears, that he
shall soon reap in joy 111 ."
But respecting too many of you, must not the testimony of
God be the very reverse of this ? Must not the heart-search
ing God say respecting the generality, I have seen in them
no repentance at all. I have seen them agitated times without
number on account of earthly things: I have seen them angry,
when offended ; and grieved, when they have suffered loss :
but I have never seen them angry at themselves for offending
me, nor bemoaning, as they should have done, the loss of
their own souls. If you were to form your estimate from
what has been seen in them, you must conclude, that sin is
no great evil ; that repentance on account of it is of no urgent
necessity ; and that acceptance with me is not worth the
trouble of it ? Must he not further testify respecting some,
I have seen their parents, yea, and their minister too, weep
ing over them; but have never seen them weeping for
themselves ?
Now, Brethren, it is to little purpose for ^ou to say, " I have
repented," unless " your sorrow has been of a godly sort :"
for you will not be judged by what you are pleased to call
repentance, but by the standard of God s blessed word : it is
by that that God forms his estimate of you now ; and by that
will you be judged in the last day. " Judge yourselves there
fore now, that ye may not be judged of the Lord." If it were
only such a destruction as impended over Jerusalem, that were
about to come upon you, methinks I would be content to let
you " sleep on and take your rest :" but, when I reflect that it
is an " everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,
and from the glory of his power," I tremble at the thought of
k Jer. xxxi. 18, 19. } Jer. xxxi. 20.
m Ps. cxxvi. 5.
402.] THE EVIL OF NEGLECTING PRAYER. 93
your exposure to it, and of its being the doom to which you
are so soon to be consigned.
Begin then this necessary work, ere it be too late
Consider God as now calling you to it by me, as he called his
people of old by the Prophet Shemaiah 11 and never
cease to abase yourselves before him, till he shall have said
concerning you, " I have seen his ways, and will heal him, and
will restore comfort to him and to his mourners :" for you
may be assured, that, if now you " are afflicted, and mourn,
and weep ; if your laughter be turned into mourning and your
joy into heaviness, so that you humble yourselves under the
mighty hand of God, he will lift you up in due time p :" he will
say, " Deliver him from going down into the pit ; for I have
found and accepted a ransom for him q ."]
n If this be a subject for a Fast- Day on account of ill success in
war, or any other calamity, a parallel may here be drawn between
that and the afflictions specified in the context.
Isai. Ivii. 18. P Jam. iv. 9, 10. q Job xxxiii. 27, 28.
CCCCII.
THE EVIL OF NEGLECTING PRAYER.
2 Chron. xii. 14. He did evil, because he prepared not his heart
to seek the Lord.
IF we were to judge by the conduct of all around
us, we should suppose that religion required no
effort ; and that eternal happiness was to be acquired
in a neglect of all the means which God has ap
pointed for the attainment of it. But " the kingdom
of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it
by force." The means are closely connected with
the end. Even in earthly things, wealth is, for the
most part, the fruit of diligence ; and poverty the
result of idleness : but in spiritual things it may be
said invariably, that " he who soweth sparingly shall
reap sparingly, and that he who soweth bountifully
shall reap bountifully." Of King Rehoboam we are
informed, that there were hopeful appearances at the
beginning, since " for three years he and his people
walked in the way of David and Solomon 3 :" but
a 2 Chron. xi. 17.
94 2 CHRONICLES, XII. 14. [402.
" when he was established in his kingdom, he for
sook the Law of the Lord, and all Israel with him V
From that period " he did evil :" which melancholy
change is here accounted for : " He did evil, because
lie prepared not his heart to seek the Lord."
From this conduct of his I will take occasion to
shew,
I. How alone man can be preserved from evil-
It is " by seeking after God ;" yet not simply by
that, but by " preparing the heart to seek him."
Now this implies,
1. Meditation
[A man can never prevail against sin, if he do not give
himself to serious meditation upon the concerns of his soul.
He must consider the end for which he has been sent into the
world; the responsibility of his soul for the use of those means
which God has appointed for his happiness; and, above all,
the great wonders of redemption, whereby alone a fallen
creature can ever obtain mercy with an offended God
It is in this way only that he can get his mind into a proper
frame for prosecuting the work which God has given him to do.]
2. Self-examination-
fit is necessary that we obtain correct views of our own
state before God. And for this end we must compare our
selves, not with those around us, but with God s revealed will,
which alone will bring us to a just estimate of our own charac
ter. Persons of different ages, and under different circum
stances, have peculiar temptations, and peculiar failings : and
it is by searching out, each his own peculiar weaknesses and
faults, that any real humiliation can be produced, or any clear
perception of the evils to which we are most exposed. Without
such a knowledge of our own hearts, we cannot " seek God"
with effect. Then only, when we know our own sins, can we
deplore them as we ought, or plead for mercy as we ought from
our offended God.]
3. Fixedness of heart to follow the dictates of our
conscience
[The word " prepared" is, in the marginal translation,
" fixed." Now there must be in us a fixed purpose to re
nounce sin, and a determination, through grace, to surrender
up ourselves entirely to God in newness of heart and life
b ver. 1.
402.] THE EVIL OF NEGLECTING PRAYER. 95
-Without this fixedness of purpose, we shall vacillate
between sin and duty, and never become steadfast in the ways
of God.]
We may therefore easily foresee,
II. The certain consequence of neglecting the ap
pointed means
We shall " do evil," and continue to do it even to
the end. As long as we neglect to seek after God,
1. Our corruptions will rage
[".The heart of every man is full of evil." Our corrup
tions may vary according to our age or condition in life : but
our besetting sins, whatever they may be, will gather strength.
A fire, if not checked, will produce a conflagration, as long-
as there are any materials to burn. And our corruptions, if
suffered to remain unmortified, will burn even to the lowest
hell. There is in every man " a spiritual, as well as a fleshly,
filthiness : " and both the one and the other will overspread the
whole man, even like a leprosy, though under different forms,
according to the dispositions and habits of every different
individual.]
2. Our temptations will multiply
[Men, if they turn not to God, will frequent those scenes
which most amuse them, and that company which is most in
accordance with their taste. Their pursuits will all be of such
a nature as shall tend rather to confirm, than to eradicate, the
corruptions of their hearts : and thus they will be working out
their own damnation from day to day, even as a child of God
is daily " working out his salvation." What but ruin can pro
ceed from such a course?]
3. Our enemies will prevail
[Satan is a great adversary, whom we are commanded to
oppose : and a divine panoply is provided for us, that we may
be able to withstand him. But if we put not on our armour,
how can we hope to vanquish him? He will " lead us captive
at his will," yea, " as a roaring lion he will devour us."]
Get then your minds deeply imbued with,
1. A sense of your weakness-
fit is impossible to have too deep a sense of our incapacity
for what is good. To be " as a little child" is almost the
summit of human attainment. And, strange as it may appear,
you " never are so truly strong, as when you are thus weak :"
for then will God interpose for you, and " perfect his own
strength in your weakness."]
90 2 CHRONICLES, XIII. 12. [403.
2. A persuasion of the efficacy of prayer
[If we really believed that our prayers would be answered,
me thinks we should be urging our requests all the day long.
Observe, in the Scriptures, God s answers to prayer, how
marked! how speedy! how effectual ! Verily, " however wide
we might open our mouths, God would fill them :" and all that
he did for the Lord Jesus Christ corporeally, in raising him from
the dead, and setting him at his own right hand above all the
principalities and powers of heaven, he would do mystically
and spiritually in us c , and "make us more than conquerors
through Him who loved us."]
3. A conviction of the necessity of holiness in
order to your happiness in the eternal world
[To " do evil," and continue in it, can issue in nothing but
destruction. " Christ came to redeem us from all iniquity,
and to purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good
works." Let, I pray you, the end of his grace be answered
in this way: and never cease to plead with him, till he has
" delivered you from all evil," and " bruised Satan himself
under your exulting and triumphant feet."]
c Eph. i. 19 22. with ii. 4 7.
CCCCIII.
ABU All s REMONSTRANCE WITH JEROBOAM 3 .
2 Chron. xiii. 12. Behold, God himself is with us for our cap
tain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm
against you. O children of Israel, Jight ye not against the
Lord God of your fathers ; for ye shall not prosper.
GOOD advice should he attended to, by whom
soever it may be given. Our blessed Lord particu
larly inculcated this on his disciples, commanding
them to do whatever those who sat in Moses chair
required of them, without regarding the moral
character of the persons themselves, or refusing
compliance with what was good, because it was not
exemplified in the conduct of their instructors. The
words before us were not spoken by a good man ;
for Abijah was on the whole a wicked king b : but
they contain very sound instruction, and have a
a For a Fast- Day in war. b 1 Kings xv. 3.
403.] ABIJAH S REMONSTRANCE WITH JEROBOAM. 97
semblance even of piety itself. The whole address
indeed was well fitted for the occasion, though it
certainly savours much of that partiality, which is
found in almost all who plead their own cause. There
is undoubtedly a good deal of false colouring in
what he speaks to the disparagement of his enemies,
though there is ground for his assertions, if they had
been more carefully expressed and more duly quali
fied. Notwithstanding Abijah had invaded Jeroboam s
country, in order to make that, rather than his own
country, the seat of war, we think it probable that
Jeroboam was the aggressor ; because the address of
Abijah was altogether of a pacific nature. It seems
from the words of our text that he laboured hard to
prevent the effusion of blood : and if his adversary
had been like-minded with himself, the dispute might
perhaps have been amicably adjusted.
We shall consider the words of our text,
I. In reference to the contest then pending between
Judah and Israel
Abijah s address was certainly striking and judi
cious
[Abijah contrasts the usurpation and idolatry of Jeroboam
with the legitimate claims of his own family, and their con
tinued adherence to the God of their fathers - and
doubtless these were just grounds for hope, that God would
espouse his cause : for though it may please God for a season
to let the ungodly triumph over his people, yet we believe,
that, as a righteous Governor, he will ultimately favour the
cause of righteousness and truth.
Well did the Israelites know, that there could be no effectual
resistance to the Lord of Hosts, especially when those who were
under his command were observant of the laws appointed for
them. Hence, when Abijah told his adversaries, that he was
come forth in dependence on God s aid, and in a strict obser
vance of his commands 1 , they had reason to tremble for them
selves, and to refrain from prosecuting the contest any further.
True indeed, a hypocrite may make all these pretensions, even
as Rabshakeh did in his address to Hezekiah s servants : but
c vcr. 411.
d Nu mh. x. 9. This passage reflects much light on the text.
e Isai. xxxvi. 10.
VOL. IV. II
98 2 CHRONICLES, XIII. 12. [40,3.
where the dependence is real, and the obedience true, a suc
cessful issue may justly be expected.]
The event justified his expectations
[Whilst Abijah was endeavouring to avert the conflict,
Jeroboam sought by stratagem to overwhelm him and all his
followers. He placed in ambush a considerable portion of his
army, and attacked Abijah both in front and rear. But Abijah
" cried unto the Lord ; and the priests sounded with their
trumpets; and the men of Judah gave a shout," expressive of
their confidence in God : and immediately the hosts of Israel
turned their backs; and, though they were twice as numerous
as their enemies, no less than five hundred thousand of them
fell down slain before the victorious hosts of Judah. Never
was there such a slaughter in one single battle, either before
or since : and the event of that day fully proves, that they who
fight for God have nothing to fear; nor they who fight against
him, to hope f -
Taking the text in somewhat of an accommodated
sense, we will proceed to consider it,
II. In reference to the contest now pending between
God and us
There is a contest now existing between God and
sinners
[By every sin that men commit, they do indeed " fight
against God" - What shall we say of those who cast
off their allegiance to the God of Israel ; who bow down to
idols of their own creation ; who disregard the word and ordi
nances of their God ; and who seek only to wound and destroy
those who warn them of their guilt and danger? Are not
they avowed enemies to God ? They are : their own reason
may tell them so: the Scriptures universally declare it: justify
themselves as they may, their excuses are all vain ; and they
only deceive their own souls
" Suffer ye then the word of exhortation "-
[" O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God
of your fathers!" We are appointed of God to "blow the
trumpet of alarm against you ; " and we must blow it, at the
peril of our own souls : we must " lift up our voice as a trum
pet, and shew you both your sin" and danger g . It is against
God, even " the Captain of our salvation" himself, that you
are fighting : it is his majesty that you oppose, his law you
f Ezek. xxii. 14. with Rom. viii. 31. s Isai. Iviii. 1.
403.] ABIJAH S REMONSTRANCE WITH JKROBOAM. 99
trample on, his mercy you despise, and his salvation you
reject - O think with yourselves, Can you prosper ?
" Did ever any harden themselves against him and prosper 11 ?"
No indeed ; " it is in vain to kick against the pricks :"
" though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go un
punished 1 ."]
APPLICATION
1. From the former view of this subject, we may
learn how to obtain the blessing of God upon our
arms-
fit is not by confidence in an arm of flesh that we can
hope to prevail, but by an humble trust in God. It is said,
" The children of Israel prevailed, because they relied upon the
Lord God of their fathers^" Notwithstanding the numbers
and the stratagems of their enemies, they prevailed, because
God himself fought for them. Let us then by prayer and
supplication call God to our aid, and rest assured that he will
interpose for us in the hour of necessity.
Whilst indeed we trust in him for success, we must use
every effort for the attainment of peace : but if our adversary
will not listen to reasonable terms, then may we go forth with
confidence against him, knowing that " with God it is alike
easy to save by many or by few."]
2. From the latter view of this subject we may
learn how to escape the destruction to which we are
exposed
[Our God " has made ready his glittering spear;" and
he has already said, " Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries,
and avenge me of mine enemies 1 ." What then shall we do?
Shall we continue the contest? What would this be, but to
" set briers and thorns in battle against the devouring fire,
which would go through them, and burn them up together" 1 ? "
No : let us throw down our weapons of rebellion against him,
and cast ourselves on the multitude of his tender mercies : let
us go, like Benhadad, " with ropes round our necks, and sack
cloth on our loins," and confess our desert of his heavier judg
ments. Then will he " turn from his fierce anger," and be
reconciled towards us : yea, " he will be merciful to our
transgressions, and our sins and iniquities will he remember
no more."]
h Job ix. 4. Prov. xi. 21. k vcr. 18.
1 Isai. i. 24. m Isai. xxvii. 4.
II 2
100 2 CHRONICLES, XV. 2. [|()|.
CCCCIV.
THE EQUITY OF THE DIVINE PROCEDURE.
2 Chron. xv. 2. And he went out to meet Am, and said unto
him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Jadah and Benjamin ; The
Lord is with you, while ye be with him ; and if ye seek him,
he will be found of you ; but if ye forsake him, he will for
sake you.
AS in a season of affliction it may be sometimes
necessary to blend reproof with consolation, so in
a season of joy and triumph it may sometimes be
proper to temper our congratulations with prudential
advice. When Asa was returning with his victorious
army after the destruction of his Ethiopian enemies,
the prophet Oded was sent forth to meet him, and
was directed by God himself not to salute him with
fulsome compliments, but to impress upon his mind
a salutary admonition.
In this concise and pointed address, we see,
I. The rule of God s procedure-
God is not necessarily bound by any rules ; for he
both may do, and actually " does, according to his
own will in the armies of heaven, and among the
inhabitants of the earth:" yet has he been pleased
to prescribe rules to himself,
1. In the dispensations of his providence
[The Jews, as God s peculiar people, were governed by
him according to the strictest rules of equity. They were
taught to look for temporal rewards or punishments according
as they were obedient or disobedient to his word : and their
whole history may serve to illustrate the correspondence there
was between their dealings towards him, and his towards
them a Indeed, God himself expresses peculiar jealousy
on this head; and appeals to them, whether the inequality
which there w r as in his providence, did not originate in them
selves; and whether it was not perfectly agreeable to the rules
which he had established for his conduct towards them b .
a See this exemplified in Asa, 2 Chron. xiv. 5 7, 11, 12. and
xv. 10 15, 19. with xvi. 7 9 ; in Jehoshaphat, xvii. 3 C, 10. and
xx. 3, 30. with xix. 2. and xx. 35 37 ; in Joash, xxiv. 20.
b Compare Ezek. xviii. 24 29. with Lev. xxvi. 3 45. and
Deut. xxxi. 10, 17.
404.1 THE EQUITY OF THE DIVINE PROCEDURE. 101
Somewhat of the same procedure is yet visible in the dis
pensations of God towards us. Nations at this time are often
prospered or punished according as they pay due allegiance to
God, or revolt from him: and individuals not ^infrequently
experience even here a recompence suited to their conduct.
But as, under the law, God sometimes deviated from this
rule, in order to direct the views of men to a future day of
retribution c , so now he has laid it aside in a great degree, in
order that our motives to action may be more spiritual, and
that we may look forward to the day of judgment as the
period fixed for the display of his righteousness, and for the
rewarding of our actions.]
2. In the communications of his grace
[God s conduct towards the Jews in respect of temporal
things was intended to shadow forth his dealings with us in
respect of spiritual things. In relation to these we may see,
that the rule which God has laid down to himself is almost
invariably observed. It is true, that he is often " found of
them that sought him not:" but when once he has revealed
himself to any man, he regulates himself towards him
according to a principle of perfect equity, rewarding him for
his fidelity, or punishing him for his neglect. Who amongst
his people ever sought his face in vain? Who ever diligently
walked with him in a state of humble dependence, and did
not find God with him in the tokens of his love, and the sup
ports of his grace? God indeed reserves in bis own power the
times and the seasons when he shall reveal himself more fully
to the soul ; and he apportions to every one such trials as he
in his wisdom knows will be productive of good : but he never
did, nor ever will, forsake them that seek him d .
On the other hand, who is there that has not experienced
the hidings of God s face, when fresh contracted guilt, or
repeated neglect of duty, has given him offence? Who has not
found on such occasions that God has withdrawn the aids of his
Spirit both in public and private ordinances ; and perhaps left
him for a season to the power and influence of his own corrup
tions? We know indeed that God has said, he will not finally
cast off his people 6 : and we believe he will not: we believe he
will " visit them with the rod" till he has brought them back
to him with deep contrition f : but as long as they forsake him,
he will, as far as respects any manifestations of his favour, for
sake them ; and if any who have thought themselves his people,
forsake him utterly, they shall also be utterly abandoned by
c Ps. Ixxiii. 314. a p s> j x . 10>
e 1 Sam. xii. 22. Heb. xiii. 5. Isai. liv. 7 10.
f Ps. Ixxxix. 30 35.
2 CHRONICLES, XV. 2. [404.
him. Nor can any be assured that they themselves shall not
suffer eternal dereliction, any longer than their adherence to
God justifies the hope that they are his children.]
To impress this rule the more deeply on our minds,
let us consider,
II. The universal importance of it
The prophet in a most solemn manner called the
attention both of the king and all his army to the
subject before us ; intimating thereby, that there
were none who were not interested in it, nor any
occasion when the consideration of it would not be
useful to their souls.
It is suited to us,
1. In prosperity
[Of this there can be no doubt, since it was in a season
of peculiar triumph that the prophet was sent to give this
admonition. Indeed we are never more apt to forget ourselves,
yea, to forget God also, than when we are elated with great
prosperity. We are apt to " sacrifice to our own net, and
burn incense to our own drag g ." When " Jeshurun waxed
fat, he kicked 11 :" when " Uzziah was made strong, his heart
was lifted up to his destruction 1 ." Strange as it may seem,
even the manifestations of God s love to the soul are calculated
to puff us up with pride, if we have not some thorn in the
flesh given us to counteract this evil tendency, and to keep us
from abusing the divine mercies k . The more sail a ship car
ries, the more ballast it requires. The very deliverance that
Asa had experienced was likely to render him careless and
secure, as though he were now beyond the reach of harm.
But by this admonition he was taught, that his security was in
God alone, and that he must continue to " walk humbly with
God," if he would have the divine protection continued to him.
Similar admonitions are also given to us, to counteract the
pride of our hearts. " Be not high-minded, but fear 1 ." " Let
him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall m ."
" Blessed is the man that feareth always"." Even the great
Apostle himself, though he knew himself to be a chosen vessel
unto God, yet felt the necessity of " keeping under his body,
and bringing it into subjection, lest, after having preached to
others, he himself should become a cast-away ." Let us
e Hah. i. 16. h Dcut. xxxii. 15. 2 Chron. xxvi. 5, 10.
k 2 Cor. xii. 7. 1 Rom. xi. 20, 21. m 1 Cor. x. 12.
11 Fruv. xxviii. 14. 1 Cor. ix. 27.
405.] ENCOURAGEMENT TO EXERTION. 103
therefore exercise the same caution ; and, whether we rejoice
on account of national or personal mercies, " rejoice with
trembling p ."]
2. In adversity
[As in prosperous circumstances we need to be guarded
against presumption, so in heavy trials we need to be cautioned
against despondency. If we appear to be forsaken of our God,
we are apt to think that he has altogether " shut up his ten
der mercies, and will be favourable to us no moreV But in
the words before us we see, that no nation or individual can
be in so low a state, but that their recovery is certain if only
they wait patiently upon God. He will assuredly be found of
them that seek him : yea, at the very time that they perhaps
are bewailing his absence, he " is actually present with them"
working in them that very contrition, and enabling them to
wait upon him, when their unassisted nature would have
fainted in despair.
Let every one then apply to himself the text in this view.
Are we ignorant? let us look to God for the teachings of his
Spirit. Are we guilty? let us cry to him for remission through
the blood of Christ. Are we in any strait or difficulty what
ever ? our way is clear ; let us wait upon God in assured ex
pectation of succour and support. This promise shall never
fail us r : though we had a million 9 of men or devils to en
counter, we should be " more than conquerors 1 ." " Believe
in the Lord; so shall ye be established: believe his prophets;
so shall ye prosper u ."] x
P Ps, ii. 11. Q Ps. Ixxvii. 7 9. r Hcb. xi. 6.
8 2 Chron. xiv. 9. l Rom. viii. 37. " 2 Cliron. xx. 20.
x The subject may he further improved : 1. For caution ; to guard
against any secret evil in the heart, or any remissness of duty in the
life, which may offend God. See 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. with the first
clause of ver. 10. Mark this passage carefully. And, 2. For encou
ragement ; since, if he be for us, we need not fear, however many
there may be against us.
ccccv.
ENCOURAGEMENT TO EXERTION.
2 Chron. xv. 7, 8. Be ye strong therefore, and let not your
hands be weak : for your ivork shall be rewarded. And ivlicn
Asa heard these icords, and the prophecy of Oded the pro-
phet, he took courage.
THERE are two extremes to which mankind
are prone presumption, and despondency. To the
104 2 CHRONICLES, XV. 7, 8. [405.
former the ungodly are inclined ; to the latter, the
righteous. King Asa was a man who " did that which
was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God V*"
and " his heart was perfect all his days b :" yet did he
need encouragement from a prophet of the Lord, to
sustain his fainting mind.
In the passage before us, we have,
I. An historic record-
Asa had been enabled to vanquish an host of not
less than a million of Ethiopians, with an army of
little more than one half their number. But in his
own kingdom there was a great work to perform, a
work which he despaired of ever being able to ac
complish. God, however, mercifully sent him a
prophet, to raise his drooping spirits, and to animate
him to his appointed work. Hear the message de
livered to him
[" Be strong 1 , and let not your hands be weak: for your
work shall be rewarded." Think nothing too arduous to be
attempted, provided the Lord call you to it c - -And
never doubt of success in any thing that you undertake for
Him- -]
Mark, too, the effect produced upon his mind
[" He took courage." And how did he evince the power
of that grace which had been bestowed upon him ? He put
down idolatry throughout his dominions 1 - -He sum
moned all his people to enter into a solemn " covenant with
God, to serve Him with all their heart 6 " -and "he
deposed his mother from her throne, because she had made
an idol ; which he cut down, and stamped, and burned at the
brook Kidron f "
In this noble conduct he has left to us,
II. An encouraging example
We also have difficulties, every one of us, to en
counter
[Great are the corruptions by which we are assailed
And fierce will be the opposition which will be
a 2 Chron. xiv. 2. b ver. 17.
c Josh. i. 6, 7, 9. 1 Chron. xxviii. 20.
d ver. 8. e ver. 12. f ver. 16.
406.] ASA S COVENANT WITH GOD. 105
made to us, if we exert ourselves for the reformation of
others
But to us, no less than to Asa, are the prophet s
words addressed g
[We should " be strong in the Lord, and in the power of
his might h :" and if we " hold fast our confidence in him, we
shall have a great recompence of reward 1 ." We are assured
that " our labour shall not be in vain in the LordV]
In us, also, should they produce a similar effect
[They should encourage us to serve the Lord alone
to serve him with our whole hearts - - to
serve him " without partiality, and without hypocrisy 1 ." The
nearest friends must be withstood, and the most endeared lust
be mortified. Not a right hand, or right eye, must be retained:
every thing that is offensive to God must be sacrificed without
reserve.]
APPLICATION
[If Asa acted thus on one single word of encouragement,
what may be expected of you, who have had all the promises
of God set before you from Sabbath to Sabbath, through many
successive years? If He, under that dark dispensation, acted
so noble and consistent a part, what may be expected of you,
who live under the full light of the Gospel, and are instructed
in all the wonders of redeeming love ? - - ]
s See Isai. xxxv. 3, 4. h Eph. vi. 10. * Ileb. x. 35.
k 1 Cor. xv. 58. i Jam. iii. 17. 1 Tim. v. 21.
CCCCVI.
ASA S COVENANT WITH GOD.
2 Chron. xv. 12 15. And they entered into a covenant to
seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and
with all their soul; that whosoever would not seek the Lord
God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great,
whether man or ii oman. And they sware unto the Lord with
a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with
cornets. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had
sworn luith all their heart, and sought him u ith their w/iole
desire; and he ivas found of them: and the Lord gave them
rest round about.
FEW persons have any just idea of the use and
efficacy of ministerial exertions, when accompanied
10C> 2 CHRONICLES, XV. 1215. [406.
with power from on high. In the context, we see
one man, a prophet of the Lord, standing up in
Jehovah s name, and by one single address turning a
whole nation to the Lord their God. Doubtless the
prophet Oded a had a peculiar commission, and was
honoured with a far greater measure of success than
any minister in this day is authorized to expect :
nevertheless every servant of the Lord, to whom
soever he may be sent, whether to kings or subjects,
should deliver his message with fidelity ; and in so
doing, may expect that God will render his word
effectual for great and extensive good. In the hope
that our message shall not be altogether in vain, we
come to you now in Jehovah s name, and call upon
you to covenant with him as Asa and his subjects
did : and, that we may prevail with you to comply
with our injunctions, we will distinctly consider,
I. What covenant they made
Here we shall separately notice,
1. The covenant itself
[Tliis related to nothing which they were not previously
bound to fulfil. To " seek the Lord God of their fathers" was
their duty : the law of Moses, yea, the law of nature, bound
them to it: and reason, no less than revelation, told them, not
only that they should seek after God, but that they should seek
him with their whole hearts.]
2. The manner in which they made it
[Their zeal was very remarkable ; yet it was precisely what
the occasion called for. That they should all solemnly sivear
to this covenant, and devote to death every soul that should
refuse to concur in it, seems an instance of unparalleled harsh
ness and intolerance; yet were both the oath which they took b ,
and the proscription which they agreed to c , expressly required
in the law of Moses : if a husband or a wife were to propose a
departure from God, it was the duty of the party who was so
tempted to give information to the magistrate, and, on convic-
a In ver. 1. he is called " Azariah the son of Oded:" and we
apprehend that when, in ver. 8, he is called " Oded," the son of
Oded is meant ; this being a common abbreviation in the Scriptures.
But in a popular discourse it is not necessary to notice this.
b Deut. xxix. 10 15. c Deut. xvii. 2 5.
406.] ASA S COVENANT WITH GOD. 107
tion of the offender, to take the lead in executing the sentence
of death upon him.]
But it will be asked, Would you propose this as a
pattern for us ? We answer, Yes : we would propose
it as a pattern, both in the matter and the manner of
it:-
1. In the matter of it
[Let us covenant " to seek the Lord God of our fathers
with our whole heart, and with our whole soul." To seek him
thus is .our duty, independently of any covenant : it is due to
God as our Creator; it is due to him also as our Redeemer.
Did our God come down from heaven to seek us / and shall
not we seek him ? Did he give up himself to the accursed
death of the cross for us ; and shall we content ourselves with
offering him a divided heart ? What is the thing that deserves
to be put in competition with him ? What has done so much
for us, or what can ? Have the vanities of this world, " the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life," any
pretension to be his rivals ? O let a sense of his unbounded
love and mercy lead us to consecrate ourselves altogether to
his service ! If the Jews, on account of their deliverance from
Egyptian bondage by the exertions of Omnipotence, were
bound to seek and serve God with their whole hearts, much
more are we, who have been redeemed from sin and Satan,
death and hell, by the blood of God s co-equal, co-eternal
Son.]
2. In the manner of it
[If it be thought that we are not called to swear, we
answer, that we all have sworn already in our baptism ; and
have renewed our oath when we were confirmed : and, as often
as we have attended at the table of the Lord, we have again
repeated our oath to renounce the devil and all his works, and
to serve the Lord Jesus Christ as our only Lord d .
With respect to the proscription, we acknowledge that we
are not at this time to enforce Christianity by an appeal to the
civil power : and that to inflict the penalty of death on any
persons on account of their neglect of Christ, would be to op
pose the plainest dictates of his religion : but yet we may, and
must, declare, that the judgments of God shall overtake all
who either reject him altogether, or seek him with a divided
heart : yea, the sentence of eternal misery denounced against
d The term S a cr amentum was used to signify the oath by which
the Roman soldiers engaged never to desert the General under whom
they fought.
108 2 CHRONICLES, XV. 1215. [400.
them in the Scriptures must receive our most unqualified ap
probation : we must say with St. Paul, " If any man love not
the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maran-atha 6 ;"
that is, let him be accursed ; and God will surely come ere
long to inflict that curse upon him. Thus, notwithstanding
the abrogation of penalties to be inflicted by the civil arm,
under the Christian dispensation, we do in fact proceed even
further than the Jews did in the covenant before us : for the
judgments denounced by them related to overt acts only, whereas
ours relate to the heart : and the penalties inflicted by them
extended only to the body, whereas ours relate to the soul ; and
that too of every creature to whom the Gospel is sent, " whether
small or great, whether man or woman."
If it be thought that such covenants are needless, we reply,
that they are of the greatest possible utility, if solemnly en
tered into in our secret chamber before God : for, they contain
a solemn recognition of our duty, and a deliberate vindication
of God s justice in punishing all who will not seek him in his
appointed way : they moreover tend exceedingly to impress
our own minds with a sense of the heinousness of departing
from God, and to fortify us against all the temptations to
which at any time we may be exposed: and it is owing to the
low state of religious attainments amongst us, that such cove
nants are so rarely made.
As to the idea of legality, it is no better than an excuse for
our own sloth and lukewarmness. For, nothing can be more
suited to the spirit of the Gospel than such covenant-trans
actions are ; they are a strict compliance with the Apostle s
exhortation " to yield our bodies unto God a living sacrifice,
holy, and acceptable unto God, as our reasonable service V]
That we may be stirred up to enter into this
covenant, let us contemplate,
II. The benefits resulting from it
For the discovery of these, we need go no further
than the passage before us.
In the very act,
[They were filled with great and exalted joy ; "theysware,
with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and
with cornets; yea, all Israel rejoiced at the oath." This
mode of testifying their joy was suited to the dispensation
under which they lived. The joy which Christianity inspires
is of a more refined nature ; it is less tumultuous, but more
spiritual, and more abiding : and we will venture to appeal to
all who have ever solemnly devoted themselves to God in their
e 1 Cor. xvi. 22. f Rom. xii. 1.
406.] ASA S COVENANT WITH GOD. lOf)
secret chamber, embracing the Lord Jesus Christ as their only
Lord and Saviour, and surrendering up themselves to him as
his redeemed people, whether they did not find in that trans
action a peace and a joy which nothing else in the whole
universe could impart? Do they not at this moment look
back to such seasons as the happiest periods of their lives ?
- We have no fear of contradiction upon this point :
we are well assured, that " all who sow in tears do reap in
joys;" and, for the most part, "the reaper treads upon the
very heels of the sower h ;" so speedily do they enjoy the reward
of their labours.]
After the act was performed,
[God gave them undoubted testimonies of his acceptance.
How he manifested it to them on this occasion, we know not :
there were a great variety of ways in which he was wont to
give his people an evidence of his approbation : at one time,
by a lamp passing between the divided pieces of the sacrifice 1 ;
at another, by a special messenger from heaven k ; at another,
by a voice from heaven 1 ; and frequently by sending fire from
heaven to consume their sacrifice" 1 . But whatever means he
used, we are well assured, that he left them no room to doubt of
his approbation of the act they had performed ; for we are told,
" He was found of them." And will he not be found of us
also? and has he not still many ways of manifesting himself to
us ? Yes ; by the secret operation of his Spirit he will reveal
himself to our souls, and shed abroad his love in our hearts,
and " say unto our souls, I am thy salvation."]
For a long period afterwards,
[There was peace to the land ; for " God gave them rest
round about." By comparing different dates in this chapter,
we find that the land had rest twenty years". It is true, in
another part of the inspired volume, we are told, that " there
was war between Asa and Baasha all their days :" but this,
for the space mentioned in our text, was only in small con
tentions or skirmishes on the borders: there was no serious
assault upon him from any quarter. This exhibits in a
most striking point of view the rest which God will give to
his believing and obedient people. Our spiritual enemies will
not be so put down as to leave us no occasion for vigilance :
their enmity will remain the same as ever ; and there will
still be occasional skirmishes on the borders 1 : but they shall
8 Compare Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6. with Jer. xxix. 12, 13.
h Amos ix. 13. Gen. xv. 10, 17. k Dan. ix. 21.
1 Johnxii. 28, 29. m Lev. ix. 24. ver. 10. with ver. \i).
1 Kings xv. 16. P Gal. v. 17.
110 2 CHRONICLES, XV. 1215. [400.
not so come against us as to overwhelm us, or even to destroy
our happiness: we shall " know in whom we have believed;"
and feel safety in his protection. " Weapons may be formed
against us ; but they shall not prosper : " and " men may fight
against us ; but they shah 1 not prevail against us. " It is sur
prising to what an extent some are delivered from painful con
flicts for a considerable time after they have devoted themselves
in a solemn covenant to the Lord : their very lusts which once
led them captive seem almost to be slain, and " Satan himself
to be bruised under their feet." True it is, that this will not
always continue ; but the more frequently and cordially we
devote ourselves to God, the more abundantly will he fill us
with grace and peace, and give us a foretaste of that rest which
remaineth for us in a better world.]
We shall conclude with two PROPOSALS, in reference
to the covenant we have been considering ; and
we shall make them to two distinct classes :
1. To those who think such an entire devotion of
themselves to God unnecessary-
[If God do not require this service at our hands, we need
not render it to him: and, if we need not render it to him, we
may resolve, and even covenant to withhold it from him. We
propose then to those who think there is no necessity to seek
after God with their whole hearts, Let us make a covenant to
gether, that we never wi/l seek him thus : let us confirm it with
an oath; and let us sivear aloud that heaven and earth may
hear. Let us go further still, and covenant to prevent every
one to the utmost of our power from seeking him in this way:
let us hate, and revile, and persecute them, and, by every
means that the law of the land will admit of, let us deter them
from such unnecessary, fanatical, and injurious proceedings.
The law will not suffer us to put them to death; but let us at
least shew, that we would do it if we dared; and by the whole
of our conduct towards them let us say, " Away with such
fellows from the earth, for it is not fit that they should live ! "
Or, if any of you think that we ought to leave others at liberty,
then we will wave this part of our proposal, and only covenant
that we will never seek after God ourselves. Now then let us
begin: let us address ourselves to the sacred Majesty of heaven:
let us tell him that he has no such claim upon us as he pretends
to in his word, and that we are determined never to render him
the service he requires. - What ! Do you hold back ? Do
you shudder at the proposal? Do you tremble at the thought
of entering into such a covenant? Yes; methinks, there is not
one person present that is bold enough to give it his sanction:
yet there are many who act agreeably to the tenour of that
406.] ASA S COVENANT WITH GOD. Ill
covenant ; many who seek God in a mere formal way, or at
best with a divided heart. Know then, all ye who violate your
duties to your God, that you stand condemned in your own
consciences ; and, " if your own hearts condemn you, God
is greater than your hearts," and will condemn you also.
Attend then with becoming reverence to the proposal which
we next make,]
2. To those who desire to approve themselves to
God in the way that he requires
[The making of covenants in our own strength is in no
respect advisable : but in humble dependence on the grace of
Christ we may make them, and ouylit to make them. We
read of the Christians in Macedonia, that, previous to serving
God with their property, " they gave their ownselves to the
LordV And this is what the Prophet Jeremiah foretells as
characterizing the godly under the Christian dispensation;
" Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual
covenant, that shall not be forgotten 1 ." Now then let us do
it : let us all be of one heart and one mind in this parti
cular 5 : let us look up to God for his grace, that we may be
enabled to keep the vow which we are about to make : and
may " God be found of us," whilst we are thus seeking him ;
and "give us rest" in our souls, even that rest which our
blessed Lord has promised unto all that come to him in
truth 1 !
O thou gracious and ever-blessed God, " who hast formed us
for thyself," and hast moreover redeemed us by the blood of
thine only dear Son, thine we are by every tie. \Ve are
conscious that "we are not our own; and that, having been
bought with a price, we are bound to glorify thee with our
bodies and our spirits, which are thine." We desire then now
to consecrate ourselves to thee; and engage, as in thine imme
diate presence, " no longer to live unto ourselves, but unto
Him that died for us and rose again." May we never forget
this vow, or act for a moment inconsistent with it ! We avouch
thee this day to be our God ; and we give up ourselves to thee
as thy people : and we desire, that " thou wouldest sanctify
us wholly; and that our whole spirit, and soul, and body,
may be preserved blameless unto the coining of our Lord
Jesus Christ". "]
i 2 Cor. viii. 5. r Jer. 1. 4, 5.
8 Here the persons confirmed might be particularly addressed.
Matt. xi. 28, 29. u 1 Thess. v. 23.
112 2 CHRONICLES, XVI. 9. [407.
CCCCVII.
GOD S REGARD FOR HIS PEOPLE.
2 Chron. xvi. 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through
out the whole earth, to sheiv himself strong in the behalf of
them whose heart is perfect toward him.
IN estimating the characters of men, God looks
not so much at their actions as at their motives and
principles. It is by them that the qual itij of our
actions must he determined : for though no motives,
however good, can sanctify a bad action, no action
however good can be acceptable to God, if its motive
and principle be not pure. There were, it is true,
several things which were blameworthy in the con
duct of Asa, which was here reproved. He ought
not to have made a league at all, we apprehend, with
a heathen prince ; but certainly not to have induced
him to violate the league which he had already made
with Israel. But that which rendered his conduct so
displeasing to God, was, the distrust from which it
sprang. He had not long before been delivered by
God from far greater danger ; and yet now, instead
of applying to God for help again, he placed his
dependence on an arm of flesh. In the reproof
administered to him on this occasion, the general
providence of God, and his tender care of all who
trust in him, is strongly asserted : and it is a subject
well worthy of the most attentive consideration.
Let us consider,
I. When the heart may be said to be " perfect
towards God"-
As for absolute perfection in this world, it exists
only in the deluded imaginations of some visionary
enthusiasts. Nevertheless there is a perfection to
which we should aspire, and which we may all attain,
which consists in integrity, where " the heart is right
with God." This may be said to be the case,
1. When our trust in God is entire
407.1 GOD S REGARD FOR HIS PEOPLE. 113
[The heart of an unconverted man has no disposition to
trust in God; nor indeed has he any just ground for trust in
him, since God is his enemy. But after a man lias been
awakened to a sense of his sins, and has sought for mercy
through the Lord Jesus Christ, and has even some comfortable
evidence that he has obtained mercy, yet he finds it exceeding
difficult to repose his confidence in God, to the extent that the
Scripture warrants him to do so. He cannot believe that God
is so attentive to his concerns, so ready to administer to his
wants, and so all-sufficient for his necessities, as he is repre
sented to be in the Holy Scriptures. In proportion as he grows
in the knowledge of God, his trust in God is enlarged : and
when he comes to realize the idea, that there is nothing, whe
ther great or small, that is not ordered by God, nor any situa
tion which he cannot, or will not, overrule for our good, if only
we put our trust in him ; and when, in consequence of this
conviction, his whole care for body and for soul, for time and
for eternity, is cast on God, and he rests on God s promises
" without staggering at any of them through unbelief; then
he honours God as he ought, and his heart may be said to be
perfect towards God. The difference between a person who has
not attained this perfection, and one who has, may be seen in
Elisha and his servant : the one, though well instructed, and
habituated to serve God, is troubled when he comes into cir
cumstances of great and unexpected trial; whilst the other is
composed, seeing the horses of fire and the chariots of lire
forming an impregnable bulwark all around him, and God
himself engaged for his support a
2. When our desire to serve him is supreme
[Many are the considerations which arise in the mind to
influence us in the discharge of our duty. Inclination, interest,
passion, the fear of man, the hope of applause, will often bias
our judgment, and lead us astray. The truth is, that in all
wrong conduct the heart is more to blame than we are ready
to imagine : it is the film in the eye that disguises and distorts
the objects: " if the eye were single, the whole body would be
full of light." And here again the difference between Chris
tians of different stature is very apparent : those of lower
attainments being open to impression from a vast diversity of
objects, whilst those of higher attainments keep their eyes
steadily fixed on one object. It is surprising how clear the
path of duty becomes, when a man discards every question but
this, "What will most please my God?" But this question
must be asked, not only in reference to things positively good
and evil, but in reference to things in which we seem at liberty
a 2 Kings vi. 15 17.
VOL. IV. I
IH 2 CHRONICLES, XVI. 9. [407.
to adopt cither alternative. Where this principle fully occu
pies the mind, and operates with promptness and decision,
swallowing up every inferior consideration h , there the heart is
perfect towards God, and the man " stands perfect and com
plete in all the will of God."]
Let us mark,
II. What tender regard God shews for persons of
that character
" He despises not the day of small things ;" hut
those who thus honour him, shall he most abun
dantly honoured by him :
1. He will shew himself strong in their behalf
[There is nothing that he will not do for them, either in
a way of providence) or of grace. Are they in difficulties or
trials of any kind ? We say not, that he will work miracles for
them as for Israel in the wilderness, or for his servants the pro
phets ; but we do say, that what he did visibly for them, he will
do invisibly for all who trust in him : and we conceive it of
great importance to observe, that the miracles of former ages
were not intended only for the comfort of those in whose behalf
they were wrought, or for the confirming of the messages
delivered by them, but also for demonstrating to the very senses
of men what a minute attention he would pay to the concerns of
all his people, and what effectual succour he would impart unto
them in every time of need. As the imputation of righteous
ness to Abraham by faith was not recorded for his sake alone,
but for that of believers in all ages c , so the miracles wrought,
whether for him or others, were not wrought for their sakes
alone, but for ours also, who shall experience similar interposi
tions, only in a less visible way: for them he accomplished ends
without means; for us he will accomplish them by means: nor
have we any more reason to be anxious about events than the
most favoured of his servants had in the days of old d .
Assuredly too will he afford us under spiritual trials the
assistance of his grace. The promises, " My grace is sufficient
for thee;" and, " I will never leave thee nor forsake thee;" are
as valid at this day as they were in the days of Paul and
Joshua : nor can there be any temptation whatever which we
shall not be enabled to surmount, if only we trust in him e .]
2. He will search out all occasions for such dis
plays of his power
b Acts iv. 19, 20. and xxi. 13. c Rom. iv. 22 21.
d Phil. iv. 6. e 1 Cor. x. 13.
407.] GOD S REGARD FOR HIS PEOPLE. 115
[We have not to awaken him by our cries, or to prevail
upon him by our pleadings, as though he were of himself either
inattentive to us, or adverse to undertake our cause. It is not
for this end that our prayers and tears are required ; but for
the impressing of our own minds, that all our help must come
from him. His eye is upon us from the first moment that we
begin to think of him ; yea, his eyes run to and fro throughout
the whole earth, to find out the objects, as it were, who feel
their need of him. Whether they be in a cottage or a dungeon,
he will fly to their aid, and delight to make known towards
them " the exceeding greatness of his power V and " the
exceeding riches of his grace g ." Whilst Satan, their great
adversary, "goes to and fro through the earth" "seeking
whom he may devour," our God will surely not be less vigilant
in our defence. His whole heart and his whole soul are
engaged for us h , nor will he lose one whom he has given to
his beloved Son 1 .]
As an IMPROVEMENT of this subject, we will suggest a
few words,
1 . Of warning
[Let those tvho neglect God consider that his eyes are over
them no less than over the righteous; but it is in order to
bring upon them all the evil that he has denounced against
them k And let those who profess to know him, but in
works deny him, remember, that it will be of little profit to
"have a name to live, if they are either dead, or dying" in his
sight 1 Above all, let those who, like Asa, are in the
main " perfect before God" beware how they resent the
reproofs that may be given them for any failures in their
duty m : for, though they should be saved at last, they little
know what dereliction or punishment 11 they may suffer for their
fault before they die ]
2. Of encouragement
[Let not any say, " The Lord hath forsaken me, and my
God hath forgotten me." " Can a woman forget her sucking
child? She may; but God never will" forsake the meanest of
his people . Think not of the greatness of your difficulties, but
of the love, and power, and faithfulness of your God
Then in the midst of your warfare, you may already begin the
shouts of victory p Only believe, and you shall assuredly
"see the glory of God V]
* Eph. i. 18, 19. Eph. ii. 7.
h Jer. xxxii. 40, 41. j John x. 2729. Luke xii. 32.
k Amos ix. 4. Prov. v. 21. ] Rev. iii. 2.
m ver. 10. n Both of these are seen in ver. 12.
Isai. xlix. 14, 15. P Rom. viii. 33 39.
<i John xi. 40.
i 2
11(5 2 CHRONICLES, XVII. {). [408.
CCCCVIII.
THE ROYAL EDICT.
ADVERTISEMENT. The author feels it necessary to prefix to this
Sermon some short account of the occasion on which it was deli
vered.
The author was at Amsterdam, (in June 1818,) partly with a view
of re-establishing there an Episcopal Chapel, in which there had
been no service for seven years, but principally with a view of seek
ing the welfare of the Children of Israel. He went thither rather
to explore than to act. (See Neh. ii. 12 16.) But just previous
to the 1 8th of June, he understood that the Third Anniversary of
the Battle of Waterloo was to be kept throughout the Netherlands,
as a day of thanksgiving : and just at that time also he quite ac
cidentally heard, that the King of the Netherlands had a year before
issued an Edict, requiring all the Jews to educate their children in
the knowledge of their own Scriptures, and calling upon all his Chris
tian Subjects to aid in this good work. Despondency, not unlike to
that which paralyzed all exertion at Jerusalem, in Nehemiah s days,
so universally prevailed, that no one had risen to the occasion ; the
very Commissioners, who had been appointed to carry the Edict into
effect, had published a Report, in which they gave it as their opinion,
" that the Lord s time was not come ; " and there was great danger
that the gracious designs of the Monarch would be altogether frus
trated. The author therefore judged this a fit occasion for calling
the attention of the Public to the Edict ; and accordingly, after
devoting the Morning Service to the more appropriate subject of the
day, he employed the Evening Service in an endeavour to forward
this good work. Considerable attention was excited to the subject
by means of the Sermon ; which was therefore instantly printed in
Dutch, French, and English, for the purpose of its being circulated
throughout the Netherlands : and he has reason to hope, that active
exertions were afterwards made in many places, to promote, what
every benevolent mind must ardently desire, the edification and wel
fare of the Jewish People.
So good an example having been set by the Emperor of Russia
and the King of the Netherlands, the author hopes that the atten
tion of our own Governors also, both in Church and State, may be
called to this long-neglected People ; and that, now the British
Public has been invited by authority (the King s Letter) tq aid in
408.] THE ROYAL EDICT. 117
supporting Missions to the Heathen World, the claims of the Jewish
Nation,) to whom under God we owe all the light that we ourselves
enjoy, will not be overlooked. It is with a view to this great object,
that the author sends forth the Sermon in this country ; where, if
the foregoing explanation had not been given, its relevancy and use
might have been justly called in question.
2 Chron. xvii. 9. And they taught in Judah, and had the
book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about
throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
ON a day set apart for thanksgiving to God for
mercies received, it is peculiarly proper to consider
what we may render unto the Lord for all his bene
fits. Certainly, if any event ever deserved repeated
annual commemoration, it is that which has freed
the world from the most grievous tyranny that ever
it endured. Of the bitter cup which was put into the
hands of every nation in Europe, this nation 3 drank
very deeply : and the change which it has expe
rienced, in the restoration of their rightful Monarch,
and in the establishment of a free Constitution, calls
for their devoutest acknowledgments to Almighty
God. Doubtless we may with justice pay some tri
bute of honour to those who by their counsels and
their arms effected the overthrow of the Usurper :
but it is God alone who giveth victory to kings, and
to whom the glory of this great victory must be pri
marily ascribed : and he who accounts a day con
secrated to this service superfluous, shews, that he is
far from justly appreciating the blessings that have
been conferred upon him. The monarch himself has
given to his people a very decided evidence, that he
feels the depth of his obligations to the God of his
salvation : and it will be your own loss if you do not
cultivate a similar spirit, and improve the occasion to
the honour of your God.
But it is not to thanksgiving only that your Mon
arch invites you : he calls you, by a special Edict, to
unite with him in seeking the welfare of your Jewish
a The Netherlands.
118 2 CHRONICLES, XVII. 9. [408.
Brethren, who, in their struggle with the enemy,
signally approved their fidelity to their legitimate
Sovereign. Their welfare he in his turn studies to
promote ; and he desires to combine the energies of
all his subjects in efforts for their good. Methinks
he is like Jehoshaphat of old, who, well knowing that
piety must be founded in knowledge, and happiness
in piety, sent forth the Princes of his empire, with a
select number of Priests and Levites, to instruct his
people in the knowledge of God s blessed word.
His edict on this occasion, and the manner in
which it was carried into effect, will form the subject
of my present discourse.
I. Then, we notice the edict of King Jehoshaphat
This was such as became a great and pious
monarch : and we shall find it not unprofitable or
unsuitable to the present occasion, to enter into a
distinct consideration of it. We observe then, that
it was a kind and benevolent edict ; a wise and politic
edict ; a good and beneficial edict.
Mark the benevolence displayed in it. He sought
the present and eternal welfare of his subjects. He
knew, that as men are raised above the beasts by the
exercise of reason, so are they elevated in the scale
of rational beings, in proportion as their intellectual
powers are cultivated and enlarged. Man destitute
of knowledge, is a mere savage ; but when instructed
in the various branches of science, he becomes re
fined, and civilized, and capable of contributing to
the general good. In the very cultivation of know
ledge there is much pleasure arising to the mind ;
and in the application of that knowledge to useful
purposes there is an exquisite delight. We need
only observe persons when employed in their several
vocations, how happy they are, how contented, how
cheerful, oftentimes unconsciously proclaiming their
happiness, like the birds of the air, in festal songs, or
consciously, and with devotion, in songs of praise.
But it was not mere intellectual improvement
which Jehoshaphat sought to convey; he wished his
408.1 THE ROYAL EDICT. 119
people to be instructed in the knowledge of that God
whom they professed to fear and worship. This
alone could make them truly happy : this alone could
impart to them sound wisdom or solid consolation.
He therefore gave particular directions that they
should be taught " in the Book of the Law of the
Lord," and this throughout the whole land. O happy
people, whose governor so employed the authority
with which he was invested! And happy that mon
arch, who so improved his influence, not for his own
personal aggrandizement, but for the best interests of
the people committed to his charge ! In so doing, he
approved himself to be indeed what every governor
should be, the friend and father of his people.
Nor was the policy of this measure at all inferior to
its benevolence. A people well instructed in moral
and religious knowledge will view government as an
ordinance of God, and will learn to obey the consti
tuted authorities, not so much from fear of their
wrath, as for conscience sake towards God. They
will view their governors as God s vicegerents upon
earth ; and will consider allegiance to them as an
essential part of their duty to him. Hence will spring
up love in their hearts, and a real delight in mani
festing, on all proper occasions, their loyalty to their
king : they will form a bulwark around his person in
case of necessity, and even glory in laying down
their lives for him as their greatest benefactor.
The benefits arising from this edict were incal
culable. Such was the effect of it, that the fear of
Jehoshaphat, and of Jehovah as his protector, fell
on all the nations that were round about him ; so
that none, however hostile in their hearts, dared to
make war against him b . Doubtless this resulted chiefly
from an impression made upon their minds by God
himself: yet it was also produced by a dread of that
energy which an united people were ready to put
forth at any instant, at the call of their beloved
monarch. At the same time that peace was thus
secured, prosperity reigned in every part of the
b ver. 10.
l.?0 2 CHRONICLES, XVII. 9. [408.
empire ; and, as the immediate fruit of it, Jehosha-
phat, as well as the people, " had riches and honour
in abundance ." In his own mind too he reaped the
fruits of his own benevolence. God smiled upon
him, and manifested himself to him, and enabled
him to walk with " his heart lifted up in the ways of
the Lord d ."
Such was the edict of the pious Jehoshaphat,
benevolent, politic, beneficial. And what, I would
ask, is the Edict which has been issued by the highest
authority in this kingdom ? Do we not see in it the
same blessed characters as in that which we have
been considering ? It was " in the third year of
his reign 6 " that Jehoshaphat sent forth teachers to
enlighten and instruct his subjects. The very instant
he felt himself at liberty from the more urgent and
pressing calls of duty, (such as the fortifying of his
land against foreign enemies, and the correcting of
some great internal abuses,) he engaged in this good
work of diffusing light and knowledge through all
classes of the community. In like manner the sove
reign of this kingdom has scarcely had time to repair
the ravages of war, and to establish his empire, too
long weakened and impoverished by a cruel usurpa
tion, before he stands forth as the friend and father
of his people, and more especially of that portion
of them who have in every age and place been most
treated with neglect and disdain, to have them edu
cated in scriptural knowledge and in the fear of God.
It is much to be lamented, that the Jewish people
have not in general been so attentive either to the
learning or morals of their children as might be
wished : and hence arose a necessity for some autho
ritative admonition on the subject. Yet, if I may say
it without offence, this neglect has not been more
reprehensible in them, than has been the indifference
with which the Christian world has regarded it.
The monarch (may God recompense it richly into
his bosom !) has risen up to remedy the supineness
both of the one and the other, and to call forth the
408.] THE ROYAL EDICT. 121
united energies of all to correct and terminate this
evil. Yet, whilst he thus consults the best interests
of his subjects, with what paternal tenderness has he
guarded against wounding the feelings of any, or
exciting their religious prejudices ! The Scriptures
of the Old Testament are alone to be used in the
schools that shall be established ; even those Scrip
tures, which Jews as well as Christians believe to
have been given by inspiration of God, and to con
tain truth without any mixture of error. In this is
marked the policy, no less than the benevolence, of
the edict ; for it is not by constraint, but by con
ciliation and kindness, that good is to be done to
any, and more especially to those who have shewn
themselves now, for so many centuries, proof against
all the efforts of intimidation or force. In this king
dom they form no small body, and, I may add, no
unimportant portion of the community. It is well
known how extensive is their influence in the affairs
of commerce ; and how, by their activity, they con
tribute to enrich the state. Hence it is now generally
seen and felt, that they are entitled to the same
respect as any other subjects of the realm ; and
whilst, as in the present instance, they see how
deeply their monarch feels interested in their wel
fare, they cannot but on their part be sensible of the
privileges they enjoy under his paternal government,
and testify their gratitude to him by every possible
expression of loyalty and affection.
What the ultimate effect of these measures will be,
may be conjectured from the blessed results of the
edict of Jehoshaphat : all will feel themselves happy
under the government of such a prince ; and he,
whilst he is respected abroad, and beloved at home,
will have the happiness of seeing his labours crowned
with prosperity throughout his dominions, and with
peace in his own soul.
II. The manner in which Jehoshaphat s edict was
carried into execution is now to be noticed
The promptness with which his commands were
122 2 CHRONICLES, XVII. 9. [408.
executed deserves the highest praise. All were ready
to co-operate in this good work as soon as it was
proposed. " Princes, and priests, and Levites f ," all
addressed themselves to it instantly, with one heart
and one soul. None accounted their dignity so high,
or their functions so sacred, but they thought it an
honour to be employed in such a service, and found
a delight in fulfilling the wishes of their revered
monarch : all entered into the work with zeal, and
prosecuted it with diligence; and hence a rapid
change was effected both in the temporal and spiri
tual condition of the whole nation. And what may
not be effected in this kingdom also, if a similar zeal
be exercised by " the princes and priests" (the
magistrates and clergy) of the land ? With them it
must begin. Those who move in a lower station
can effect nothing, if they be not aided and counte
nanced by the higher orders, whose rank in life, or
sacredness of character, will give a tone to the general
feeling, and combine the energies of the whole king
dom. If it be said, that those for whom the benefit
is designed do not feel a desire after it, this only
shews how much they need it, and how earnestly we
should all embark in a cause proposed by such high
authority, and recommended by the soundest dic
tates of wisdom and piety.
That our obligations to unite in this labour of love
may the more distinctly appear, I would beg leave to
suggest the following considerations.
First, Loyalty to the king demands our concurrence
with him in this good work, and a holy emulation
amongst us to carry into effect his benevolent de
signs. What can the greatest or best of men effect,
(what could Jehoshaphat himself have done?) if there
be none to act in subserviency to them, and to follow
their directions ? As the most potent monarch upon
earth would in vain proclaim war, if there were no
soldiers found to enlist under his banners and to
f vcr. 7, 8.
408.] THE ROYAL EDICT. 123
execute his commands, so it will be in vain that the
design of benefiting the Jewish people was ever
conceived in the mind of the king, or that his edict
respecting them was ever issued, if his subjects do
not put forth their energies in obedience to his call.
In truth, a backwardness to co-operate with him in
this blessed work would seem like a reflection cast
upon him, as recommending a measure that was
unworthy of attention. I do not mean to insinuate
that such an idea really exists in the minds of any;
for I am perfectly convinced it does not : but certainly
in appearance it is open to this construction ; and
every subject of the empire is concerned to act in
such a way, as to cut off all occasion for a reflection
like this. I say, loyalty alone, even if we had no
higher motive, should be sufficient to call forth our
exertions in this cause.
But let me next observe, that gratitude to the
Jewish nation demands it at our hands. How great,
how manifold are our obligations to them ! Behold
Moses and the prophets, what instruction have they
given us, in reference to the way of life and salva
tion ! Without the moral law, as revealed by Moses,
we should never have known to what an extent we
need a Saviour ; nor, if the prophecies had not so
fully designated the promised Messiah, could we have
ever so fully known that Jesus was the Christ. Of
whom did the Lord Jesus Christ himself come as
pertaining to the flesh, but from the loins of David,
and of the seed of Abraham ? Yet to him are we
indebted for all that we either have, or hope for, in
time or in eternity. And who were the Apostles,
but Jews, who for our sakes went forth preaching
the word, and counted not their lives dear to them,
so that they might but lead us to the knowledge of
Christ, and make us partakers of his salvation ?
From them too we have received the lively oracles,
which are the one source of all spiritual knowledge,
and the one foundation of all our hopes. Does all
this call for no recompence at our hands ? Knowing
as we do the vast importance of education, should
121 2 CHRONICLES, XVII. 9. [408.
we not endeavour to impart it to those from whose
ancestors we have received such innumerable, such
inestimable benefits? Yet behold, these are the
people whom for many, many centuries, we have
treated with more neglect and contempt than any
other people upon the face of the earth : the savages
of the most distant climes have received more atten
tion from us than they. Surely it is high time that
the Christian world awake to a sense of their duty,
and begin to shew to the Jews somewhat of that
love, which their forefathers exercised towards us
in our Gentile state. We are debtors to them to a
vast amount, and it is high time that we begin to
discharge our debt. And how can we discharge it
better, than by enabling them to read and under
stand those very oracles, which they have preserved
with such fidelity, and which testify so fully of their
promised Messiah ?
Further : A love to the rising generation should
lead us to avail ourselves of the present opportunity to
promote their welfare. It is truly afflictive to see
how low and degraded is the state of multitudes,
especially of the Jewish nation, purely through the
neglect with which they are treated in their early
youth : and still more grievous is it to reflect on
their ignorance of those things which belong to their
everlasting peace. To counteract this, we should
endeavour to qualify the whole of their population
for good and useful employments ; and, through the
medium of useful instruction, to make them holy,
and to make them happy. We need never be afraid
that there will not be a sufficient number of poor to
fill the lower stations : do what we will, there will
never be wanting persons, who, through their own
fault or misfortunes, are necessitated to undertake
the lowest offices of life. And, if they have been
previously instructed in the Scriptures of Truth, they
will have a fund of consolation ever open to them in
their deepest afflictions ; they will learn from the
inspired volume, in whatsoever state they are, there
with to be content: and in the prospect of the eternal
408.] TIIE ROYAL EDICT. 125
world, they will find joys with which a stranger in-
termeddleth not, and which the world can neither
give nor take away. We feel the force of these con
siderations in reference to the poor of our own com
munion : how is it that we feel it not in reference to
our Jewish Brethren ? This is a partiality unworthy
of us ; and we should rise as one man to wipe off this
disgrace from our own character.
This brings me to the last consideration which I
propose to mention ; namely, that a concern for the
honour of our holy religion should operate to unite ua
all in executing the Royal Edict. What must a Jew
think of our religion, when he sees how little it has
wrought for us in the production of love ? We
may tell him of a Messiah, who has loved us, and
laid down his life for us : but what credit will he give
us for our principles, when he sees how little our
practice corresponds with them ! May he not well
say to us, "Physician, heal thyself?" Shew by your
conduct the superiority of your principles, before you
call on me to embrace them. It is by love that we
must win them : it is by shewing kindness to them
that we must efface from their hearts those pre
judices which, with too much reason, they entertain
against us. We must exhibit in our own person the
loveliness of Christianity, before we can bring them
to investigate the grounds of our faith, or to imagine
that they can improve their own condition by em
bracing it. May I not then call upon you as Chris
tians to unite in the good work that is now before
you, that you may thereby serve and glorify your
Lord and Saviour ? As Christians, you believe that
there is no other way to the Father but by Christ-;
and no other name but his, whereby any human
being can be saved h . Where is your piety, where is
your love to Christ, where is even common humanity,
if you will not avail yourselves of the present oppor
tunity to remove from before your Jewish Brethren
the stumbling-blocks, which for so many ages have
been laid in their way ?
ff John xiv. 6. h Acts iv. 12.
126 2 CHRONICLES, XVII. 9. [408.
Do any ask, What shall we do ? I answer, search
out amongst the Jews some persons of prohity and
talent to commence schools among them ; and do
you yourselves aid to the utmost of your power in
the support of them ; provide them with all necessary
books for instructing children in the first rudiments
of knowledge ; provide them with Bibles also, both
in the Dutch and Hebrew languages, that they may
be thoroughly instructed in the knowledge of their
own religion, and learn to walk in the steps of their
father Abraham, and of all the holy prophets.
Begin too, without loss of time, Adult Schools.
You will find many among the house of Israel who
will be glad to avail themselves of your instructions.
Let those who are benevolent amongst you dedicate
an hour in a day to the instructing of a few who may
be desirous to learn ; and carefully avoid every thing
which may give unnecessary offence. Confine your
selves to the Old Testament, which they venerate, as
well as you. Let those who can teach only in the
Dutch language give instruction in that : and let
those who either understand, or have leisure to
attain, the Hebrew tongue, draw their attention to
that. In particular, let it be the united endeavour
of all to qualify masters for this good work.
And let it not be thought, that this is the duty of
men only. The Royal Edict has particularly, and
with great wisdom, recommended it to females, who
may be of infinite service in conveying instruction to
their own sex. This age is distinguished above all
others for the activity of females in the service of
God, and in the performance of every good work.
Were I able to declare the proportion of good that
is done in Britain by the female sex, it would appear
incredible : I believe from my soul that it far exceeds
one half in all the societies raised since the com
mencement of the present century, in the Bible So
ciety, the Missionary Societies, and the Society for
Promoting the Knowledge of Christianity amongst
the Jews : yes, let the ladies of this country exert
themselves, in a prudent, modest and discreet way,
409.1 JEHQSHAPHAT S UNGODLY ALLIANCE. 127
and the effects will soon appear ; the Royal Edict
will not be a dead letter, but will produce incal
culable good to the whole nation ; and the agents
in this benevolent work will themselves receive quite
as much benefit as they impart, their benevolence
being, in proportion as it is exercised, its own
reward.
CCCCIX.
JEHOSHAPHAT S CONNEXION WITH AHAB REPROVED.
2 Chron. xix. 2. And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went
out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest
thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord ?
therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.
IT is happy when pious children rise up in the
places of their parents, and, unmoved by the suffer
ings which their fathers have experienced, dare to
tread in their steps with fidelity and zeal. Hanani,
the father of Jehu, had been cast into prison for the
faithful reproof which he administered to King Asa a :
yet does Jehu give a similar reproof to Asa s son and
successor, Jehoshaphat : and, as he was enabled to
temper his reproof with seasonable commendation, he
succeeded in convincing the monarch of his fault, and
in stirring him up to a more becoming conduct.
The conduct here blamed, was, Jehoshaphat s
uniting himself with Ahab against the king of Syria :
but the terms in which the censure was conveyed,
are of more general import, and may be applied to
all alliances with the ungodly. We will endeavour
therefore to improve them, by shewing,
I. What is that intimacy with the ungodly which
God forbids
We are not to suppose that all connexion with
them is forbidden ; for then, as the Apostle says,
" We must needs go out of the world," since the
necessities of our nature constrain us to keep up
a 2 Chron. xvi. 710.
128 $ CHRONICLES, XIX. 2. [4()<J.
some sort of intercourse with them. Moreover,
there is an attention to them which compassion itself
demands, and which our blessed Saviour himself
manifested to such a degree, as to incur the reproach
of being " a friend of publicans and sinners." Nor
are we to forget, that courtesy is one of the most
amiable and important of Christian graces. " Be
pitiful, be courteous," is the command of God him
self: and they who are grossly deficient in relation
to this duty, as too many professors of religion are,
have greatly mistaken the true genius of Christianity,
which is, in every possible modification of it, a reli
gion of love.
Yet is there a very broad line of distinction to be
drawn between the extremes of unmeasured union
with the world, and a contemptuous abstraction
from it. Though the righteous are not to despise
the ungodly, they are carefully to avoid,
1. An alliance with them
[Under the Law, all intermarriages with the heathen were
strictly forbidden : and under the Gospel the same law applies
to the ungodly : the Apostle s direction respecting those who
are seeking a matrimonial alliance, is, " Let them marry, only
in the Lord 11 ." In many places of Scripture are the evils arising
from unequal marriages of believers with unbelievers, strongly
marked : we must not wonder then that such contracts are
expressly forbidden* 1 .]
2. A conformity to them
[They who are of the world, both speak of the world, and
act agreeably to its dictates : they have no higher objects in
view, than " the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the
pride of life." But these are wholly unsuited to the Chris
tian s state: they are in direct opposition to that holy and
heavenly course which he is commanded to pursue e : and there
fore he is enjoined " on no account to be conformed to this
world, but to be transformed by the renewing of his mind,
that he may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and per
fect will of GodV]
3. An unnecessary association with them
b 1 Cor. vii. 39.
c Gen. vi. 2, 3. and in Jehos^aphat s own son ; 2 Chron. xxi. G.
d 2 Cor. vi. 14 10. < 1 John ii. 15, 16. f Rom. xii. 2.
409. J JEHOSHAPIIAT S UNGODLY ALLIANCE. 129
[We should not choose them as our friends and compa
nions : for " how can two walk together, except they be
agreed?" We almost of necessity imbibe the spirit of our
associates ; and therefore we should select for our acquaint
ance those who will help us forward, and not those who will
retard us, in our heavenly course. We can never too atten
tively consider that instructive declaration of Solomon, " He
that walketh with wise men, will be wise ; but a companion
of fools will be destroy ed g ."]
That such intimacy with the ungodly is not pro
hibited by God without reason, will appear, whilst
we shew,
II. Why it is so displeasing to him
God was greatly offended with Jehoshaphat, and
severely punished him for his fault. It was /;/ con
sequence of his alliance with Ahab that his eldest son
Jehoram slew all his younger brethren 11 , and that
all his grandchildren were slain by Jehu 1 . And in
every instance, such intimacy with the ungodly is
offensive to him ;
1 . On account of the state of mind it implies
[It is evident that any person professing godliness, and at
the same time affecting the society of the ungodly, must be in
a very degenerate state. Such a state of mind indicates in a
very high degree, a want of love to God a want of aversion
to sin a want of self-knowledge and a want of common pru
dence.
How low must be his love to God ! Would any man who
loved his parents and his family select for his intimate friend a
man that was the avowed enemy of them all ? Yet the character
of the ungodly is, that they are " haters of God k :" how then
can any one who truly loves God, take such a person for his
bosom friend, or maintain, except from necessity, any inter
course with him ?
And small indeed must be his aversion to sin, when he can
find pleasure in those who belong to " a world that lieth in
wickedness," and whose whole life is a continued and voluntary
course of sin.
If is self-knowledge too must be at a very low ebb, if he think
that he can frequent such company without having both his
principles and his practice greatly vitiated.
Prov. xiii. 20. h 2 Chron. xxi. 4.
1 2 Kings x. 13, 14. and especially 2 Chron. xxii. 7, 8.
k Rom. i. 30. and viii. 7.
VOL. IV. K
130 2 CHRONICLES, XIX. 2. [409.
Even to common prudence he is almost an utter stranger : for
would any man on the brink of a stupendous precipice go
unnecessarily to the utmost edge of it, where it was exceeding
rough and slippery, rather than pursue a path which was com
paratively both safe and easy ? Yet this is his conduct, who
chooses to mix unnecessarily with a tempting and ensnaring
world : and the absurdity of it is strongly marked in the ex
pressions of our text, where an APPEAL is made to the common
sense and reason of mankind ; " Shouldest thoulove them that
hate the Lord ? "]
2. On account of its pernicious tendency
[We form very erroneous calculations on this subject. We
are ready to think that we shall ingratiate ourselves with the
world, and recommend religion to their favourable acceptance :
but the very reverse is the case ; we lower ourselves in their
estimation, and make them think better of their own religion
than they would otherwise do. They take for granted that
religion sanctions all that conformity to their customs that they
see in us ; and consequently that they are much nearer to the
standard of true religion than they really are : nor are they a
whit more reconciled to those practices which they do not
choose to follow, and which, in spite of all our efforts, they will
account over-righteous, unnecessary, and absurd. It will be
found almost invariably that little, if any, good accrues to the
ungodly from such sacrifices, and that great injury is sustained
by those who make them.
In the chapter preceding our text, we may see the experi
ment fairly made. Jehoshaphat having joined affinity with
Ahab, paid him a friendly visit, and was hospitably received
by him 1 . Presently Ahab proposed to him an union of their
forces in an attack on the king of Syria ; to which proposal
Jehoshaphat, unwilling to refuse him, accedes; but, being a
pious character, recommends that an inquiry should be first
made of God for his direction. To this Ahab apparently agrees;
but consults none except his own idolatrous prophets" 1 . Je
hoshaphat, not quite satisfied with their advice, asks if there be
not a prophet of Jehovah by whom their inquiry may be made?
Ahab acknowledges that there is ; but that he cannot endure
that prophet, because he never prophesied good concerning
him, but evil. This aversion Jehoshaphat tries to soften; and
for a moment prevails": but, as soon as Micaiah has delivered
his message from the Lord, Ahab is filled with rage against
him, and orders him to be put in prison, and to be fed with the
bread and water of affliction : and Jehoshaphat, contrary to
1 2 Chron. xviii. 1,2. m 2 Chron. xviii. 3 5.
n 2 Chron. xviii. 6 8.
409.] JEHOSHAPHAT S UNGODLY ALLIANCE. 131
God s revealed will, proceeds with Ahab to execute the plan
proposed . Now here is an exact representation of what ge
nerally takes place in such connexions : the compliances that
are required by the ungodly, are too faintly refused ; whilst
the barriers interposed by the godly, produce no adequate
effect. The two parties may not unfitly be compared to per
sons pulling against each other on a steep declivity : the one
who is on the more elevated site, may think he shall prevail ;
but a moment s experience will suffice to shew him, that his
adversary draws against him with a ten-fold advantage, both as
it respects the comparative force which he is able to exert, and
the greater facility with which a descending motion may be
produced. Thus it is between the godly and the ungodly,
when too intimate a fellowship subsists between them : the
conscience of the one is ensnared and violated, whilst the other
retains all his principles, dispositions, and habits.]
3. On account of its opposition to his revealed
will
[Nothing can be plainer than God s declaration respecting
the friendship of the world : it is actually a state of " enmity
against God: " yea, the very desire to possess its friendship is
constructive treason against God himself; and actually consti
tutes treason, as much as the holding of forbidden intercourse
with an earthly enemy constitutes treason against the king p .
It is in vain to dispute against such a solemn declaration as
this, or to think that we can ever reconcile such opposite inte
rests as those of " God and Mammon." We must hold to the
one, or to the other : and if we choose the friendship of the
world, then must we expect to be dealt with as the enemies of
God. If we are found associated with the goats in this world,
it is in vain to hope that we shall be numbered with the sheep
in the world to come q .]
ADDRESS
[The character of Jehoshaphat was on the whole good :
"good things were found in him; and he had prepared his
heart to seek God r ." Now it is to persons of this character
more particularly that our subject must be addressed : for the
ungodly, when mixing with the world, are in their proper ele
ment ; and the established Christian feels but little temptation
to go back to worldly pleasures, or to worldly society. But
the temptation to young and inexperienced Christians is great.
Be it remembered however by all, that the true disciples of our
Lord " are not of the world, even as he was not of the world."
2 Chron. xviii. 16, 17, 25 28. P Jam. iv. 4. See the Greek,
q Matt. xxv. 32, 33. r ver. 3.
1,32 2 CHRONICLES, XX. 24. [410.
They cannot say to an ungodly man, " I am as thou art;"
for they are as different from him as light from darkness. " By
the cross of Christ, they are crucified unto the world, as the
world also is to them 8 ." Let me entreat you then, Brethren,
not to " be unequally yoked together with unbelievers, but to
come out from among them, and be separate 1 ;" and endeavour
to be in reality, what all the Lord s people are by profession
" a city set upon a hill," and " lights shining in a dark place."]
8 Gal. vi. 14. l 2 Cor. vi. 14, 17.
ccccx.
PRAYER THE BEST MEANS OF DEFEATING INVASION a .
2 Chron. xx. 2 4. Then there came some that told Jehosha
phat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee
from beyond the sea on this side Syria ; and, behold, they be
in Ifazazon-tamar, ichich is En-gcdi. And Jehoshaphat
feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a
fast throughout all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves
together, to ask help of the Lord : even out of all the cities
of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
THERE is scarcely any thing that more awfully
proves men s fallen state than their readiness to
devour one another. There is not a nation under
heaven where the art of war is not cultivated ; and
he who attains the highest proficiency in that art,
and is crowned with most success in destroying his
fellow-creatures, is deemed the greatest benefactor
to his country, and is rewarded with all the honours
that can be heaped upon him. Under these circum
stances it is not optional with a nation whether they
will have a military force : they are compelled to
maintain armies, and to preserve their lives and
liberties by the same means that others use to sub
jugate and overwhelm them. Yet there are other
means of self-defence, which, though they do not
supersede the use of arms, are more effectual than
numerous levies, or military skill. What these
means are, the text informs us. Jehoshaphat was
invaded by three confederate armies ; and, though
a Fast-day Sermon, Oct. 19, 1803.
410.1 INVASION BEST DEFEATED BY PRAYER. 133
taken by surprise, and consequently not having an
hour to lose in mustering his forces, he devoted a
day to humiliation and prayer for the divine aid.
This to many would seem absurd : but to those who
believe in the all-governing providence of God, it
will appear the most rational and most efficacious
method of defence, which it was possible for him to
adopt.
In considering this account of Jehoshaphat, we
shall point out,
I. His feelings on the approach of an invasion
We have no reason to think that Jehoshaphat was
defective in courage ; yet he " feared." But what
was it that he dreaded? was it merely his own
personal danger ? No ; he feared,
1. The calamities that were coming on the nation
[Fear even of personal danger is by no means incom
patible with real courage. It is an affection planted in the
human breast by God himself, and is necessary to put us on
our guard, and to stir us up to use the means of safety. It is
then only to be deemed a weakness, when it incapacitates us
for deliberate counsel, or manly exertion. But when the
danger is public, and the welfare of a whole nation is at stake,
then it is criminal not to fear : thoughtlessness and indiffer
ence then become most inexcusable, inasmuch as they manifest
an atheistical security with respect to themselves, and an
utter want of humanity towards others. Who can reflect on
the miseries that an invading army may occasion, and not
tremble for the land that is exposed to them? We confess,
that one of the worst symptoms that appear in our land, at
this present moment, is, the general, and almost total, want
of this fear. It should seem as if we thought it out of the
power of man, or even of God himself, to hurt us. We are
really sleeping, while our enemies are watchful ; and folding
our arms in security, while the gathering storm is ready to
burst upon us. Would to God that we had more fear of the
approaching danger ! and then we should have less cause to
fear when it shall have actually arrived.]
2. The displeasure of God in them
[This it is which makes an invading army terrible. This
renders even the weakest insect, a locust, or a caterpillar, an
134 2 CHRONICLES, XX. 24. [410.
object of dread b . We are assured that " men are God s
sword ;" and that whatever be the motive that actuates them,
it is he who gives them their commission, it is he who sends
them to " avenge the quarrel of his covenant c ." Now Jeho-
shaphat had particular reason to apprehend the divine dis
pleasure, having incurred it by making an alliance with
Aliah d : and doubtless he considered the invaders as persons
sent of God to inflict the punishment he deserved. And was
not this just ground for fear ?
Here again we cannot but lament that the generality
amongst us leave God out of their thoughts : they declaim
against the ambition of him who would reduce us, as he has
done one half of Europe, to a state of vassalage ; but they
never associate with his plans the idea of God s displeasure.
To say that " God had stirred him up against us e ," would be
looked upon as absurd : to suggest that he was an instrument
in God s hands, lifted up to punish our sins, would be deemed
a weak enthusiastic notion, a dream of a distempered imagina
tion. But this is true, whether w r e will believe it or not : and it
is this, much more than either the number of his forces, or the
inveteracy of his malice, which renders him formidable. Were
he far less equal to the contest than he is, our multiplied
iniquities which have incensed God against us, might well
make him an object of terror. And the less we fear him as
the instrument of God s wrath, the more likely we are to be
given over to his power.]
Corresponding with Jehoshaphafs feelings on ac
count of the invasion were,
II. The means he used to defeat it-
Doubtless he did not neglect any prudent means
of defence which his circumstances would admit of.
But, together with these,
" He set himself to seek the Lord" by fasting and
prayer
[Jehoshaphat well knew that all things were subject to
God s control; that the events of war were in his hands f ;
and that it was equally easy with him to " save by many or by
few g ." He knew that God was ever ready to forgive those
who confessed and forsook their sins, and to interpose for the
b Alluding to the plagues of Egypt.
c Lev. xxvi. 25. 2 Kings xxiv. 2, 3. d 2 Chron. xix. 2.
e 1 Sam. xxvi. 19. 1 Kings xi. 14, 23. 1 Chron. v. 26. and
2 Chron. xxi. 1C.
f VCT. G, 15. $ I Sam. xiv. 6.
410.] INVASION BEST DEFEATED BY PRAYER. 135
preservation of those who trusted in him. Under this con
viction he not only fasted and prayed himself, but " proclaimed
a fast," in order that all his subjects might join in these holy
exercises, and, by their united importunity, prevail on God to
spare them. It might have been thought, that to consecrate
a day to such a service, when there seemed not an hour to
spare, was impolitic: but he was aware that the greatest pre
parations without God would avail nothing; and that, if his
favour and assistance were secured, no enemies could ever
prevail against him. In this holy service therefore he engaged
with earnestness; and all his subjects, male and female, old
and young, concurred with him h .]
This was, in truth, the most effectual means he
could employ
[If we consider how successfully these means had been
employed in former times, the wisdom of his conduct will im
mediately appear. God had on many occasions given direction
to his people, where, and when, and how, to attack their
enemies 1 . He had strengthened them miraculously for the
combat k ; and crowned them with success beyond all human
expectation 1 . He had invariably done this in answer to their
humble and earnest supplications" 1 : and had as constantly with
held his succours, when they refused to humble themselves
before him. There was one example in particular, with which
he was well acquainted, and from which he could not fail to
derive encouragement; it was that of Moses when attacked by
Amalek : Moses sent Joshua into the valley to fight, whilst he
himself remained on the mountain to pray ; and it soon ap
peared that the success of the engagement did not depend on
the skill or valour of Joshua, but on the holding up of the hands
of Moses: when they were letdown through weariness, Amalek
prevailed; but on their being held up till sunset, victory was
decided in favour of Israel". This was sufficient to justify
and encourage Jehoshaphat in the proclaiming of a fast: and
the event strongly recommends to us the use of similar means
in any similar emergency. God heard and answered his prayer ;
and did not suffer him even to risk his life in battle : he caused
dissension to arise in the confederate armies, insomuch that
two of those armies combined to destroy the third, and then
destroyed each other, and left all their spoil for a prey to those
whose country they had invaded .]
h ver. 13. * 2 Sam. v. 2325.
k 2 Sam. xxiii. 812. 1 1 Sam. xiv. 1316.
ra Prayer was the cause of Othniel s victory, Judg. iii. 9. and
Ehud s, Judg. v. 15. and Barak s, Judg. iv. 3. and Gideon s, Judg.
vi. 6. and Jephthah s, Judg. x. 10.
11 Exod. xvii. 11 13. ver. 22 25.
136 2 CHRONICLES, XX. -4. [410.
INFER
1. What reason have we for thankfulness on ac
count of the appointment of this fast !
[Many, forgetful of Jehoshaphat s example, deny the right
of the civil magistrate to proclaim a fast : and multitudes who
acknowledge the propriety of such an appointment, are as
regardless of the duties of this day, as if it had not been
consecrated to any religious service. But there are many who
really improve this occasion in devout and earnest supplication
to God: and we doubt not but that more will have been done
this day towards the preservation of the kingdom than could
have been effected in any other way.]
2. Of what signal use to a nation are the godly
and praying few !
[They are often regarded as persons that trouble and
endanger the state : but it has been on their account that the
nation has not been long since made as Sodom and Gomorrha p :
and, if the present days of trouble be shortened, it will be for
their sake q . These are the people who alone have interest
with God; and who bring down his blessing on the land. To
represent the country as indebted to them for its safety and
success, is deemed the height of arrogance and folly. But let
any one inquire what saved Jerusalem from the Assyrian hosts 1 ",
or, in the instance before us, from the confederate armies ?
Was it not prayer ; prayer chiefly, prayer solely and ex
clusively ? Let atheistical scoffers then deride the idea as they
please ; but it is a fact, an undeniable fact, that the despised
few are the greatest benefactors of their country ; and that our
hopes in the present contest are founded more on their prayers
than on all the efforts of an arm of flesh.]
3. How much may they do for their country, who
are ready to think themselves incapable of rendering
it any essential service !
[Females and infirm persons may suppose themselves of
no use in the present contest. But will not their petitions
come up with acceptance before God ? Shall not the prayer
of faith, by whomsoever offered, prevail ? Let none then
imagine that they cannot benefit their country; but let all
unite in weeping and supplication, and " give no rest unto our
God, until he arise for our help, and make our Jerusalem a
praise in the earth 5 ."]
i Isai. i. 9. i Matt. xxiv. 22.
1 Isai. xxxvii. 21, 22. s Isai. Ixii. (>, 7.
411.] FAITH THE MEANS OF PROSPERITY. 137
CCCCXI.
FAITH THE MEANS OF NATIONAL AND PERSONAL PROSPERITY.
2 Chron. xx. 20. Hear me, Judah, and ye inhabitants of
Jerusalem : Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be
established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
A BELIEF in the providence of God is able to
compose the mind under the greatest difficulties.
The Scriptures abound with displays of the efficacy
of this principle. In this passage before us we are
told, that three confederate armies came up against
Jehoshaphat : yet, while he acknowledged that " he
had no might against them," he was enabled by
faith to commit his cause to God, and to go forth in
triumph, as much as if he had already gained the
completest victory. The words of our text are his
address to his army when leading them forth to
meet the enemy. One would have expected that he
would rather have exhorted them to be strong and
courageous : but, feeling in himself the blessed
influence of faith, he rather exhorted them to the
exercise of that divine principle, and assured them
that by means of it they should attain success.
It is our intention to shew,
I. What is implied in the faith here recommended
Doubtless there are many particulars which might
be enumerated if it were expedient to enter fully
into the nature of faith. But, if we consider to
whom, and on what occasion, the address was made,
we shall see at once that there were two prominent
ideas contained in it ; namely,
1. A renunciation of all false confidences
[This is indispensably necessary to the exercise of faith.
God is a jealous God, and " will not give his glory to another."
He is rather concerned to defeat, than to prosper, the exer
tions of those who lean to their own understanding, or trust in
an arm of flesh ; because they practically deny his agency, and
would be encouraged by success to harden themselves in their
infidelity a .
a See Isai. xxx. 1 3. and xxxi. 1 3.
138 2 CHRONICLES, XX. <>0. [41 1.
This self-renunciation is, if possible, still more necessary in
relation to the concerns of the soul. If we trust at all in our
own wisdom, goodness, or strength, God will consider us as
abandoning all hope in him. However good the thing may be
which we make even a joint ground of confidence before him,
instead of contributing to our welfare, it will make the Gospel
of no effect to us, and Christ will profit us nothing b .]
2. A simple affiance in God-
fin the instance before us, the people were not to fight,
but to stand still and see the interposition of God for them.
But ive are not therefore to neglect the proper means of self-
preservation : we must use the means, but not trust in them :
God alone must be our trust and our confidence : and we
should commit ourselves to him, without doubting either his
ability or willingness to help us.
Thus in reference also to our spiritual interests, we should
never limit his mercy or his power. His promises should be
the ground of our hopes, and the measure of our expecta
tions
Having endeavoured to ascertain the true nature
of faith, let us consider,
II. Its influence on our welfare
It has a favourable aspect upon,
1. Our national prosperity
[When a nation is enabled to exercise faith in God, there
is good hope that its deliverance is nigh at hand. For faith
conciliates his favour : he is honoured by it; and he will
surely put honour upon it. Faith engages his protection. He
has promised to be a wall of fire round his people, and as a
munition of rocks : and, when they plead his promises, he
will not fail in the execution of them. Faith also calls forth his
aid. He has told us that his eyes run to and fro throughout
the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of his
people ; and he has proved in ten thousand instances how ready
and effectual is the succour which he will afford to those who
call upon him.]
2. Our personal welfare-
fin allusion to the circumstances of the history before us
we may observe, that faith will secure iis victory over all our
enemies. Sin, Satan, death and hell shall all be overcome, if
only we believe in Christ : yea, we shall be more than con
querors through him that loved us. Faith also will enrich us with
the most abundant spoils. Jehoshaphat and his army were three
11 Gal. v. 2, 4.
411 J FAITH THE MEANS OF PROSPERITY. 139
days occupied in gathering the spoils, so wonderfully were they
enriched by the very people who had sought only their destruc
tion. And shall not we find ourselves benefited even by the
assaults of our enemies ? Yes, we shall have deeper discoveries
of the love, the power, the faithfulness of our God, and be
more amply furnished for our future conflicts. Faith more
over will bring us to a quiet possession of our inheritance.
Jehoshaphat had rest and quiet throughout his realm by means
of that exercise of faith. But we shall obtain the undisturbed
enjoyment of heaven itself. As soon as faith and patience
have had their perfect work, we shall be freed from enemies,
and " not a dog shall wag his tongue against us" any more
for ever.
Thus prosperous, thus established, shall the weakest be,
provided they believe in God, and give implicit credit to his
word.]
We would further ADDRESS you on this subject,
1. As members of the community
[The state has a right to expect of you all the aid
which you can afford her under the pressure of her present
troubles. Will any of you say, * I am unable to render any
effectual assistance? Pause before thou repliest in such a
way. Can you exercise faith in God ? Can you commit her
affairs to him ? Say not then, I can do no good : for whe
ther thou be old or young, male or female, healthful or infirm,
thou canst render the most important services. God will hear
thy prayer, and respect thy faith. It was not by the sword,
but by the simple exercise of faith, that three confederate
armies were totally destroyed. Fight then with the same
weapon : entreat your God to direct the counsels of our go
vernors, and to prosper their endeavours ; and we shall yet
have fresh evidence, that the injunction in our text was never
given or obeyed in vain.]
2. As members of the Church
[Far be it from us to express indifference respecting good
works. We know you must abound in them ; and we desire
you should abound in them to the glory of God. But they can
proceed from nothing but a living principle of faith ; and
therefore, from a regard to the interests of morality, we repeat
the exhortation in the text. It is not by self-righteous,
self-confident exertions that you are to become holy, but by
exercising faith in Him, who is our " righteousness and our
strength." Live then by faith on the Son of God ; so shall
you derive from him all needful supplies of grace, and progres
sively advance, both in an enjoyment of his presence and a
meetness for his glory.]
140 2 CHRONICLES, XXII. 3, 4. [412.
CCCCXII.
THE DANGER OF FOLLOWING EVIL COUNSEL.
2 Chron. xxii. 3, 4. He walked in the ways of the house of
Ahab : for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.
Wherefore lie did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house
of Aliab : for they were his counsellors after the death of his
father to his destruction.
THOUGH Jehovah is undoubtedly the Governor
of the universe, it is certain that there is a mighty
being always exerting himself in opposition to him ;
and with such great apparent success, as to be justly
designated " the god of this world." In the contest
that is maintained between them, each has, if I may
so speak, his partisans and agents, who, under their
respective heads, labour to execute their master s will,
and to promote the interest of him to whom they
belong. Jehovah employs holy men, whose hearts
he has touched with his heavenly grace ; and whom
he sends forth as his ambassadors, to instruct our
fallen race, and to rescue them from the dominion of
the great usurper. Satan, on the other hand, has his
servants also, whom he employs to deceive mankind,
and to rivet on them the chains with which they are
already bound. In this, however, he differs from
that Almighty Power against whom he is arrayed ;
that, whereas Jehovah delights to make use of the
weakest instruments, and " by things which are not,
to bring to nought things that are, Satan is con
strained to select the most powerful agents to carry
on his cause ; well knowing that, without them, he
has no hope of effecting any thing. When, in his
efforts to rob Job of his integrity, he destroyed all
his children, he forbore to destroy the wife of Job,
that by her means he might tempt that holy man to
" curse God and die." When he would divert the
Lord Jesus Christ from his purpose to redeem the
world, he employed the Apostle Peter to dissuade
him from subjecting himself to the sufferings that
were to come upon him. Thus he acted in reference
412.1 THE DANGER OF FOLLOWING EVIL COUNSEL. 141
to the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. Jehosha-
j)hat was a pious king, and served Jehovah faithfully.
But Satan wished to reduce Judah, as well as Israel,
to idolatry ; and, for this end, stirred up Jehoram s
wife to tempt him to it a , and afterwards to give the
same impious counsel to her son Ahaziah ; thereby
leading both of them " to their destruction."
The history before us will naturally lead me to
point out,
I. The influence of evil counsel-
Good counsel, alas ! has, for the most part, but
little effect. We cannot doubt but that Samuel,
knowing as he did the bitter consequences which a
want of parental authority had entailed on Eli, was
careful to instruct his children in the ways of God,
and to reprove in them the first appearances of evil.
But, notwithstanding all his efforts, his sons turned
aside from the paths of judgment, and rendered the
very government of Jehovah himself odious in the
eyes of all Israel b . Nor can we doubt but that
Jehoshaphat, though in some respects faulty, strove
to maintain the authority of Jehovah in his family.
But his sons were more easily led to imitate his
errors than his piety. He himself had joined in an
alliance with Ahab, and had consented to a marriage
of his son with Ahab s daughter, whose counsels
weighed both with her husband and her son far more
than any advice of his : yea, though God had signally
interposed to thwart his efforts, when combined with
those of Ahab, his son and grandson courted the
same alliance, and brought on themselves, and on all
connected with them, the heaviest judgments .
But let us mark this matter more distinctly,
1. In the case before us
[To what was it that Ahaziah s mother tempted him ?
It was to idolatry. But can we conceive that the counsel of
any one, however dear, should have power to draw a person
to idolatry ? yea, that it should prevail with a person who had
a 2 Kings xxi. 6. b i Sam. viii. 15.
c 1 Kings xx. 35 37. with xxi. 1-1, 15. and xxii. 4.
142 2 CHRONICLES, XXII. 3, 1. [412.
been educated in the knowledge of the one true God? Hear
the account given of idolaters by the Prophet Hosea : " My
people ask counsel of their stocks, and their staff declareth
unto them." Can we conceive it possible that any person
who had heard of all the wonders which Jehovah had wrought
for his people in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and in Canaan,
should ever be seduced to such infatuation as this? Of igno
rant savages we may imagine any thing : but of God s own
peculiar people, and of him who was at the head of them, the
grandson of the pious Jehoshaphat, we cannot believe it ! or
the apostate must at least have been bereft of reason, Alas !
not so : the man has his mother for his counsellor ; and her
advice is quite sufficient to draw him from the Most High
God to the worship of stocks and stones ! I say again, if this
fact were not attested on the authority of God himself, we
could not credit it ; we could not conceive it possible that evil
counsel should possess such an influence as this.]
2. In our own case-
fit is well known how generally the rising generation are
counselled by their friends and relatives to follow the world
rather than God, and to attend to the concerns of time rather
those of eternity. I speak not here respecting any particular
doctrines of religion which may be supposed to have an inju
rious effect, and therefore to be an object of jealousy : but I
speak of all serious religion, irrespective of any peculiar doc
trine : I speak of the fear of God; of a holy anxiety about the
soul; about a diligent preparation for death and judgment.
Of these things, speculatively considered, every one professes
to approve : yet no sooner does any person begin to experience
them in his soul, than his own dearest friends, his mother, his
wife, his sister, his " friend that is as his own soul," will begin
to caution him against being " righteous over-much," or, in
other words, against being righteous at all. If the person re
ply, But I have a soul; and it will be called into judgment,
and be doomed either to heaven or hell, according to the state
in which it is found : and should I not prepare for that great
account ? the answer will be, No ; you have no need to fear :
only do as others around you, and you have nothing to be
afraid of: God will never enter into judgment with persons who
live as you have done. Thus all the most blessed counsels of
Jehovah are set at nought d and poor fallible men will
set their word against the word of Jehovah, and will assure
those of ultimate impunity, whom God, in the most solemn
manner, dooms to everlasting perdition.
d Isai. lv. 1 3. Rev. iii. 18. These should be cited, with a
short comment.
412.1 THE DANGER OF FOLLOWING EVIL COUNSEL. 1 13
But can it be supposed that any one will follow such counsel,
and be led by it to prefer the body to the soul, the creature
to the Creator, time to eternity, and hell to heaven ? It can
not surely be, that any one in his senses can be so influenced,
either by friends or enemies. Methinks, the answer that would
instantly be given to all such counsellors would be, " Whether
it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge
ye." But there are few, very few, in whom this fortitude is
found. And if a person can only say, My father or " my
mother so counselled me," he will cease to think that he " does
wickedly," or that he has reason to fear the displeasure of his
God.]
But let me faithfully warn you of,
II. The danger of following it
This unhappy king was soon made to feel the bitter
consequences of his folly : for God " fixed his eyes
upon him for evil," and in one short year brought him
down " to his destruction." His end, in this view, is
worthy of notice. He went with Jehoram, the son of
Ahab, to fight against Hazael, king of Syria. Being
wounded in the battle, he went to Jezreel, to be
healed of his wounds. Whilst he was there, on a
visit to Jehoram, king of Israel, he went forth with
Jehoram to inquire into the reason of the apparently
hostile approach of Jehu : and finding Jehu too
powerful for him, and his friend the king of Israel
slain by him, he fled to Samaria, and hid himself
there : but, being found, he was taken, and brought
to Jehu, and put to death. And all this was ordered
of the Lord, as we are expressly told : " The de
struction of Ahaziah was of God, by coming to
Joram 6 ." In like manner will every one find, that
in " contemning God s counsel," he only ensures his
own destruction f .
In two ways will a compliance with evil counsel
operate to a man s destruction :
] . By the habits which it will induce
[A person, in yielding to evil counsel, thinks perhaps, that
he will only follow it on a particular occasion, or to a given
extent. But who shall say where a man on a precipitous
e ver. 5 9. f Ps. cvii. 11.
144 2 CHRONICLES, XXII. 3, 1, [412.
descent shall stop? Perhaps the advice given was only to
avoid singularity; and, for this end, to avoid the ministry of
those who might awaken his conscience, or the society of those
who might lead him to God. By following this advice, he is
kept from attaining a principle of true piety, which alone can
preserve him from any evil. He loves not the word of God ;
and therefore he employs his leisure in some foolish vanity:
he has no pleasure in communion with God; and therefore he
associates with those who are like-minded with himself: he
affects not heaven ; and therefore is satisfied with the things of
time and sense.
It may be, that he is never particularly tempted to the
commission of any flagrant evil ; and therefore he goes on
respectably in the eyes of the world ; but without any real
delight in God, or any serious preparation for eternity : but
if he be tried by any violent temptation, he is carried away,
like the dust before the wind, and falls a prey to his great
enemy. Behold the gambler, the adulterer, the duellist! each,
in his calling, was deemed a man of worth, till, by his want of
principle, he was betrayed into the evils by which he fell. But
had he, in the first instance, listened, not to the counsels of
ungodly men, but to the voice of God in his word, he had
escaped the snares which were laid for his feet, and avoided
the destruction that has come upon his soul. Nor is it into
occasional sin only that men are drawn by a want of religious
principle, but frequently into a contempt for all religion ; as
the Psalmist intimates, when, in a triple climax, he describes
a man, first " walking (transiently) in the counsel of the ungodly
(who have no vital piety) ; then standing in the way of sinners;
and, at last, sitting in the seat of the scornful^"]
2. By the judgments which it will entail
[Men may promise us impunity in the ways of sin : but
it shall be found, at last, " whose words shall stand, theirs or
God s 11 ." God has said, " Evil shall hunt the wicked man, to
overthrow him 1 ." The hunted deer thinks himself at a distance
from any enemy, and that he has no ground for fear : but his
step has left a scent behind him; and that, once found, is
traced with fatal precision, till he is overtaken, and destroyed.
So the judgments of God, at whatever distance they may be
thought to be, follow the sinner, till at last " his sin finds him
out k ," and brings down the wrath of an offended God upon
him. In vain may he " make a covenant with death and hell :
his covenant with death shall be disannulled; and his agreement
with hell shall not stand: when the overflowing scourge shall
K Ps. i. 1. h Jer. xliv. 28.
! Ps. cxl. 11. k Numb, xxxii. 23.
412. J THE DANGER OF FOLLOWING EVIL COUNSEL. 145
pass through, he shall be trodden down by it 1 :" yea, " though
hand join in hand," and there be a confederacy of the whole
universe for his protection, " he shall not be unpunished."
" Let no man deceive himself: God is not mocked; nor will
be : for whatsoever any man soweth, that shall he also reap :
he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption :
and he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life
everlasting n ."]
ADDRESS,
1. Those who are exerting their influence against
the Lord
[Who has not, at one time or other, been guilty of this
sin ? Who has not either derided serious piety himself, or
forborne to vindicate it when derided by others, and thus
sanctioned, by silence at least, the counsel of the ungodly?
We may think lightly of this evil: but the rebuke given to
Peter, when, from a love to his Master, he would have dis
suaded him from suffering, shews clearly enough the light in
which our conduct has been viewed by Almighty God. In
every such act we have taken part with the devil, and done
his work : and we may well expect to hear from him that in
dignant reproof, " Get thee behind me, Satan ; thou art an
offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of
God, but those that be of men." Consider, then, I pray you,
Brethren, what you are doing, when you " counsel any one to
do wickedly," or to refrain from obeying any command of
God : you " cast a stumbling-block before your brother, and
destroy a soul for whom Christ died ." You also bring the
deepest guilt upon your own soul ; and will have the blood of
those, whom you have ruined, required at your hands. Re
flect a moment on the state to which both you and those who
have followed your advice will soon be reduced. It is said
that the wicked will be " bound in bundles, and cast into the
fire p ." By this I understand, that they who have encouraged
each other in sin will be so brought into contact with each
other in the eternal world, as to increase each other s torment
to all eternity by their mutual recriminations. The mother
will then execrate the folly that her son committed in listening
to her counsels, in opposition to the word of God ; whilst the
son will cast the most bitter reflections on her, for so abusing
her influence to the ruin of his soul. Let these considerations
be laid to heart by those who imagine that they are only ex
ercising love: for verily it is such a love as Satan himself
1 Isai. xxviii. 18. m Prov. xi. 21. " Gal. vi. 7, 8.
Rom. xiv. 15. P Matt. xiii. 30.
VOL. IV. L
146 2 CHRONICLES, XXIV. 2. [413.
approves; and such a love as all, who either exercise it or
obey it, will bitterly bewail.]
2. Those who yield to influence so exerted
[Do not imagine, that, in guarding you against a compli
ance with the counsels of a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend, I
would willingly interrupt the harmony of the domestic circle,
and still less that I would lessen in your eyes the obligations
of parental authority. No : in every thing that is not contrary
to God s commands, parental authority ought to be regarded
with the deepest veneration, and obeyed with the greatest
readiness. To honour our parents is " the first command
with promise:" and the blessing of God will always come on
those who duly respect it. But there is an authority para
mount to that of any creature; and our blessed Lord has
expressly told us that no creature under heaven must be put
in competition with him: " He that lovcth father or mother,
or son or daughter, more than me, is not worthy of me q ." It
will be no excuse that you have yielded either to the endear
ments or authority of love, if, in so doing, you have violated
any command of God, or withheld from him any service which
you might have rendered. Let it be granted, that, in with
standing the solicitations of your friends, you grieve and offend
them: is it not better than to grieve and offend your God?
Or, if by means of it you suffer the loss of an earthly inhe
ritance, is not that a better alternative than to lose your
own soul? for, "what shall a man take in exchange for his
soul?" Learn, then, Beloved, to regard, in the first place, the
commands of God. Learn to seek, above all things, his fa
vour ; for " in his favour is life;" and " his loving-kindness is
better than life itself." If the advice given you be good, you
will do well to follow it, as Timothy did that of his grand
mother Lois, and his mother Eunice 1 ":" but if it be evil, " We
ought to obey God rather than men s ," must be the principle
to which you must inviolably adhere.]
<* Matt. x. 37. r 2 Tim. i. 5. s Acts v. 29.
CCCCXIII.
THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOASH.
2 Chron. xxiv. 2. And Joask did that ivhich was right in the
sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
IN order to display more fully his own truth and
faithfulness, God often permits events to arise, which
seem to render the accomplishment of his promises
41 3. ] THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOASH. 147
almost, if not altogether, hopeless. This was par
ticularly visible in his conduct towards the posterity
of Abraham in Egypt, in that he forbore to rescue
them from their captivity, till the period assigned
for their deliverance was brought to the very last
hour. We behold a striking interposition also in
behalf of the descendants of David, to whom God
had promised, that his seed should continue to sit
upon the throne of Judah. More than once had
they been in imminent danger of utter excision a ,
before Athaliah usurped the throne : and she was
bent upon destroying them all b : but God would not
suffer his promise to fail . It should seem that
Joash, the youngest son of Ahaziah, was actually with
his brethren when they all were slain, and by some
means, being only an infant, was hid amongst them,
so as to escape the general slaughter. From that
state he was rescued by his aunt, and was hid, toge
ther with his nurse, in a bed-chamber d , till he was
seven years old : at which time Jehoiada the priest,
who had married his aunt, put to death the usurper,
and established Joash on his father s throne.
One might have hoped, that a person so signally
preserved, should, like Moses, have proved a great
blessing to his age and nation : but, hopeful as his
beginnings were, his reign was evil, and his end
calamitous.
We propose,
I. To take a brief view of his history
A sudden and total change having taken place in
his conduct about the middle of his reign, it will be
proper to consider his history,
1. During the life of Jehoiada
[At first, as might be expected, he was under the entire
management of Jehoiada, who was his instructor, and acted
towards him as a father 6 . But it was not only during his mino
rity that he was thus observant of Jehoiada, but for many years
a 2 Chron. xxi. 4. and xxii. 1. h 2 Chron. xxii. 10.
c 2 Chron. xxi. 7. d 2 Kings xi. 2.
e 2 Kings xii. 1. with 2 Chron. xxiv. 22.
T O
148 2 CHRONICLES, XXIV. a. [413.
after he had attained to manhood, even as long as Jehoiada him
self lived. Now in this we admire his humility ; for he was a
king, possessed of arbitrary power ; and yet, because he was
convinced of the skill, the integrity, and the piety of his in
structor, he still continued to consult him on all occasions,
and to follow his advice without reserve. In this conduct
also he evinced his wisdom ; in that he preferred the sage
advice of an experienced counsellor, before the less matured
dictates of his own mind, or the judgment of sycophants around
his throne. Even piety itself seems to have possessed his
mind at this period : for when he saw to what a dilapidated
state the temple was reduced by the impious rage of Athalialr,
he set himself to repair it ; and even reproved Jehoiada him
self, and all the Levites, for their tardiness in executing this
important work g .
Who from such beginnings would not augur well of the re
mainder of his reign? From such a view of him we are ready
to say, O that our princes, our nobility, our youth of every
rank, were thus observant of pious instructors, thus intent on
" doing what was right in the sight of the Lord!" ]
But our views of Joash will be greatly changed, if
we consider his history
2. After Jehoiada s decease
[Instantly did a mighty change appear in him. Having
lost his pious counsellor, he began to listen to the advice of
young unprincipled sycophants 11 . O what a misfortune is it
to any man to connect himself with ungodly associates ! How
many are there, who, whilst under the care of pious parents or
godly instructors, have promised well, who yet, by means of
ungodly companions, have been drawn from every good way,
and been led to disappoint all the hopes that have been formed
concerning them! We cannot too earnestly caution all against
the influence of bad advice, by whomsoever it be given, even
though it be by their nearest friends or relatives 1 . Every
counsel must be tried by the unerring word of God ; and to
those who would lead us in opposition to that, our answer
must invariably be, " Whether it be right to hearken unto you
more than unto God, judge ye."
Released, as it were, from the restraints of ma?i, he soon
cast off all lear of God, and abandoned his temple and service
for the service of groves and idols k . Nor, when God sent
him prophets to testify against his evil ways, would he regard
them at all : yea, when Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada himself,
was sent to him, instead of attending to his admonitions, he
f vcr. 7. p vcr. 5, 6. h ver. 17.
5 2 Chron. xxii. 3, 4. k ver. 18.
413.] THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOASII. 149
gave commandment to the people to stone him to death ;
which commandment they executed, even in the court of the
temple itself.
To what excesses will not men run, \vhen once they give ear
to ungodly counsellors, and knowingly violate all the dictates
of their own conscience ! It not unfrequently happens, that
backsliders and apostates become the bitterest persecutors ;
and that they who " walk in the counsel of the ungodly 9 soon
learn to stand in the way of sinners, and come at last to sit in
the seat of the scornful 1 . "
We wonder not at the melancholy end to which these trans
gressions brought him. Within the short space of a year was
he, notwithstanding " his very great host," subdued by " a
small company of Syrians," who destroyed all the princes, his
advisers, and sent the spoil of the city and temple to Damas
cus" 1 : and Joash himself, being seized with multiplied disorders,
was assassinated in his bed by two of his own servants". Un
happy man ! yet more unhappy still, if we contemplate the
fearful state to which he was driven from the presence of his
offended God. But such is the end which, if not in this world,
certainly in the world to come, awaits those who " leave off to
behave themselves wisely," and " turn from the holy command
ment delivered to them."]
Let us, from this brief view of his history, proceed,
II. To make some reflections on his character
From his character in its commencement, we observe,
How great is the beneft of a pious education !
[From what appeared in his latter days, \ve may judge
what he would have been, if he had been left to himself in
early life. What pernicious habits would he have contracted,
and what multiplied evils would he have perpetrated ! Instead of
doing for several years " what was right in the sight of the
Lord," it is probable that he would have " done evil from his
youth." To be restrained from such enormities, was a mercy
both to himself and to the whole nation. That he turned this
blessing afterwards to a curse, is deeply to be lamented ; though
the proper tendency of a pious education is not a whit the less
apparent. Let all be thankful for the advice given them, and
the restraints imposed upon them in early life. Little do any
of us know to what an extent of wickedness we might have been
carried, if those admonitions or corrections, which were once
irksome and painful to us, had not been administered. Indeed
the more irksome such restraints appear to us, the more
reason w r e have to be thankful for them ; since the very im-
1 Ps. i. 1. m vcr. 23, 24. " ver. 25.
150 2 CHRONICLES, XXIV. 2. [413.
patience which we feel, demonstrates clearly our need of them.
An aversion to them argues a disposition that is hateful and
ruinous : and those who, from an undue tenderness, neglect
to reprove their children, lay up sorrow for themselves, as well
as for the objects of their ill-judged lenity p . Let parents con
sider, that they are accountable to God for the authority
vested in them, and for the talents committed to their care:
and let them remember, that if it is not always found that " a
child trained in the way he should go will not in more ad
vanced life depart from it," yet it is generally true; and that
such a promise affords ample encouragement for their most
strenuous exertions.]
From his character toward the close of life, we
observe, How awful is the slate of those, who, after
hopeful beginnings, turn aside from the paths of piety
and virtue !
[In one view, it is a blessing to have been kept from evil
for a time ; but in another view, the instructions that have
been given us, the convictions we have felt, and the obedience
we have rendered to the voice of God, will serve but to aggra
vate the guilt of our subsequent misconduct, and to bring upon
us an accumulated weight of misery. As the instructions given
by our Lord to the Jews served only to enhance their guilt,
and render their state in the future world " less tolerable
than that of Sodom and Gomorrha," so all our advantages,
professions, and attainments, will, if renounced, make " our
latter end worse than our beginning : for it were better never
to have known the way of righteousness, than after we have
know r n it to depart from it q ." Whilst this thought primarily
applies to those w r ho, like Joash, have burst through the
restraints of education, it speaks powerfully to those who have
turned back from a religious course, and relapsed into a state
of worldliness and sin. To what they will come at last, God
alone knows : but the downward road is very precipitous ; and
they who provoke the Holy Spirit to depart from them, will
most probably go on from bad to worse ; till, having filled up
the measure of their iniquities, they be made distinguished
monuments of God s righteous indignation.]
From his whole history in a collective view, we ob
serve, How necessary divine grace is to produce any
radical change of heart and life !
[Education may change the exterior conduct, but the
Prov. xii. 1. and xv. 5, 10, 31, 32. P Prov. xxix. 15.
( i 2 Pet. ii. 20, 21.
414.] RE-OPENING OF THE TEMPLE BY JEHOASH. 151
heart will remain the same : and when the restraints that
operated at first are removed, the dispositions of the mind will
break forth into outward act. The lamp which is not supplied
with oil, will go out at last ; and, not uncommonly, the restraint
which obstructed the stream of nature for a while, will, like a
dam broke down, give occasion for the greater and more fatal
inundation. Nothing but the grace of God can convert the
soul: and every change, short of true conversion, will but
deceive us to our eternal ruin. The redeeming love of Christ
must be felt in the soul : nothing but that will have a con
straining efficacy to renew and sanctify us after the divine
image. Whatever therefore any may have done in compliance
with the advice of others, know, that we must have a principle
of life within ourselves, and " be renewed in the spirit of our
minds," and be " new creatures in Christ Jesus:" " Old things
must pass away, and all things become new." Nothing but
this change will prove effectual for a consistent walk ; nor
without this can we ever behold the face of God in peace.]
ADDRESS,
1. Those to whom the care of young persons is
intrusted
[Whether you are parents, or instructors only, be not dis
couraged because you see not all the fruit that you could
wish : but continue to sow in hope ; for you know not which
attempt shall prosper, or when the Angel at Bethesda s pool
shall make your labours of love effectual.]
2. Those who are yet under the authority or in
struction of others
[Do not think hardly of the restraints imposed upon you :
they are all salutary, and intended for your good ; and the day
is coming when you will see reason to bless your God for
those very things which are now irksome to you. Your
advancement in all that is good is the richest recompence your
instructors can receive : and, in repaying them, you will greatly
enrich yourselves.]
CCCCXIV.
THE RE-OPENING OF THE TEMPLE BY KING JEHOASH.
2 Chron. xxiv. 14. And they offered burnt-offerings in the house
of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.
THE temple of God, which " had been broken up"
and " made desolate" by the sons of Athaliah, was
15J3 2 CHRONICLES, XXIV. 14. [414.
now repaired and opened by King Jehoash. Long
had he laboured to attain this object : but the
priests and Levites were averse to it, insomuch that
for three-and-twenty years he was unable to accom
plish this desired measure a . At last he reproved
even Jehoiada himself, his relative, his preceptor,
and the very man to whom, under God, he owed
both his life and his crown ; yes, even him and all
the priests that were under him did this young king
reprove, for being intent only on their own interests,
whilst they utterly neglected the house of God b . As
for the priests, they would have waved their own
gains, if only they might be excused the trouble of
advancing the honour of their God c . But Jehoiada
devised an expedient, which, whilst it relieved the
priests from a part of their burthens, gave to the
people generally an opportunity of shewing what
their wishes were in relation to this matter. He
made " a chest, with a hole in the lid ;" and put it
beside the altar, to receive the gifts which should be
voluntarily contributed for the furtherance of this
good work d : and God so wrought on the hearts of
the people, that a sufficiency was soon obtained ; so
that the temple being repaired, they could resume
with comfort the worship of their God e .
In my text there are two things to be noticed :
I. The reformation made
Of course, the temple being desolated, the service
of it would be neglected. Now, therefore, when the
repairs of the temple were completed, the service of
it was resumed.
Of all the sacrifices that were presented to God,
those of burnt-offerings were the most ancient and
dignified
[This was the offering which procured for Abel such a
manifest token of God s approbation and acceptance f . And
whereas it is said that "Abel offered it by faith"," it seems
a 2 Kings xii. 6. b 2 Kings xii. 7. c 2 Kings xii. 8.
d 2 Kings xii. 9. e 2 Chron. xxiv. 11 13.
f Gen. iv. 4, 5. e Heb. xi. 4.
414.1 RE-OPENING OF THE TEMPLE BY JEHOASH. 153
that it must have been of divine appointment ; and most pro
bably was appointed immediately after the Fall, when beasts
were slain, and our first parents were clothed with their
skins h . Under the Mosaic economy, they were offered every
morning and every evening throughout the year ; and on the
Sabbath-day they were doubled: and, being entirely consumed
upon the altar, they were peculiarly fitted to represent the
desert of men on account of sin, and the sufferings of Christ
in their behalf.
Consider them in this point of view. Behold a spotless victim
slain, and his body consumed upon the altar, as a sacrifice for
the sins of men ! methinks, the offerer could not but see that
death was his deserved portion, even the second death in
the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. At the same
time, viewing this sacrifice as a typical representation of the
Lord Jesus, what an idea does it convey of his sufferings
under the curse due to sin, even the wrath of an avenging
God ! Surely it was a most instructive ordinance : and, being
repeated " continually," the people enjoyed the full benefit of
the Mosaic dispensation, and God was glorified in the midst
of them.]
Amongst you, also, the same sacrifice is now re
newed
[The Jews possessed the shadow; but you enjoy the sub
stance. In the Gospel that is ministered unto you the same
truths are held forth, but with infinitely clearer evidence, and
more consoling power. You are told that you deserve the
wrath of God, not by a mere shadowy exhibition, but by a
faithful statement of your sins, and an explicit declaration of
God s threatened vengeance against you. You are informed,
also, that there is mercy for you through the intervention of a
Saviour, who has offered himself a sacrifice for your sins : but
you have not to see this held forth under the image of a slain
beast : you are instructed, that the Son of the living God
himself has become incarnate : that, having approved himself
spotless, and been acknowledged to be so even by his most
inveterate enemies, he offered himself a sacrifice to God of a
sweet-smelling savour, and has been accepted in your behalf;
so that all who believe in him may henceforth be justified from
all things. These two great doctrines, of your own personal
desert of punishment, and of your redemption through Christ,
are " continually" set before you. Whatever be the immediate
subject of discourse, these are either taken for granted as ac
knowledged truths, or are rendered prominent, as the occasion
may require. These truths every minister of our Church is
h Gen. iii. 21.
154 2 CHRONICLES, XXIV. 11. [414.
bound to make the " continual 11 subjects of his ministration:
and I thank God, that, from the first moment that I ever
ministered among you, " I determined to know no other 1 !"]
But, if we rejoice at the reformation made, our joy
is damped by what is spoken of,
II. The term of its continuance-
It was only " during the days of Jehoiada" that
this reformation continued
[King Jehoash had, from his infancy, been instructed by
Jehoiada ; and during the life of that aged priest he was kept
steadfast in the ways of God k . But no sooner was that pious
monitor removed, than Jehoash listened to the voice of evil
counsellors, deserted the worship of his God, and abandoned
himself to idolatry 1 ; yea, and slew the very son of Jehoiada,
whom God had sent to remonstrate with him and reclaim him" 1 .
What an awful picture does this give us of human nature !
But, in every age, man has shewn himself prone to depart from
the living God. Moses warned the Israelites, that, after his
departure, they would, notwithstanding all the wonders that
had been wrought for them, forsake the Lord". Even St. Paul
himself, whose ministrations were so powerful, foresaw that,
after his removal, the good work which he had begun amongst
the Ephesian elders would be greatly impeded, and that many
among them, who had run well for a season, would be hindered
in their way, and be turned at last from the faith which they
had professed: " I know this," says he, " that after my depart
ing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the
flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking per
verse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore
WATCH : and remember, that by the space of three years I
ceased not to warn every one, night and day, with tears ."]
And who shall say how long the work that has
been begun amongst you shall continue ?
[It is not three, but three and forty, years, that I have
had the happiness of watching over you, and of endeavouring,
according to the grace given me, to advance your spiritual
welfare p . But I tremble to think how soon the instructions
now given you may be forgotten, and the hopeful appearances
among you may vanish. But, as St. Peter says, " I will not
be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things, though
ye know them, and be established in the present truth : yea,
j 1 Cor. ii. 2. k 2 Kings xii. 2. ] ver. 17, 18.
m ver. 20 22. n Deut. xxxi. 27, 29. Acts xx. 29 31.
i Preached in Sept. 1825.
415.] CONFLICT BETWEEN DUTY AND INTEREST. 155
I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you
up, by putting you in remembrance ; knowing that shortly I
must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus
Christ hath shewed me. Moreover, / will endeavour that you
may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in
remembrance^"
Know, then, that ye are sinners, deserving of the wrath of
God But know, that " God has laid help for you upon
one that is mighty $" and that, through the sacrifice which
Christ has offered for you on the cross, every one of you may
obtain both pardon and peace -Yes, the Lord Jesus
Christ is both " able and willing to save to the uttermost all
that come unto God by him;" and, "of those who come to
him, not so much as one shall ever be cast out"- O,
treasure up these truths in your hearts; for " they are your
very life r ." Without the knowledge of them you never can
be saved : and with the experimental knowledge of them in
your souls you can never perish. Seek, then, to realize them
more and more in your secret chamber; that, whether he
who now ministers them unto you be alive or not, you may
have the comfort of them in your own souls, and find them,
as ye most assuredly shall, " the power of God to your ever
lasting salvation 8 ."]
<i 2 Pet. i. 12 15. r Dent, xxxii. 46, 47.
s 1 Cor. xv. 2. Rom. i. 1C.
ccccxv.
AMAZIAH S CONFLICT BETWEEN DUTY AND INTEREST.
2 Chron. xxv. 9. And Amaziali said to the man of God, But
what shall tve do for llie hundred talents which 1 have given
to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The
Lord is able to give thee much more than this.
IT is humiliating to reflect., that more attention
was often paid to the messengers of the Most High
by ungodly men under the Jewish dispensation, than
is generally paid to them even by the godly in the
present day. At one time we read of a whole army
stopped and disbanded by one single declaration of
a prophet a . At another time, a great national re
formation was effected by the very same means b .
In like manner, when Amaziah king of Judah was
a 1 Kings xii. 21 24. b 2 Chron. xv. 8 15.
156 2 CHRONICLES, XXV. 9. [415.
going with an army of four hundred thousand men
against the Edomites, one word from a man of God
prevailed on him to dismiss one fourth of their num
ber, because, as being idolaters, they were under
the displeasure of the Most High. He was indeed
concerned about the subsidy which he had paid them
for their assistance : but that only serves to shew
more strongly what implicit obedience he was dis
posed to pay to the commands of God, when he
could so easily be induced to sacrifice his temporal
interests, and to release from their obligations so
large a portion of his army. The difficulty however
which he started, and the solution of that difficulty
by the prophet, deserve particular attention. Let us
consider,
I. The difficulty started-
Amaziah had hired one hundred thousand Israel
ites as auxiliaries in this war, and had paid the
money for their equipment ; and, when he was re
quired to discharge them, he naturally concluded
that he should lose all that he had advanced. Hence
he expressed to the prophet the difficulty that was in
his mind. Now,
This is a common difficulty in the minds of men
[Circumstances of necessity will sometimes arise, where
duty and interest appear to clash with each other. Sometimes
they actually exist, as in the instance before us ; and sometimes
they are only apprehended as likely to exist. It sometimes
happens that a person has been placed by his parents in a line
of business where he cannot get a livelihood without continually
violating the laws of the land and the dictates of his conscience.
What is to be done in such a case ? His property is embarked;
and cannot be disposed of without a considerable loss. And
shall that be done ? Shall such a sacrifice be made to God ?
It is desirable indeed to maintain a conscience void of offence ;
but is it to be done at such an expense ?
It sometimes happens also that a person is educated for the
ministry, with certain expectation of preferment : but when the
time for his ordination arrives, he finds no disposition for the
holy employment, no real determination to give himself wholly
to the service of the sanctuary. What then shall he do ? To go
to God with a lie in his right hand, and profess that he is moved
by the Holy Ghost to take on himself that sacred function, when
415.1 CONFLICT BETWEEN DUTY AND INTEREST. 157
he is moved only by the temporal advantages annexed to it, is very
painful : and to contract a responsibility for the souls of hundreds
and of thousands, when he has scarcely any concern about his
own, appears to him a very dangerous step. But what must
be done ? He has been educated for it : he finds it difficult to
turn to any other line : and, above all, the provision designed
for him will be lost : and how can these difficulties be sur
mounted?
When the evils are in prospect only, their operation is ex
actly the same. One man feels that it is his duty to become a
faithful follower of Christ. But his parents will be offended ;
his friends will be alienated : his prospects in life will be de
stroyed: and how can he endure to make such sacrifices as
these ? A few pence he would readily lose ; but the loss of so
many talents would be ruinous ; and he knows not how to
combat evils of such magnitude as this.]
But the difficulty referred to would be no difficulty,
if only we viewed things in their true light
[If we should suppose an angel sent down to sojourn for a
time on earth, would he find any hesitation whether to prefer
his interest or his duty ? Nor did the Apostle Paul hesitate
even when life itself was at stake : " I am ready," says he, " not
only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Lord s
sake." Nor should we find any difficulty if we formed a proper
estimate of things around us. Should we regard our temporal
interests, if we reflected on the extreme emptiness and vanity
of every thing here below ? Should we hesitate in our choice
of evils, if we considered the impossibility of ever being ac
knowledged by Christ, without forsaking all, even life itself, for
him ? Above all, would we suffer the whole world to stand in
competition with Christ, if we considered what wonderful things
he has done and suffered for us ? - Verily, the loss of all
things compared with the loss of his favour, would be only as
a feather in a scale against a talent of lead ; and, like Paul, we
should " count all things but loss, that we might win Christ;"
and instead of repining at the injuries sustained, should regard
them rather as grounds of mutual congratulation ; saying with
St. Paul, " If I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of
your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all : for the same cause
also do ye joy and rejoice with me c ."]
But we cannot suggest a better view of this matter
than that which is contained in our text ; in which
we have,
II. The difficulty solved-
Phil. ii. 17, 18.
158 2 CHRONICLES, XXV. 9.
We are contented that men should lean to the side
of interest, if only they will consider wherein their
true interest consists. If God cannot do more for
them than the world can, let them seek the world ;
or, if he cannot compensate all that they can lose or
suffer for him, let them seek the world. But we
fear not to say, whatever he the sacrifice which they
make for him, " The Lord is able to give thee much
more than this ;"
1. In this world-
fit is a certain truth, that God does often recompense the
services or sufferings of his people even with worldly pro
sperity: " Godliness hath in this respect the promise of the
life that now is, as well as of that which is to come d ." This
very consideration is urged by God himself as a motive to
charity 6 : and our text suggests it as an argument for sub
mitting cheerfully to losses in the path of duty. And it is
curious to observe, that the loss sustained by Amaziah in
obedience to God s command, was not only recompensed by
present victory, but was restored in a three-fold proportion to
his grandson Jotliam ; the same sum being paid to him for
three successive years by the Ammonites, which Amaziah his
grandfather sacrificed to the Lord on this occasion f . But it is
not three, or thirty-fold that we are to expect, but " an
hundred-fold" of whatever we sacrifice for the Lord g : and is
not this an ample compensation?
It is true, the Israelites whom he dismissed on this occasion
did him great injury in their return home h : and this might
almost seem to contradict the promise; in our text : but we
apprehend that this very circumstance was permitted by God,
on purpose to shew Amaziah how great a ruin he had been
delivered from ; since these Israelites were not hearty in his
cause, and would have turned against him when once they saw
the Edomites prevail, and would thus have utterly completed
his destruction. Other reasons might be assigned for this
dispensation : it might be supposed to be a punishment on
Amaziah for hesitating to obey the divine mandate, and for
placing his interest in competition with his duty : or it might
be intended to guard him against the idolatry into which he
was about to fall, by suffering the most idolatrous part of his
own dominions to participate in the judgments inflicted on the
d 1 Tim. iv. 8. e Prov. iii. 9, 10.
f ver. 11. with 2 Chron. xxvii. 5. B Mark x. 29, 30.
h ver. 13.
415.] CONFLICT BETWEEN DUTY ANI> INTEREST. 159
Edomites. But we apprehend, that the reason first assigned,
is that which was more immediately in the mind of God, when
he permitted so dark and mysterious a judgment to fall on
one who was obedient to his command, yea to arise, as it
were, out of that very obedience.
But, waving all consideration of temporal recompence, God
can infinitely more than counterbalance all temporal losses by
the richer effusion of his Spirit on the soul. If he suffer us to
be deprived of earthly wealth, are we any losers, if he commu
nicate to us a proportionable increase of spiritual riches ?
Cannot he, by the consolations of his Spirit, raise us far above
all temporal distresses, and, by opening a prospect beyond the
grave, make us to rejoice and glory in all the sufferings that
can be inflicted on us here? Behold the Apostle Paul, how
he " took pleasure in infirmities, and reproaches, and neces
sities, and persecutions, and distresses, for Christ s sake,"
because they tended to his spiritual welfare 1 : and others,
his companions, " took joyfully the spoiling of their goods,
knowing that they had in heaven a better and an enduring
substance k ." Thus may we expect it to be with us in this
world : "if our afflictions abound, so shall also our consolation
abound by Christ ; " and the very sense of having sought the
glory of God will make every pain a pleasure, and every loss
a gain.]
2. In the world to Corne
ll " If we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him : "
and who can declare the full import of that promise? Truly,
the reward that awaits the faithful followers of Christ here
after, no words can express, no imagination can conceive. It
will be in vain to attempt any description of the glory and
felicity of heaven : but I will ask, Whether one single plaudit
from our Judge will not overbalance all that we can either do
or suffer in a hundred years ? How indignant shall we be in
that day, to think that we permitted the things of time and
sense to warp our judgment, or embarrass our practice! One
glimpse of the Saviour s glory will repay whole years of
trouble : and no sooner shall we be received into his bosom, than
we shall adore him for every trial that weaned us from the
world, and for every loss that facilitated our progress towards
the heavenly kingdom. Let us only take eternity into our
estimate, and we shall instantly say with the Apostle, " I
reckon (I compute) that the sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed
in us 1 ."]
4 2 Cor. xii. 10. k Heb. x. 34. ] Rom. viii. 18.
160 2 CHRONICLES, XXV. 16. [416.
ADDRESS,
1. Those who are yet undecided in the course
they shall take
[Strongly as we have condemned the conduct of Amaziah
for hesitating between the calls of interest and of duty, we yet
will venture to propose him as an example, changing only
the object of your concern. Are you tempted to violate a duty,
or to draw back from suffering, ask yourselves immediately,
1 But what shall I do for the favour of my God ? what shall I
do for the peace of my conscience ? what shall I do for the sal
vation of my soul? How can I bear the loss of all these? Let,
I say, your hesitation be on this side : let the consideration of
your eternal interests rise in your mind as instinctively and
forcibly, as that of temporal interests does in the mind of a
worldling : and then we shall have no fear but that your obe
dience to God s word will be prompt, uniform, and unreserved.
You will " buy the truth" at any price, " and never sell it"
for a thousand worlds.]
2. Those who have been enabled to give up all for
Christ-
[Whatever you may have lost or suffered, have you ever
for a moment repented of the sacrifices you have made ? No :
if your hearts are right with God, you will feel yourselves
indebted to God in proportion to the losses you have sustained
for him ; seeing that the privilege of suffering for him is an
inestimable gift, and the highest honour that can be con
ferred upon a child of man". Go on then, Beloved, "strong
in the Lord, and in the power of his might:" and let it
be seen in you, that " a man s life consisteth not in the
abundance of the things that he possesseth," but that " in God s
favour is life ;" and that, with " his love shed abroad in your
heart," " though you have nothing, you are yet possessing all
things ."]
m Phil. i. 29. n Acts v. 41. 1 Pet. iv. 1214.
2 Cor. vi. 10.
CCCCXVI.
THE SIN AND DANGER OF DESPISING GOD S COUNSEL.
2 Chron. xxv. 16. And it came to pass, as he talked with
him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king s
counsel? forbear; u liy shouldest thou be smitten? Then the
prophet forbare, and said, 1 know that God hath determined
416.1 DANGER OF DESPISING GOD s COUNSEL. 1G1
to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not
hearkened to my counsel.
WHEREVER " the heart is not perfect with
God/ a compliance with the divine will may be oc
casional and partial, but it never can be uniform and
unreserved : when circumstances occur that require
the sacrifice of a bosom lust, the heart will rise
against the commandment, and trample under foot
the authority of God himself. Herod would comply
in some things with the injunctions of John the
Baptist, but, when a separation from Herodias was
insisted on, he broke through all the restraints of
conscience, and inflicted death on his monitor as the
penalty of his fidelity. Not unlike to Herod was
King Amaziah ; who obeyed the voice of a prophet
requiring him to dismiss his hired troops, and to rely
on God to compensate his loss, but was filled with
indignation against one who expostulated with him
on the subject of his idolatry. It should seem, that
in proportion as a man is degraded in his own eyes
by the conduct reproved, he will, if not truly peni
tent, swell with resentment against the person that
undertakes to reprove him. The hiring of troops to
augment his army appeared a prudent and com
mendable measure : but to take for his gods those
worthless idols, over whom he himself had prevailed,
was folly in the extreme. Hence, when reproved for
it, he burst forth into a rage, and quickly terminated
his conference with the inspired messenger.
From hence we shall take occasion to shew
I. What is the conduct of the generality in reference
to the counsels of God-
God still, as formerly, sends his servants to testify
against prevailing iniquities ; and still, as heretofore,
are his messages rejected. In Amaziah we see a
striking picture of rebellious man
[Nothing could be more just than the reproof given him.
To renounce Jehovah, who had interposed so wonderfully in his
behalf, and to substitute in his place those idols which had not
been able to protect their own votaries, was an infatuation, of
which we should scarcely have conceived him capable. Yet
VOL. IV. M
162 2 CHRONICLES, XXV. 1G. [416.
behold how he resented the prophet s expostulation! He re
garded the admonition as an insult, and as an interference witfi
his royal prerogative ; as though God himself was not at liberty
to counsel him. He moreover menaced the prophet, with an
evident reference to Zechariah, whom for a similar offence his
father had put to death 3 . Thus he authoritatively silenced
the messenger of Heaven ; and determinately persisted in his
impious idolatry.]
No less reasonable than the expostulations made
with him, are those which in God s name we make
with you from time to time
[They principally relate to two points ; Your rejection of
God as the supreme good; and, your neglect of Christ as the
only Mediator betiveen God and man.
And is there not ground, abundant ground, for remonstrances
on these points ? Though Jehovah is acknowledged in words
as the true God, is he loved, and served, and honoured, as
God ? Do we give him our whole hearts, and " cast all our
idols to the moles and to the bats ?" Say whether " the lust
of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life" be not
in reality preferred before him, and whether we do not pro
voke him to jealousy by these, and other " idols which we set
up in our hearts?"- And though we confess Christ to be
the Saviour of the world, say whether we seek him, and rely
upon him, and plead his merits at the throne of grace, and
renounce with abhorrence all dependence on our own wisdom,
strength, or righteousness ? Alas ! it is manifest, that the
regard paid to him amongst us, is by no means what it ought
to be, and that all his love to us is repaid, for the most part, with
cold indifference and mere formal acknowledgments
We ask then, Whether, as servants of the Most High God,
we have not reason to complain, reprove, expostulate? and
whether our most earnest representations ought not to be taken
in good part ?]
Yet is our testimony, like that of the prophet, too
often rejected with disdain-
fin public indeed we are permitted to speak with some
degree of plainness : yet even there a faithful discharge of our
duty is sure to bring upon us no little measure of odium and
reproach. If we exhort, reprove, rebuke, with all authority,
as we are commanded to do, many, especially of the higher
ranks, will consider themselves as insulted ; and will either
endeavour to silence us, or, if unable to effect that, will with
draw from a minister that is so offensive to them. Their advice
a 2 Chron. xxiv. 20, 21.
416.] DANGER OF DESPISING GOD s COUNSEL. 163
to us is like that of the Jews of old ; " Prophesy not unto us
right things ; prophesy unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits ;
make the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us," or, at
least, do not set him before us in his real character b . And,
when they cannot prevail, they tell us plainly, if not in words,
yet more strongly in deed, " As for the word that thou hast
spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken
unto thee c ."
And what if we presume to speak to men in private ? What
indignation do we then excite! If there we should say to
them, " I have a message unto thee from the Lord ;" and
should then proceed to add, in reference to their contempt of
God as their chief good, " Wherefore do ye spend your money
for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which
satisfieth not d ?" and then, in reference to their contempt of
Christ as their Saviour, " How shall ye escape, if ye neglect
so great salvation 6 ?" \ve should soon find whether the spirit of
Amaziah does not prevail at this day, as much as ever. It is
worthy of observation, that those very persons who will take
the most indecent liberties with us, decrying to our face all
our views and conduct as the grossest absurdity, will not suffer
us to speak in ever so gentle terms to them against their views
and conduct : and, if we presume to bear a faithful testimony
against the iniquities that prevail around us, we are instantly
silenced by reproaches, and are cast out as the very pests of
society f ."]
That we may be the better able to appreciate such
conduct, we now proceed to shew,
II. In what light it is to be viewed
The world themselves uphold one another in this
conduct, as innocent at least, if not also highly
laudable : but, wheresoever it is found, it must be
regarded,
1. As a symptom of obduracy
[The prophet needed no other evidence than this to con
vince him, that Amaziah w r as a hardened sinner before God.
We do not say that every neglect of divine warnings argues the
same degree of obduracy; but, in proportion as such neglect
is wilful, deliberate, and persevering, it betrays a spirit of
rebellion, and a determined hostility against the God of heaven.
And here let us ask ourselves, whether we have not throughout
the course of our whole lives set God at defiance, neglecting
b Isai. xxx. 811. c Jer. xliv. 16. d Isai. Iv. 2.
e Heb. ii. 3. * See Jer. xxix. 2427.
164 2 CHRONICLES, XXV. 16. [416.
daily what we knew to be right, and practising habitually what
we knew to be contrary to the divine commands? Let each
of us enter into the secret recesses of his own heart, and say,
Whether his own will, rather than God s, have not been the
determining principle of all his actions, and whether self have
not been the rule, the measure, and the end even of those
things wherein he has professed to serve his God ? -
Verily, if to " tremble at God s word" be that which charac
terizes the first beginnings of grace in the soul, the state of
those who can live so carelessly in a wilful opposition to it
must be awful indeed.]
2. As a ground of dereliction
[God s secret " determination " to withdraw from Amaziah
all further communications of his grace, was justly inferred
from the measure of obduracy now visible in his conduct.
And though we cannot certainly dive into the secrets of the
Almighty, we may often form a very probable judgment re
specting them from what we see with our eyes. We know
how God has acted in former times, and how he has told us
that he will act: " My people would not hearken to my voice,
and Israel would none of me," says he; " so I gave them up
unto their own hearts lust p ." Repeatedly is the same awful
truth declared respecting the heathen world, notwithstanding
their sins were far less aggravated than those committed by
persons enjoying the light of revelation 11 . What then must
we expect, who dwell under the meridian light of his Gospel ?
Have not we reason to fear that he will say, " Ephraim is
joined to idols; let him alone 1 ?" Yes, indeed: " His Spirit will
not always strive with man k :" and if we continue to " rebel and
vex his Holy Spirit, he will turn to be our enemy, and fight
against us 1 ." If once we prevail to quench the motions of his
Spirit, our state will be awful beyond all expression : " Woe
to them," says God, "when I depart from them 111 !"]
3. As a prelude to destruction
[Trace the conduct of Amaziah from this moment, and
behold his end ! He would not listen to the counsels of God,
and he is instantly given over to other counsellors". He sends
a challenge to the king of Israel, who dissuades him from
entering into an unnecessary and destructive war. The parable
used on this occasion intimated to him his insufficiency to cope
with Israel, and the certain issue of so unequal a contest : but
" he would not hear ; for IT CAME OF GOD, that he might
g Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 12. h Rom. i. 24, 26, 28. * Hos. iv. 17.
k Gen. vi. 3. 1 Isai. Ixiii. 10. m Hos. ix. 12.
n ver. 17. ver. 18, 19.
416.] DANGER OF DESPISING GOD s COUNSEL. 165
deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought
after the gods of Edom?" To battle he went, and was defeated,
and taken ; and his capital became an easy prey to the con
queror, who plundered it of all its wealth, and broke down a
portion of the wall which had been erected for its defence q .
From that time he lost all the affection and confidence of his
subjects, who at last conspired against him ; and, when he
" had fled to Lachish for safety, sent after him and slew him
there." The whole of this is traced to God as its author, on
account of his impious rejection of the divine counsels 1 .
And what may not be expected by us also, if we " reject the
counsel of God against ourselves?" Surely we shall be left to
follow the infatuated devices of others, or of our own hearts,
till we bring upon ourselves the destruction we have merited.
Hear, how awfully this is declared by God himself: " If we
receive not the love of the truth that we may be saved, God
will send us a strong delusion, that we may believe a lie, and
finally be damned, because we believed not the truth, but had
pleasure in unrighteousness 8 ." And by us is tin s sentence
more especially to be expected, because of the many and
faithful warnings which we have despised; for " he that, being
often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed,
and that without remedy 1 ." The gathering of clouds does not
more certainly portend rain, than a contempt of God s messages
gives reason to expect his everlasting displeasure.]
LEARN then,
1. In what manner we should attend the ordinances
of religion
[We should " be doers of the word, and not hearers only,
if we would not deceive our own souls u "
2. What obligations we owe to God for his long-
suffering towards us
[Long has "he stood at the door of our hearts, knocking x ,"
and has been refused admission y - O let us bless his
name, that he has not yet given us over to judicial blindness,
and final impenitence 2 . Still has our Great Advocate, the
Lord Jesus Christ, interceded for us a ; and still does our " God
wait to be gracious unto us." O that " to-day, while it is
called to-day, we might hear the voice" that yet soundeth in
our ears, and that " the long-suffering of our God might lead
us to repentance 15 !"]
P ver. 20. 1 ver. 21 24. r ver. 27.
8 2 Thess. ii. 1012. l Prov. xxix. 1. u Jam. i. 2124.
x Rev. iii. 20. y Cant. v. 2, 3.
z Acts xxviii. 25 27. a Luke xiii. G 9. b Rom. ii. 4.
16G 2 CHRONICLES, XXVI. 5. [417.
CCCCXVII.
CONNEXION BETWEEN DILIGENCE AND PROSPERITY.
2 Chron. xxvi. 5. As long as he sought the Lord, God made
him to prosper.
THE dispensation under which the Jews lived
being of a temporal nature, their advancement in
respect of temporal prosperity was, for the most
part, proportioned to the regard which they, and
their rulers, shewed to God. The account given of
Uzziah may serve almost as a general history of
God s conduct towards them a : when he walked
humbly before God, " he was marvellously helped
till he was strong b :" but when, by his pride and dis
obedience, he had provoked God s heavy displeasure,
he was given over to " destruction." The dispensa
tion under which we live is altogether spiritual ; and
God observes the same rule of procedure towards us
in spiritual things, as he maintained towards them in
temporal things.
Respecting the prosperity of our souls the text
calls us to notice two things ;
I. Its dependence on God
[However diligent Uzziah was in seeking the Lord, it was
God, and God alone, that " made him to prosper." And what
ever means we may use, our advancement in the divine life must
be traced to the same source. Our first inclinations to good
originate with him. The continuance and increase of holy dis
positions is in like manner the effect of his grace. If he were
for one moment to suspend his communications, we should be as
incapable of bearing fruit to his glory, as a branch is when se
vered from the tree. Let it only be inquired wherein prospe
rity of soul consists ; and it will immediately appear, that he
must be the author of it in all its parts ]
II. Its connexion with our diligence
[The fruits of the earth are given us by God ; yet he be
stows his bounties on those only who use the proper means for
the attainment of them. So does he also require exertion on
a Lev. xxvi. 3 45. ver. 8, 15.
c A subjugation of our passions ; a victory over the world ; an
abiding sense and enjoyment of the divine presence.
418.J THE BAD EFFECTS OF PROSPERITY. 167
our part in order to our spiritual advancement. The means are
inseparably connected with the end: they are connected in
God s decree^ in the very nature of things and in the expe
rience of all the saints; and the more diligently we use the
means, the more will both " grace and peace be multiplied
unto us."]
From this SUBJECT we may derive matter,
1. For reproof
[How awfully does this reprove the careless sinner! for if
all our prosperity of soul be inseparably connected with dili
gence in the ways of God, it is obvious that they who neglect
the word of God and prayer must be in a perishing condition.
The backslider too must feel himself condemned by the fact
recorded in the text. It is plainly intimated that Uzziah,
through his remissness, experienced a sad reverse. And such
a reverse will all experience who relax their diligence in the
ways of God. Let us watch therefore against secret declen
sions: and, if we have already declined, let us " repent, and do
our first works 6 ," and "strengthen, by exertion, the dying
remnants" of grace within us f .]
2. For encouragement
[We cannot command success, either in temporal or spi
ritual pursuits; yet in both it is found true, that " the diligent
hand maketh rich." In some instances indeed God is found of
them that sought him not ; and persons may use the means of
grace without receiving any sensible increase of grace or peace.
Nevertheless this is not God s usual mode of proceeding ; nor
does he ever continue either to bless the indolent, or to with
hold his blessing from the diligent. He never will suffer any
to seek his face in vain g . Let this then encourage all to per
severe in the use of means, " knowing assuredly that their
labour shall not be in vain in the Lord."]
d Ezek. xxx vi. 37. Matt. vii. 7, 8. e Rev. ii. 4, 5.
f Rev. iii. 2. s Isai. xlv. 19.
CCCCXVIII.
THE BAD EFFECTS OF PROSPERITY.
2 Chron. xxvi. 15, 16. He was marvellously helped, till he ivas
strong. But ivhen he ivas strong, his heart was lifted up to
his destruction.
IT not unfrequently happens, that, after the most
promising appearances of abundance, the hopes of
1G8 2 CHRONICLES, XXVI. 15, 1(3. [418.
the harvestman are disappointed : some blast, or
some destructive insect cuts off the fruits ere they
arrive at maturity, so that " the mower fills not his
arms with them, neither he that bindeth up the
sheaves his bosom." Thus also it is too often found
in the moral and religious world : persons begin to
" run well, and continue for a season ; but are at last
hindered," and " come short of that rest" which they
had professed to seek. This is particularly found
in those whose hopeful conduct has been chiefly
occasioned by external influence. We have seen in
Joash, that " he did that which was right all the
days of Jehoiada the priest ;" but after his decease,
he turned aside to wickedness, and brought the
heavy judgments of God both on himself and all his
people a . Thus it was also with his grandson, Uzziah.
For many years " he sought after God b ;" and was
very signally blessed, and prospered of the Lord
during all that time : yet, through the influence of
that very prosperity, he fell, and perished miserably
under the hand of an avenging God.
The words of our text will naturally lead us to set
before you,
I. The proper tendency of prosperity-
Doubtless, prosperity cheers the mind; but its
proper tendency is,
1. To puff up with pride-
fit is difficult to succeed in any enterprise, or any labour,
without arrogating to ourselves a considerable portion of credit
on account of it : " We sacrifice to our own net, and burn in
cense to our own drag c " - That this is the common
influence of prosperity, appears from the cautions given to the
Israelites respecting it, in an instance where it should seem to
be impossible for them to do otherwise than give the whole
honour to God d . But pride, though so unsuitable to a fallen
creature, is, alas ! too powerful a principle in every child of
man. Behold Nebuchadnezzar in the summit of his glory 6
- or Uzziah, when he had been " marvellously helped,
till he was strong:" how forgetful were they of the obligations
a 2 Chron. xxiv. 2, 17, 18. b ver. 5. c Hab. i. 16.
d Dent. viii. 11 14. e Dan. iv. 30 32. and v. 20.
418.] THE BAD EFFECTS OF PROSPERITY. 169
which they owed to God! Even the pious Hezekiah fell,
through the influence of pride, though afterwards he humbled
himself for this transgression. Indeed it is very rare that per
sons elevated by the acquisition of wealth or honour retain
their former simplicity : they rise in their own esteem, in pro
portion as they are looked up to by others, and account the
homage that is paid to them a tribute due to their superior
worth.]
2. To harden in iniquity
[It is not towards men only that prosperity affects our con
duct, but even towards God himself. We can scarcely attain
any considerable advancement in the world, but presently we
become " presumptuous, and self-willed:" we allow ourselves
a greater latitude to follow the inclinations of our own hearts :
and, if checked by any faithful monitor, we will not endure his
expostulations or reproofs ; but, like Uzziah, are " wroth
with him" for performing his duty, instead of being grieved at
ourselves for transgressing our own. We think ourselves at
liberty to act as we please ; and that neither God nor man has
any right to call us to account. This is most justly depicted
by the Psalmist f - - and is traced by him to prosperity,
as its proper source g Ah ! how many such instances
have we seen, of men once apparently modest and humble, but
afterwards, like " Jeshurun, waxing fat and kicking, and forsak
ing the God that made them, and lightly esteeming the rock
of their salvation 11 !" We are apt to envy such persons, when
we behold their prosperity : but we shall see little reason to
do so, if we duly consider the effects produced by it on their
minds 1 .]
Rarely indeed has any spiritual good arisen from
prosperity : but how awful is it to reflect on,
II. Its frequent termination-
Behold how it terminated in the case before us !
[Uzziah, not content with the pomp of royalty, would usurp
also the priestly office: and, when reproved for his presumption,
was filled with indignation against his reprovers. But " ivhilst
he was wroth tvith the priests, the leprosy rose up in his fore
head 11 :" and immediately " they thrust him out of the temple ;
yea, himself also hasted to go out, because the Lord had smitten
him 1 ." Thus it is with many who " once made a fair shew in the
flesh;" " being lifted up with pride, they fall into the condemna
tion of the devil m ." From their scenes of earthly happiness
f Ps. x. 46, 11, 13. e Ps. Ixxiii. 39, 11, 12.
h Deut. xxxii. 15. * Ps. Ixxiii. 3, 1619.
k ver. 19. i vcr. 20. m 1 Tim. iii. 6.
170 2 CHRONICLES, XXVI. 15, 16. [418.
they are cast headlong into the lowest abyss of misery, like the
rich man in the parable, whose surviving brethren, misled by his
example, were following him thither with hasty strides". But,
if we could conceive by any means that such an one had found
his way into heaven, the very transaction that took place in
the temple would be renewed there; the inhabitants of those
blessed mansions, indignant at his presumption, would instantly
"thrust him out -," yea, " he himself would haste to go out,"
not being able to endure the countenance of his offended God p .
Let it not be thought that this is an uncommon termination of
prosperity : for both Scripture and observation teach us to re
gard it as its frequent and ordinary result q .]
Let us LEARN then from hence,
1. To be moderate in our desire after earthly
things
[We may desire prosperity, because it is a gift of God to
men r ; and is particularly promised to those who love him 3 .
But we should desire it only in submission to the will of God.
We know not what will be its ultimate effect upon our souls.
We know not what advantage it will give to our corrupt nature
to break forth, and to plunge us into everlasting misery. Let
us be diligent in our earthly calling, whatever it may be ; but,
as to any anxious concern about it, " let our moderation be
known unto all men 1 ." " Our affections must not be set on
things below, but on those which are above, where Christ
sitteth at the right hand of God."]
2. To be patient and resigned under any trials
that may come upon us
[Trials are " not at the present joyous, but grievous ; " but
they are promised by God as the choicest fruit of his paternal
love u . Even Paul himself needed a thorn in his flesh, "lest
he should be exalted above measure x ." Who then are we,
that w r e should think trials unnecessary for us ? They are the
furnace, that is to purify us from our dross y , or the pruning-
knife, that is to render us more fruitful in good works 2 . We
know how profitable it was to Manasseh to be taken among the
thorns a ; and we have reason to hope that our afflictions also
shall be sanctified to our good b , and that we shall at the close
n Luke xvi. 22, 23, 27, 28. Luke xiii. 28.
P Isai. xxxiii. 14. Compare the three verses folio-wing ; which
shew that the godly alone can dwell with God.
<i Prov. i. 32. with Matt. xix. 23 26. r ver. 5.
s Ps. i. 3. and cxxii. C. * Phil. iv. 5.
u Heb. xii. C 8. x 2 Cor. xii. 7. y Isai. xxvii. 9.
z John xv. 2. a 2Chron. xxxiii. 11, 12. b Heb. xii. 10.
419.] A SENSE OF SIN TENDS TO CORRECT IT. 171
of them adopt the language of David, " It is good for me that
I have been afflicted ."]
3. To be thankful for the high honour conferred
upon us
[To none of the Jewish kings was given the united honour
of royalty and priesthood : that was reserved for Christ alone,
who was to be " a Priest upon his throne d :" who yet, though
a king, " glorified not himself to be made a High-priest, but
was called to it of God, as was Aaron 6 ." But that honour has
our adorable Saviour procured for us : " He has loved us, and
washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us
kings arid priests unto our God for ever and ever f ." Yes, we
are " a royal priesthoods ;" and " by the new and living way
which he has opened for us through the veil, we may draw nigh"
even to the very throne of God himself h : and our doing so in
faith will rid us from the leprosy, instead of bringing the leprosy
upon us; and, instead of arming the angels against us, will
make them to rejoice . Let us then improve our liberty, and
" offer up spiritual sacrifices to our God from day to day, as
sured, that they are acceptable to him through Jesus Christ k ."]
c Ps. cxix. 71. d Zech. vi. 13. e Heb. v. 4, 5.
f Rev. i. 5, 6. el Pet. ii. 9. h Heb. x. 1922.
1 Luke xv. 10. and xvi. 22. k 1 Pet. ii. 5.
CCCCXIX.
A SENSE OF SINFULNESS A GOOD CORRECTIVE OF EVIL
PASSIONS.
2 Cliron. xxviii. 10. Are there not with you, even with you,
sins against the Lord your God ?
IN viewing the various dispensations of Providence,
we should regard the Supreme Disposer of all events
not merely as a mighty Sovereign ordering every
thing according to his own will, but rather as a
moral Governor, who has respect to the welfare of
his creatures, and consults the best interests of the
universe. Towards individuals indeed his dealings
may not accord with our ideas of retributive justice,
because there is another world wherein the seeming
inequalities of his present conduct towards them
will all be rectified : but towards nations, as this is
the only time when they can be dealt with in their
172 2 CHRONICLES, XXVIII. 10. [419.
national capacity, he conducts himself more visibly
according to their moral habits, rewarding them
when they walk agreeably to his will, and punishing
them when their violations of his commands are
general and flagrant. We must not however imagine,
that the persons whom he makes use of as instru
ments of his displeasure, are more righteous than
those whom he sends them to correct ; for he may,
and does, use what instruments he pleases : but the
persons corrected, will always be found to have
brought upon themselves his judgments by their
own wilful and obstinate impiety. This is a truth
so obvious and incontrovertible, that even idolaters
themselves receive it with the greatest facility, and
are sometimes influenced by it to a great extent.
The Israelites, at the time that the Prophet Oded
was sent to them, were sunk in the grossest idolatry ;
yet, when informed by him that their victory over
Judah was the result of a divine appointment on ac
count of Judah s sins, and that the excessive cruelty
with which that victory had been accompanied would
bring the divine displeasure upon them also, they
instantly sacrificed both their interests and their re
sentments, and yielded obedience to the prophet s
admonitions. The expostulation in our text came
home with power to their consciences ; " Are there
not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord
your God ?" May we also feel its force, whilst we,
I. Urge you to institute the proposed inquiry
The circumstances under which this inquiry was
proposed naturally lead us to consider it,
1. In reference to the nation at large
[Doubtless there are great enormities in other lands : the
grossest superstitions and the most flagrant impieties testify
against the great majority of those who bear the Christian
name. But whilst we of this land boast of our superior light
and morals, what abominations are found amongst us! Let us
not think that because the evils once perpetrated in the slave-
trade have been in a measure suppressed, the blood of thou
sands and tens of thousands does not yet cry to God against
us for our insatiable avarice, and our cruel injustice. For
419.] A SENSE OF SIN TENDS TO CORRECT IT. 173
centuries yet to come, we need bewail the guilt that has been
contracted by our impious traffic in human blood. Besides,
the light with which we have been favoured beyond other
nations, only renders our misimprovement of it the more
criminal : for though certainly there are many in the land who
highly value and adorn the Gospel, there is with the generality
a neglect and contempt of serious religion ; so that real piety
is branded with infamy amongst us, more than infidelity or
ungodliness itself. Truly, on a view of all ranks and orders
amongst us, we have as much reason to be ashamed and con
founded before God, as any who may have experienced his
heaviest judgments.]
2. In reference to ourselves in particular
[We are all ready enough to mark what is amiss in others,
and even to ascribe the calamities of others to the intervention
of an offended Providence. But it would be well for all to
search out and examine their own faults, rather than to be un
charitably condemning the faults of others. The self-righteous,
self-applauding moralist can spy out the failings and infirmities
of those who profess a stricter system of religion ; but let me
ask such an one, are there not in thee, even in thee, sins
against the Lord thy God ? Hast thou not a beam in thine
own eye, whilst thou art noticing with such severity the mote
in thy brother s eye ? Look and see whether thy religion of
which thou thinkest so highly be not a mere form of godliness
without the power of it ? See whether the Bible be dearer to
thee than gold and silver, and be relished by thee more than
thy necessary food ? See whether thy heart be broken and
contrite before God, so that thou often weepest before God on
account of the sins thou hast committed against him? See
whether Christ be precious in thy sight, so that all thy hope,
all thy desire, all thy delight are centered in him alone ? In
a word, see whether all thy faculties and powers are conse
crated to the service of Him who lived and died for thee ? Verily,
if thou wouldest consult the records of thy conscience in rela
tion to these things, thou wouldest see little reason, and feel
little inclination too, to cast stones at others.
On the other hand, professors of religion also are but too
often guilty of this same fault, being filled with an overweening
conceit of their own excellencies, and a contemptuous disregard
of their less spiritual neighbours. But I would ask the pro
fessed follower of Christ, are there not sins with thee too, as
well as with the Pharisaic formalist ? Are there not great and
crying evils in the religious world, which prove a stumbling-
block to those around them? Are not a vain conceit, an
obtrusive talkativeness, an inattention to relative duties, and
a disregard of just authority, often indulged under the cloak
174 2 CHRONICLES, XXVIII. 10. [419.
of religion ? Are there not often found amongst professors of
religion the same covetous desires, the same fraudulent prac
tices, the same deviations from truth and honour, as are found
in persons who make no profession ? Are there not many
whose tempers are so unsubdued, that they make their whole
families a scene of contention and misery ? Yes ; though the
accusations which are brought against the whole body of re
ligious people as hypocrites are a gross calumny, there is but
too much ground for them in the conduct of many.
But where these observations do not at all apply, we must
still renew the question, even to the most exemplary amongst
us, " Are there not sins with thee also," even such as would
justify God in taking vengeance upon thee? Think of thy ma
nifold short comings and defects ; yea, think of " the iniquity
even of thy holiest things;" and, instead of exalting thyself
above others, thou wilt call thyself " less than the least of all
saints," or rather " the chief of sinners."]
But, that the inquiry may be suitably improved,
we will,
II. Point out the ends for which it should be made-
There is not any part of Christian experience
which would not be deeply affected by the know
ledge of our own hearts : but, as our observations on
this subject must of necessity be few, we shall con
fine ourselves to those which arise from the passage
under our consideration.
We should inquire then into our own sins,
1. To make us estimate aright the distinguished
mercies vouchsafed unto us
[Let us reflect on the peaceful state of this nation during
the whole period in which we have been engaged in war, whilst
every nation in Europe has in its turn sustained the heaviest
calamities 8 ; and how shall we adore that Providence that has
protected us!
Let us contemplate also the numbers who have from time
to time been cut off in their sins, though they had neither
attained to our age, nor committed our iniquities : O what rea
son have we to adore the mercy that has spared us, and that still
waits to be gracious to us ! May we not well be astonished,
that whilst so many have been taken, we are left ; and that
whilst they are gone beyond redemption, me are yet on
a March 1814, when the North of Germany was so desolated and
distressed.
419. J A SENSE OF SIN TENDS TO CORRECT IT. 175
praying ground ? If we know little of ourselves, we shall feel
but little gratitude for this mercy : but, if we are duly sensible
of our own extreme vileness, we shall be overwhelmed with a
view of his goodness to us, and shall sink, as it were, under a
sense of our unbounded obligations.]
2. To moderate our resentments to our offending
brethren
[The former idea was implied in the prophet s address to
Israel ; but this was plainly expressed. The cruelty exercised
by them was extreme : and, to deter them from prosecuting
their inhuman projects, was this suggestion made : for how
could they proceed with such rigour towards others, when they
who deserved so much heavier judgments had experienced such
lenity from the hands of God ?
Certain it is, that we feel keenly for the most part the in
juries that are done to us; and that we are but too apt to
indulge a vindictive spirit. But the evils that a fellow-creature
can do to us are nothing in comparison of those which we our
selves have committed against God : how then can we proceed
with severity against a fellow-servant for a few pence, when a
debt of ten thousand talents has been remitted unto us? Surely
we shall be afraid lest God should mete to us the measure
which we have dealt out to others, and that, we " having
shewn no mercy to others, should have judgment without
mercy ourselves V]
3. To stir us up to imitate the compassion of our
God-
[What a marvellous exercise of compassion was that which
arose from the prophet s admonition ! The princes of the con
gregation were led to protest against the measures now about
to be adopted by the victorious army ; and that army, with the
spoils and captives in their hands, renounced immediately all
their views of interest and resentment, and made use of the
very spoils, whereby they had expected to be enriched, to feed
the hungry, and clothe the naked, and comfort the distressed,
and honour those whom they had so deeply degraded : they
even put on asses the sick and feeble ; and themselves took
them back to the borders of their own country. This was what
they now saw to have been the conduct of God towards them,
and they desired to tread in his steps.
And what has God done for us ? Even when we were ene
mies, he gave his only dear Son to die for us : yea, and not
withstanding all our continued impieties, he stretches out his
hands to us all the day long, and importunes us to accept his
b Jam. ii. 13. c " Anointing them."
17C> 2 CHRONICLES, XXVIII. 10. [419.
proffered salvation. Thus, if we know how contrary to our
deserts these mercies are, we shall be ready to act towards our
brethren : instead of rendering evil for evil, we shall " feed our
enemy, or give him drink," in hopes of melting him into love
by heaping kindness upon him, just as the workman fuses his
metals by an accumulation of fire upon them d : he will not
" be overcome of evil, but will overcome evil with good 6 ."]
Let this subject TEACH us,
1. To cultivate the knowledge of our own hearts-
fit is that, and that alone, which wall bring us to act
aright in any part of our duty. Without a sense of sin we can
never be humbled before God ; and without humility we can
never exercise a just measure of forbearance and of kindness to
man. Then only, when we are sensible of having " been for
given much, shall we love much."]
2. To keep our minds open to conviction-
fit is surprising how soon this whole multitude was con
vinced of sin. Let us learn from them not to dispute with
our reprovers, or to vindicate ourselves at the expense of
truth : let us rather desire to find out our errors, that they
may be rectified, than to cloke them, and hold them fast.]
3. To follow instantly the convictions of our own
minds
[The Israelites fulfilled to the uttermost what they appre
hended to be the mind and will of God : they did not plead
for their interest, on the one hand, nor were they deterred by a
fear of shame, on the other : they saw their duty, and per
formed it instantly without reserve. O that our reproofs might
thus meet always an obedient ear ! This ready obedience was
their highest honour : let us regard it as ours also : and let
us beware, lest this host of benevolent idolaters rise up in
judgment against us, to our utter confusion, and our eternal
condemnation.]
d Rom. xii. 14, 17, 19, 20. There is in this last verse an
astonishing beauty in the word ;//wyute, which imports the feeding
him as a helpless infant ; and corresponds exactly with the tender
and respectful care exercised by the Israelites on this occasion,
ver. 15.
e Rom. xii. 21.
420.] THE CONDUCT OF AHAZ IN HIS DISTRESS. 177
ccccxx.
THE CONDUCT OF AHAZ IN HIS DISTRESS.
2 Chron. xxviii. 22. In the time of his distress did he trespass
yet more against the Lord : this is that king Ahaz.
IT is a common sentiment with men in health,
that they will repent and turn to God in a time of
sickness : they imagine that trouble will of course
dispose their minds for the exercises of religion, and
that they may therefore safely postpone all serious
attention to their eternal interests, till that hour shall
arrive. But there is no necessary connexion between
affliction and true piety : " the sorrow of the world
worketh death ;" and consequently must rather be
adverse to, than productive of, " godly sorrow, which
alone worketh repentance to salvation, not to be re
pented of a ." If indeed trouble be accompanied with
the grace of God, it then operates like the ploughing
up of fallow ground for the reception of the seed :
but of itself it only hardens the heart against God,
and calls forth into activity the most malignant pas
sions of the soul, This cannot be more strikingly
illustrated than in the conduct of Ahaz ; in speaking
of which we shall notice,
I. The evil imputed to him
This was doubtless exceeding great. Ahaz having
provoked God by his great and multiplied iniquities,
was given up by God into the hands of the Edomites
first, and then of the Philistines, as the just punish
ment of his sins. The Assyrians too, whom he had
hired as his allies, eventually, " instead of strength
ening him, helped forward his distress 13 ."
And what was the effect of these troubles on his
mind ? Did he humble himself before his God, and
implore mercy at his hands ? No \ but renounced
his God altogether, setting up the gods of Syria in
opposition to him, and shutting up the doors of his
temple, and destroying the vessels that had been
consecrated to his service, and building altars in
a 2 Cor. vii. 10. b vcr. 1C 20.
VOL. IV.
178 2 CHRONICLES, XXVIII. 22. [420.
every corner of Jerusalem, and, in every city of
Judah, making high places, to burn incense unto
other gods c .
We must confess that such impiety far exceeds
what is commonly found in the world at this day ;
but in lower degrees it is found to obtain amongst us
also. All of us have a measure of trouble inflicted
on us by God on account of sin ; and in a variety of
ways have we misimproved the divine chastisements.
The very evil imputed to Ahaz of trespassing yet
more in his distress, may be committed by us in our
troubles,
1 . By indifference
[Nothing is more common than to overlook the hand of
God in our trials, ascribing them either to chance, or to second
causes only, and regarding them as merely the usual events of
life. In such a state of mind we meet them with a kind of
stoical apathy, making the best of existing circumstances, and
trying, by the expedients of pleasure, business, company, or
occupation of some kind, to divert our thoughts, and alleviate
our pains d . This is, as the Scripture expresses it, to " despise
the chastening of the Lord 6 ." And how offensive must such
conduct be! When HE speaks, and we will not hear f ; when
HIS hand is lifted up, and we will not see it g ; what is this but,
in effect, to say, "The Lord doth neither good nor evil h !"
This indifference is well described by the prophet, in relation
to Israel of old: " It (God s anger) hath set him on fire round
about, yet he knew it not ; and it burned him, yet he laid it not
to heart 1 ." But, however such conduct may be countenanced
by an ungodly world, it will surely be visited with God s heavy
displeasure k .]
2. By obstinacy
[Some, whilst they are not altogether unconscious from
whence their afflictions proceed, are yet determined to go on in
their own way : " they refuse to receive correction, and make
their faces harder than a rock, and refuse to return to God 1 ."
Thus it was with the Jews of old ; " The people turneth not
unto him that smiteth him ; neither do they seek the Lord of
Hosts 111 . And on this ground it was that the prophet uttered
c ver. 23 25. d Isai. xxii. 12, 13. e Prov. iii. 11.
f Job xxxiii. 14. P Isai. xxvi. 11. h Zcph. i. 12.
Isai. xlii. 2,5. k Ps. xxviii. 5.
1 Jer. v. 3. Isai. Ivii. 17. m Isai. ix. 13.
420.] THE CONDUCT OF AHAZ IN HIS DISTRESS. 179
that heavy complaint against them ; " Ah, sinful nation, a
people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers ! Why should
ye be stricken any more ? ye will revolt more and more n ."
Happy would it be if this rebellious spirit had been confined
to them : but it is no less prevalent amongst us : there are
many for whose reformation successive strokes have proved
ineffectual ; and who are yet as far from God as if no such
means had ever been used to bring them to repentance : yea,
like Pharaoh, they seem only to have been hardened by the
plagues inflicted on them. The Lord grant that they may
see their error, ere they be given over to judicial blindness and
final impenitence !]
3. By murmuring
[How often do we hear people complaining of their lot,
as if their sufferings were intolerable and undeserved ! How
ever clearly God marks their sin in their punishment, they
reflect not on themselves as the sinful causes of their misery,
but on him as the severe and unprovoked author of them .
Thus Isaiah, foretelling the effect of God s chastisements on
the Jews, says, " They shall pass through the land hardly
bestead and hungry : and it shall come to pass, that, when
they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse
their God and their king P." And what shall we say of such
a disposition ? what shall we say of him who by " his own
foolishness perverteth his way, and then in heart fretteth against
the Lord q ?" This we must say, that he manifests the very
dispositions of hell itself: for of the unhappy spirits that are
there confined, we are told, that " they gnaw their tongues for
pain, and blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pains
and their sores, and they repent not of their deeds r ."]
4. By despondency
[As on the one hand we are apt to " despise the chasten
ing of the Lord," so, on the other hand, we are ready to "faint
when we are rebuked of him s ." We have no idea of chastise
ments proceeding from love; and, beholding nothing but wrath
in them, we conclude, that it is in vain to call upon God, and
that he will never be entreated of us. Thus even from despon
dency we derive arguments for continuance in sin : " There is
no hope : no ; for I have loved strangers, and after them will
I go*." Of this God himself complains 11 ; and well he may,
since it is a limiting of his power, as though he were not
able to deliver x ; or a denial of his mercy, as though he had
n Isai. i. 4, 5. Exod. xvi. 35, 41. Ezek. xviii. 25, 2f).
P Isai. viii. 21. a Prov. xix. 3. r Rev. xvi. 911.
s Hob. xii. 5. t j cr jj. 95. u Jcr. xviii. 12, 13.
x Isni. 1. 2.
N 2
180 2 CHRONICLES, XXVIII. 22. [420.
" forgotten to be gracious, and his mercy were clean gone for
ever y . True it is, that despondency is often indulged under an
idea that it is an expression of humility: but it is as offensive to
God as any of the dispositions before specified, and tends, even
more strongly than any of them, to bind our sins upon us.]
That we may be the more afraid of following the
steps of Ahaz, let us consider,
II. The stigma fixed upon him
There is an extraordinary force and emphasis in
the expression, " This is that king Ahaz"-
[It is as though God intended to point him out to the
whole world as a prodigy of folly and wickedness : this is that
infatuated man, who presumes to " strive with his Maker, like
the clay quarrelling with the potter 2 ," or "briers and thorns
setting themselves in battle array against the devouring fire 8 ."
This is that ungrateful man, who, when I have been chastening
him with parental tenderness in order to prevent the necessity
of executing my everlasting judgments upon him, has only
multiplied his transgressions against me ; breaking through
every hedge which I made to restrain him, and throwing down
every wall which I erected to impede his course b . This is that
impious man, who, in the madness of his heart, has determined
to banish me from the world, and to blot out the remembrance
of me from the earth.]
As the expression is emphatical with respect to
him, so it is most instructive with respect to us
[It clearly shews us that " sin is a reproach to any people*"
We may vindicate it, and applaud it ; but we only " glory in
our shame A i" for it makes a man as loathsome " as a sepulchre
that is full of all uncleanness 6 ." Sin is fitly characterized as
u filthiness of the flesh and spirit f :" and in that light it is
viewed, not by God only, but by all who are taught of God.
Examine the fore-mentioned sins, of indifference, of obstinacy,
of murmuring, and despondency, and they will all be found
odious in the extreme ; so that a man under the dominion of
them may well be pointed out as an object of universal ab
horrence : " This is that king Ahaz g ." It is possible indeed
that an ungodly man may pass through life without any such
stigma fixed upon him : but he will not escape it in the last
day, when all the most secret sins shall be revealed: then will
that declaration of Solomon be fully verified, " The wicked man
v Ps. Ixxvii. 7 9. z Isai. xlv. 9. a Isai. xxvii. 4.
11 Hos. ii. f>. c Prov. xiv. 34. d Phil. iii. 19.
Mntt. xxiii. 27. f 2 Cor. vii. 1. P Ps. Iii. 7.
THE USE OF COVENANTING WITH GOlJ. 181
is loathsome, and cometh to shame h :" however cautiously he
may have veiled his wickedness from the eyes of men, or even
obtained the applause of man for his pretended virtues, he will
" awake to shame and everlasting contempt 1 ."]
From this subject we may LEARN,
1 . The great design of God in our troubles
[God does not willingly afflict the children of men. He
is a tender Parent, who seeks the welfare of his children, and
" chastens them for their profit," to humble them, and to prove
them, and to make them " partakers of his holiness k ." Hence
it is said, " Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord 1 ."
Let us then contemplate our trials in this view. From what
ever quarter they may come, let us acknowledge the hand of
God in them; and bless his name, as well when he takes away,
as when he gives.]
2. Our duty under them
[Every rod has a voice to us, which we should endeavour
to understand" : and, if we cannot immediately discern its true
import, we should go to God, and say, " Shew me wherefore
thou contendest with me ." And, when we have found out
" the accursed thing that troubleth our camp 1 ," then we should
" humble ourselves under the mighty hand of our God q ," and
with meek submission say, " I will bear the indignation of the
Lord, because I have sinned against him V We should even
be thankful for the fire that purgeth away our dross, and not
so much as wish to be delivered from it till we can come out
of it purified as gold.]
h Prov. xiii. 5.
k Isai. xxvii. 9.
Job i. 21.
P Josh. vii. 1 1 .
Dan. xii. 2.
Heb. xii. 10.
Mic. vi. 9.
( i Jam. iv. 10.
1 Ps. xciv. 10.
" Job x. 2.
1 Mic. vii. 9.
CCCCXXI.
THE USE OF COVENANTING WITH GOD.
^ Chron. xxix. 10, 11. Noiv it is in mine heart to make a
covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that his fierce wrath
may turn away from us. My sons, be not now negligent.
A TRULY pious man will not be satisfied with
serving God in his closet. He will exert his influ
ence to bring others also to a sense of their duty.
The public exercise of the ministry indeed belongs to
182 2 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 10, 11. [421.
those only who are duly called to it a : but all who
are possessed of authority (parents, masters, magis
trates and kings) should use it for the promoting of
virtue and religion. Christians of every rank and
description should exhort one another b . We have a
noble example set before us in the conduct of Heze-
kiah. As soon as he came to the throne, he set
himself to restore the service of the temple, and
called upon all, both ministers and people, to make a
solemn covenant with their God.
The royal proclamation for the observance of this
day c , speaks, in effect, the language of the text.
From which I will take occasion to shew,
I. When we have reason to apprehend that God s
anger is waxed hot against us
We cannot in all cases determine how far a dis
pensation may be sent in anger or in love : but in
general we may say, that God is incensed against us,
1. When our sins are multiplied against him
[Sin is invariably the object of God s abhorrence d . This
truth is so evident that it needs not any confirmation. For,
what lamentable depravity pervades every part of the nation !
There is no iniquity, however heinous, which is not practised
without remorse. If we look into our own bosoms, what reason
for humiliation may we find ! What ingratitude for mercies
received, and what impenitence for sins committed! What
rebellion against God, what contempt of his Son, what resist
ance of his Spirit, have we not occasion to deplore ! And shall
not God be avenged of such a nation as this? Yes, there is
not one amongst us that does not deserve to be made a monu
ment of his wrath.]
2. When his judgments are multiplied upon us
[God often sends temporal afflictions to his people in love 6 .
But spiritual judgments are a certain token of his wrath.
Blindness of mind, obduracy of heart, and obstinacy in sin, are
among his heaviest judgments 1 ". And have none of us reason
to fear that these are now inflicted on us ? But it is by tem
poral judgments chiefly that he punishes nations. It was from
these that Hezekiah judged of God s anger against the Jews g .
* Heb. v. 4. b Heb. iii. 13. c Fast-day, March 1798.
d Hab. i. 13. Ps. v. 5. e Heb. xii. 6.
f Isai. vi. 9, 10. R ver. 8, 9.
421.] THE USE OF COVENANTING WITH GOD. 183
And are not these multiplied upon our land at this time?
Surely the displeasure of God can scarcely ever be more strongly
displayed, than it is in the calamities under which we now
groan h .]
But that none may yield to desponding fears we
shall point out,
II. How it is to be averted
Repentance towards God and faith in Christ are
the means prescribed by God. But it is not a slight
and superficial use of these means that will suffice ;
we should solemnly devote ourselves to God in a
perpetual covenant
[Not that we should attempt to renew the covenant of
works. That would make void the Gospel, and seal our eternal
condemnation 1 . Nor should we think to add any thing to the
covenant of grace. That was once made with Christ, and is
ordered in all things and sure k . But we should patiently and
deliberately renounce all our former ways. We should seriously
give up ourselves to God as his redeemed people ; and entreat
him to perfect us in any way which he shall see fit.]
Such covenants as these have often been made by
the most eminent saints
[Under the Old-Testament dispensation they were judged
acceptable to God. Omitting many other instances, we may
notice the solemn covenant of Asa . We may notice also that
which was entered into by Josiah. Isaiah and Jeremiah
speak of the making of such covenants as characteristic of the
gospel times". St. Paul highly commends the conduct of the
Macedonians on account of their having thus given themselves
up to God ; and recommends a similar practice to all Chris
tians of every age and nation p .]
Nor can we doubt of their acceptableness to God
[Hezekiah manifestly supposed that God would accept
him in this duty q . It was recommended to Ezra in circum
stances where there was but little hope remaining r . And God
himself expressly enjoined it as the means of averting his dis
pleasure 8 : not that we are to suppose that there is any thing
h Of course, these strong expressions must be modified according
to circumstances.
1 Gal. iii. 10. k Heb. viii. (>. 1 2 Chron. xv. 12 -!,">.
m 2 Kings xxiii. 3. u Isai. xliv. f>. Jer. 1. 1, o.
2 Cor. viii. 5. P Rom. xii. 1. i The text.
r Ezra x. 3. s Jer. iv. 1.
184 2 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 10, 11. [421.
meritorious in such an act; but it tends, of itself, to the humi
liation and confirmation of our souls, and will be both accepted
and remembered by our covenant God and Father 1 .]
These means being at once so scriptural and so
important, let me now in CONCLUSION urge upon
you the adoption of them
We admire the tender and affectionate address of
Hezekiah to the priests. And with similar concern
would we now invite you to the performance of your
duty. " Let this now be in all your hearts :" for,
1. There is no time for delay
[Many are " negligent" at present in expectation of a more
convenient season ; but who can assure himself that he shall be
alive on the morrow u ? or that, if he be, he shall have an in
clination to that from which he is now averse ? or that God
will grant him the aids of his Spirit, which are now contemned?
The voice of God to every one is, Seek me to-day, while it is
called to-day x . "With respect to the nation, who can tell how
soon the cloud that hangs over us may burst, and overwhelm
us utterly? Let us follow the example of the repenting Nine-
vites y . If "it be in our hearts to make a covenant," let it
instantly be done 2 . Let me address all of you as a father, and
entreat all of you as "my sons" and daughters to "neglect
your duty no longer;" but " noiv" while we are yet speaking,
to surrender up yourselves to God with full purpose of heart.]
2. If we neglect this duty, we cannot hope to escape
the wrath of God
[Sodom was destroyed, because they laughed at God s
threatenings as idle tales : and the strongest empires, in suc
cession, have fallen a sacrifice to their sins. Who then shall
protect us, if we continue to provoke the Majesty of heaven ?
But, whatever be the fate of the nation, we must all appear at
the judgment-seat of Christ : and there none will be acknow
ledged as his people, who have not voluntarily taken him for
their Lord and Saviour. If then ye have any regard for your
eternal welfare, neglect him no longer ; but, in the penitent
language of the prophet, devote yourselves to his service 3 .]
3. If we heartily engage in this duty, we have
nothing to fear
[Were such a covenant general through the nation, God
* Dent. xxix. 12, 13. ll Jam. iv. 14. x Hcb. iii. 13, 15.
y Jonah iii. 5 9. z Ps. cxix. 60. ;i Isai. xxvi. 13.
422.] HEZEKIAH RESTORES THE TEMPLE WORSHIP. 185
would soon remove his judgments. But whatever come upon
the land, God s faithful people shall be objects of his favour.
Though they may be involved in the general calamities, they
shall be comforted with the divine presence b . They need not
therefore be agitated with fear on account of God s displeasure
in this world ; nor have they any thing to dread in the eternal
world . Let us then enter into this matter with our whole
hearts, and pray day and night for grace to perform our vows.
Unfaithfulness to our engagements will incense God still more
against us, and provoke him to inflict yet heavier judgments
upon us d . It were even better never to have vowed, than to
vow and not pay 6 . He however, who puts it into our heart
to make, can enable us to keep, our covenant f . Let us then
engage simply in dependence on the divine strength ; but
found all our hopes of acceptance on that better and unchange
able covenant, which Christ has entered into on our behalf.]
b Ps. xxxiv. 18, 19. c Mai. iii. 17. d Jer. xxxiv. 1820.
e Eccl. v. 5. 2 Pet. ii. 21. f Jude, vcr. 24.
CCCCXXII.
RESTORATION OF THE TEMPLE WORSHIP BY HEZEKIAII.
Chron. xxix. 20 29. Then Hezekiah the king rose early,
and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house
of the Lord. And they brought seven bullocks, and seven
rams, and seven lambs, a?id seven he-goats, for a sin-offering
for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And
he commanded the priests the so?is of Aaron to offer them on
the altar of the Lord. So they killed the bullocks, and the
priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the a/far :
likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the
blood upon the altar; they killed also the lambs, and they
sprinkled the blood upon the altar. And they brought forth
the he-goats for the sin-offering before the king and the con
gregation; and they laid their hands upon them: and the
priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their
blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel :
for the king commanded that the burnt-offering and the sin-
offering should be made for all Israel. And he set the Levites
in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and
with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of
Gad the king s seer, and Nathan the prophet : for so ivas
the commandment of the Lord by his prophets. And the
Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests
with the trumpets. And Hezekiah commanded to offer tlic
186 2 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 2029. [422.
burnt-offering upon the altar. And when the burnt-offering
began, the song of the Lord began also with the trumpets, and
with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel. And
all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and
the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the
burnt-offering ivas finished. And ivlien they had made an
end of offering, the king and all that were present with him
bowed themselves, and worshipped.
AMONGST the most eminent of the kings of
Judah was Hezekiah. Of several indeed is it said,
that they did that which was right in the sight of the
Lord ; but it was a high commendation of Hezekiah,
that he did so " according to all that David his father
had done." He came to the throne under the greatest
disadvantages. His father had exceeded in wicked
ness all the kings that had been before him ; and had
caused all public acknowledgment of Jehovah to
cease from the land. Under such circumstances it
might have been supposed that Hezekiah, at the age
of twenty-five, would have been infected with the
prevailing impieties of his father s court, or, at all
events, that he would not have dared to stem the
torrent of iniquity that had borne down all before it :
bu,t no sooner was he placed upon his father s throne,
than, even in the first year, and the very first month
of his reign, he ordered the temple to be opened,
and all the defilements that were in it to be removed,
and the worship of the Most High God to be re
stored. Though there was not that alacrity amongst
the priests that might have been expected, the work
was soon executed, and in sixteen days the temple,
with all its vessels, was prepared and sanctified for
the service of God. The very next day, Hezekiah,
having his heart set upon the blessed work, " rose
early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went
up to the house of the Lord." The service which
they performed on this occasion is related in the
words which we have read : and it will serve as an
excellent pattern for us on this occasion 3 .
a On the re-opening of a Church after it had been shut up for re
pair, in 1802.
422.] HEZEKIAII RESTORES THE TEMPLE WORSHIP. 187
There are three things in particular to which we
would call your attention :
I. Their numerous sacrifices
[For the sin of a priest or of the whole congregation one
bullock only was prescribed to be offered by the la\v b : but
the impieties of the nation having exceeded all bounds, and
been of long continuance, Hezekiah judged that seven bul
locks, and an equal number of rams, and lambs, and he-goats,
should be sacrificed as a sin-offering to the Lord : and of all
of them in succession it is particularly recorded, that "their
blood was sprinkled on the altar." When the he-goats were
offered, it is further noticed, that " the king and the congre-
fation (by their representatives) laid their hands upon them.""
uch was the way in which " an atonement was offered, and
reconciliation made for all Israel."
And who does not here see the gospel method of reconcilia
tion with God through the great Sacrifice which was once offered
on Mount Calvary? This it was which the sacrifices under the
Law shadowed forth ; and this it is which opens a way for our
restoration to the divine favour. " We are reconciled to God
through the blood of the cross." By this one offering there is
a new and living way consecrated for us through the veil ; and
by it sinners of every description may draw nigh to God with
full assurance of faith.
But here let me particularly call your attention to those
two points, the sprinkling the blood upon the altar, and the laying
of their hands upon the victims. Never must we draw nigh to
God on any occasion without adverting to these significant em
blems, or rather without realizing that which was here figura
tively proclaimed. We must sprinkle the altar of our God
tvith the Redeemers blood: we must actually bear in mind,
and expressly declare before God, that all our hope of accept
ance with him is through the atoning blood of Christ. That
sentiment must be so fixed in the mind, and rooted in the
heart, as never to be lost sight of for one moment. The repe
tition in our text shews us what must be continually repeated
by us in every approach of our souls to God. As " without
shedding of blood there is no remission of sins," so without an
express affiance in that blood as the only ground of our hopes
there can be no application of that remission to our souls
O that this might be duly borne in mind by every
one of us ! But tve must also with deep penitential sorrow
transfer our sins to the sacred head of Jesus. " On him were
the iniquities of all laid by God himself;" and we also must lay
our iniquities upon him in the exercise of humble faith. It is
b Lev. iv. o, 14.
188 2 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 2029. [422.
by the mutual transfer, if I may so speak, of our sins to him,
and of his righteousness to us, that we are to be freed from all
our guilt, and to be made righteous in the sight of a holy God :
" He was made sin for us, \vho knew no sin, that we (who had
nothing but sin) might be made the righteousness of God in
him c " - When Christ is thus kept in view in all our
transactions with God, we need not fear but that God will
be gracious unto us, and seal upon our souls a sense of his
forgiving love.]
Let us next notice,
II. Their joyful praises
[Together with their humiliation, they offered unto God
their praises and thanksgivings agreeably to the laws which had
been prescribed by God himself. In this also are they worthy
of our constant imitation : " In every thing by prayer and sup
plication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known
unto God d , says the Apostle: and \vhat God has so joined we
ought not to put asunder.
But here also there are two things worthy of more particular
notice: " When the burnt-offering began, then the song of the
Lord also began:" and "all this continued until the burnt-
offering ivas finished." There was no need to wait : their hearts
might well be tuned to praise the very moment they looked to
their burnt-offerings as the means of reconciliation with God :
nor, as long as they continued so to do, w r as there the smallest
occasion for relaxing in the expressions of their joy. So the
very moment we look to the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ,
and plead with God the merit of his blood, we may begin to
rejoice in God as our reconciled God and Father. It is said,
" All that believe are justified from all things;" not all that
are strong in faith, or, all that have exercised faith for such a
length of time; but all who believe (provided their faith be un
feigned) are from that very moment justified from all things,
and may instantly " rejoice in hope of the glory of God e ." St.
John, speaking not to fathers only, or to young men, but to
the weakest babes in Christ, says, " I write unto you, little
children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name s
sake f ." There are many who think it a mark of humility to
put away from them all joy, till, as they imagine, the progress
of their sanctification shall justify the entrance of it into their
souls. But this is altogether founded on ignorance and error.
A sinner is not to look into himself for his warrant to rejoice
in God : the mercy, the love, the truth, and faithfulness of
c 2 Cor. v. 21. d Phil. iv. 6.
e Acts xiii. 39. with Rom. v. 1,2. f 1 John ii. 12.
422.] HEZEKIAH RESTORES THE TEMPLE WORSHIP. 189
God, together with the ability and willingness of Christ to save
all who come unto God by him, are the proper grounds of joy,
irrespective of any change actually wrought in us. We say not
that a believer may not afterwards have much joy in the testi
mony of his own conscience that he has made a progress in the
divine life; (for St. Paul himself experienced this joy g ;) but
the affiance of his soul on Christ interests him in all that Christ
has. done and suffered for him, and gives him an immediate title
to partake of the fatted calf, which his heavenly Father has
prepared for him. " Being delivered from the horrible pit,
and having his feet set upon the rock, a new song instantly
should proceed from his mouth, even praise and thanksgiving
to our GodV Nor should that song ever cease ; because the
efficacy of his Redeemer s sacrifice will never cease. We are
bidden to " rejoice in the Lord always" yea " again and again
to rejoice : " and indeed, humiliation and joy must be united in
all our services to the very end of time as they will be
united even in heaven itself, where we shall cast our crowns at
the Redeemer s feet, and sing to all eternity, " To him that
loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, be
glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen."]
At the close of that solemn service we particularly
notice,,
III. Their reverential obeisance
[When they had made an end of offering, " the king and
all that were present with him bowed themselves, and wor
shipped." This remarkable termination of their worship indi
cated a grateful sense of the inestimable privilege which they
had enjoyed of drawing nigh to God an humble acknowledg
ment that they, and all that belonged to them, were the
Lord s and a determination of heart henceforth to dedicate
themselves unreservedly to his service.
And thus it is that we should close our worship, whensoever
we draw nigh to God in his public ordinances . It is painful
to see persons going from the house of God without a due sense
of the awful solemnities in which they have been engaged. The
light and airy manner with which persons renew their con
ferences with each other upon the common topics of the day,
demonstrates, that their worship has been by no means such as
God requires : had they really felt as redeemed sinners ought
to feel, the savour of that intercourse with heaven would not so
soon be lost. O, if men did but reflect on the mercy vouch
safed to them, in being permitted to sprinkle the blood of
" 2 Cor. i. 1:2. h Ps. xl. 2, 3.
1 See tha 4 - admirable pattern, 1 Chron. xxix. 14.
190 2 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 31. [423.
Christ upon the altar, to transfer all their guilt to him, and to
receive from him the gift of his unspotted righteousness ; if
they duly considered what a right the Lord Jesus Christ had
acquired over them in having bought them with his blood, and
how much they are bound to glorify him with their bodies and
their spirits which are his ; methinks they would depart from
the house of God with a holy solemnity upon their mind, and
would continue in their way homeward secretly to commune
with their God, and to harrow in by meditation and prayer the
seed which has been sown upon their hearts. For want of this,
even religious people often lose all the benefit of the ordinances
which they have been privileged to enjoy. Earnestly would
we entreat all persons to attend to these suggestions ; and to
bear in mind, whether they enter into the house of God or
depart from it, that it is the God of heaven and earth with whom
they have to do, and to whom they must shortly give an ac
count of all these privileges which by the generality are so
lightly esteemed.
How the people remembered the vows that were upon
them, was evident from the liberality with which they imme
diately presented their offerings to the Lord k . O let us give
up our whole selves to him a living sacrifice : and from a
constraining sense of redeeming love, let us henceforth live,
not unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us and rose
again.]
k If any Collection be made on the occasion, the zeal and liberality
of the worshippers, ver. 32, 33. may well be proposed as a pattern.
Or, if the occasion required, the different Officers of the Church or
Parish might be exhorted, from the example of the Priests, and of
the Levites in particular, to exert themselves in their respective
callings to serve and honour God.
ccccxxm.
AFTER CONFIRMATION.
2 Chron. xxix. 31 . Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye
have consecrated yourselves unto the Lord, come near and
bring sacrifices and thank-offerings into the house of the
Lord.
RELIGION is the brightest ornament of every
state. Solomon was never more truly encircled with
glory, than when he led the devotions of his people
at the dedication of the temple : nor was Hezekiah
423.] AFTER CONFIRMATION. 191
at any period of his reign more honourably em
ployed, than when he was purifying that temple from
the abominations which had been introduced into it
by his father Ahaz. The exhortation in our text
was delivered by him to the whole congregation of
Israel, after that the sacrifices for the purification of
the temple had been offered. And to you who are
of the younger part of our audience they may with
great propriety be addressed, after the services which
you have this day been called to perform.
With a more immediate view to your benefit, we
will consider,
I. The act in which you have been engaged
You have been to the bishop to be confirmed :
and this is,
1. A solemn act
[From the levity of too many who attend on these occa
sions, it may be thought to be a ceremony of no importance.
But it is a most solemn transaction between God and your
souls. You have this day been taking upon yourselves the
vows which were made in your behalf at your baptism ; and
have been devoting yourselves to God as his servants : and,
whether you have been sincere or not in the performance of
the duty, the consequences of it will be very important : if
you have given yourselves to the Lord in sincerity and truth,
he has accepted you to his favour, and numbered you among
his children : but, if you have lied unto God with your lips,
you have riveted upon your souls your former iniquities, and
provoked God to give you up to greater obduracy a
2. A reasonable act
[The first-fruits of every thing were the Lord s : nor could
any man appropriate them to his own use without the greatest
impiety. Thus are the first-fruits of your time and strength to
be given up to God. It is generally thought that the Jewish
children at about twelve years of age went up to Jerusalem to
be presented to the Lord in a more solemn manner : and we
know that our blessed Lord went thither at this age, that he
might in a more peculiar way than he had ever before done,
engage in the services of " his Father s house/ We cannot do
better than follow his example in this particular. As soon as
we have arrived at an age when we are capable of understanding
a Isai. xxviii. 22. Rom. i. 21.
192 2 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 31. [423.
and executing the vows that are upon us, we should go up to
the house of the Lord, and there solemnly acknowledge our
obligations to serve our God, and implore from him the grace
and strength that shall be needful for us. This, we are ex
pressly told, is " a reasonable service V]
3. An irrevocable act
[It was an established law, that if any thing whatsoever had
been devoted to the Lord, it could not be recalled. Least of
all then can you be liberated from the engagement which you
have this day entered into, and which would have been binding
upon you, even though you had never obeyed the call of your
diocesan in relation to it
But confirmation is to be the commencement of a
new and more determined course of devotedness to
God. I will therefore proceed to mark,
II. The duty which yet remains to be performed
The act in which you have this day been engaged
must be,
1. Continued
[The whole remainder of your lives is the time for the per
formance of your vows. There never will arrive a period when
you are absolved from them, or when you are at liberty to
relax your attention to them. Every morning and evening
were the sacrifices offered in the temple, and a double number
on the seventh day : so must every day begin and end with
fresh surrenders of yourselves to God ; and the Sabbath in
particular must be a day of more than ordinary communion
with him. " If you look back, after having put your hand to
the plough, you are not fit for the kingdom of God:" yea, " if
you draw back, it is to certain and everlasting perdition ."]
2. Progressive
[After all had been done that was necessary for the
purification of the temple, Hezekiah called on the people to
present sacrifices and thank-offerings unto the Lord : and, in
consequence of this exhortation, they were presented in great
numbers. The sacrifices which God desires of you, are, not
sheep and oxen, but the offering of a free, a contrite, a devoted
heart tl . And, as the first offerings which were presented, were
from duty and necessity, and the last from a superabundant
zeal for God, and gratitude to his name, so are your surrenders
b Rom. xii. 1. c Luke ix. 62. Heb. x. 38, 39.
d See Rom. xii. 1. before cited.
424.1 HEZEKIAH S ZEAL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD. UV3
of your hearts to God to be daily more willing, more grateful,
more entire 6 ]
APPLICATION
1. To the young, we recommend the counsel of
Hezekiah
[Never think you can do enough for Him, who has bought
you with his blood
2. To the more advanced we recommend his ad
mirable example
[Whatever influence you have, use it diligently for the
Lord- ]
e Isai. xliv. 3 o. Jer. 1. 4, 5.
CCCCXXIV.
HEZEKIAH S ZEAL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.
Chron. xxx. 1 11. And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and
Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephrahn and Manasseh,
that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem,
to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel. For the
king had taken counsel, and his princes, and, all the congre
gation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second
month. For they could not keep it at that time, because the
priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently > neither had
the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. And
the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. So
they established a decree to make proclamation throughout
all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should
come to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel at
Jerusalem : for they had not done it of a long time in such
sort as it was written. So the 2^osts went with the letters
from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and
Judah, and according to the commandment of the king,
saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God
of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he ivill return to the
remnant of you, that arc escaped out of the hand of the kings
of Assyria. And be not like your fathers, and like your
brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their
fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
Noiv be ye not stiff-necked, as your fathers ivere, but yield
yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which
he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God,
that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
VOL. IV. O
194 2 CHRONICLES, XXX. 1-11. [424.
For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your
children shall find compassion before them that lead them
captive, so that they shall come again, into this land : for the
Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn
away his face from you, if ye return unto him. So the posts
passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and
Manasseh even unto Zebulun : but they laughed them to
scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless divers of Aslier and
Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to
Jerusalem.
INFLUENCE is a talent of vast importance; but
it is often most abused, where it exists in the highest
degree. Kings and princes are rarely to be found
amongst those who are foremost in the work of
reformation : and, where their exertions are used,
they are actuated as much by political principles as
by those which are religious. Here however we see
a monarch uniting with all his princes in a work of
piety, in which politics bore no part at all. Heze-
kiah, not content with calling on his own subjects to
serve the Lord, sought to bring his very enemies
to the same blessed state, even those enemies who
not long before had " smitten them with a great
slaughter," even " with a rage that reached up to
heaven 3 ." The account is so circumstantial and so
beautiful, that I have comprised it all in my text ;
which will lead me to shew,
I. The efforts he used in the service of his God
The object he sought to accomplish was one of pri
mary importance
[The passover was the greatest of all the Jewish feasts, as
the mercies which it was intended to commemorate were the
greatest that had ever been vouchsafed to that people. The
destruction of the Egyptian first-born was, as you know, con
fined to them. The Israelites throughout the whole land were
exempt from the judgment inflicted on all others without ex
ception. In order to their deliverance, they were to kill a lamb,
and sprinkle the posts and lintels of their doors with its blood:
and then the destroying angel was to pass over their houses
without inflicting a stroke either on man or beast that was so
protected. In commemoration of this wonderful event the
a 2 Chron. xxviii. 5, 9.
424.1 HEZEKIAH S ZEAL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD. 195
passover was to be kept with great strictness in all future ages.
But it had been shamefully neglected during the reign of his
father Ahaz ; and was now therefore appointed to be kept with
peculiar solemnity. This ordinance above all others typified
our redemption through the blood of Christ. The appointment
of God was, that it should be kept at Jerusalem : and this
command was as binding upon the ten tribes of Israel as it was
upon Judah and Benjamin. He summoned all therefore, as
well the tribes of Israel who were not under his government,
as the two tribes who w r ere his immediate subjects, to engage
in this holy duty: and he spared neither trouble nor expense
to attain his end.]
The way in which he endeavoured to accomplish his
end was peculiarly amiable and praiseworthy
[Though a king, he used not so much the language of
authority as of affectionate counsel and entreaty : " Turn
again," said he, " unto the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of
Israel." " Be ye not stiff-necked, as your fathers were." He
reminds them of the bitter consequences of their past departure
from God, consequences which they could not but trace to
that source, since the very judgments which God s prophets
had denounced against them were actually visible in the deso
lations that were come upon them, a great part of their nation
having been already taken captive by the king of Assyria. He
then urges every argument that could influence an ingenuous
mind. He assures them, that God would still be gracious to
them, if they would but return to him : yea, that he would
even restore to their own land those who had been taken
captive, if they would but seek him with their whole hearts.
In a word, he entreats them to " yield up themselves un
reservedly unto God," in an assured expectation, that, if they
returned to him in a way of penitential sorrow, he would return
to them in a way of love and mercy.
Now the whole of this affords as bright a pattern of wisdom,
and piety, and love, as is to be found in all the Jewish records.]
Let us then proceed to contemplate,
II. The success with which those efforts were at
tended
This was far from being so complete as might
have been expected. Some only " mocked his mes
sengers, and laughed them to scorn "-
[However closely we examine the message which he sent,
we shall find in it nothing that could give just occasion for
ridicule or contempt. But ungodly men, even in self-defence,
deride every thing which savours of piety. They have done
o2
196 2 CHRONICLES, XXX. 111. [424.
so in every age. When Lot entreated his sons-in-law to escape
out of Sodom, " he seemed," we are told, " as one who mocked
to his sons-in-law," so ridiculous were his exhortations in their
eyes. In precisely the same way were all the messages de
livered by the prophets regarded ; till God was provoked to
give up his people to utter desolation b . It might be supposed
that the infinite perfections of our blessed Lord should disarm
such malice ; and that his words at least would be universally
received. But many who heard them regarded him only as a
deceiver and a demoniac. The very Pharisees, who from their
knowledge of the Scriptures might have been supposed to form
a more correct judgment, derided him as much as others;
because they were addicted to the sins which he reproved .
The holy Apostles shared the same fate with their Divine
Master ; and when most " speaking the words of truth and
soberness" were most virulently derided as babblers and as
fools d . And thus it is at the present hour. Every man who
seeks to reclaim a world that lieth in wickedness will be
reproached and persecuted, and, generally speaking, will be
persecuted in proportion to his fidelity.]
Some however complied with his exhortations
[Among the tribes of Judah and Benjamin there was a
great unanimity in turning to the Lord, because " the hand of
God was with them, to give them" an obedient heart. And
from amongst the tribes of Israel also many " humbled them
selves, and came to Jerusalem." These kept the feast with
great joy and gladness 6 : yea, so did they delight in the pious
work, that when they had fulfilled the week which God had
appointed for the celebration of the feast, they were anxious
of themselves to continue it another week f , notwithstanding
the protracting of the period interfered with the pressing en
gagements of the harvest. Say whether this was not a rich
compensation to Hezekiah for all the ridicule which the con-
temners of his piety had cast upon him ? Yes, if one soul be
of more value than the whole world, no doubt but that the
welfare of so many souls was in his eyes an abundant recom-
pence for all his toil and labour.]
That we may not confine our thoughts to the events
of that day, but may render them PROFITABLE
to our own souls, I shall consider myself as a
messenger sent on a similar occasion to you,
not from an earthly monarch, but from the
King of kings
* 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16. c Luke xvi. 14. d Acts xxvi. 24, 25.
e ver. 21. f ver. 23.
425.] GOD S CONDESCENSION TO THE UPRIGHT. 197
[You would I call to keep a passover unto the Lord : for
" Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." O consider the
benefits you derive from his blood sprinkled on your souls !
- Think of yourselves as the very first-born whom he
has redeemed unto God, and who are Lord s peculiar portion
-Think how grievously this mystery has been neglected
by you and by all around you - And how manifest is
his indignation against the contemners of his love and mercy !
See, and tell me, are not the great mass around you enslaved
by sin, and carried captive by the devil at his will ?
Have not you yourselves too much reason to fear his displeasure
on account of your multiplied iniquities? Turn then unto
him in penitence and prayer ; yea, turn unto him with your
whole hearts. I would urge this by every consideration that
is proper to influence the human mind. Think how gracious
your Redeemer is, and ready both to receive you to mercy,
and to deliver you out of the hands of your spiritual enemies
- Think too how awful will be the consequence of con
tinuing to rebel against him - - " Be no longer stiif-
necked," but turn to him, and " yield yourselves entirely to
him." "This is your reasonable service R :" and if ungodly
men deride and mock your piety, let it suffice you that you
shall at least have the approbation of your God
And to you who have influence let me say, Exert that influ
ence in behalf of all to whom it can extend. Use it abroad as
well as at home ; amongst enemies, as well as friends. Seek to
recover the disperser 1 of Israel and of Judah to the service of
their God, that they may participate with you the mercies pur
chased for them by the blood of the Paschal Lamb ]
% Rom. xii. 1.
ccccxxv.
GOD S CONDESCENSION TO THE UPRIGHT.
2 Chron. xxx. 18 20. Hezekiah prayed for them, saying,
The (jood Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to
seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not
cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
HERE is the fruit of holy zeal. Not a month had
Hezekiah been invested with royal authority, before
he set himself to repair the evils which had heen
committed hy his father Ahaz. Almost incredible
were the abominations which had been wrought by
that wicked prince, " destroying the vessels of the
198 2 CHRONICLES, XXX. 1820. [425.
sanctuary, and shutting up the very doors of the
temple, and erecting altars in every corner of Jeru
salem 11 :" and now Hezekiah, his son, gave orders for
the re-opening of the temple, and sanctifying it
afresh in all its parts : and in the short space of eight
days it was accomplished. He then determined to
keep the passover, which had been neglected and
suspended for many years : and, not content with
summoning his own subjects to observe that blessed
ordinance, he sent messengers to all the ten tribes
of Israel, to invite them to unite with him in the
observance of it. The greater part of that apostate
nation poured contempt upon his message: but a
large number yielded to his entreaties, and came to
join in that divine service. God had appointed, that,
if any, by being on a journey, or sick, were incapa
citated to attend that ordinance on the fourteenth
day of the first month, he might come with the same
acceptance on the fourteenth day of the second
month. Of this concession Hezekiah availed himself,
to bring together as many as possible from amongst
the ten tribes, as well as of his own subjects. But
multitudes from amongst the ten tribes, being called
so suddenly, had not time to sanctify themselves
from the pollutions which they had contracted : and
no alternative was left them, but to serve God in a
less acceptable manner, or to neglect his service
altogether. To the former they were encouraged by
King Hezekiah : but, perceiving God was offended
with them for coming in so unfit a way, he prayed
to God for them, that his judgments might be re
moved from them, and that they might be restored
to the divine favour. This prayer was heard and
answered ; and the answer given to it will afford me
a fit occasion to consider,
I. The leading features of this history
They are two:
1. The jealousy of God respecting his own ordi
nances and appointments
n 2 Chron. xxviii. 2 4, 24.
425.] GOD S CONDESCENSION TO THE UPRIGHT. 199
[It was ordained by God that none who were, by what
ever means, in a state of ceremonial uncleanness, should eat
of the paschal feast. But from the suddenness of the invi
tation given to those of the ten tribes, it happened that many
were ceremonially unclean. This was ascertained after they
had come up to Jerusalem : and, as this was the second month,
no other opportunity would be afforded them to celebrate that
ordinance for nearly a whole year ; so that they must either
be sent back to their own country, under a state of grievous
disappointment, or be admitted without a suitable prepara
tion. The latter was the alternative adopted : and God, in
some way not known to us, but fully known to Hezekiah and
the people themselves, expressed his displeasure against them
on account of it b . And this he did, in order to shew, that no
man can be justified in the commission of presumptuous sin ;
and that no ordinance of his should ever be wilfully violated
by any man with impunity. (I apprehend that Hezekiah
erred in not consulting Jehovah, as Moses and others had
done, to obtain specific directions in this emergency.) It was
no excuse to say, that this \vas a mere ceremonial enactment :
it was ordained of God ; and that was sufficient : for the his
tory of all former ages had proved, beyond a possibility of
doubt, that it was at the peril of man to violate, knowingly,
any, even the least, of God s commandments. It was but a
positive injunction (not a moral one) that Adam in Paradise ,
and that the Sabbath-breaker (who was stoned for his offence) d ,
transgressed ; and that Uzzah also, who was struck dead upon
the spot, presumed to violate 6 . These instances abundantly
demonstrated the evil and danger of departing from any ordi
nance of God, however trifling that ordinance might be
thought. And we have the very same intimation given to us
under the Christian dispensation : for our blessed Lord has
left it as his unalterable determination, that " whosoever shall
break one of the least of God s commandments, and shall
teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of
heaven f ," that is, be accounted the furthest from it. We must
never, therefore, consider any commandment of God as small :
for, whatever it may be, his authority is vested in it ; and it
must be obeyed at the peril of our souls g . If ever there was
an occasion on which an ordinance of God might be overlooked,
methinks, it was that very occasion to which my text refers :
b God executed judgment on the Philistines who had taken cap
tive the ark (1 Sam. v. 6 12.) : and similar judgments were inflicted
on the Church at Corinth, for an irreverent attendance on the Lord s
Supper (1 Cor. xi. 30).
c Gen. ii. 17. d Numb. xv. 32 3(>. 1 Chron. xv. 13.
f Matt. v. 19. s Jam. ii. 10, 11.
200 2 CHRONICLES, XXX. 18 20. [425.
but if that could not be, without bringing on the transgressors
the divine displeasure, much less can any be overlooked at this
day, when only two ordinances, together with the Sabbath,
are left for our observance.]
2. The condescension of God towards the upright,
under their manifold short-comings and defects
[The persons had really " set their hearts to seek God,
the Lord God of their fathers, though they were not cleansed
according to the purification of the sanctuary." Though, there
fore, God shewed that this was no excuse for their transgres
sion, he heard the prayer of Hezekiah in their behalf, and
healed them, precisely as he healed Abimelech and his do
mestics, when the general integrity of the offender was made
known 11 . Thus does God shew, that he is " not extreme to
mark what is done amiss;" for, if he were, " who could ever
stand before him ? " Our blessed Lord apologized for his dis
ciples at the very time that they were guilty of most cri
minal neglect : " The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh
is weak ! " And the same tender regard he will shew to us
also, under our manifold infirmities. He knows, that, though
" the spirit lusteth against the flesh, the flesh still continues
to lust against the spirit, so that we cannot do the things that
we would 1 :" and that, even when " we delight in the Law of
God after our inward man," there is yet a law in our mem
bers warring against the law in our minds, and bringing us
into captivity to the law of sin which is in our members ; so
that even the best of men are often constrained to cry, " O
wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me k ?" Were
we " to regard iniquity in our hearts, no prayer, whether
of others or of our own, would be accepted by the Lord 1 ."
" The retaining of even a right hand or a right eye," with
deliberate determination, would exclude us from all hope of
his favour" 1 : but, if we be really upright before him, and with
sincerity of heart bemoan our defects, " he will be our Advo
cate with the Father, and approve himself to us as the pro
pitiation for our sins n ." He is appointed of God to " bear
the iniquity of our holy things ;" and he will so bear it, that, if
mourned over and resisted, it shall never prevent our ultimate
acceptance before God.]
These being the principal features of the history, I
proceed to notice,
II. The leading instructions to be derived from it
h Gen. xx. 17, 18. j Gal. v. 1 7. k Rom. vii. 2224.
i Ps. Ixvi. 18. m Mark ix. 4348. " 1 John ii. 1.
Exod. xxviii. 38.
425.1 GOD S CONDESCENSION TO THE UPRIGHT. 201
I will here confine myself to two :
1. That we are not to confide in duties, because
we perform them as well as we can
[The Israelites on this occasion did wliat they could: but
this did not justify them before God. And, for argument sake,
I will suppose that we also, in our respective spheres, have
done the same. Still I must say, that, if this were the case,
" we are only unprofitable servants," and have nothing to boast
of in the sight of our Divine Master. But who, I would ask,
has done as well as he could ? The paschal feast, which com
memorated the redemption of Israel from Egypt, typified our
redemption from a far sorer bondage, by our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ : as the Apostle says, " Christ our Passover is
sacrificed for us ; therefore let us keep the feast, not with old
leaven, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth p ."
Inquire then, I pray you, whether, in remembering this stu
pendous mercy, at the Lord s Supper, or at the period of our
annual commemoration of it, or in the daily habit of your
minds, you have been so careful to purge out all the old leaven
of your corrupt nature, that, when inspected by the eye of the
heart-searching God, you will be found " cleansed according
to the purification of the sanctuary." Who must not shrink
back from such an examination as this ? Who can ever stand
such a test as this ? And, if we cannot, what remains for us,
but shame and confusion of face in the presence of an holy
God ? If even holy Job could not endure such a scrutiny, if
not even he could answer God for " one action of a thousand,"
and was constrained to acknowledge, that, " if he were to jus
tify himself, his own mouth would condemn him q ," assuredly
nothing is left for us but, with the convicted leper, to put
our hands on our mouths, and our mouths in the dust, crying,
" Unclean, unclean r ." Let me, then, affectionately guard you,
my Brethren, against " trusting in yourselves as righteous,"
because of your diligence in any duties whatsoever. Do not
mistake me ; I would not decry diligence in duties : on the
contrary, I would that every one amongst us were as diligent
and abundant in them as ever the Apostle Paul was : but if
we place any dependence on them before God, we totally
destroy all their value, and render our very obedience a stum
bling-block, over which we shall fall to our eternal condem
nation. If we possessed all the righteousness of the Apostle
Paul, we must renounce it all in point of dependence, and
f I Cor. v. 7, 8. If this were a Sacrament Sermon, or for Easter-
day, the appropriate hint here given should be somewhat amplified,
i Job ix. 2, 20. Lev. xiii. 45.
202 2 CHRONICLES, XXX. 1820. [425.
" seek to be found in Christ, not having our own righteousness,
but his 8 ."]
2. Not to be discouraged from duties, because we
cannot perform them so well as we would
[A truly pious man can be satisfied with nothing short of
absolute perfection. But this is no reason that he should be
discouraged in, and still less be diverted from, the path of duty.
If God himself "do not despise the day of small things," much
less should we*. Under the Law, it was forbidden to offer to
the Lord, honey, or leaven, or any beast that was mutilated :
yet, as a votive-offering, every one of them might be presented
with acceptance 11 . This shews how God will condescend to
the infirmities of those who endeavour to honour him according
to their power. A burnt-offering, of whatever kind it were,
must be perfect ; because it could not otherwise atone for sin,
or shadow forth the Saviour, who was to die for the sins of
the whole world : but, as a voluntary offering, its imperfections
were overlooked ; and the offerer was accepted of the Lord.
Know ye, then, Brethren, that, as where persons had not a
lamb to offer, God accepted " two turtle-doves or young
pigeons," and even a small portion of meal x , so will he receive
at your hands the imperfect services you present, " accepting
them according to what you have, and not according to what
you have not y ." A clear distinction is to be made by you be
tween the sins of infirmity, which still cleave to the most pious
soul, and those which were committed in an unregenerate state
with the full consent of his will. Respecting a person under
the influence of the latter, Christ says, " If I wash thee not,
thou hast no part with me :" but respecting one that, in despite
of all his exertions, is overtaken with the former, he says, " He
that is washed, needeth not, save to wash his feet ; but is clean
every whit :" that is, a man who has been bathing, does not
need again the same total immersion which he has just recently
experienced ; but, however few his steps have been from the
bath, he has contracted some defilement, from which he re
quires a fresh ablution. Thus a saint, that has been washed in
" the Fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness," is cleansed,
in a general view, from all his guilt : but, from his remaining
infirmities, every step he takes in this corrupt world will more
or less defile him : and if he habitually apply to himself the
blood of Christ for that end, and cry to God for pardon in the
Saviour s name, he shall be regarded as pure in the sight of God,
and shall to all eternity be accepted of him.]
8 Phil. iii. 9. * Zech. iv. 10.
u See Lev. vii. 13. xxii. 23. and xxiii. 17.
x Lev. v. 7, 11. - v 2 Cor. viii. 12.
426.] DELIGHT IN ORDINANCES. 203
APPLICATION
[Thus, then, you see, Brethren, the just medium between
presumption and despondency. You are no more to trifle with
sin than if there were no mercy attainable by transgressors ;
and, on the other hand, you are no more to despair of mercy
than if no judgment whatever had been at any time denounced
against transgressors. Your faith must never so prevail as to
exclude fear ; nor is your fear ever to reign so as to prevent
the exercise of faith. In the whole of your deportment, you
are ever to keep in combined exercise, confidence with humility,
and vigilance with composure.]
CCCCXXVL
DELIGHT IN ORDINANCES.
2 Chron. xxx. 22, 23. They did eat throughout the feast seven
days, offering peace-offerings, and making confession to the
Lord God of their fathers. And the whole assembly took
counsel to keep other seven days : and they kept other seven
days with gladness.
IN this chapter, and in that which precedes it, we
are informed that Hezekiah, as soon as he came to
the throne, set himself to repair the temple, which
during the reign of his father Ahaz had been greatly
neglected, and to restore the worship of Jehovah,
which had been utterly superseded by the worship of
idols. He lost no time in sanctifying the vessels
which had been desecrated and defiled : and he
appointed a feast unto the Lord, to be observed by
all his people.
Now here we have,
I. A most valuable record-
That we may view it in all its parts, let us dis
tinctly notice,
1. The feast appointed-
fit was the passover, and the feast of unleavened bread
which was invariably connected with it. The feast of passover
commemorated the redemption of Israel from Egypt ; and the
feast of unleavened bread intimated the holiness which became
the people who had been so redeemed. But the time for ob
serving these feasts was past. The passover should have been
204 2 CHRONICLES, XXX. , &*. [420.
killed on the fourteenth day of the first month a ; and on the
same day, at even, should the feast of unleavened bread have
commenced b : but it was not practicable to get the temple
ready by that time; and therefore Hezekiah applied to the
nation at large the liberty conceded to individuals ; in case they
were incapacitated for the observance of the feast at the proper
time, to observe it in the second month . Even this delay was
not sufficient for all who were desirous of observing the feast ;
so that many came up to it without that measure of purifica
tion which the law required : and it was only in answer to
Hezekiah s prayer that this violation of the law was pardoned d .
But the zeal of Hezekiah was truly commendable. Indeed,
he was not satisfied with summoning his own subjects to the
feast : he sought to bring also his brethren of the ten tribes to
a participation of the same holy exercises and heavenly enjoy
ments: and, though " his messengers were laughed to scorn"
and mocked by many, there were many who accepted his invi
tation, and availed themselves of the opportunity afforded them
of serving and honouring " the Lord God of their fathers ."]
2. The observance of it
[A spirit of piety prevailed to a very great extent : all,
king, princes, priests and people, seemed to vie with each other
in their endeavours to exalt and honour God: and in their
services we behold that which gives to every service its highest
value a due mixture of humiliation with their gratitude and
joy : " they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering
peace-offerings, and making confession to the Lord God of their
fathers f ." This is a point deserving of most especial notice.
Humility is the characteristic feature of the worship in heaven:
for all, whether saints or angels, fall upon their faces before the
throne, whilst with united voices they sing praise to God and
to the Lamb . Such was the worship of all the assembly at
this time ; and it was productive of the most exalted joy h : for
every prayer they offered entered into the ears of the Lord of
hosts, and descended in blessings on the heads of those who
offered it 1 .]
3. Its continuance
[According to the original institution, the feast was to last
but seven days : but so full of joy were their souls, that the
whole assembly took counsel, after the example of Solomon,
to protract it seven more days k . And not only did Hezekiah
a Exod. xii. 6. b Exod. xii. 18.
c ver. 1 4. with Numb. ix. 10, 11. d ver. 17 20.
e ver. 10. f ver. 22. g Rev. v. 8. and vii. 11.
h ver. 26. ver. 27. k ver. 23. with 1 Kings viii. 65.
426.] DELIGHT IN ORDINANCES. 205
and the princes concur in this proposal, but, by their extraor
dinary liberality, they enabled the congregation to carry it into
effect : for Hezekiah gave them one thousand bullocks and
seven thousand sheep ; and the princes gave one thousand
bullocks and ten thousand sheep. During the whole of this
time, even fourteen days, were the same holy exercises conti
nued, none grudging the time that was lost to their worldly
occupations, or becoming weary of an employment so foreign
to their former habits.]
And who does not see in all this,
II. A most instructive lesson ?
Surely here is a lesson,
1. To the higher ranks of society
[Behold the king and the princes exerting all their in
fluence to diffuse throughout the land a spirit of piety ; and
not in their own land only, but throughout a nation that was
hostile to them 1 . What an example was here to all, however
exalted their rank, or powerful their authority ! And can
wealth or power be better employed than in such acts as
these? But let it not be supposed that this example is in
structive to kings and princes only : whatever be the measure
of our property or influence, our obligation to improve them
for the diffusion of religion is still the same ; and our liberality
should be " according to our power," whether it be more or
less. True, indeed, if we engage with holy zeal in the service
of our God, we may expect that an ungodly world will " laugh
us to scorn and mock us." But we should rise superior to such
treatment, and rejoice that we are " counted worthy to suffer
shame for Christ s sake." Our only thought should be, How
we may honour God: and, if only He be glorified, we should
not regard any sacrifice which we may be called to make for so
desirable an end.]
2. To the community at large
[Here we see how we should perform our religious duties.
Not that it would be advisable for us to protract them to an
inconvenient length ; or to neglect our worldly callings, for the
sake of prosecuting beyond reasonable bounds the services in
which we are engaged. There is a season for every thing ;
and every duty should be attended to in its season. We are
to labour six days, so far as the necessities of ourselves and our
families may require it, and to rest on the Sabbath-day: but
we may, and must, carry the spirit of religion into every thing,
and in that sense protract our religious services to the latest
1 2 Cliron. xxviii. C, 8.
206 2 CHRONICLES, XXXI. 20,21. [427.
hour of our lives. Nor should we grudge a reasonable portion
of our time to religious ordinances, whether public or private.
Beyond all doubt, we should consecrate a portion of every day
to the immediate service of our God ; and be willing, also, to
enlarge that portion, when any particular occasion may demand
it: but it is the service of the heart which God now chiefly
requires ; and that can never be carried to excess. We must,
however, especially take care to combine with every service a
due measure of penitential sorrow. We must never for a mo
ment forget that we are sinners ; nor ever offer to God any
sacrifice of which penitential sorrow does not form a very es
sential part.
And now, what shall I say to you, my Brethren ? Would
to God that I could see you all in the very frame in which the
whole people of Israel were on this occasion ! And is there
not abundant reason for it? Is not the restoration of divine
ordinances, after so long a suspension of them, a blessing?
Above all, Is not " Christ our Passover sacrificed for us? and
is not this a call to keep the feast? " Let us, then, " keep it,
not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness, but with
the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." Then may you
hope, that " your joy, like Israel s, shall be full;" and shall
be not only a preparation for future blessedness, but also an
earnest of heaven in your souls.]
CCCCXXVII.
HEZEKIAIl s CHARACTER.
2 Chron. xxxi. 20, 21. Thus did Hezekiah throughout all
Judah, and wrought that which ivas good and right and
truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he
began in the service of the house of God, and in the law,
and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all
his heart, and prospered.
RELIGION, when set before us in the precept, is
thought impracticable : but, when it is embodied in
the life of some eminent saint, it commends itself to
us as in the highest degree estimable, and its yoke
appears to us both light and easy. In a person like
Hezekiah, at the early age of twenty-five, (when the
mind is too generally carried away by thoughtless
gaiety,) presiding over a kingdom, with all possible
means of sensual gratification at his command, it
does indeed approve itself to us as lovely, and as
427.] HEZEKIAH S CHARACTER. 207
worthy to be cultivated by every child of man. For
the purpose of elevating your souls to the pursuit of
it, I will propose to your consideration,
I. The character of Hezekiah as here drawn-
Many of the saints were eminently distinguished
above their brethren by some peculiar grace, which
they exercised in an extraordinary degree. Heze
kiah excelled in faith : " He trusted in the Lord
God of Israel, so that after him was none like him
among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were
before him a ." But in the passage before us, his
character is drawn more at large. We behold,
1. The objects of his attention
[Placed at the head of an empire, he laboured to promote
the benefit of his subjects by a wise and just administration of
his government. But his views were not confined to objects
of temporal importance merely : he sought to repair the mis
chiefs of his father s reign, and to bring back his people to the
knowledge and enjoyment of the only true God. He neglected
not what was politically "good and right and true:" but he
also strove to accomplish whatever was " good and right and
truth before the Lord his G.od." The passover, which had been
instituted to commemorate the deliverance of Israel out of
Egypt, and had been ordained of God to be observed every
year at an appointed time, had long been neglected. He
therefore called the priests and Levites to the performance of
their duty b ; he ordered them to sanctify the house of God,
which had been profaned by all manner of abominations ,
and to prepare all the offerings which were necessary for the
occasion ; he himself setting them an example by a most
munificent contribution of cattle for that end d . Nor was
he content with effecting this amongst his own people. He
exerted his influence to bring also the ten tribes of Israel,
over whom he had no control, to a sense of their duty, and
to a concurrence with him in this holy work. In a word, he
considered himself as a servant of the Most High God ; and
for the advancement of his glory he exerted all the influence
which his high station gave him.]
2. The manner of his exertion
[This is particularly specified; and, indeed, it deserves
especial notice: " in every work that he began, he did it with
a 2 Kings xviii. 5. b 2 Chron. xxix. 4, 5,
c 2 Chron. xxix. 15, 16. d 2 Chron. xxx. 24.,
208 2 CHRONICLES, XXXI. 20, 21. [427.
all his heart" He did not satisfy himself with giving commands
to others: he himself led the way, and enforced, by his example,
the precepts which he issued. In the very first month after
his coming to the throne of Judah, he set to work with all his
might : and in the second month, the fourteenth day of the
month, all was ready for the observance of the ordinance: and
though his zeal brought upon him much obloquy and contempt
from ungodly men 6 , he persevered with undiminished ardour,
and kept such a passover as had not been seen from the time
of Solomon to that day f . It was in this way that " he began"
the work of the Lord: and in this blessed course did he con
tinue to the end of life. In fact, it was his zeal for the service
of God which caused him to weep so bitterly, when he was
informed by the prophet that the time was come for him to
die g . It was not that he was afraid of death: for he could
" appeal to God that he had walked before him in truth and
with a perfect heart :" but he saw that the reformation which
he had begun was likely to be stopped as soon as he should be
removed ; and therefore he implored a prolongation of his term
on earth, that he might consolidate and complete the work he
had begun.]
3. The issue of his labours-
fin my text we are told, " he prospered." The kingdom,
when he first assumed the reins of government, was in a
most desolate condition ; subjected, in fact, to the Assyrian
monarch 11 ; from whose power, however, he delivered it 1 : and,
from being grievously impoverished, he raised it to a high
degree of \vealth and power k . The moral change effected in
it was most remarkable : at the time of his father s death, the
land was wholly given to idolatry and all its attendant abomi
nations : but in a short time, through God s blessing on his
endeavours, all the vestiges of idolatry were swept away, not
only from his ow r n dominions, but from the tribes of Ephraim
also and Manasseh, who were independent of him.]
Having viewed the character here drawn, let us
contemplate,
II. The instruction to be gathered from it
Surely we may learn from hence,
1. The extent of our duty
[All of us should, doubtless, be peculiarly attentive to the
offices to which, in our respective stations, we are called. From
c 2 Chron. xxx. 10. f 2 Chron. xxx. 26.
g 2 Kings xx. 1 3. h 2 Chron. xxix. 8.
1 2 Kings xviii. 7. k 2 Chron. xxxii. 27 30.
427.] HEZEKIAH S CHARACTER. 209
the king upon the throne, to the lowest subject in his dominions,
this is required. As in the natural body, so also in the body
politic, all, from the head to the foot, have their proper func
tions, which it becomes them diligently to discharge. But
all, without exception, are bound, in the first instance, to serve
their God, and to do whatever is good and right and true in
his sight. " Whatsoever tilings are true," says the Apostle,
" whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue,
if there be any praise, think on these things 1 ." Nor should
our efforts terminate on ourselves : we should seek the best
interests of all around us ; and labour especially to bring them
to the knowledge and enjoyment of their God. As Hezekiah
called his people to the observance of the passover, so should
we endeavour to call men s attention to the Gospel, and to
" Christ as our Passover that has been sacrificed for us."
Never can influence be used for a more salutary end than
this : and every one of us, according to the measure of in
fluence that he possesses, is bound to exert it in this way for
the Lord his God.]
2. The proper mode of engaging in it
[" Whatever our hand findeth to do, we should do it
with all our might" 1 ." It is not by listless endeavours that we
can hope to succeed : we must " strive for the mastery," if
we would overcome our corruptions; and " fight a good fight,"
if we would subdue our enemies; and " run, as in a race," if
we would obtain the prize that is held forth to us in the
Gospel. All of these images imply the most strenuous exer
tion in the Christian life. Nor will it suffice to " begin" well :
we must go on, and continue to the end, if we would secure
the approbation of our God".]
3. The certain issue of our endeavours
[Never did any one thus labour, without obtaining a suc
cessful issue. To those who strive to do the whole will of God,
and prosecute their object with their whole heart, a failure
is impossible. They must prosper:" God will never suffer
such persons to run in vain, and " labour in vain ." As far as
respects the benefiting of others, he may not indeed attain all
he proposes to himself: but as far as respects his own soul, he
cannot but flourish: he will necessarily grow in grace: " his
peace also will flow down like a river:" " his joy will become
i Phil. iv. 8. " Eccl. ix. 10.
n Gal. vi. 9. 1 Cor. xv. 58.
VOL. IV. P
210 2 CHRONICLES, XXXI. 20,21. [427.
unspeakable and glorified ;" and his weight of glory will be in
proportion to his attainments and his services.]
REFLECTIONS
1. How rare is this character!
[Persons attending to their worldly callings, and prose
cuting them with their whole hearts, and prospering in them,
are to be found in every place. But where do we find persons
labouring thus in spiritual things, and making " their profiting
to appear unto all? " Look at the generality, and you behold no
progress in them from year to year : and even amongst those
whom, in the judgment of charity, we should call believers,
there is, alas ! far less of holy zeal and spiritual advancement
than their profession requires.]
2. How honourable is this character !
[Let a person be really zealous for the Lord his God,
and profane sinners will be sure to mock and deride him, as
they did Hezekiah and his agents. But still they will honour
him in their hearts, even as " Herod feared John," at the very
time that he consigned him to prison and to death. But if
not, still, at his departure, his loss will be felt and mourned as
a public calamity. The Jews built the sepulchres of departed
prophets, at the time that they persecuted and put to death
the living ones. And it is no uncommon thing, in this day, to
behold a repetition of that farce. As for the honour itself, it
is of no value to the saints, whether dead or living : but it is
a testimony for God, that his servants are indeed " worthy of
all honour," and that " the righteous is more excellent than
his neighbour."]
3. How blessed is this character !
[Compare Hezekiah with his father Ahaz, or his son
Manasseh. They possessed the kingdom, even as he : but
how differently did they exert their influence ! They lived
but for the gratification of their own malignant passions ;
whereas he lived only for the welfare of his people, and the
honour of his God. And can any one doubt which of them
was the happiest? Hear the mournings of Manasseh, and
they will satisfy your mind : or, if you could now behold the
state of Ahaz, it would leave no doubt who is the happier
man he who lives for God, or he who lives only for himself.]
428.1 HUMILIATION FOR THE SIN OF THE HEART.
CCCCXXVIII.
HUMILIATION FOR THE SIN OF THE HEART.
2 Chron. xxxii. 26. Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride
of his heart.
THE best of men are liable to fall through tempta
tion, but they will deeply bewail any sin into which
they have been betrayed. Hezekiah was a man of
very distinguished piety a ; but he was not sufficiently
aware, that his integrity was the effect of divine grace,
and not of human power. God therefore left him
for a moment to the influence of his own heart b . In
consequence of this he soon gave a proof of his
inherent depravity ; but, on discovering his sin, he
instantly humbled himself for it before God.
We shall shew,
I. What were the grounds of Hezekiah s humiliation
The sin committed by him does not in human
estimation appear great
[The princes of Babylon sent to congratulate him on his
recovery : he received them with all the kindness and courtesy
that he could express, and shewed them " every thing in his
dominions" that could afford them entertainment .]
But his conduct was exceeding sinful in the sight
of God ; for in it,
1. He sought his own glory
[Hezekiah evidently thought of nothing else at that time.
He wished to shew how great a man he was, in order that his
alliance might be courted, and his power feared. Now this
would have been highly criminal in any man d , but it was espe
cially so in him, at that particular juncture. He had just been
at the borders of the grave ; and therefore should have been
more impressed with the vanity of earthly grandeur, and should
have seen the folly and wickedness Q priding himself in things
so empty, so worthless, so transient.]
2. He sought his own glory in preference to God s
honour
[He had now a happy opportunity of magnifying the God
of Israel. He might have told the ambassadors, what God
a 2 Kings xx. 3 b ver. 31.
c 2 Kings xx. 13. d Prov. xxv. 27.
o
1 f*
2 CHRONICLES, XXXII. 26. [428.
had done for his nation in former times ; he might have recited
the wonderful restoration which God had at this time afforded
to himself in particular, together with the stupendous miracle
with which the promise of that recovery had been confirmed 6
he might have commended Jehovah as an answerer of
prayer f - and in this way have exalted him above all the
gods of the heathen; and surely the mercies that had been
vouchsafed unto him, demanded such a tribute : but he was
pitifully occupied about SELF, and basely preferred his own
honour before God s.]
3. He sought his own glory before the good of his
friends
[The ambassadors were shewing great kindness to him:
he should therefore have recompensed them in the best way.
He should have instructed them in the knowledge of the God
of Israel, and have told them how willing HE was to become
their God ; thus, perhaps, he might have converted and saved
their souls, and have spread the knowledge of the true God in
Babylon ; yea, eventually, he might have been instrumental to
the salvation of thousands. But he utterly forgot the necessi
ties of their souls, and was offering incense to his own vanity,
when he should have been promoting their eternal welfare.]
This was his sin ; and God denounced a heavy
judgment against him on account of it
[His riches were all to be taken away by the Chaldeans,
his own children were to be made eunuchs in the king of
Babylon s palace, and the whole nation to be led into a mise
rable captivity.]
But, if his offence was great, his humiliation also
was remarkable
[He heard with trembling the judgments which God
threatened to execute. Instead of palliating his sin, he acknow
ledged at once the justice of the Deity in inflicting such a
punishment on account of it : in concert with all his subjects,
he implored forgiveness at God s hands; and, having obtained a
respite of the sentence, meekly, and even thankfully, acquiesced
in the determinations of Heaven*.]
While we see in him much to shun, and much to
imitate, let us shew,
e 2 Kings xx. 11. It is worthy of remark, that the ambassadors
were sent on purpose to inquire into the miracle wrought in the land
in making the sun go back ten degrees. His neglect therefore was the
more sinful. 2 Chron. xxxii. 31.
f 2 Kings xx. 4, 5. 6 Isai. xxxix. 8.
428.] HUMILIATION FOR THE SIN OF THE HEART. 213
II. What grounds there are for similar humiliation
amongst us
Pride is deeply rooted in the heart of fallen man.
We are prone to be lifted up on every occasion
[We are vain of any natural endowments of body or mind.
The strong displays his strength; the beautiful, her beauty.
A penetrating mind, or tenacious memory, are made grounds
of self-admiration, and self-preference. Any acquired distinc
tions also become food for our vanity : the man of wealth, of
honour, or of power, assumes a consequence from his elevation,
and demands from others a homage as his due ; the proficient
in any art or science courts applause, and delights to have his
talents admired. Even the gifts of grace, through the depra
vity of our nature, become occasions of pride : not only an
ability to speak or pray with fluency, but even an insight into
the corruption of the heart, is often exhibited more for the
purpose of attracting admiration than of doing good. What
ever we have that elevates us a little above our fellow-
creatures, our proud hearts are fond of displaying it, and
pleased with the flattering attentions which it procures for
us.]
We indulge the disposition too to the neglect of
God s honour, and of the eternal welfare of those
around us
[How many glorious opportunities have we of speaking
for God! What grounds of praising him might we find in the
sacred records ! - especially the wonders of redeeming
love ! - How many too might we find in our own ex
perience ! And what unspeakable benefit might arise to man
kind, if we carefully improved these opportunities ! But how
rarely is our intercourse with each other made subservient to
these ends! We for the most part waste our time in flattering
attentions and unprofitable civilities, and are as intent on gra
tifying the vanity of ourselves or others, as if our social con
verse were capable of no better improvement.]
How much then do we need to imitate Hezekiah s
humiliation !
[However innocent we may think such conduct, it is
highly criminal in the sight of God ; it renders us justly ob
noxious to God s heaviest judgments 11 . Should we not then
humble ourselves before him in dust and ashes? Should not
the forbearance he has exercised call forth our devoutest ac
knowledgments ? And should we not adore his goodness even
h Matt. xii. 36, 37.
214 2 CHRONICLES, XXXII. 31. [429.
if he only delay to execute his threatened vengeance? Let us
not attempt to palliate this common, but vile, iniquity, but
rather unite in deprecating the wrath we have deserved.]
INFER,
1. How watchful should we be against what are
called little sins !
[Hezekiah at first probably intended only to shew civility
to his friends ; but through inattention to the motions of his
heart, he fell into grievous sin, and brought on the whole
nation the heaviest judgments. Let us learn then to mark the
first risings of sin in our hearts ; let us bear in mind how
greatly we may offend God by a neglect of our duty : let us
remember, too, that God notices and abhors sin in the heart,
no less than when it is brought forth into open act; let us
guard especially against the workings of pride and vain-glory :
let us entreat him to sanctify our inward man 1 , and never to
leave its to ourselves for one single moment.]
2. How great is the efficacy of fervent prayer and
intercession !
[The judgment denounced against Hezekiah was to have
been speedily inflicted ; but he and Judah sought the Lord by
humble and fervent prayer, and the Lord deferred the evil till
the next generation. Thus will he do also in answer to our
prayers. If we turned to him as a nation, he would prolong
our national prosperity, and would blot out for ever the per
sonal guilt of every true penitent. Let us then humble our
selves for our abominations both of heart arid life; so shall we
find God as gracious unto us, as ever he was to his people of
old.]
1 1 Thess. v. 23.
CCCCXXIX.
THE WEAKNESS AND DEPRAVITY OF MAN.
2 Chron. xxxii. 31. God left him, to try him, that he might
know all that was in his heart.
THERE is no character so excellent but there is
some blot to be found in it. The most illustrious
saints that ever lived, not only betrayed their weak
ness and sinfulness, but shewed themselves defective
in those very graces for which they were most emi
nent. We must not wonder therefore that Hezekiah,
who was in some respects as distinguished a character
429. ~] THE WEAKNESS AND DEPRAVITY OF MAN.
as any that either preceded or followed him, became
at last a monument of human frailty. It is probable
that the peculiar manifestations of the divine favour
towards him had excited an undue degree of self-
complacency in his mind : God therefore saw fit to
try him, and, " in the business of the ambassadors
of the princes of Babylon, who had sent unto him
to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land,"
(even of the shadow of the sun going backward ten
degrees on the sun-dial of Ahaz,) " left him" to the
natural workings of his own heart. The consequence
was such as might be apprehended ; he gave way to
pride and vanity, and brought on himself the divine
displeasure.
The words which we have read, will naturally lead
us to observe, that,
I. Till we are tried, we have very little idea of the
evil of our hearts
[Though we feel no difficulty in admitting that we are
sinners, yet we can by no means acknowledge the truth of the
representations given of us in the Scriptures. If we were told
that we are all by nature haters both of God a and man b , we
should consider it as a libel upon human nature. "When we
read the history of the Jews, we are ready to think that they
were incomparably more perverse than we should ever be :
though if we had been in their situation, there is no reason
at all to believe that we should have shewn ourselves in any
respect more obedient than they. If we have never fallen into
any gross sin, we imagine that our moral conduct has arisen
from the superior goodness of our hearts; and we suppose that
we have no disposition to those iniquities which are practised
by others. We are not aware, that, if we had been subjected
to the same trials as others, we should probably have fallen
like them. How was Hazael shocked when he was told what
enormities he would commit ! " Is thy servant a dog, that he
should commit this thing ?" Yet, no sooner was he tried,
than he did commit all the enormities that had been foretold.
And we, if told, that one of us would become a thief, another
an adulterer, and another a murderer, should revolt at the idea,
as though we were not capable of such atrocious wickedness :
but the more we know of our own hearts, the more we shall
a Rom. i. 30. and viii. 7. b Tit. iii. 3.
c 2 Kings viii. 12, 13.
216 2 CHRONICLES, XXXII. 31. [429.
be ready to say with David, " My heart sheweth me the wicked
ness of the ungodly 11 ," yea, it is an epitome of all the wickedness
that is committed upon earth.]
It becomes us to deprecate temptation ; since,
II. If left to ourselves, we shall soon give some awful
proof of our depravity
[That any persons are preserved from great enormities is
owing to the providence and the grace of God. It has pleased
God to encompass them, so that they should be screened from
any violent temptation ; or else he has endued them with a
more abundant measure of his grace, whereby they have been
enabled to withstand the tempter. Who that sees how others
have fallen, will ascribe his own steadfastness to an arm of
flesh? We need only set before us those deplorable monuments
of human depravity, David, Solomon, and Peter, and we shall
need nothing more to enforce that admonition, " Let him that
thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall e " -We
perhaps may have maintained a good conduct for a considerable
time : but can we not look back to some moment wherein we
have been left to follow the bent of our own corrupt hearts ?
We must be lamentably ignorant of what has passed within us,
if we have not long since learned our need to use that prayer,
" Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe."]
Yet we must not view such proofs of depravity
merely as insulated and detached acts : for,
III. One single act of wickedness, if duly considered,
will serve as a clew to find out all the iniquity
of our hearts
[God did not design to shew Hezekiah one imperfection
only, but " all that was in his heart f :" and his fall was well
calculated to give him this knowledge ; for in it he might see,
not only his pride and creature-confidence, but his ingratitude
for the mercies he had received, his unconcern about the souls
of those who came to visit him, his indifference about the
honour of his God, and innumerable other evils which were
comprehended in his sin g . Thus, if we will take any one sin
d Ps. xxxvi. 1. The Prayer-book Translation. See also Mark
vii. 2123. and Jer. xvii. 9.
e These instances should be opened separately, and at some length.
f The text may mean, that God left Hezekiah in order that he,
namely God, might know all that was in his heart. See Deut. viii. 2.
and xiii. 2, 3. But the sense given to the words seems preferable.
e If, as is thought, the Babylonians who came to inquire into the
miracle of the sun s retrograde motion were worshippers of the sun,
what an opportunity had Hezekiah to tell them about Jehovah, who
created that sun, and could continue or alter its course at his pleasure !
429.1 TIIE WEAKNESS AND DEPRAVITY OF MAN. 217
of our lives, and make use of it as a light to search the dark
corners of our hearts, we shall find out a most astonishing mass
of wickedness that has hitherto escaped our observation. Take,
for instance, any single act of pride, wrath, lewdness, covetous-
ness, or even deadness in prayer, what a scene will it open to
our view ! what umnindfulness of the divine presence ! what
unconcern about our own souls ! what preferring of carnal ease
or worldly vanities to the happiness and glory of heaven ! what
contempt of that adorable Saviour who shed his blood for us !
Alas! alas! we should never come to an end, if we should
attempt to declare all the evil which by such a scrutiny we
might discover.
This then we would most earnestly recommend as the means
of becoming acquainted with our hearts: let us not consider
any sin as though it were unconnected with any other ; but
rather regard every sin as a fruit of an immense tree, or as a
little stream flowing from an inexhaustible fountain.]
From this dereliction of Hezekiah, and his fall conse
quent upon it, we may FURTHER LEARN,
1. Thankfulness to God for the preservation we
have experienced
[None of us have perpetrated one thousandth part of the
iniquity which we should have been guilty of, if God had not
restrained us by his providence and grace. Let us not then
" sacrifice to our own net, or burn incense to our own drag."
Let us rather acknowledge, that by the grace of God we are
what we are, and say, " Not unto us, not unto us, but unto
thy name be the praise." And let our dependence be alto
gether on God, that he who has kept us hitherto, will " pre
serve us unto his heavenly kingdom."]
2. Tenderness and compassion towards those who
have fallen
[We are apt to look on a fallen brother with indignation
and contempt: but if we considered more attentively our own
extreme sinfulness, and how often we should have fallen if out
ward temptations had concurred sufficiently with our inward
dispositions, we shall find less readiness to cast a stone at
others: we shall rather see our own picture in their depravity,
and extend that compassion to them which in similar circum
stances we should desire to meet with at their hands.]
3. Vigilance against the assaults of our great ad
versary
[Satan combines in himself the subtlety of a serpent, and
the strength of a lion. Well therefore does the Apostle say to
218 2 CHRONICLES, XXXIII. 1013. [430.
us, " Be sober, be vigilant." If we watch not against his as
saults, we, in fact, tempt him to tempt us. Besides, we cannot
expect that God should preserve us, if we do not endeavour to
preserve ourselves. It will be to little purpose to pray that
God will not lead us into temptation, if we presumptuously
rush into it of our own accord. Let us then shun the occasions
of sin: let us avoid the company, the amusements, the books,
yea the very sights that may administer to sin. Let us commit
ourselves continually to God s care and protection ; and beg of
him never to leave us or forsake us. In this way we may hope
to experience his unremitting care, and to be " kept by his
power through faith unto everlasting salvation."]
ccccxxx.
MANASSEH S REPENTANCE.
2 Chron. xxxiii. 10 lo. And the Lord spake to Manasseh,
and to his people : but they would not hearken. Wherefore
the Lord brought upon them, the captains of the host of the
king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns,
and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
And when he ivas in affliction, he besought the Lord his
God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his
fathers, and prayed unto him : and he ivas entreated of
him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to
Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the
Lord he was God.
IN histories written by men, our attention is con
tinually directed to second causes ; but in tbe in
spired records we see every event traced up to the
first Great Cause of all. The rise and fall of empires
or of individuals are equally appointed of God for
the accomplishment of his own gracious purposes,
and for the manifestation of his own glory : and,
however casual or contingent any circumstances may
appear to be, they are as much under his control,
and as certainly fulfil his will, as the stated courses
of the heavenly bodies.
In confirmation of this, we need go no further than
to the words before us ; in which we see,
I. The means by which Manasseh was brought to
repentance
430. ] MANASSEH S REPENTANCE. 219
[King Manasseli was perhaps the most wicked of the
human race : he was piously educated ; yet he totally eradi
cated from his own mind, and from the breasts of his people,
all remembrance of the instructions which his father Hezekiah
had given them. He consulted wizards, set up idols even in
the house of God itself, made his children pass through fire to
Moloch, and filled Jerusalem with the blood of innocents from
one end to another. He acted himself, and caused all his peo
ple to act, worse than the heathen whom God had cast out for
their impieties a .
To reclaim him God had sent many holy men and prophets
to warn and exhort him: but " neither he nor his people would
hearken unto them."
At last, determined to overcome him, and to make him an
everlasting monument of grace and mercy, God stirred up the
king of Assyria against him b ; and caused Manasseli to be van
quished, to be dragged from the thicket where he had secreted
himself , and to be carried a poor miserable captive in fetters
to Babylon.
This prevailed, when all other means had been used in vain.
And is it not by these means that God has often subdued, and
yet subdues many stout-hearted sinners to himself d ? How
many perhaps amongst us must say, " It is good for me that I
have been afflicted ; for before I was afflicted I went astray ;
but now have I kept thy word 6 ."]
We are further informed concerning,
II. The way in which his repentance shewed itself
[Affliction does not necessarily produce repentance. Ahaz
trespassed yet more in his distress f ; and the wicked in hell, so
far from being softened by their pains, blaspheme their God
while they gnaw their tongues for anguish B . But in him it was
effectual, through the grace of God, to bring him to repentance.
In his prosperity he was hardened 11 , and would not hear 1 ; but
" in his affliction he besought the Lord."
Two things more especially are noticed: " he humbled him
self greatly;" and " he prayed unto God "earnestly. He called
a Compare 2 Kings xxi. with the preceding part of this chapter.
b The king of Babylon, who on account of his having added Assy
ria to his dominions is called the king of Assyria, is said to have been
" brought upon" Manasseh by God himself. And, however he might
be actuated by ambition or avarice, he was certainly no more than an
instrument by whom God himself acted. Compare Ps. xvii. 13. and
Isai. x. 5, 6, 15. with 2 Kings xxiv. 2 4.
c 1 Sam. xiii. 6. d 2 Sam. xxiv. 10, 17.
e Ps. cxix. 67, 71. f 2 Chron. xxviii. 22. s R ev . xv i. 10.
h Jer. xxii. 21. Zcch. vii. 11, 12. Jer. v. 3.
29.0 2 CHRONICLES, XXXIII. 1013. [430.
his ways to remembrance and confessed his guilt, and justified
God in all that had come upon him, and in all that ever should
come upon him, declaring it was far " less than his iniquities
deserved." Then he poured out his soul in fervent prayer,
" offering his supplications with strong crying and tears," and
wrestling, as it were, with God, to obtain a blessing k .
Thus will repentance shew itself, wherever it is found: whe
ther we be brought to it by afflictions, or not; yea, whether
we have committed such wickedness as Manasseh, or not; these
will be the leading features of our experience, if we be truly
penitent. The first mark of Paul s repentance was, " Behold,
he prayeth!" and what his thoughts of himself were, we may
judge from his calling himself " the chief of sinners." Inquire
then, beloved Brethren, whether you have ever been brought
to humble yourselves before God; and that not a little, but
"greatly?" Inquire, whether your cries to God are humble,
fervent, constant, believing? Consider, " that without repent
ance you must all perish;" and that this alone will warrant
you to conclude your repentance genuine and " saving."]
Its efficacy will appear from,
III. The blessed issue of it
[Horrible as his iniquities had been, they did not prevent
his prayers from coming up with acceptance before God.
Behold the issue of this repentance, first, in respect to his
temporal comfort ! God restored him again to the possession
of his kingdom. And it is certain that innumerable judgments
would be removed from men, provided the offenders were duly
humbled by means of them. AVe say not indeed that God will
always remove the afflictions he has sent, even though we should
be ever so much humbled under them ; because he may see
that the continuance of them is as necessary for our welfare as
the first sending of them was : but he will convert them into
blessings, and make them subservient to our best interests.
Next, observe the issue of his repentance in respect to his
spiritual advantage. He neither knew God, nor concerned
himself about him in the day of his prosperity: but now he
" knew that Jehovah was God." He saw that he was a just
and holy God, yea, a God of truth also, who sooner or later
would punish sin. He felt that he was a powerful God, " able
to abase those who walk in pride," and able also to deliver
those whose situation was most desperate. Above all, he knew
experimentally that God was a God of infinite mercy and com
passion, since he had attended to his prayer, and vouchsafed
mercy to his guilty soul. Under this conviction he strove, to
k His prayer is repeatedly noticed, ver. 18, 19. doubtless on ac
count of its fervour.
430.] MANASSEH S REPENTANCE. 221
the latest hour of his life, to remedy all the evil he had ever
done, and to glorify his God as much as he had before dis
honoured him.
And did ever any one repent, and not find his repentance
issue in clearer manifestations of God s love to his soul, and in
a richer experience of his power and grace? No: as long as
the world stands, " God will comfort all that mourn in Zion,
and give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning,
and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."]
We may LEARN then from hence,
1. The importance of improving ordinances
[The contempt poured on God s messages was one prin
cipal mean of bringing down those judgments on Manasseh.
And does not God speak to us by his ministers ; and notice
how we receive the word ? And will not that " word be a
savour of death unto us, if it be not a savour of life unto life?"
Lay this to heart, all ye who have heard the word in vain : and
know that if you slight the message which God sends you by
his ministers, he will consider you as pouring contempt upon
himself 1 .]
2. The use and benefit of afflictions
[Afflictions, of whatever kind they be, proceed from God;
and are intended for our good 111 . They have a voice, no less
than his ministers ; and it is our duty to " hear the rod, and
Him that appointed it n ." Quarrel not then with any afflic
tions that may be sent you ; but receive them as tokens of
God s love, and as messengers of his mercy. What reason had
Manasseh to adore his God for the loss of an empire, yea, for
cruel captivity, for galling fetters, and a loathsome dungeon !
Without them he had been now in chains of darkness and the
prison of hell. Thy trials probably are no less necessary for
thine eternal welfare. Improve them then for the humbling
of thy soul, and for the furtherance of thine everlasting sal
vation.]
3. The wonderful mercy of our God
[Who would have thought that such a sinner as Manasseh
could ever have obtained mercy? Yet God has pardoned him,
and set him forth as a pattern, in order to magnify the exceed
ing riches of his own grace. Let none then despair. If we
were as vile as Manasseh himself, we should go to God with
an assurance that he would not cast us out, provided we were
truly contrite, and sought for mercy through the blood of
Jesus. On the other hand, let us not presume upon this
1 1 Thess. iv. 8. HOS. v. 15. Heb. xii. 10. n Mic. vi. 9.
222 2 CHRONICLES, XXXIV. 27. [431.
mercy, and go on in sin under the hope that we shall at last
repent and be saved. To-day God calls us ; to-morrow the
door of mercy may be shut. The Lord grant that we may
now repent like Manasseh, and henceforth like him devote
oOrselves entirely to the service of our God !]
CCCCXXXI.
JOSIAH S PENITENCE.
2 Chron. xxxiv. 27. Because thine heart was tender, and
thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his
words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof,
and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes,
and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the
Lord.
IT is scarcely to be conceived how great a benefit
has arisen to the Christian cause from the invention
of printing. The word of God is that whereby the
work of salvation is principally carried on in the
souls of men : and the multiplying of copies of the
Holy Scriptures, in such a form as to be conveniently
portable, and at such a price as to be within the
reach of the poor, has tended more than any other
thing to keep alive the interests of religion, both in
the hearts of individuals, and in the community at
large. If we look back to the condition of the Jews
in the time of King Josiah, we shall find it truly
deplorable. Through the influence of the two pre
ceding kings, the very remembrance of God s law was
almost obliterated from the minds of men. Every
king was, by God s appointment, to copy it for him
self a : yet not a copy of it was to be seen in the
land : so that if God himself had not interposed in
his providence to raise up to the Jews a pious king,
and by him to bring back the people to some sense
of their duty, it is probable that the whole nation
would ere long have been immersed in heathen
darkness. From the traces of divine knowledge
which yet remained by means of the temple and its
furniture, and through the operation of God s Spirit
a Deut. xvii. 18.
431. J JOSIAH S PENITENCE. 223
on his soul, Josiah was induced to repair the temple,
in order to the restoring of God s worship there :
and Hilkiah the priest, while executing his orders,
found a copy (perhaps the original copy) of the Law,
which had been lost amidst the rubbish and ruins
of the place. On hearing its contents, Josiah was
filled with great anguish, and sent to Huldah the
prophetess to know whether the judgments which
God had denounced against that apostate nation
might by any means be averted : in reply to which
he was informed, that the calamities would surely
come upon them ; but that, in consideration of his
penitence, the awful period should not arrive till he
himself should be removed to a better world.
From the words before us we shall take occasion
to shew,
I. What state of mind the threatenings of God should
produce in us
The conduct of Josiah on this occasion will serve
to guide our thoughts.
The threatenings of God should produce in us,
1. A fear of his judgments
[If men can puff " at God s judgments b ," it is because
they have never considered how tremendous they are. Let
any man once think seriously of " dwelling with everlasting
burnings ," and we will defy him not to tremble, like Felix d
and Belshazzar 6 . Josiah " rent his clothes" with horror,
when he heard only of temporal calamities : how much more
therefore ought we to fear, when we hear of the miseries that
will be endured in " the lake that burneth with fire and
brimstone ! "]
2. A sorrow of heart for those sins against which
his judgments are denounced
[We are ready to acknowledge, that they who have com
mitted gross sins should mourn for their iniquities. But we
should remember that the judgments of God are denounced
also against pride, unbelief, impenitence, worldly-mindedness,
and numberless other secret sins, which are overlooked, or even
b Ps. x. 5.
c Isai. xxxiii. 14. See also Markix. 43 48. and Rev. xiv. 10, 11.
d Acts xxiv. 25. e Dan. v. 5, C.
224 2 CHRONICLES, XXXIV. 27. [431.
commended, by the world. For these therefore must we " weep,
and humble ourselves before God," yea, and lothe ourselves for
them in dust and ashes.]
3. A turning unto God in holy and unreserved
obedience
[This is the true test of sincerity : fears and sorrows are of
little avail, if they produce not a thorough change of heart and
life. Josiah, from the first moment tluit he heard the threaten-
ings of God, set himself to accomplish a national reformation,
and prosecuted it with zeal to his dying-hour. Thus must we
be zealous for our God. We must not pretend to be sorry
for our sins, and still continue to live in them ; but we must
put away the accursed thing, whatever it be, and devote our
selves to God without reserve. It is he only who " confesseth
and forsaketh his sins, that shall find mercy f ."]
To promote such a state of mind amongst you, we
proceed to shew,
II. Its acceptableness to God
The message sent to Josiah sufficiently marks this.
God assured him that his prayer was heard in con
sideration of his penitence. But that such a state
of mind is at all times acceptable to God, will more
clearly appear, if we consider that,
1 . By it all the perfections of God are glorified
[Repentance is often called "a giving glory to God g ;"
and the propriety of this expression is evident : for, exactly
as the impenitent man pours contempt on all the divine per
fections, setting at nought the power and majesty, the justice
and holiness, the love and mercy, the truth and faithfulness of
God ; so, on the contrary, the penitent brings glory to them
all, inasmuch as he acknowledges his obnoxiousness to the
divine displeasure, and his ardent desire to obtain an interest
in the promises of the Gospel. If then God be concerned for
his own glory, he cannot but be pleased with those who, in his
appointed way, are labouring to advance it.]
2. To it all the promises of God are made
[Many are the judgments denounced against the stout
hearted : but in all the inspired volume there is not one word
to " break a bruised reed." On the contrary, the weary and
heavy-laden are invited to come to Christ without any distinc
tion on account of the particular sins with which they are
f Prov. xxviii, 13. ff Josh. vii. 19. Jer. xiii. 16.
431. JOSIAH S PENITENCE.
burthened. God assures the contrite soul, while it is yet trem
bling at his word, that he will look upon it with peculiar pleasure
and complacency 11 ; and that though a man s conduct may have
been such as to fix indelible disgrace upon him in the world,
God will never despise him, provided he be of a broken and
contrite spirit \ Not even the transient humiliation of Ahab
was suffered to pass without some favourable regard k : much
less shall that be overlooked which is sincere and pemanent 1 .
Tt is indeed not for any merit that there is in our repentance,
but for the merits of Jesus Christ, that we shall find acceptance :
nevertheless all true penitents, and none other, shall be saved
by him.]
INFER,
1. How desirable is it to be well acquainted with
the Holy Scriptures !
[The word of God denounces vengeance against many
characters that are thought innocent among men : nor will our
ignorance of these threatenings avert or delay the execution of
them. Let us then study the sacred oracles with an express
reference to ourselves, that we may know what God says in
them respecting us. Peradventure we may find many passages,
which, when applied to our hearts, will give us just occasion
to mourn like the pious monarch before us. Better were it
far to know the full extent of our guilt, and thereby to be sti
mulated to repentance, than through ignorance of our state to
continue impenitent, till the wrath of God shall come upon us
to the uttermost.]
2. How enviable is the condition of a true pe
nitent !
[Every prayer of a real penitent is " heard" of God. Let
him "open his mouth ever so wide, God will fill it m ." Let
him but plead what the Lord Jesus has done and suffered for
him, and God will never cast out his prayer. Surely then
there is no man so truly happy as he who " walks humbly with
his God." Indeed our Lord himself repeatedly tells us this ;
" Blessed are the poor in spirit: blessed are they that mourn,
for they shall be comforted 11 ."
But it may be thought that such an abject state of mind
would be unsuitable to a man of power and opulence. The
Jewish monarch however entertained no such vain conceit; he
judged it not unbecoming even his high station to feel, yea to
manifest also to all around liim, a fear of God. Let all of us
h Isai. Ixvi. 2. * Ps. li. 17. k 1 Kings xxi. 29.
1 Ps. xxxiv. 18. m Isai. Iv. 7. n Matt, v. 3, 4.
VOL. IV. Q
226 2 CHRONICLES, XXXVI. 15, 1G. [432.
then, the high as well as the low, the spiritual as well as the
profane, seek to have " a tender heart." Let us beg of God
" to take away from us the heart of stone, and to give us
hearts of flesh," well knowing, that the more exquisite our
sensibility is with respect to sin, the more pleasing will be our
state before God.]
CCCCXXXII.
FORBEARANCE OF GOD BROUGHT TO A CLOSE.
2 Chron. xxxvi. 1,5, 10. And the Lord God of their fathers
sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending ;
because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-
place : but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised
his icords, and misused his prophets, until the ivrath of the
Lord arose against his people, till there ivas no remedy.
IN speaking of the divine perfections, it is common
to represent them all as infinite, because they do not
admit of any increase : but perhaps it would be
more correct to speak of them as limited, because
they all so limit each other as to produce one har
monious agency in all their operations ; every per
fection being exercised so far, and so far only, as is
consistent with the glory of the whole Deity. Justice,
for instance, never exerts itself to the disparagement
of mercy ; nor does mercy ever triumph over the
rights of justice : so neither does patience interpose
for the arresting of judgment, any longer than con
sists with the claims of holiness : as soon as ever its
protracted influence would reflect dishonour on God
as the Moral Governor of the universe, it recedes,
and leaves the sword of vengeance to execute its
heavenly commission. The truth of this statement
fully appears from the words before us ; from which
we are naturally led to notice,
I. God s patience exercised
It was exercised to a most astonishing degree
towards his people of old
[The Scripture frequently speaks of God, not only as
sending messengers to his people, but as " rising early" and
sending them. This intimates, that as soon as ever they went
432.] TERMINATION OF GOD s FORBEARANCE. 227
astray, he commissioned his servants to reclaim them; yea,
many hundred years before the final execution of his judgments
upon them, he forewarned them how he would proceed, and
cautioned them against driving him to such extremities 3 -
When these warnings were disregarded, he sent them prophets,
to bring these things to their remembrance, and to plead with
them in his name. Sometimes he raised up prophets for par
ticular occasions ; at other times he continued them for many
years in their office, in order by any means to turn the people
from their sins. Full of " compassion towards his people,"
and averse to forsake the land which he had given them for a
" dwelling-place," he bore with all their frowardness and per-
verseness ; " many a time turning away his anger," when he
might justly have broken forth against them, and made them
monuments of his everlasting indignation h .
But how did they requite his tender mercies? " They
mocked his messengers (we are told), and despised his words,
and misused his prophets." Even against Moses himself did
their resentment frequently burn, insomuch that on one occa
sion they were ready to stone him c . Their prophets in every
successive age were treated with all manner of indignities,
menaced, imprisoned, martyred, according as the wrath of
their rulers was permitted to prevail. " Which of the prophets
have not your fathers persecuted? " said St. Stephen 11 ; and our
blessed Lord, to comfort his disciples under the trials which
they would meet with, reminded them, that " so had the
prophets been persecuted, who were before them 6 ."]
In like manner is it exercised in reference to us
[God is yet sending his ambassadors to us, not merely to
reprove and warn, or to encourage us with a hope of temporal
rewards, as he did to the Jews, but to offer us redemption
through the blood of his dear Son, and to beseech us to accept
of reconciliation with him f -And such is his " com
passion towards us," that he cannot endure the thought of
giving us up, as long as a hope remains of converting us
to himself g
And what return do we make to God? Do we not act
precisely as the Jews before us did? There is no faithful
messenger that addresses us in Jehovah s name, but we call
him an enthusiast : however temperate and kind, and reason
able his exhortations may be h , we mock and deride him as
a Lev. xxvi. 14 39. and Deut. xxviii. 15 68.
b Ps. Ixxviii. 38. and cvi. 13 48. c Exod. xvii. 4.
d Acts vii. 52. e Matt. v. 12. f 2 Cor. v. 1820.
s Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Jer. xiii. 27. Hos. xi. 8.
h See particularly the temperate message sent by Hezekiah,
2 Chron. xxx. G 10.
Q 2
2 CHRONICLES, XXXVI. 15, Hi. [432.
" a babbler 1 , " a deceiver k ," and "a fellow that ought not to
be tolerated 1 ." Our blessed Lord himself, who " spake as
never man spake," was accounted a madman and a demoniac" 1 ;
and every faithful servant of God, from his day even to the
present hour, has been made an object, though not of equal,
yet certainly of similar, reproach. One would suppose that
men, with the sacred volume in their hands, seeing how the
prophets and Apostles were all treated, would avoid treading
in the steps of former persecutors: but the enmity of the
human heart against God is the same as ever; and the messages
of God are therefore treated with the same contempt as ever.
If there be any difference as to the mode in which that enmity
betrays itself, it is owing to the excellence of our laws, and
not to any superiority in us above the Jews. Our dispositions
are the same as theirs, and our abuse of God s tender mercies
is the same.]
In the sequel of our text we see,
II. God s patience exhausted-
He was at last constrained to execute upon them
his threatened vengeance
[After bearing with their frowardness many hundred years,
his wrath against them was kindled, and he gave them up into
the hands of their enemies". Every effort for their preserva
tion had been tried in vain, and " no remedy now remained:"
the people therefore were sent into captivity; and both their
city and temple were destroyed.]
Thus also will he do with respect to us
[If we go on incessantly " grieving the Holy Spirit," we
shall at last " quench " his sacred motions . There is a time
beyond which God will bear with us no longer p . There is a
day of grace wherein he will be found q ; an accepted time in
which salvation may be secured by us r . But there is a time
when he will say, " Let them alone 8 ;" " Let their eyes be
blinded and their hearts be hardened 1 :" "I am weary with
repenting 11 :" and now, " though they cry I will not hear,
though they make many prayers I will not regard them x ."
Doubtless if a person were truly penitent, he would be
* Acts xvii. 18. Ezok. xx. 40. k John vii. 12.
I Acts xxii. 22. and xxiv. 5. m John x. 20.
II vcr. 17 21. Eph. iv. 30. 1 Thess. v. 19.
i> Matt, xxiii. 37, 38. i Luke xix. 41 44.
r 2 Cor. vi. 2. Isai. Iv. G. 8 Hos. iv. 17.
1 Acts xxviii. 25 27. u Jer. xv. 6.
* Prov. i. 2431.
TERMINATION OF GOD s FORBEARANCE. 229
432.]
heard and accepted at the last hour : but it is God alone who
can give repentance : and, if we continue obstinately to resist
his calls, he will cease to strive with us y , and will give us over
to final impenitence 21 . This he has done in unnumbered in
stances ; and this he warns us to expect at his hands : " He
that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly
be destroyed, and that without remedy 51 ."]
ADDRESS
[God speaks to men by his word and ministers at this day,
as truly as ever he did either by Prophets or Apostles : and
our word, as far as it is agreeable to the Scriptures of Truth, is
to be " received, not as the word of man, but of GodV and,
if any man " despiseth it, he despiseth not man, but God ."
Happy would it be if this matter were duly considered : for
certainly there are many, of a proud and contemptuous spirit,
who instead of " trembling at the word," as they ought d , and
" humbling themselves before the ministers " of Jehovah e ,
make light of all they hear f , and turn it to derision s. But to
such God says, " Be ye not mockers, lest your bands be
made strong 11 ." There is great danger lest they "be holden
with the cords of their own sins 1 ," and be given up to their
own delusion s k .
On the other hand, let not any imagine that an attachment
to faithful ministers, or a love to the ordinances as dispensed
by them, will necessarily prove us to be in a state of accept
ance with God : for Ezekiel s hearers were delighted with his
discourses, whilst yet they were by no means conformed to the
precepts delivered by him 1 . Inquire then whether you be
really obedient to the Gospel, receiving Christ as the gift of
God to your souls, relying on him as your only hope, rejoicing
in him as your all-sulHcient Saviour, and devoting yourselves
to him in all holy obedience. The tree must be judged of by
its fruits alone. If your fruits be not yet such as might be
wished, apply the "remedy:" go to Christ for the remission
of your sins, and seek from him the gift of his Holy Spirit :
then shall the Gospel have its due effect, and be " the power
of God to the salvation of your souls."]
y Gen. vi. 3. z Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 12. a Prov. xxix. 1.
b 1 Thess. ii. 13. c 1 Thess. iv. 8. d Isai. Ixvi. 2.
e ver. 12. f Matt. xxii. 5. % Jer. xx. 7, 8.
h Isai. xxviii. 22. * Prov. v. 22.
k Isai. Ixvi. 4. 2 Thess. ii. 1012. 1 Ezek.xxxiii. 31,32.
EZRA.
CCCCXXXIII.
THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE.
Ezra iii. 11 13. All the people shouted with a great shout,
ivhen they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the
house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and
Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that
had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house
was laid before their eyes, wept ivith a loud voice ; and many
shouted aloud for joy : so that the people could not discern
the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of
the people : for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the
noise was heard afar ojf.
TO put a fanciful interpretation on any part of
God s blessed word is highly inexpedient ; and to
found a doctrine upon any such interpretation would
be injudicious in the extreme. But certain it is, that
there are many explanations given us by the Apostles,
which we should in no wise have admitted, if given
by uninspired men ; such as the termination of the
Levitical priesthood, as deduced from Abraham s
giving to Melchizedec a tenth of the spoils which he
had taken ; and the reservation of God s inheritance
to regenerate persons only, as deduced from Abra
ham s repudiation of Hagar and her son Ishmael.
Where these things are explained by the inspired
writers, we may follow without fear : but in any
interpretations of our own, the utmost diffidence
becomes us. These observations I make, lest, in the
passage before us, I should be misunderstood as inti
mating that the construction put upon it was really
designed by the event itself. I am far from intending
433.] THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE. 231
to assert that. I merely bring forth the subject as
both curious in itself, and calculated to convey im
portant instruction to our minds, if judiciously and
temperately considered. That an exuberance of joy
and of sorrow should be excited .at once by the same
event, is undoubtedly a curious fact : and it will be
profitable to shew you,
I. What there was at that time to call forth such
strong and widely different emotions
The Jews, after their return from Babylon, had just
laid the foundation of the second temple : and this
was,
1. To some an occasion of exalted joy-
fit was not the mere circumstance that a magnificent
building was about to be raised, but the thought of the use to
which that building was to be appropriated, that proved to
them such a source of joy. The erection of it was justly re
garded by them as a restoration of God s favour to them, after the
heavy judgments which he had inflicted on them during their
captivity in Babylon. In this light they had been taught to
consider their return to their native land ; and the very song
which they now sang, had, at the commencement of their cap
tivity, been provided for them by the Prophet Jeremiah, as
proper to be sung on that occasion a -This event
opened to them a prospect of agaiu worshipping Jehovah ac
cording to all the forms prescribed to them by the Mosaic ritual.
In reference to this, also, the same song had been provided for
them by David ; in singing which they could not but " make
a joyful noise unto the Lord b " - - Nor could they fail to
view it as tending to advance the honour of their God ; in which
view pre-eminently it must of necessity fill them with most
exalted joy. As the bringing up of the ark to Mount Zion,
so this event also called for songs and acclamations from every
creature under heaven: " Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,
all the earth ; make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they
that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands ; let the
hills be joyful together before the Lord: for he cometh to
judge the earth : with righteousness shall he judge the \vorld,
and the people with equity ."
a Cite Jer.xxxiii. 10, 11. as compared with the words immediately
preceding the text.
b Cite also Ps. c. 1 f>. in the same view.
c Compare 1 Chron. xvi. 8 10, 31 34. with Ps. xcviii. 1 9.
232 EZRA, III. 1113. [433.
I think, with such views of the event before them, the people
could not but shout for joy ; and " if they had been silent, the
very stones would have cried out against them."]
2. To others, an occasion of the deepest sorrow
[Commentators have condemned this sorrow, as expressive
of discontent ; and as shewing, that the persons so affected did
in reality betray an ungrateful spirit, and " despise the day of
small things d ." But I am far from thinking such an inter
pretation of their conduct just. The persons who manifested
such pungent grief were " the priests, and Levites, and the
chief of the fathers who were ancient men, that had seen the
former temple." It is true, they wept, because they well
knew how infinitely this structure must fall below the former
in point of magnificence. Whether it was of smaller dimen
sions than the former, we do not know: but as, of course, it
could not be so splendidly furnished as the former temple was,
so, of necessity, it must want many things which constituted
the glor^ of that edifice, and could never be replaced. The
Shechinah, the bright cloud, the emblem of the Deity himself,
was for ever removed. The ark was lost, and the copy of the
Law which had been preserved in it. The Urim and Thummim
too, by which God had been wont to communicate to his people
the knowledge of his will, was irrecoverably gone ; and the fire
which had descended from heaven was extinct, so that they
must henceforth use in all their sacrifices nothing but common
fire. And what but their sins had brought upon them all these
calamities? Would it have been right, then, in these persons
to lose all recollection of their former mercies, and of the sins
through which they had been bereaved of them ; and to be so
transported with their present blessings as not to bewail their
former iniquities? No: I think that the mixture of feeling was
precisely such as the occasion called for : and if there appeared
a preponderance on the side of grief, it was only such as the
glorified saints in heaven are expressing continually in the very
presence of their God ; for whilst singing, with all their powers,
" Salvation to God and to the Lamb," they are all prostrate on
their faces with self-abasing shame, and casting their crowns
down before the throne, from a conscious unworthiness of the
honour conferred upon them.
But I think that the Prophet Ezekiel, and I may add too
the experience of all the most eminent saints that ever lived,
will put this matter in its true point of view. By Ezekiel,
God says, " I will remember my covenant with thee, and will
establish unto thee an everlasting covenant, that thou mayest
remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any
d Zccb. iv. 10.
433.] THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE. 233
more because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee
for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God e ." And Job,
Isaiah, Paul, yea, every real saint, in proportion as he is
humbled before God, evinces precisely the feeling which was
here so strongly marked : they lothe themselves in proportion
as they are favoured and honoured by their God f .]
That this subject is not uninteresting to us, will
appear, whilst I shew,
II. How far similar emotions become us at the
present day
Certainly there is at this time great occasion for
[We are not, indeed, constructing a material temple for
the Lord : but the whole nation is engaged in endeavours to
erect a spiritual temple to him throughout the world. Never
was there a period, since the apostolic age, when the exertions
were so general, so diversified, so diffusive. To spread the
blessed word of God, and to send to every nation under hea
ven those who shall impart the knowledge of it to the unen
lightened, whether of Jews or Gentiles, seems at this time the
one great labour of all who love and fear God. And is this no
ground of joy ? - But, to come home more nearly to
ourselves : Is there no reason to rejoice in what, we trust, is
going on amongst us? If the Gospel be " glad tidings of great
joy unto all people," is it no cause for joy that it is brought to
our ears ; and that it is effectual amongst us, as it has been
throughout the whole world, to convert men to God, and to
save many soids alive ?
But, not to dwell on matters of general concern, let us bring
it home to our own business and bosoms : Are there not amongst
you, who hear me this day, some at least who have been
" turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of
Satan unto God?" Yes, I trust, there are here present some at
least, who, having been taken from the quarry by the great
Master Builder, are now " as lively stones built up a spiritual
house," to be " the habitation of God, through the Spirit," for
ever and ever. Speak I then too much, if I say, that not only
those individuals themselves, but all who are interested in
their welfare, have reason to burst forth into songs of praise,
as loud and fervent as those that were uttered on the occasion
which we have been considering? If even the very angels
before the throne of God are not so occupied with contem
plating the divine glory, but that they have derived a grea-
e Ezek. xvi. CO 03.
f Job xl. 3. 4. Isai. vi. 5. 1 Tim. i. 12, 13.
234 EZRA, III. 1113. [433.
accession to their joy from their views of every individual
amongst you that is truly converted to God, surely we, who are
all looking for the same salvation, and hoping to be partakers
of it, have reason to rejoice.]
Yet is there amongst us abundant occasion for
grief also
[The persons whose anguish of heart forced from them
such bitter lamentations, were those who remembered the
former temple, which had far exceeded in glory every edifice
which the world had ever seen. Now, if we suppose the
Apostle Paul, who witnessed the state of God s Church in its
primitive and purest age ; if we suppose him, I say, to come
down in the midst of us, what would be his feelings at the
present hour? That he would not " despise the day of small
things," or be indifferent about the salvation of ever so few,
we are well assured : but what would he say to the state of
this parish, this town and neighbourhood, or of the indivi
duals who are most looked up to in the midst of us as pro
fessing and adorning the faith of Christ ? Would his joy be
unmixed with sorrow? Would he, recollecting what pure
Christianity is, and what the preached Gospel produced in his
day, and what advantages we have enjoyed ; would he, I say,
be satisfied with what he saw? Would he not rather burst
out into floods of tears ? yea, much as many are rejoicing at
what exists amongst us, would not his lamentations equal in
loudness and intensity the joys that are expressed by others
in our behalf? I think that no one who knows what the
Apostle was, and what he himself is, can doubt of this. On
the occasion referred to in my text, the noise of the joy and of
the sorrow could not be distinguished from each other, by
reason of the intensity of both: and I am well persuaded,
that, if an assembly of primitive saints were at this moment
blended with us, they would equal in their wailings the joys
which any of us feel, or which others can feel in our behalf.
It was with " weeping" that St. Paul contemplated many of
the Philippian converts g : and for many of the Galatian Church
he " agonized as in the pangs of childbirth, till Christ should
be more perfectly formed in them 11 ." And was this from a
want of charity, or from a contempt of piety in its lower
stages of existence ? No ; but from love, and from a desire
that God should be honoured to the uttermost, wherever his
Gospel came, and wherever its blessings were experienced in
the soul.]
SEE, then,
g Phil. iii. 18. h Gal. iv. 19.
433. J THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE. 235
1. What, above all things, should interest our
souls
[I say not that any one should be indifferent about
the things relating to this present world : but I say, that the
interests of religion in general, and in our own souls in par
ticular, ought to swallow up, as it were, every other concern.
As the rebuilding of the temple filled the minds of those at
that time engaged in it, so nothing under heaven should trans
port us with joy like the establishment of Christ s kingdom in
the world and in the soul. On the other hand, nothing should
produce in us such acute sensations of grief, as a conscious
ness that God is not glorified in the midst of us as he ought
to be. Verily, it is a shame to the Christian world, that they
feel so little on these subjects, whilst every vanity of time and
sense is sufficient to excite in them the strongest emotions
- But, Beloved, learn, I pray you, what ought to be
the state of your minds in relation to the cause of God ; and
never cease to cry unto God, till you have obtained grace to
serve him as it becomes those who have received mercy at his
hands.]
2. What use we should make of our knowledge
and experience
[Many would think that the unmixed joy of the younger
classes was more becoming than the grief of the elder. But
if, as I suppose, the cries of the elder were a mixture of joy
and sorrow arising from a more enlarged view of the \vhole
matter, a decided preference must be given to their feelings
above those of their younger brethren. It is not the fruit
which exhibits the brightest colours that will prove the most
grateful to the taste, but that which, under the influence of
warmer suns, has acquired somewhat of a darker and more
mellowed tint. So, in like manner, it is not so much an un
qualified effusion of joy that is pleasing to the Most High, as
that which is moderated with shame, and tempered with con
trition. In truth, as long as we are in this world, we must
have occasion for shame and sorrow : it will be time enough to
lay them aside, when we are got within the portals of heaven.
There our happiness will be without alloy ; as the prophet
says: "We shall have gladness and joy; and sorrow and sigh
ing shall flee away." Cultivate, then, my Brethren, this
depth of feeling, this tenderness of spirit, this humility of
mind. Never forget your great and multiplied transgressions :
but "walk softly before your God" in the remembrance of
them ; contented to " sow in tears, that you may reap in joy;"
and to " humble yourselves now, that you may be exalted iu
due time."]
230 EZRA, VI. 10. [434.
CCCCXXXIV.
SERMON ON THE KING S ACCESSION.
Ezra vi. 10. Offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of
heaven, and pray for the life of the king*.
ON the last occasion of our assembling in this
place, we were called to pay a respectful tribute to
the memory of our late beloved and revered sove
reign, whose mortal remains were then committed to
the tomb. The vision which the Apostle John beheld
of the holy city, the New Jerusalem, in which Jeho
vah, with all his hosts and angels, vouchsafes to
dwell, was then submitted to your attention, as offer
ing peculiar consolation to us under the loss we have
sustained : for there " the spirits of the just are made
perfect," and enter into the complete fruition of that
glory, which here they apprehended only by the weak
and imperfect grasp of faith. Of such as shall be
admitted to those blissful mansions, it is said, " God
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes : and there
shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain : for the former
things are passed away." That our sorrows in this
vale of tears might be alleviated, and our consolation
in the prospect of that happy state be the more
abundant, Jehovah, having said, " Behold, I make all
things new," added, " Write ; for these zcords are true
and faithful:" and the truth of them shall be expe
rienced by every saint in due season. Then the same
Almighty Being yet further added, " IT is DONEV
This very blessedness is already experienced by mil
lions, who, in successive ages and generations, have
been gathered to their fathers, and liberated from the
pains and troubles of this mortal life ; millions, who
" have come out of great tribulation, having washed
their robes and made them white in the blood of the
Lamb, are already before the throne of God, and
a This Sermon was preached on the occasion of the Accession of
King George the Fourth, 1820.
b llev. xxi. 1 0.
434.] SERMON ON THE KING S ACCESSION.
serve him day and night in his temple ; and neither
hunger any more, nor thirst any more, neither does
the sun light on them, nor any heat ; for the Lamb
which is in the midst of the throne feeds them, and
leads them to living fountains of waters : and God
has wiped away all tears from their eyes c ."
Here our minds were irresistibly led to contem
plate the state of our departed sovereign. " IT is
DONE ;" yes, " IT is DONE ;" to his unspeakable joy, and
to the comfort of every reflecting mind. Embittered
as his life has been by great and heavy trials, by the
loss of a considerable portion of his empire, by the
subjugation of Europe to the dominion of an insa
tiable and ruthless tyrant, and by having to contend
for the very existence of his kingdom as an inde
pendent state ; having also, during the latter years of
his life, been visited with the heaviest afflictions of
which our frail nature is susceptible, with the loss
of vision, not only corporeal, but mental ; I say, em
bittered as his life has been, how sweet the thought,
that now " all former things are passed away that
pain and sorrow are known by him no more that
all tears are for ever wiped away from his eyes"-
that, at the instant of his departure hence, "joy and
gladness came forth" to welcome him as his inse
parable attendants and " sorrow and sighing," which
had followed him so closely during his long and
eventful life, " fled away for ever." Verily this
thought may well reconcile us to a dispensation,
which, according to the course of nature, was to be
expected soon, and which, if it have bereaved us, has
so greatly benefited and enriched him d .
It seems proper now that our attention should be
turned to his son and successor, our present most
gracious sovereign ; and that we should contemplate
the duties which his accession to the throne impe
riously calls for at our hands. With this view I have
selected the passage before us, in which King Darius
c Rev. vii. 14 17.
d Isai. xxxv. 10. This exordium may easily be modified, accord
ing to existing circumstances.
238 EZRA, VI. 10. [434.
expresses his wish that the Jews, who were then
under his dominion, and whom he was greatly
favouring, would serve their God with all fidelity,
and unite their supplications "for him, and for his
sons."
I propose to consider the words before us in a
two-fold point of view :
T. As the desire of a heathen prince ; and,
II. As the duty of a Christian people.
I. Let us consider them as the desire of a heathen
prince
If the occasion on which the words were spoken
be duly considered, it will appear that the desire ex
pressed in them was a just and reasonable desire, and
at the same time a wise and politic desire.
True, it was a just and reasonable desire ; as the
history will clearly shew. The Jews, by the per
mission of Cyrus, had begun to rebuild their temple,
which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had de
stroyed. But, when Artaxerxes had succeeded to
the throne of Persia, the Samaritans, filled with
envy at the progress which the Jews made in the
erection of their city and temple, sent to him, to
apprise him of the danger that would ensue to his
government, if they should be permitted to proceed
with their building. Upon this, Artaxerxes com
manded that the work should be stopped, till further
orders should be issued by him for the prosecution of
it. This so discouraged the Jews, that they aban
doned the public works for many years, and attended
only to their own personal accommodations. But
at last, after Darius had succeeded to the throne of
Persia, the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah stirred
up the Jews to resume the work ; and, having suc
ceeded in exciting among the people a holy zeal to
prosecute it with vigour, they had the joy of behold
ing it advance with great rapidity. But, behold, the
enemies of Judah and Benjamin, being again filled
with envy, applied to the governors whom Darius had
placed over them, to execute and enforce the orders
434.1 SERMON ON THE KING S ACCESSION. 239
of the late king Artaxerxes, and to put an entire stop
to the building. But these governors, being more
candid than those to whom the complaint had been
before made, suffered the Jews to state their own
case, and transmitted it faithfully to Darius, with a
request for instructions how to act. Upon this,
Darius consulted the records of his kingdom ; and,
finding their representations just, he issued a decree,
that no obstacle should any more be put in their
way ; that the most liberal aid should be afforded
them, out of his revenues, for the establishment and
support of the temple worship ; and that, if any one
in future should attempt to reverse this decree, his
house should be pulled down, and the timbers of it
be erected as a gallows, whereon he should suffer
death 6 .
Now, consider the obligations which this bene
volent monarch was conferring on the Jews ; and
then say, Whether the desire which he expressed
was not just and reasonable. He had ordered, that
" whatever they had need of, young bullocks and
rams and lambs, for the burnt-offerings of the God
of heaven, together with wheat, salt, wine, and oil,
according to the appointment of the priests which
were at Jerusalem, should be given them, day by
day, without fail." Was it not reasonable that he
should expect these things to be applied to their
destined use, and that, when he was shewing such a
paternal regard for the welfare of their nation, he
should be remembered by them in their devotions,
and have an interest in their prayers ? Surely, this
was the least return which they could render to him
for his extreme kindness. And, if he, who was a
heathen, had such confidence in Jehovah, as to
believe that there was efficacy in prayers addressed
to him, and to desire that intercessions should be
offered to him in his behalf, it became them, who
knew that Jehovah was a prayer-hearing God, to be
very urgent with him in their supplications, and to
entreat, day and night, that he would recompense
e ver. 11, 12.
210 EZRA, VI. 10. [434.
into the king s bosom all the favours which he had so
liberally heaped upon them.
But we have said, that the desire expressed in our
text was also a wise and politic desire. Religion and
loyalty are inseparable f . It cannot be, that a man
who truly fears God should fail essentially in honour
ing the king. The godly ever have been, and ever
must be, " the quiet in the land." It is not possible
for them to be entering into cabals, and stirring up
a spirit of disaffection to the throne. On the other
hand, a man who has no fear of God before his eyes
has no principle sufficiently strong to keep him faith
ful to his king, if he be drawn either by interest or
inclination to oppose him. The probability is, that
the very same principle which leads him to cast off
the yoke of God will impel him to resist and over
throw all human authority also, as far as his own
safety will admit of it. The throne and the altar will
for the most part stand or fall together, as in the
affections, so also in the efforts and exertions of man
kind. Hence, then, it was wise in Darius, though a
heathen prince, to encourage piety amongst the Jews.
Nor was he less politic in desiring a remembrance
in their prayers. Pray for a man ; and hate him, if
you can. There may be faults in the monarch, and
errors in his government : but the man who prays
devoutly and constantly for him will cast a veil over
the one, and use none but constitutional methods of
correcting and remedying the other. Intercession
will induce a habit of mind friendly to the person for
whom it is offered, and, if offered in sincerity by a
whole nation, would prove a bulwark around the
f It is possible that a pious man may be misguided, as was doubt
less the case with many in the days of Charles the First : but their
error must not be imputed to religion : for, if it was the duty of
Christians to submit to, and to pray for, such a tyrant as Nero, the
point is determined at once. " The powers that be, are ordained of
God ; and are to be obeyed, not only for wrath, but also for con
science sake." To inquire whether any, or what, circumstances
would justify a departure from this rule, is no part of the author s
design : it is ground which a minister of the Prince of Peace is not
called to occupy.
434.] SERMON ON THE KING S ACCESSION. 241
throne, stronger that all the fleets and armies that
could be raised for its defence.
II. But let us pass on to the second head of our
Discourse; in which we proposed to consider
the text as declaring to us also, the duty of a
Christian people.
Our first duty, beyond all doubt, is to our hea
venly King : our next is, to the monarch whom, in his
providence, he has placed over us: we must first
" Fear God," and then " Honour the King."
In the service of our heavenly King, " the offering
of sacrifices to him of a sweet savour" may well be
considered as comprehending our duty to him ; whe
ther as sinners, who stand in need of his mercy, or an
saints, who desire to glorify his name. The Jewish
sacrifices, which were offered from day to day, were
presented as an atonement for the sins of the people :
and they prefigured that " Lamb of God, which, in
his eternal purpose, was slain from the foundation of
the world." These ice are not required to bring ;
because that adorable Saviour, in whom all the types
and shadows of the Mosaic Law were to be fulfilled,
is come ; even Jesus, of whom it is said, " He loved
us, and gave himself for us, an offering, and a sacri
fice to God for a sweet-smelling savour*" This sacri
fice we must ever bring before the God of heaven
and earth. We must never presume to come into
his presence without it. We must lay our hands on
the head of that blessed victim, and transfer to him
all our guilt, and expect forgiveness solely through
his atoning blood. To this the whole Scriptures
direct us, as the sure and only means of acceptance
with God. Consult the Law and the Prophets ; and
they will all point to Jesus, as " the way, the truth,
and the lifeV The Apostles also declare, that "his
is the only name whereby any man can be saved 1 :"
the voice of all, without exception, is the same as
that of this heathen prince : " Offer sacrifices to the
God of heaven."
s Eph. v. 2. h J } m x i v . o. Rom. iii. 21, 22. * Acts iv. 12.
VOL. IV. R
j-Mtf EZRA, VI. 10. [434.
But there are other sacrifices also,, which, as saints,
we are to offer, and which have a sweet savour before
God. Our whole person, body, soul, and spirit, is to
be presented to the Lord, as the Apostle tells us :
" I beseech you by the mercies of God that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable ser
vice 1 "." And, if only we come to God through Christ,
there is not a service which we can render to him
which shall not come up with acceptance before
him, as a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour. Such
are our alms 1 ; such our prayers" 1 ; such our very
sighs"; such is our every service, of whatever kind .
And do not imagine that your attention to this
duty is unimportant as it respects the welfare of
the state. There is a far closer connexion between
national piety and national prosperity than men
generally imagine. Hear, I pray you, the admonition
given us in the very next chapter : Whatsoever is
commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently
done for the house of the God of heaven : for why
should there be wrath against the realm of the king 1 ]
O i/O
Let then a heathen prince, my Brethren, teach
and admonish you : and forget not henceforth your
indispensable duty, to " offer sacrifices of a sweet
savour unto the God of heaven."
To this must be added your duty to your earthly
prince, to be instant in prayer to God on his behalf.
This is your duty: for the Apostle says, " I exhort
that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and giving of thanks, be made for all men ; for kings,
and for all that are in authority : for this is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour q ."
And let me add, It is your interest also: for the
welfare of every individual in the nation is bound up
in the welfare of the king. If God, in his mercy,
direct his counsels, and prosper his endeavours, the
whole empire will reap the benefit ; whilst, on the
k Rom. xii. 1. Heb. xiii. 1(5. Ps. evil. 22.
n Ps. 11. IT. 1 Pet. ii. f>. P Ezra vii. 23.
( \ 1 Tim. ii. 1 3.
434.] SERMON ON THE KING S ACCESSION. 243
other hand, if God were to give him up to infatuated
counsels, or to blast his best endeavours, the whole
body politic would s uffer, from the greatest to the
least. As every member of the human frame parti
cipates in the sufferings of the head, so should we all,
without exception, have reason to deplore any evil
which befel him on whom the destinies of the nation
so essentially depend.
But to the performance of this duty zve have an
especial call at this time r . The illness with which
his Majesty has been visited, and from which he is
at this time scarcely recovered, speaks loudly to us
all, and should make us extremely urgent with God
in his behalf, that his valuable life may be spared to
us. Call to mind how suddenly one of his royal
house, in the very prime of life, and in the utmost
vigour of manhood, has been snatched away 8 ; and
then say, whether we have not reason to unite in
unwearied supplications to the God of heaven, to
restore his health, and to preserve to us a life so
justly dear, so transcendently important. But fur
ther, reflect upon the state of the nation at this
time : what a spirit of insubordination and impiety
has prevailed, and would yet shew itself in the same
daring attitude that it has already assumed, if the
firmness of our king, and the wisdom of the legis
lature, had not repressed it. We must not imagine
that the rebellious disposition of those miscreants,
who, for so long a time, and to so awful a degree,
have agitated the nation, is changed : no : it is only
waiting for an opportunity to burst forth ; and, like
water that has been dammed up, it would quickly de
luge the whole kingdom, if only it could bear down
the barriers with which its progress has been stopped.
See what this same spirit of impiety and of anarchy
accomplished in a neighbouring kingdom, and, if it
had not been withstood by the wisdom and firmness of
r The remainder of this head can, of course, apply only to tin-
particular occasion : but every succeeding period will supply appro
priate topics to substitute in its place.
s The Duke of Kent.
211- EZRA, VI. 10. [434.
our late revered monarch, would have accomplished
here also! See what an horrible deed this demo
niacal spirit has just perpetrated in France, in order
to effect the extirpation of the royal family there 1 !
And is not the same spirit alive in this country ?
Look back to the former reign : no less than three
times was the life of our late gracious sovereign
attempted. Yea, and our present sovereign too:
his prime minister has been assassinated ; the life of
another of his ministers has been attempted"; the
lives of many of them have been menaced ; and his
own life also has been sought by the hands of an
assassin. Scarcely have a few weeks elapsed, since
several, who were engaged in executing the laws,
were either murdered, or delivered, as it were by
miracle, out of the murderers hands : and apologies
have been made by those who would direct the
public mind, in extenuation of these enormities.
Tell me, Is there not a call on the whole people of
the land to " pray for the life of the king x ?"
But I must add yet further ; We have a special
obligation to pray for him. Consider the obligations
which we owe to his august family! What liberty,
both civil and religious, have we enjoyed, since the
house of Brunswick came to the throne ! No person
whatever is molested, if he molest not others. But
why speak I of obligations to the family of our
sovereign ? Think what \ve owe to the sovereign
himself, who, under God, has brought us through all
the difficulties and dangers of the late conflict, and
placed this nation on a pinnacle of glory, which no
I The murder of the Due de Berri.
II If this and the foregoing instance be supposed to have occurred
on private, rather than public, grounds, still they shew the spirit that
has existed, and yet exists, in the nation ; which is the point here
chiefly to "be noticed.
x Little did the author think, when he sent this to the press, what
weight all his observations were speedily to derive from the horrible
conspiracy just brought to light. (The Cato-street conspiracy.)
Surely there will not be found many in the land, who will not bless
and admire that gracious God, who has so mercifully interposed to
defeat it !
434.1 SERMON ON THE KINtt s ACCESSION. &1-5
human being could have ventured, a few years ago,
to anticipate, or even think of! See, too, the manner
in which he has proceeded in suppressing the atro
cities which, from the excess of our liberties, licen
tious blasphemers and agitators have been able to
effect! Not one atom more of restraint has he
imposed than was necessary for the occasion : so far
has he been from wishing to stretch either his own
prerogative or the rigour of the law beyond what
necessity required, that there is scarcely a person in
the whole nation that is not impressed with the
wisdom, and moderation, and equity of the enact
ments which his servants have proposed and his
authority has sanctioned. I say, call these things
to remembrance; and then ask yourselves, Whether
the praying for the life of such a king be not the
least that we can do to requite the benefits that we
have received from him ? Surely you need not to
be instructed by a heathen : you need not Darius to
inform you of your duty. To all of you then, as
Christians, I would say, " Offer sacrifices of sweet
savour unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life
of the king."
In my text it is said, " Pray for the life of the king
and his sons" Would to God I could urge upon you
your duty to the same extent ; or that I could say,
Pray for the king and for li ts daughter ! But it has
pleased God, in his mysterious providence, to deprive
us of her, who was the hope and joy of the whole
nation ; and of her infant offspring too, to whom we
fondly looked as to the future sovereign of these
realms. Still does the nation mourn, and for many
years will continue to mourn, that overwhelming
bereavement. In a moment when every heart was
ready to leap for joy, and every tongue to utter the
language of congratulation and thankfulness, the sad
tidings came, and plunged the whole nation in an
abyss of woe. It is not permitted us, therefore, any
longer to pray for her. But this should interest us
the more in behalf of all the royal family, for whom
our prayers should ascend with unceasing earnestness,
246 EZRA, VI. 10. [434.
that God may bless them in all their concerns,
both temporal and spiritual, and render them bless
ings, both by their influence and example, to this
whole nation.
To conclude. Let us, from the example of this
heathen prince, learn how to employ our influence:
He was the mightiest monarch that day upon the
face of the earth : and there were in his dominions a
poor and despised people, who were zealous for the
honour of their God, but whose zeal in the cause of
religion was misrepresented, and made a subject of
complaint. But the king, so far from wishing to
interfere with them in the conscientious discharge of
their duty, gave them every possible encouragement,
as well by pecuniary aid as by his effectual protec
tion; thus shewing himself the father of his people,
and the patron of all that was good. In like manner,
whether our influence have a wider range, or be
contracted within a narrower sphere, let us use it for
" the God of heaven:" let us employ it to protect
the oppressed, to encourage piety, and to maintain
the honour of God in the world.
On the other hand, let us learn also how to improve
the privileges we enjoy. No doubt the Jews felt
their obligations to Darius, and acknowledged with
gratitude the hand of God, who had caused them to
find favour in his sight. No doubt, also, the pious
among them, at least, earnestly poured forth to God
their supplications in behalf of their gracious bene
factor. Let us then, who enjoy such privileges, not
merely through the favour of our monarch, but
through the established constitution of the realm ;
let us, I say, abound in praises to our heavenly
Benefactor, in affectionate loyalty to our earthly
king, and in every work, whereby God may be glo
rified, and the welfare of our fellow-creatures may be
advanced.
435.] EDIFICATION BY FAITHFUL MINISTERS.
247
ccccxxxv.
THE SUBSERVIENCY OF A FAITHFUL MINISTRY TO THE
ERECTION OF GOD S SPIRITUAL TEMPLE.
Ezra vi. 14. And the elders of the Jews builded, and they
prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet
and Zechariah the son of Iddo.
THE purposes of God, whatever difficulties may
seem to obstruct the execution of them, are all
accomplished in due season. The deliverance of his
people from Babylon, and the rebuilding of the
temple at Jerusalem, though in themselves the most
improbable events, were effected with a facility the
most surprising. The heart of Cyrus was moved to
give the orders that were requisite ; and though the
constructing of the temple \vas retarded by unfore
seen obstacles, yet afterwards, through the exhorta
tions of the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah, that
laborious work was finished in the space of four
years.
We shall offer a few remarks upon,
I. The building of the temple through the instru
mentality of the fore-mentioned prophets.
Many difficulties obstructed the progress of the
work
[Scarcely was the foundation laid, before an attempt was
made to impede the work through the hypocrisy of pretended
friends. The Samaritans offered to co-operate with the Jews
in raising the intended fabric: but their design was to frustrate,
rather than promote, the completion of it. And though this
appears at first sight to be a strange mode of shewing hostility,
yet it is indeed most common, both in political contests, and in
the concerns of religion. Many will profess to desire the same
objects, and will offer to concur in prosecuting them to a certain
point, who, if their offers were accepted, would only defeat the
ends proposed -The Jews, however, aw T are of the snares
thus laid for them, determined to prosecute their work alone a .
That device having failed, they were assaulted by the hostility
of open enemies. Complaints were made against them to the
governing powers, and they were represented as plotting to re
gain their liberty and independence. Their former endeavours
a Ezra iv. 1 3.
LM8 EZRA, VI. 14. [435.
to cast off the Babylonish yoke were referred to as proofs of
their present disposition to rebel against the king* of Persia b .
It is in this way that the servants of God have been assailed in
all ages : our blessed Lord was calumniated as an enemy to
Caesar ; and his Apostles, as " movers of sedition : " and, if at
any period of the Church an occasion can be found against the
people of God, the record of it shall be brought against them
in all future ages, and the evils of one party (as of the Puritans,
for instance) shall be made to characterize religion itself, and all
who profess it: and a sense of duty and of regard for the public
welfare shall be artfully pleaded as an apology for the measures,
which in reality were dictated by nothing but a rooted aversion
to the cause of God c .
This plan having too fatally succeeded, the Jews yielded to
despondency, and for the space of fifteen years suspended the
work in which they had engaged d . A spirit of indolence and
supineness soon prevailed among them, and would have operated
to a total dereliction of the work, if God had not sent his pro
phets to rouse them from their lethargy. And indeed this is
the greatest obstacle to every good work, since the longer it
continues, the more entire is the ascendant which it gains
over us.]
Through the preaching of the prophets, however,
these difficulties were overcome
[The Prophet Haggai justly reproved them for attending so
carefully to their own accommodation, whilst the temple and the
service of their God were altogether forgotten; and bade them
carefully to " consider their ways e ." The Prophet Zechariah
also urged them to bear in mind how awfully their fathers had
suffered for their neglect of God f ; and then, by a variety of
images which he had seen in visions, encouraged them with
assurances of success in their labours g . Thus were the people
stimulated to exertion. But behold, no sooner did they re
sume their work, than their enemies renewed their application
to the government to issue again their mandate to discontinue
it h . Whilst they were occupied only in building ceiled houses
for themselves, no notice was taken of it: but as soon as they
began to serve their God, their enemies were up in arms. And
so it always is; zeal is approved in every thing except religion:
but, as soon as ever it discovers itself in that, every effort will
be made to repress it. This effort, however, was overruled, as
b Exra iv. 4 IG. c Ezra iv. 14. d Ezra iv. 23, 21.
Hagg. i. 25, 7. f Zech. i. 16.
s Read attentively the four first chapters of Zechariah in this par
ticular view.
11 Exra v. 110.
435.] EDIFICATION BY FAITHFUL MINISTERS. 249
similar efforts have often been, for the furtherance of the work
it was intended to destroy 1 : and in the short space of four
years the edifice was completed k .]
The history thus viewed leads us naturally to
notice,
II. The subserviency of a faithful ministry to the
erection of God s spiritual temple
The temple of old was a shadow of that spiritual
temple which is erected for God in the hearts of
men ; " being built on the foundation of the Apostles
and Prophets, and Jesus Christ himself being the
chief corner-stone 1 ." The erection of this,
1. Is attended with the same difficulties
[Who that begins truly to surrender up his soul to God,
does not find many impediments from pretended friends ? They
w r ill profess to approve of religion, and will propose to go with
us to a certain length, that so they may have the greater in
fluence to keep us from "following the Lord fully," and from
serving him with our whole hearts - If we are enabled
to withstand their efforts, then we shall be assailed by open
enemies^ who will accuse us of evil designs against both the
Church and State ; and will call forth the power of the civil
magistrate, or of our more immediate governors, to suppress
our zeal. Not unfrequently will they become our greatest foes,
who by their relation to us ought rather to become our firmest
protectors And too often do timidity and sloth induce
us to relax our efforts, till, if God do not by some special act
of providence or grace awaken us, we lose the time for working,
and, like the foolish virgins, experience for ever the fatal effects
of our remissness
But the work of God in the soul,
2. Is carried on and perfected by the same
means
[God has established an order of men on purpose to carry
on this spiritual building in the world" 1 . Paul and the other
Apostles may be called " master-builders 11 ;" but every pastor
and teacher is engaged in the same work, according to the pe
culiar office that has been assigned him. ** To impart to you
some spiritual gift, to the end that ye may be established,"
and " to perfect that which is lacking in your faith," and in
every way to be " helpers of your joy," is the great end of all
1 Compare Ezra vi. 1 10. with Phil. i. 12. k ver. 15.
1 Eph. ii. 2022. Eph. iv. 1113. 1 Cor. iii. 10.
250 EZRA, VII. 23. [436.
our ministerial labours : and, if we would labour with effect,
we must use the very same means as Haggai and Zechariah did.
We call you then, Brethren, to " consider your ways : " con
sider what has hindered you hitherto ; and what has been the
consequence of intermitting your exertions in the service of
your God. Have you not reason to blush and be confounded
for the little progress that you have made in the divine life ?
Consider too, as Zechariah so largely recommends, the
promises of God. What assurances of success are given you
by your gracious God, if only you will put your hands to the
work in good earnest " Up then, and be doing," every
one of you ; and " your God will be with you." Yield not to
discouragements of any kind ; for " greater is He that is in
you than he that is in the world." And beware how you give
way to carnal ease and indolence : surely it ill becomes you to
be so intent, as most of us are, on earthly things, whilst the
spiritual edifice advances so slowly. Let all inquire, what yet
remains to be done in their own hearts, and, what may be done
for God in the world at large : and let us, by " coming daily
and hourly to Christ as the living foundation-stone, seek, as
living stones, to be built up a spiritual house ," that shall be
" the habitation of God, through the Spirit," for ever and ever.]
1 Pet. ii. 4, 5.
CCCCXXXVI.
THE DECREE OF ARTAXERXES.
Ezra vii. 23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven,
let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven.
WE are accustomed in divine ordinances to sit
at the feet of Prophets and Apostles, and to learn of
them : but this day we will take for our preceptor a
heathen monarch ; in following whose directions we
shall not fail to approve ourselves faithful servants
to our God. It was no less than fifty-nine years
since the temple at Jerusalem had been rebuilt : but
still the people, who had returned thither, were at a
very low ebb, both in morality and religion. Ezra,
who was yet remaining in Babylon, in the service
of Artaxerxes, greatly lamented the want of piety
amongst his own countrymen ; and made request to
the king, that he might go to Jerusalem for the pur
pose of inquiring into their state, and rectifying the
436.] THE DECREE OF ARTAXERXES. 251
abuses which obtained amongst them. In answer to
iiis requests, Artaxerxes issued a decree, authorizing
him to go thither with as many of his countrymen
as chose to accompany him, and encouraging all his
subjects in the province of Babylon to assist him in
his pious enterprise. The words before us breathe
a spirit which we should scarcely have expected to
find in a heathen prince : but it is remarkable that
some of the richest effusions of piety in the whole
Scriptures proceeded from heathen monarchs*.
To make a due improvement of the words before
us, we shall consider them,
I. In reference to the Jewish Church
The state of the Jewish Church at this time is not
unlike to that in which it was in the days of Ezra
[Though the temple worship was restored, it was carried
on by the Jews without any zeal for God s honour, or any of
that spirituality of mind which is the very essence of all accept
able worship. Nor was the Law of God regarded amongst
them with any just measure of submission : for, in direct
opposition to its most authoritative dictates, they formed con
nexions with the heathen round about them, and thus denied
and dishonoured the holy seed which were separated for the
service of Almighty God b . So at this time the Jewish people
are at a very low ebb, both in respect of morals and religion.
They are indeed, by the providence of God, placed in a situa
tion in which no other people upon earth stand : for they
alone, of all people upon the face of the globe, are incapable of
serving their God according to the directions of their own Law,
and the dictates of their o\vn conscience. But, at the same
time, they shew no sense of privation on this account, nor any
desire to honour God in the services which they do render :
for there is universally among them, in all their synagogues,
a degree of irreverence, which we should scarcely expect to
find amongst heathens in the worship of their idols. It is
impossible to behold them in their religious services, and not
see how thick a veil is yet upon their hearts. Nor do they
manifest any respect for their own Law, especially in its
sublimer precepts. Of some superstitious rites they are ob
servant with pertinacity and zeal ; but of real holiness of heart
and life they are ignorant in the extreme : and beyond the
gains and pleasures of this present world, the great mass of
their nation appear scarcely to entertain a thought.]
a Darius and Nebuchadnezzar. b Ezra ix. 1 9.
. 252 EZRA, VII. 23. [43(j.
But to us is given, no less than to Ezra, a com
mand to advance their welfare
[Ezra received a commission from Artaxerxes to go and
rectify the abuses which obtained at Jerusalem, and to place
the worship of God on a footing more consonant with his
Law, and more worthy of his divine majesty. And have we
no command to seek the welfare of that degraded people?
Are we not told what God s purpose is respecting them ;
namely, to " raise up the tabernacle of David which is fallen
down, and to close the breaches thereof; to raise up its ruins,
and to build it as in the days of old c ?" Are we not told,
also, who the builders are to be, and how strictly God enjoins
us to execute his work ? This is God s express command
to us, even to us, strangers of the Gentiles : " The sons of
strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister
unto thee : for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour
have I had mercy on thee. And the nation and kingdom
that will not serve thee shall perish ; yea, those nations shall
be utterly wasted d ." With their material temple we have
indeed nothing to do : but for the erection of God s spiritual
rumple amongst them we are bound to labour; removing all
the obstacles to their salvation e , and proclaiming to them the
advent of their Messiah, saying, " Behold your salvation !
behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him f !"
Yes, " to all the cities of Judah we should cry, Behold your
God !"]
In this work we should engage with all diligence-
fit is not to be effected by good wishes merely, but by
great and laborious exertions. It was not without great exer
tions on the part of men that the Gentiles were converted to
the faith of Christ : and the same kind of efforts which the
Apostles made for the conversion of the Gentiles we are to
make for the restoration of the Jews to the favour of their
God. We must feel compassion towards them ; and go forth
in dependence upon God to search them out in the cloudy and
dark day, and to bring them home to the fold of the great and
good Shepherd. In this work all should engage, according to
their power. As " the Jews, when scattered abroad upon the
persecution of Stephen, went everywhere preaching the word 11 ,"
so should we avail ourselves of the opportunity afforded by the
dispersion of the Jews, to draw their attention to the sacred
oracles which testify of Christ, and to make known to them
the Messiah whom their fathers crucified. I hesitate not to
c Amos ix. 11. (1 Isai. Ix. 10, 12. c Isai. Lxii. 10.
f Isai. Ixii. 11. v Isai. xl. 9. ll Acts xi. 10.
436. J THE DECREE OF ARTAXERXES. 253
say, that this is our duty. It is not merely enjoined in that
general commission to " go and preach the Gospel to all
nations," but it is devolved upon us as an office which it is at
the peril of our souls to neglect. God has told us, that he
has made us the depositaries of his Gospel, not for our benefit
merely, but for the benefit of his outcast people: " As ye in
times past have not believed God, but have now obtained
mercy through their unbelief, even so have these also now not
believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy 1 ."
It is, therefore, not only a duty to rebuild the desolated Church
of Zion, but our duty, even the duty of every one who has
himself obtained mercy of the Lord : and it is a work in which
we should engage, no less from a sense of our own obligations
to God than from compassion for the necessities of our Jewish
brethren.]
But, as the Jewish Church was typical of that
which exists under the Christian dispensation, it will
he proper to consider the words of our text,
II. In reference to the Church which is amongst us
The edifying of the Christian Church should he an
object near to all our hearts : and it is remarkable
that St. Peter applies to this subject the forecited
expressions of the Prophet Amos, respecting the
tabernacle of David ; which, if not so interpreted,
we should have been led to confine to the Jewish
Church. And, beyond all doubt, it is our duty to
labour in this field, and to exert ourselves both
among nominal Christians and the heathen world,
for the enlargement and establishment of Christ s
kingdom upon earth.
But I propose rather to limit my observations at
this time to individuals amongst ourselves.
Ye, Brethren, need to have God s work advanced
in the midst of you
[" Ye are God s house," as God has said k : ye also are
expressly called the temples of God, in which he lives and
dwells 1 . But in whom is God honoured as he ought to be?
In whom are found sacrifices so pure, so spiritual, so abundant,
as God calls for at our hands ? Truly there is much amiss in
all of us ; much evil to be rectified, and much defective to be
1 Rom. xi. 30, 31. k Hel>. iii. G. > 2 Cor. vi. 1G.
254 EZRA, VII. 23. [436.
supplied. Who has not reason for self-condemnation, when
he reflects on this injunction which is given by a heathen ?
Instead of being alive to " every thing that is commanded by
the God of heaven," there are many of the divine precepts
which we are apt to overlook : and, instead of doing every
thing " diligently" as unto " the God of heaven," how listless
are we, and heartless in the greater part of our services ! and,
instead of living only for the Lord, to how great an extent
do we live rather to ourselves! Truly the temple of our
God needs to be purged again and again of the corruptions
that prevail within it ; and a more entire devotion of all that
we have and are unto the Lord may justly be required at our
hands.]
I call you, then, to engage in the Lord s work with
your whole hearts
[We will suppose that you are built upon the Lord Jesus
Christ, as the foundation which God has laid in Zion m . But
there is much to be done by every one amongst you. No man
is contented with having laid a foundation : he proceeds to
build upon it ; and never considers his work as finished, till
he has brought forth the top-stone. So it must be in this
spiritual building which is begun within us : \ve must " grow
in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ:" or, to keep to the figure which is more appropriate
to our subject, we must come to Christ daily " as lively stones,
that we may be built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ 11 ." Our profiting ought to appear, so that every one
who sees us may acknowledge that God is with us of a truth.
To this, then, would I call you: and this duty would I impress
upon your minds, if ever you would honour God, or walk
worthy of your high calling. And remember, I pray you,
whose command this is: it is the command of the God of
heaven. Remember, too, whose work it is : it is the work of
the God of heaven. O ! learn of a heathen to venerate the divine
authority, and to exert yourselves to the uttermost to promote
the divine glory.]
And now let me call you to obey this imperial
mandate,
1. In a way of personal reformation
[At the time of the passover, the Jews swept every corner
of their houses, in order to purge out from them every particle
of leaven which might have escaped their more general and
superficial search. And this is what we also are called to do.
m Isai. xxviii. 10. 1 Cor. iii. 11. n 1 Pet. ii. 4 G.
436.] THE DECREE OF ARTAXERXES. 255
Alas! there are many evil dispositions which lurk within us,
and which a superficial survey will not enable us to detect.
Pride, envy, discontent, uncharitableness, sloth, are deeply
implanted in our nature, and, with many other corrupt pro
pensities, spring up from time to time. O be diligent in
" purging out this old leaven, that ye may be a new lump ; "
since by profession " ye are," and in reality ye ought to be,
" unleavened ! " And let spiritual sacrifices abound within
you, even the " sacrifices of righteousness which are by Jesus
Christ to the glory and praise of God."]
2. In a way of ministerial exertion
[Here I come to that which the occasion peculiarly calls
for, and which is more immediately referred to in my text the
efforts which are to be made for the restoring of God s worship
and service in the Jewish Church. Surely this is the duty of
all ; and it should be performed by us with all diligence.
In this, persons of rank and influence ought to take the
lead. Who can see a heathen monarch, the most powerful
monarch that day upon the face of the earth, thus interesting
himself for his Jewish subjects, and not wish, that all mon-
archs, with " their counsellors" (for all the counsellors of
Artaxerxes concurred with him in this act) were embarked in
this holy cause, and exerted all their influence for the promo
tion of it ?
In this the clergy, also, should be most distinguished. Ezra
was what, in modern language, would be called a great divine :
and he was in a post of honour at the court of Artaxerxes :
but he satisfied not himself with the luxury of strenuous idle
ness and learned ease : he sought to improve his talents and
influence, for the honour of God, and the welfare of his
people. Gladly, therefore, did he avail himself of the liberty
accorded to him of going to Jerusalem for the purpose of
remedying the evils which obtained there, and of establishing,
on a more becoming scale, the ordinances of divine worship.
It was an office of great labour; yet lie willingly undertook it.
And does not this shew, how those who are distinguished for
rank and learning amongst the clergy should employ their
talents and influence for the Lord? Surely they could not
render unto God a more acceptable service, or perform one
more honourable to themselves, than by labouring, according
to their respective abilities, for the advancement of God s
worship among the Jews. The very first work of Ezra, too,
may furnish them with a profitable hint : for he immediately
sent forth persons to find " ministers," and " men of under
standing," who should co-operate with him in this labour of
love . And, truly, such instruments are wanting at this
Ezra viii. 16 18.
256 EZRA, IX. 5, (>. [437.
time ; and, till such are found, we cannot hope for any great
success in our undertakings. Let us " pray, then, to the
Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers
into his harvest : " for " the harvest truly is great ; but the
labourers are few."
The readiness with which all the people of Babylon con
curred in this good work shews how all classes of the com
munity amongst ourselves should unite in the work that is
now proposed to us. They contributed no less than eighty
thousand pounds in silver, and one hundred and fifty thousand
pounds in gold, besides a vast abundance of wheat, and wine,
and oil, and salt, for the purpose of honouring God in his
temple at Jerusalem. This was done, I say, by heathens, to
honour the God of the Jews. What, then, should not be done
by us Christians, who profess to serve the God of the Jews, and
to feel our obligations to him for all the wonders of redeeming
love? Should not we, according to our power, be alike liberal?
Should not all ranks and orders amongst us concur in this
good work? And should not " our merchandise and our
hire (whether in wheat, or wine, or oil, or salt, or any other
article,) be holiness to the Lord p ?" Surely I shall not call
upon you in vain. You will not suffer the recommendations
of an earthly monarch to be of more avail with his subjects
than the edict of Almighty God with you. Ezra was autho
rized to " accept all the silver and the gold which he could
find in all the province of Babylon" for this great object, and
to "lay it out" to the best of his judgment " for the honour
of his God q ." And whatever the liberality of the Christian
public shall commit to the disposal of those who have the
direction of this great concern will be expended, I trust, with
economy and wisdom, in such a way as most to advance the
glory of God, in the restoration and salvation of his outcast
people.]
P Isai. xxiii. 18. q ver. 1618.
CCCCXXXVII.
EZRA S HUMILIATION FOR THE SINS OF HIS PEOPLE.
Ezra ix. 5, 6. And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my
heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle. I
fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord
my God, and said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to
lift up my face to thee, my God : for our iniquities are
increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up inito
the heavens.
437.1 EZRA DEPLORES HIS PEOPLE S SINS. 257
IT is common both for individuals and Churches
to appear hopeful before men, when a nearer ac
quaintance with them would furnish us with abun
dant cause of grief and shame. At Ezra s coming
to Jerusalem, about fourscore years after the Baby
lonish captivity, he found the temple built, and the
ordinances of religion statedly performed. But on
inquiring more particularly into the state of those
who now inhabited the Holy Land, he received such
information as filled him with the deepest anguish.
We propose to consider,
I. The reason of his sorrow-
Many of the people had connected themselves in
marriage both with the Canaanites and other hea
thens around them. This he justly regarded as a
most heinous evil,
1. As being a violation of an express command
[Ezra himself speaks of it in this view a . It is possible
that, whilst the generality sought only the gratification of
their own corrupt appetites, " the princes and rulers, who
were chief in this matter," justified their conduct on the ground
of policy. They might urge, that, being few in number, it
was desirable, for their own preservation, to make alliances
with those whose hostility they feared. It is certain that in
this w r ay many set their own reasonings in opposition to God s
revealed will. But reason is altogether out of its place on
such occasions. God s authority is not to be trampled on by
us : we are not at liberty to sit in judgment on his commands,
and to determine how far it is expedient to obey them : when
once we are told, " Thus saith the Lord," we have no option,
no alternative left : a cheerful and unreserved compliance is
our bounden duty, and our highest wisdom.]
2. As having an evident tendency to bring the
people back to idolatry-
fit was for their idolatries more especially that the nation
had been sent into captivity ; and a recurrence of the same
evils was most likely to result from so intimate a connexion
with idolaters. This danger had been particularly pointed out,
when the prohibition had been originally given b : and their
disregard of this danger shewed how little they had profited by
the judgments that had been inflicted on them, or the mercies
a ver. 10 12. compared with Deut. vii. 2, 3. b Deut. vii. 4.
VOL. iv. s
258 EZRA, IX. 5, 6. [437.
that had been vouchsafed unto them. But thus it is with all
who seek the friendship of the world : God has told them, that
* f friendship with the world is enmity with God c ;" that it is
impossible to maintain communion with both 1 ; and that
therefore all who cultivate the friendship of the world will be
regarded and treated as the enemies of God c : yet they will
run the risk, and for the sake of gratifying their corrupt
wishes, will endanger the everlasting salvation of their souls.
O that those who are inclined to take worldly persons for their
associates, and especially those who are tempted to unite with
them in the indissoluble bonds of marriage, would consider the
guilt and danger of such measures, ere they bring upon them
selves the wrath of an offended God ! If only they would
look around them and see the injury which others have sus
tained in their souls by such conduct, they would pause, and
not venture to purchase any fancied good at so great a price.]
How great his sorrow on this occasion was, we
may judge from,
II. The expressions of it
That which first calls for our notice is, the expres
sion of his grief the instant he was informed of their
misconduct
[This was more violent than any of which we read in the
Holy Scriptures. Often have men rent their mantle and their
garments ; but of him alone we are told that " he plucked off
the hair of his head and of his beard." In the first paroxysm
of his grief he was almost distracted ; yea, he was so over
whelmed as to be incapable of speech or action : hence " he sat
down astonied," as one altogether stupified through excess of
sorrow. And shall we think all this extravagant ? No truly,
if we duly estimate the evil they had committed, and the dan
ger to which the whole nation was reduced f . We are told of
David, that " horror took hold upon him," and that " rivers
of tears ran down his cheeks, because of those who kept not
God s law:" and St. Paul appeals to God himself, that he had
" great sorrow and continual heaviness in his heart for his
brethren s sake p ." We may be sure therefore that the grief
which Ezra manifested was no more than what the occasion
called for.]
But his humiliation before God is that which more
particularly demands our attention
[" At the time of the evening sacrifice," as if revived and
c Jam. iv. 4. d Matt. vi. 24. and 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15.
e 1 Johnii. 15 17. f vcr. 14. e Rom. ix. 1 3.
437.] EZRA DEPLORES HIS PEOPLE S SINS. 259
encouraged by the consideration of the great atonement, " he
arose from his heaviness, and fell upon his knees, and spread
out his hands unto the Lord his God," and confessed with
shame and anguish of heart both his own sins and the sins of
all the people. What a just view had he of national trans
gressions! Many would have thought, that, because he dis
approved of the evils that had been committed, he had no
share in the guilt contracted by them, nor any occasion to
humble himself before God on account of them : but the mem
bers of the body politic are, in their corporate capacity, like
the members of the natural body, all to a certain degree re
sponsible for those evils, which generally, though not univer
sally, prevail among them. At the day of judgment indeed,
none will have to answer for any thing but what they them
selves were personally guilty of; but in this world, where
alone nations can be dealt with as nations, we should consider
ourselves as participating in whatever relates to the nation at
large.
And here we cannot but admire the humility with which he
confessed the sins of the nation before God, and the fervour
with which he implored the forgiveness of them. O that we
felt even for our own sins, as he felt for the sins of others !
However " fools may make a mock at it," sin is no light evil:
there is no contrition too deep for us to feel on account of sin,
nor any earnestness too great to use in order to obtain the
remission of it. Let the view then of this holy man put us
all to shame : let us blush and be confounded at the thought
that our repentance from day to day is so cold and superficial ;
and let us tremble for ourselves, lest we be found at last to
have been hypocrites and dissemblers with God. We are told
plainly enough what is that repentance which godly sorrow
will produce 1 : let us therefore look to it that we " approve
ourselves to be clear in this matter."]
APPLICATION
[And now, methinks, the evening sacrifice is just offered:
" now once, in the end of the world, hath Christ appeared to
put away sin by the sacrifice of himself 1 ." O let our eyes be
fixed on that " Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the
world!" Let us spread before him both our national and
personal transgressions ; and let us lay them all on the head
of that heavenly victim; not doubting but that, " if we confess
our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness k ."]
h 2 Cor. vii. 10, 11. j Heb. ix. J(i. k 1 John i. 9.
&&gt;0 EZRA, IX. 13, 14. [438.
CCCCXXXVIII.
USE OF GOD S DIVERSIFIED DISPENSATIONS.
Ezra ix. 13, 14. After all that is come upon us for our evil
deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God
hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast
given us such deliverance as this; should we again break thy
commandments ?
THE intention of God in all his dispensations,
whether of providence or of grace, is to deter men
from sin : and it becomes all his people to co-operate
with him in this important work. Rulers in parti
cular are invested with power by God himself for
this very end : nor do they ever appear to more
advantage than when they exert themselves to the
uttermost in the support of God s authority, and in
promoting the best interests of those over whom
they are placed.
Ezra, perhaps about eighty years after the return
of the Jews from Babylon, was permitted by Ar-
taxerxes king of Persia to go and visit his brethren
in Judea, and was empowered by him to rectify all
abuses that he might find among them. After his
arrival, he heard, to his unspeakable grief, that
many of them had joined in marriage with heathen
women. He therefore humbled himself before God
on their account ; and looking back upon all that
they had suffered for their iniquities, and on the
marvellous deliverance which God had vouchsafed
unto them, he expressed his surprise, his horror, his
indignation at their great impiety.
From his words we shall take occasion to con
sider,
I. God s diversified dispensations towards us
God visited his people of old with alternate mercies
and judgments : and thus he has dealt with us also.
He has visited our sins with judgments
[The judgments which we have of late experienced, have
been exceeding heavy a -And it is of the utmost im-
3 Here particulars should he mentioned.
438.1 USE OF GOD S DIVERSIFIED DISPENSATIONS. 261
portance that we should acknowledge the hand of God in them.
They spring not out of the dust : they arise not merely from
the ambition of our enemies, or the errors of our own govern
ment. God uses men as instruments, just as he did the
Assyrians and Chaldeans, to punish his people : but still it is
His hand alone that inflicts the stroke b : and, if we do not
trace his displeasure in all that we have suffered, it is not
possible that we should ever make a proper improvement of it.
We must confess, however, that our sufferings have by no
means equalled our deserts . Take any one of our national
sins d , and it might well bring down upon us all that we have
endured. If God had proceeded against us according to the
tremendous aggregate of our iniquities, we should have been
made as Sodom and Gomorrha.]
He has now also vouchsafed us a deliverance
[The "deliverance" granted to the Jews in their return
from Babylon, was not inferior to that which they had formerly
experienced in their departure from Egypt. And has not ours
also been exceeding great 6 ? - In this too must we view
the hand of God. Whoever were the means, God was the
author of it. It is he who produces all the changes that arise
in the state of individuals 1 ", or of kingdoms K . And as the dis
cerning of his agency in our afflictions is necessary to effect
our humiliation, so the beholding of it in our mercies is
necessary to excite our gratitude.]
To promote a suitable improvement of these dis
pensations, let us consider,
II. The effect they should have upon us
If the destruction of sin he the end which God
proposes to himself in all his conduct towards us,
then we should endeavour to make every thing sub
servient to that end. The pointed interrogation in
the text strongly shews in what light we should view
a renewed violation of God s commandments, after
he has taken such pains to enforce the observance
of them.
b Ps. xvii. 13. Isai. x. 5 7, 13 15. and xxxvii. 24 26.
Gen. xlv. 8.
c Ps. ciii. 10.
d Our contempt of the Gospel, our open profaneness, our traffic in
human blood, &c.
e Here it should he set forth. f 1 Sam. ii. 6 8.
g Jer. xviii. G, 7, 9.
262 EZRA, IX. 13, 14. [438.
1. How unreasonable would it be !
[No man can read the account of Pharaoh s obstinacy in
the midst of all his successive judgments and deliverances, and
not stand amazed at his more than brutish stupidity. Yet it
is precisely thus that we shall act, if we do not now put away
our sins, and submit ourselves entirely to God s revealed will.
And how unreasonable, or rather we should say irrational,
such conduct would be, God himself tells us : he even calls
heaven and earth to express their astonishment at it, as not
only levelling us with the beasts, but reducing us to a state far
below them h . And if we be guilty of it, he will justly vent his
indignation against us, as he did against his people of old;
" They are a perverse and crooked generation. Do ye thus
requite the Lord? O foolish people, and unwise 1 !"]
2. How ungrateful !
[Ingratitude is considered as one of the greatest aggra
vations that can be found in any offence of man against his
fellow-man: and how much more must it enhance the guilt
we contract in our disobedience to God! See what stress God
himself lays upon this in the transgressions of David k , and
Solomon 1 , and Hezekiah m ; and will it not stamp a ten-fold
malignity also on our offences"?]
3. How dangerous !
[This is particularly noticed by Ezra, in the words follow
ing the text : and the state of the Jews at this moment is an
awful comment upon it. We are yet in the hands of our God ;
and if we still rebel against him, he can easily bring again upon
us the calamities which he has just removed, or send others far
more afflictive. He tells us, that, as the impenitence of the
Jews was the reason of his continuing to afflict them , so he
will "punish us seven times more for our sins p ," if we now
continue in them. To what a state of misery and dereliction
we may in that case expect to be reduced, we may judge
from what was actually experienced by the Jewish nation 9 .
But the Lord grant that we may not so provoke the Majesty
of heaven !]
ADDRESS
[Remember that God is not an indifferent spectator of
h Isai. i. 2, 3. * Deut. xxxii. 5, 6. k 2 Sam. xii. 7 9.
I 1 Kings xi. 9. m 2 Chron. xxxii. 25.
II See what construction God himself puts upon such conduct, Jer.
vii. 9, 10.
Isai. ix.. 12, 17, 21. and x. 4. P Lev. xxvi. 18, 21, 24, 28.
<i Judg. x. 11 14.
438.] USE OF GOD S DIVERSIFIED DISPENSATIONS. 263
our conduct. Sin is " that abominable thing which his soul
hateth r :" and he will surely destroy either it, or him that
retains it. And if his judgments be not inflicted on the sinner
in this life, there still is a future day of retribution, when every
man shall give account of himself to God, and receive the just
recompence of all his actions.
Let this then be the improvement which we determine,
through grace, to make of God s present dispensations. Let
us reflect upon them as means of exciting us to holy obedience ;
and let every one of us shudder at the thought of ever again
breaking the least of God s commandments.]
r Jer. xliv. 4.
N E H E M I A H.
CCCCXXXIX.
THE ZEAL OF NEHEMIAH.
Neh. ii. 20. The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore
zve his servants will arise and build.
WHOEVER engages diligently in the work of
God, must expect trials : as it is said in the apocry
phal Book of Ecclesiasticus, " My son, if thou come
to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptations a ."
The ungodly will deride our efforts, and put the most
unfavourable construction upon them, that the most
ingenious malice can invent. The pious labours of
Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, though
sanctioned by the monarch himself, were regarded
by his enemies as indications of folly, and as prepa
ratives for rebellion b . But Nehemiah, as David had
done before him, " encouraged himself in the Lord
his God c ."
It is my intention,
I. To set before you the graces he exercised
In the words which we have just read, we behold,
1. His confidence
[I am not aware that Nehemiah received from God any
particular commission to engage in the work he had under
taken, or any direct promise of success: yet did he assure
himself that God would prosper him. And this displayed a
proper confidence in God. For he felt a consciousness, that
in all that he had undertaken, he was seeking no interest of
his own, but simply the honour of his God. In any matter
a Eccl. ii. 1. b ver. 19. c 1 Sam. xxx. 6.
439.] THE ZEAL OF NEHEMIAH. 265
that was purely personal, he would not have been justified in
indulging so confident an expectation : but in a work like that
in which he was engaged, and to the prosecution of which he
was impelled by a high principle of love to God, he could have
no doubt but that he should receive from heaven such a mea
sure of support as should bring his labours to a happy issue.
The desire to embark in it had been stirred up in him by the
Spirit of God : he trusted, therefore, that the blessing of God
would accompany his endeavours.
This confidence, though right to be indulged, by no means
warrants us to limit God as to the time, or manner, or measure
of the success which he shall vouchsafe unto us. These things
must be left to his all-wise disposal : for he alone knows what
will tend most to the advancement of his own glory. But so
far as the attainment of our objects will bring glory to him, we
may assure ourselves, that we shall never be suffered to labour
for him in vain.]
2. His zeal
[Great were the difficulties which he had to encounter.
For an hundred years since the return of the Jews from Ba
bylon, had the walls of Jerusalem continued in a most dilapi
dated state, and all the gates had been destroyed by fire. No
attempt had yet been made even to remove the rubbish 11 .
Nor were the princes among the people at all disposed to co
operate with him in an effort to repair the ruins : they, alas !
"would not put their neck to the work 6 ." His brethren of
Judah, also, who should have been foremost in the work, dis
couraged it, by representing the task as hopeless and imprac
ticable f . His enemies at the same time exerted themselves to
defeat his enterprise, by pouring contempt upon it, and con
spiring, by all possible means, to counteract it g . But Nchc-
mitih was determined to execute the purpose which he had
conceived : and for that end set all hands to work, every one
in his own proper district, that, by a great and simultaneous
effort, the desired object might be attained. And whereas he
was menaced by armed bands who threatened to destroy him,
he armed the labourers, each with his sword or spear, that
they might be ready at an instant to repel any assault that
might be made upon them ; so that, as it were, they held the
sword in one hand, and carried on the work with the other h .
This was a conduct worthy of a servant of the Most High God.
In fact, the confidence he expressed, and the determination he
formed, had a strict reference to each other. A servant of God
was authorized to maintain the confidence, and was bound, in
d ver. 13, 14. e Neh. iii. 5. f Neh. iv. 10.
e Neh. iv. 8. h Neh. iv. 1618.
266 NEHEMIAH, II. 20. [439.
dependence on God, to form and execute the determination :
" The Lord God, HE will prosper us; therefore we, his servants,
will arise and build," neither regarding difficulties, however
great, nor fearing enemies, however powerful.]
Admiring the virtues of this eminent saint, I
proceed,
II. To commend them to your imitation
Be ye, my Brethren, followers of him,
1. In reference to God s work in the world at
large
[The world is one great kingdom that belongs to Christ.
But far is it from being in a state worthy of its Great Pro
prietor ! Truly it is, as it were, in ruins ; one great and shape
less mass of desolation, bearing upon the whole face of it the
relentless efforts of the destroyer. And should not we, when
informed of its miserable condition, be filled with grief, as
Nehemiah for Jerusalem, and implore mercy for it, as he did
for that ruinated city ? Should we not improve our influence
for its good ; and be ready, by our own personal exertions, to
promote to the uttermost its welfare? What, if they who
should take the lead are careless and supine ? What, if many
of our own brethren are lukewarm and desponding ? W^hat,
if our means for helping forward its concerns are very narrow
and contracted ? What, if those who are hostile to such an
attempt, exert themselves to intimidate and counteract us?
Should we therefore sit down in listlessness and despair ?
No : we should encourage ourselves in God, and put forth
all our energies in his service. In the incredibly short space
of fifty-two days, Nehemiah, in the midst of all his discou
ragements, accomplished his work : for, we are told, " the
people had a mind to work i ." And who shall say what Chris
tians might effect, if they were but penetrated with becoming
zeal, and would combine their efforts in a judicious way.
From the state both of the Jewish and Gentile world, any one
would have supposed it impossible for a few devout and pious
persons to effect any thing in so short a space of time as
twenty or thirty years : yet, behold, plans originating with a
few, who contemplated nothing but a little partial benefit,
have spread almost over the world itself their beneficial efficacy;
insomuch that what was at first but as a cloud, the size of a man s
hand, has already overspread the heavens, and descended in
fertilizing showers on every quarter of the globe. Let us take
courage from what we have seen, and press forward in the
1 Neh. iv. 6.
440. J THE EFFICACY OF ZEAL AND DILIGENCE. 267
work that is yet before us; not contemplating difficulties, but
confiding in our God, and going on in his strength to fulfil his
holy and blessed will.]
2. In reference to God s work in our own souls
[These, too, are in a fearfully dilapidated state ; so that
one who looks at an arm of flesh only would be ready to
despair. And need I say what discouragements are put in
the way of those who would serve their God ? Amidst princes
that are supine, friends that are lukewarm, and spectators that
are arrayed in hostility against us, it requires much faith and
patience to carry us forward in so arduous an undertaking.
But we should address ourselves to the work, and combine all
our energies to repair the breaches which sin has made upon
our souls. We should put on, too, the whole armour of God,
and fight the good fight of faith. We should suffer neither
men nor devils to deter us from our work, but should proceed
with diligence till the whole work of God is wrought within us.
If we would proceed with the zeal which such a cause should
inspire, what might we not effect, perhaps in the space of a
few days or weeks ? Surely we should make our profiting to
appear, to the honour of God, and to the confusion of all our
enemies. Doubtless those who united not with Nehemiah
would pour contempt upon his efforts, and deride him as a
weak or wicked enthusiast. But is there a man in the universe
that does not applaud him now ? Thus must you expect to
be derided now: but the day is coming, when God himself will
applaud you before the assembled universe, and they who now
condemn you will bitterly regret that they did not follow
your steps.]
CCCCXL.
THE EFFICACY OF ZEAL AND DILIGENCE.
Nehem. iv. 6. The people had a mind to tvork.
GREAT and useful undertakings are often de
clined, from an idea that we are not able to carry
them into effect, when, in fact, nothing is wanting
to ensure success in them, but zeal and diligence.
The history before us strongly exemplifies this re
mark. The walls of Jerusalem still continued in
their desolate condition, notwithstanding the Jews
had returned thither about ninety years : but, at the
instigation of one single man, the people combined ;
268 NEHEMIAH, IV. 6. [440.
and engaging heartily in the work, they effected
in a short space of time what had appeared utterly
hnpracticahle : Nehemiah says, " So huilt we the
wall ; for the people had a mind to work."
Let us consider,
I. The reason assigned for their success
The work which the people had to perform was
attended with many difficulties
[The removal of the rubbish 8 was of itself no incon
siderable labour, considering how few hands there were to
engage in it. But beside this, the enemies of the Jews exerted
themselves by ridicule, by menaces, and by various other
devices 5 , to discourage the undertaking, and to prevent the
execution of it. The treachery and supineness of some among
the Jews themselves formed also a very formidable obstacle in
the way of those who desired to accomplish the work.]
But by zeal and diligence they were enabled to
accomplish it with incredible despatch
[Arduous as the work was, it was all finished in two and
fifty days d . But how was it effected so soon? We are told, in
the text; " The people had a mind to the work:" every one
engaged in it with his whole heart: they regarded neither
fatigue nor danger : they would not so much as take off their
clothes during the whole time, except for the sake of cleanli
ness 6 ; and they wore their swords by their side while they
wrought with their hands f , that they might be ready to resist
their enemies in case of an attack. By this union of coura
geous zeal and unremitting diligence they effected their pur
pose, to the astonishment and confusion of all their enemies g .]
To shew that this subject is capable of very useful
improvement, we shall notice,
II. The instruction we may gather from it-
There are two truths that may justly be deduced
from this history ;
1. In every thing we have to do for God, zeal and
diligence are necessary
[The Jews at that time were actuated by a religious zeal,
a ver. 2.
b Nek. ii. 10, 19. and Neh. iv. 1, 3, 7, 8. and Neh. vi. 8, 9.
c ver. 10, 12. and Neh. vi. 18, 19. a Neh. vi. 15.
e ver. 23. f ver. 16 18. g Neh. vi. 16.
440. ] THE EFFICACY OF ZEAL AND DILIGENCE. 269
and exerted themselves for God h . And the work which we
have to do for God is by no means dissimilar, if only we
consider what a typical aspect there was in the whole of their
captivity and restoration 1 . We may at least be permitted to
accommodate this subject to the reparation of the soul for God,
after the desolations it has suffered through the incursions of
sin. We see that year after year the souls of men lie in ruins;
that the generality have no heart to seek their restoration to
their primitive grandeur; and that the greater part of those
who begin to labour in this work, make little progress. But to
what is this owing? The truth is, "they have no mind to
the work : " they do not love their work : repentance is a
burthen: prayer is a task: self-denial is a drudgery: they
would rather be excused from every part of their duty : they
would not think of communion with God, or of conformity to
his image, if they were not driven to it by an imperious neces
sity, a fear of everlasting torments. Hence their exertions
are weak and intermitted ; and their enemies are suffered to
pull down their work, as fast as they build it up : so that, after
an interval of months and years, little, if any, progress is
made in their work. Ah! think of this, ye who are com
plaining of the low state of your souls ! It would have been
thus with respect to the walls of Jerusalem, if the people had
been as lukewarm as you: but " they had a mind to work;"
and so must you, if you would do any thing with effect :
" Whatever your hand findeth to do, you must do it with your
might k ."]
2. In every thing we have to do for God, zeal and
diligence will ensure success
[In the work of our souls we have to encounter difficulties
not unlike to those which the Jews had to cope with ; we have
much rubbish to be removed, many reproaches and menaces
to withstand, and many discouragements from weak or false
brethren to surmount. But we need not fear: if we engage
heartily in our work, we shall assuredly succeed. Nothing
shall be able to obstruct our progress : yea, the opposition we
meet with shall but inflame our ardour, and increase our
energy; and we shall proceed triumphantly, in spite of the
assaults either of men or devils. We do not mean to say,
that our own arm can effect these things : we know full well
that it cannot ; and that, of ourselves, we cannot do any thing
that is good : but if we go forth with zeal and diligence in a
humble dependence upon God, he will enable us to fulfil his
will ; yea, " through His strength we shall be able to do all
h Neh. ii. 17, 18. J See Isai. xl. 2. and lii. 9, 10. andlxv. 18.
k Eccl. ix. 10.
270 NEHEMIAH, IV. 6. [440.
things 1 ." He is pledged to assist those who trust in him m ;
and the weakest that relies on him shall be " more than con
queror : " yea, the weaker we are in ourselves, the more shall
" his strength be perfected in our weakness"." Let us but
trust in him, and " the wall shall be built, though in troublous
times ;" and "what has been begun in grace shall soon be
perfected in glory P."]
ADDRESS,
1. Those who make excuses for not engaging in
the work of their souls
[The generality are saying, " The time for the Lord s
work is not yet come q ." But whatever excuses men urge for
their delay, the true and only reason of it is, " They have
no mind to the work." Be assured, my Brethren, that when
God shall call you into judgment, the veil with which you
cover your hypocrisy will be found thinner than the spider s
web. Rest not then any longer in such dangerous delusions ;
but arise, and set yourselves to the work without delay.]
2. To those who have entered on the Lord s
work
[To exert yourselves with effect, there is need not only of
individual zeal, but also of general and cordial co-operation.
The builders all had their proper work assigned them : and of
some it is said, " They built before their own houses 1 ":" and
though the work seemed but ill adapted for females, some
wrought in " concert with their daughters 8 ." How prosperous
would our exertions be, if we would imitate them in these
respects ! See, Beloved, what work you have to do near your
own houses. If all who profess to be engaged in this good
work would attend diligently to their children, their servants,
their dependents; if they would visit their sick neighbours,
and labour to instruct those to whom they can gain easy and
familiar access ; methinks the wall would soon be built, to the
admiration of men, and the confusion of devils. Let there
then be a general zeal amongst you, and a determination to
co-operate in every labour of love. It is mentioned to the
disgrace of the nobles, that " they put not their necks to the
work of the Lord 1 ." O let there not be any such amongst
you ! Rather, let the example of Nehemiah and his followers
animate us all : then shall the work proceed rapidly around us,
and our " Jerusalem shall soon become a praise in the earth u ."]
1 Phil. iv. 13. m Ps. cxxv. 1. n 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Dan. ix. 25. P Phil. i. 6. <i Hagg. i. 2.
r Neh. iii. 2830. * Neh. iii. 12. t Neh. iii. 5.
u Isai. Ixii. 7.
441.] THE FEAR OF GOD A PRINCIPLE OF ACTION. 271
CCCCXLI.
THE FEAR OF GOD A PRINCIPLE OF ACTION.
Neh. v. 15. So did not I, because of the fear of God.
IT is obvious that there are in the world a people
whose conduct differs widely from that of the world
around them : and, in attempting to account for it,
some impute it to pride and vanity, some to weakness
and folly, and some to downright hypocrisy. But,
if men would examine into this matter with candour,
they might easily find a principle abundantly suffi
cient to account for all the singularity they observe :
and this principle is " The fear of God." By this
Nehemiah was actuated, whilst, in the governing of
Israel, he maintained a system directly opposed to
that of all who had preceded him. They all had
exacted from the people, even in their low impo
verished state, such contributions as they judged
necessary for the upholding of their dignity and the
discharge of their official duties. And Nehemiah
might have felt himself fully justified in following
their example, which was originally ordained by
legitimate authority, and afterwards established by
long uninterrupted usage. But, in existing circum
stances, he judged the practice to be oppressive ;
and therefore he would no longer suffer it, because
he was under the influence of a principle which was
sufficient to outweigh all selfish considerations : " So
did not I, because of the fear of God."
Now, it will be no unedifying subject, if we consider,
I. The principle by which he was actuated
It is called, in my text, " The fear of God ;" by
which we are to understand, not a dread of God s
displeasure, but rather a holy filial fear, comprehend
ing under it an habitual respect to God ; a respect to,
1 . His word, as the rule of our conduct
[The maxims of the world are not unfrequently the very
reverse of those which are inculcated in the Sacred Volume.
We need not go back to the philosophers of Greece and
272 NEHEMIAH, V. 15. [441.
Rome, to shew the erroneousness of their opinions : the senti
ments even of the Christian world are, in many respects, very
far from according with the dictates of inspiration. Pride is
by many held as equivalent with magnanimity : and humility,
such as God requires, is as little approved amongst us, as it
was amongst the unenlightened heathen. As to the duties ot
love to God, of faith in Christ, of entire devotedness to the
pursuit of things invisible and eternal, we well know that they
are kept altogether upon the back-ground, except, indeed, as
sentiments proper to be delivered from the pulpit, but equally
proper to be banished from all the scenes of social converse.
But the man who is under the influence of the fear of God
will not suffer himself to be regulated by the opinions of men ;
but " by the fear of the Lord he will surely depart from evil,"
and in every doubtful point will inquire, " What saith the
Lord?"]
2. His authority, as the reason of our conduct
[A Christian may doubtless have many reasons for acting
in this or that particular way : he may judge such a line of
conduct to be conducive to his own comfort, and to the benefit
of others. But all such motives will be in perfect subordina
tion to the divine will, which he will determine to obey, whe
ther the immediate act be in accordance with his own interests
or in opposition to them. A man under the fear of God will
not consider whether he shall gain or lose, whether he shall
please or displease, by any act ; his only concern will be to
approve himself to God. If urged by any considerations of
human authority or personal interest, his answer is, "Whether
it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye:
for I cannot but do the things which God commands."]
3. His glory, as the end of our conduct
[The real saint feels that " God in all things should be
glorified :" and he will not be satisfied with any thing which
will not conduce to this end. This idea he will carry into
the most common transactions of his life : " Whether he eat
or drink, or whatever he do, he will do all to the glory of
God." In relation to this matter, there will be in him a ten
derness, a sensibility, a great refinement of mind, such as, to a
superficial observer, shall appear to have led him into great
inconsistencies. St. Paul acted sometimes as under the Law,
and sometimes as free from the Law ; accommodating himself
to the prejudices or weakness of men, as he saw occasion.
But, whatever was his course, his object was the same ;
namely, to serve and honour God : and every one who truly
fears God will propose to himself the same great end, and
441. J THE FEAR OF GOD A PRINCIPLE OF ACTION. 273
conduct himself in such a way as appears to him best calculated
to effect it.]
Such being the principle by which Nehemiah was
actuated, let us notice,
II. The effect it produced on his life and conver
sation
Methinks there is a striking agreement between
the conduct of Nehemiah and of the Apostle Paul.
St. Paul was entitled to demand support from the
Christian Church, to which he ministered : but, so far
was he from insisting on his right, that he wrought
with his own hands, night and day, in order to sup
port himself, and to exempt others from what they
might have accounted a burthen a . Thus Nehemiah,
doubtless, was entitled to support from those over
whom he was placed : but this right having been
abused, he waved it altogether ; that so he might
both lighten the burthens of his people and set to all
an example of forbearance and love.
We see, then, in him how the fear of God will ope
rate wherever it exists as a principle of action in the
soul. It will surely teach us the following lessons :
1. Not to conform ourselves to any custom till we
have examined it with care
[Thousands of things are customary, which yet are far
from being defensible. See the habits of the world altogether;
its customs, its fashions, its maxims. Will they bear the test
of sound wisdom, or endure a scrutiny by the word of God?
Numbers cannot change the qualities of things, and make
that to be good which is in itself evil : nor can we be justified
in doing any thing merely because it is sanctioned by custom.
On the contrary, we are commanded " not to be conformed to
this world," and " not to follow a multitude to do evil."]
2. Not to suffer ourselves to be biassed by any
personal interests in forming our judgment of doubt
ful matters
[There was a strong temptation to Nehemiah to continue
the abuses which had so long obtained : but he suffered not
his interest to blind his judgment. So neither should we
a 2 Cor. xi. 7 12. with 1 Thess. ii. 9. and 2 Thess. iii. 8, 9.
VOL. IV. T
^74 NEHEMIAH, V. 15. [441.
practise or connive at any evil, because of its tendency to
advance our interests. The whole system of trade, as carried
on at this time, is founded, I fear I must say, on fraud ; inso
much, that if a person, in any line of business, were to do
nothing which would not bear the test of truth and uprightness,
he would not be able to maintain his ground ; so universally
do the profits in trade arise from some kind or other of false
hood and imposition. But the generality of men see no evil
in this state of things : they can adulterate their commodi
ties, and practise impositions without any remorse. The
things are only such as custom sanctions ; and such as, men
will say, necessity requires ; and therefore they go on, with
out ever inquiring into the lawfulness of them in the sight of
God. But it were surely better to examine into this matter,
and to judge righteous judgment ; because we know that the
judgment of God will certainly be according to truth. We
are told by God himself, and that repeatedly, that " there is
a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof
are the ways of death b :" and surely it were wise to ascertain
with care the correctness of our sentiments, lest we then
detect the evil of them, when, alas ! the discovery will be of no
avail.]
3. Not to fear condemning what our conscience
does not approve
[Though the persons who had practised the evil were the
governors of the nation, Nehemiah boldly bore his testimony
against them : " Thus and thus did they : but so did not 7."
Similar fortitude should we also manifest, especially in away of
holy practice. If we blame any thing in others, let us at least
be careful to do it, not so much in a \vay of harsh censure, as
of better example. This we shall do, if we really fear God.
Instead of " walking after the course of this world," we shall
endeavour to be " as lights in the world, holding forth in our
life and conversation the word of life," that " others, behold
ing our light, may glorify our Father that is in heaven." If our
singularity be complained of, we must remember the issue of
Noah s fidelity ; and must console ourselves with the thought,
that we shall ultimately be saved from that deluge, which will
soon overwhelm the whole ungodly world. We shall bear in
remembrance, that "we have been bought with a price," even
with the inestimable price of the Redeemer s blood ; and we
shall make it the one object of our lives to " glorify him with
our body and our spirit, which are his."]
b Prov. xiv. 12. and xvi. 2. >.
442.] NEHEMIAH S FIRMNESS. 215
CCCCXLII.
NEHEMIAH S FIRMNESS.
Neh. vi. 3, 4. / sent messengers unto them, saying, I am
doing a great work, so that I cannot come down : why should
the ivork cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you ?
Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort ; and I an
swered them after the same manner.
NEVER can we be sufficiently thankful for the
records which are given us respecting the saints of
old. When we are put into arduous circumstances
ourselves, and see the line of conduct which is re
quired of us, we are ready to think that the requi
sition is impracticable. But when we behold others,
in similar circumstances, approving themselves faith
ful to their God, we are encouraged, and emboldened
to undertake whatever may come before us in the
path of duty. Nehemiah, having received from the
Persian monarch authority to rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem, addressed himself to the work with zeal
and diligence. But he was not suffered to proceed
any long time unmolested in his career. A conspi
racy was formed against him, and every effort which
malignity could suggest was used to impede him in
his sacred course. How he baffled the attempts of
his enemies we are told in the passage now before
us : from whence I shall take occasion to shew,
I. What efforts men will make to divert us from the
service of our God-
It may be asked, What have we to do with the
facts which are here recorded ? I answer, They
were all of a typical nature, intended to shadow forth
the opposition which would be made to the cause of
God in every age. The city of our God is erecting
continually ; and the builders are continually ob
structed in their work by the enemies of our God and
his Christ : and, as in the instance before us, those
enemies will endeavour to prevail,
1. By artifice
276 NEHEMIAH, VI. 3, 4. [442.
[Four different times did Sanballat and Tobiah and
Geshem the Arabian propose to Nehemiah some artifice
whereby they might ensnare him to his destruction. And
every species of device will the enemies of Christ contrive and
execute, to divert his servants from the duties in which they
are engaged. Proposals, in appearance the most friendly,
shall be made, to draw them aside, and to ensnare their feet.
Those who never took any interest about them in their uncon
verted state, will now express great anxiety to recover them
from their supposed errors, and to restore them to the ways
which they have forsaken ]
2. By intimidation
[Parents and governors, who never offered so much as a
word of advice to us to serve and honour God, will interpose
their authority to keep us from serving him, the very instant
that we should shew ourselves on the Lord s side. Even at
this present hour, notwithstanding the liberality which men
profess on the subject of toleration, it is no uncommon thing
for those who are possessed of power to use their influence, in
an arbitrary and tyrannical way, for the suppression of religion :
and the more nearly they are related to us, the more decided
will they be in their efforts : " our greatest foes will generally
be those of our own household" ]
3. By ridicule
[This is a weapon capable of being used by all : and all
will have recourse to it, in order to expose to derision the most
sacred characters. The enemies of Nehemiah ridiculed his
efforts, saying, that " if but a fox should run up the wall which
the Jews were constructing, he would throw it down." Thus
will every thing that can bring odium upon us be reported
concerning our principles and conduct : nor will any rank in
society, any eminence of attainments, any wisdom of deport
ment, or any purity of manners, screen us from the envenomed
shafts of ridicule and contempt ]
But in the example of this holy man we see,
II. In what manner we should withstand them
Two things in particular I would notice :
1. His wisdom
[He saw through the veil by which these hypocrites
sought to cover their designs : but he forbore to bring any accu
sation against them, lest he should only inflame and irritate their
minds, which he wished rather to soothe and to compose. But
he appealed to them respecting the importance of prosecuting
442.1 NEIIEMIAH S FIRMNESS. 277
without intermission the work in which he was engaged: " I
am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down."
And are not we " doing a great work ?" What, in the whole
world, can be compared with that in which we are engaged,
and on which an eternity of happiness or misery altogether
depends ? - If it be said, that a compliance with the
habits of the world will not impede our spiritual progress, I
utterly deny it: for if that be the case, why are we forbidden
to be conformed to this world 3 ? Why is it said, that " if any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him b ?"
What truth would there be in this assertion, that the friend
ship of the world is enmity against God ; and that whosoever
even -desires to be the friend of the world, he is thereby
constituted the " enemy of God c ?" The person who duly im
proves " the cross of Christ, is crucified to the world d ." To
" serve God and mammon" too is impossible 6 : and therefore
the answer of Nehemiah is exactly suitable for us : " Why
should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to
you?"- ]
2. His firmness
[Four different times did these crafty enemies renew their
attempts; and Nehemiah answered them continually to the
same effect. He would not enter into disputations with them,
but contented himself with such an answer as the j y could most
easily appreciate, and such an one as ought to satisfy their
minds. Thus it becomes us also to act. However frequent or
continued the efforts of men are to turn us from God, we must
withstand them all: and it will be well to keep in our strong
hold, and not to descend into the field of controversy with
them. Here is a plain fact, which they easily comprehend,
and cannot possibly deny : the work of salvation is, beyond all
comparison, more important than any other that can be pro
posed to us; and nothing under heaven ought to be suffered to
interfere with it. This is so plain and acknowledged a truth,
that no one can withstand it. Men may dispute about the
principles of the Gospel; but this admits of no dispute. Here,
therefore, we should do well to take our stand ; and, by whom
soever we are assaulted, to maintain our ground. An appeal,
so made, must at last carry conviction with it, and silence our
most inveterate opposers.]
Let us learn from hence,
1. What we are to expect, if we will serve our
God-
a Rom. xii. 2. b 1 John ii. 15, 16. c James iv. 1. The Greek.
d Gal. vi. 11. e Matt. vi. 24.
278 NEHEMIAH, VI. 11. [443.
[" All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution." It is in vain to imagine that we shall escape.
Ungodly men hate the light as much as ever : and as, in the
days of Ishmael, he who was born after the flesh persecuted
him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now, and ever
will be, as long as there shall be an ungodly man upon earth.
If, then, you will set yourselves to serve the Lord, prepare
your souls for temptation f - ]
2. How we must act, if we will approve ourselves
to him
[We must yield to no artifice, no intimidation whatever.
Whether persons come to us in the garb of friends or of foes, our
plain answer must be, " Whether it be right to hearken unto
you more than unto God, judge ye p ." If we " love even life
itself" in comparison of Christ, " we shall lose it" for ever h :
" We must be faithful unto death, if ever we would attain a
crown of life J " - ]
f Eccl. ii. 1. fe Actsiv. 19.
h Matt. x. 39. i Rev. ii. 10.
CCCCXLIII.
CHRISTIAN FIRMNESS.
Neh. vi. 11. And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and
who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to
save his life ? I ivill not go in.
WHOEVER examines the character of the primi
tive saints, will see, without fail, how religion dignifies
and ennobles the mind of man. It gives to its pos
sessor a superiority above all the common interests
of time and sense, and enables him, under the most
trying circumstances, to act as in the immediate
presence of his God. His efforts to honour God will
necessarily involve him in difficulties : but these dif
ficulties will only elicit his true character, and display
the efficacy of the grace he has received.
Nehemiah had engaged in the arduous work of re
building Jerusalem. In this he was opposed by the
enemies of the Jews, who sought, by every artifice, to
weaken his hands, and divert him from his purpose.
At last a person, from whom he might have hoped
443. J CHRISTIAN FIRMNESS. 279
better things, Shemaiah by name, and who, it should
seem, professed himself a prophet, concurred with
his enemies in a plot against him, and, under a spe
cious plea of consulting his safety, proposed to hold
converse with him in the temple, where he would
be out of the reach of those who sought his life. But
Nehemiah, either suspecting treachery, or, at all
events, seeing what advantage such a measure would
give to his enemies to reproach him for cowardice,
and for a distrust of God, indignantly rejected the
proposal in the terms which I have just read.
Now, without confining myself to this particular
occurrence, I will take occasion from it to set before
you,
I. The subtlety with which our great adversary will
assault us
You cannot but see how specious was the proposal
made to Nehemiah. It was an undoubted fact, that
his enemies sought his life : and to go into the temple
for safety seemed a very prudent measure. But it
was a temptation cast in his way by the enemies of
God. And thus, our great adversary endeavours to
take advantage of us in a great variety of ways, if by
any means he may prevail upon us to act in a way
unworthy of the Christian character. He will pro
pose to us,
1. To neglect our social duties, with a view to the
furtherance of our spiritual welfare
[ This is a common temptation ; and extremely specious.
For, who can doubt the superior importance of eternal things
above those which are merely temporal? Consequently, it
may be thought that the less important duties may give way
to those which are of paramount consideration. Thus many,
especially in younger life, will vindicate their neglect of those
offices which their station in society has imposed upon them,
thinking it a sufficient excuse to say that they were seeking
the advancement of their eternal interests. The apprentice
or the servant will be attending upon religious ordinances in
public or private, when he should be executing the business of
his own particular calling ; imagining that his zeal for the one
employment will justify his neglect of the other. Nor is it
uncommon for students to inquire, whether their desire to
280 NEHEM1AI1, VI. 11. [443.
qualify themselves for the ministerial office by one line of
study will not justify their neglect of those studies which
their collegiate course marks out for them, and academic
discipline indispensably requires. But all such desires are
founded in error. They proceed on the idea that our social
and religious duties oppose each other ; whereas activity in
temporal concerns will not at all abate or interfere with fervour
of spirit in the Lord s service a : on the contrary, in discharging
our duty to man, we do, in fact, fulfil our duty to God : and
whilst, in relation to one set of duties, we say, " These ought
ye to have done," we must with equal decision add, in refer
ence to the other, " These ye are not to leave undone V]
2. To conform to the world, with a view to conci
liate their regard
[This also is specious, and very commonly proposed. But
it is as erroneous as the former ; for, however much we may
conform to the world, we can never draw them to the love of
true religion : on the contrary, we shall rather confirm them
in their persuasion, that religion does not require that measure
of spirituality which the saints of old maintained. Our Lord
says ; " If ye were of the world, the world would love its own:
but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you
out of the world, therefore the world hateth you c ." But, whilst
he here acknowledges that a conformity with them will disarm
a measure of their enmity, does he recommend the adoption of
such a plan? No: he inculcates the very reverse. Whether
men will hate us or not, our walk must be the same : we must
not accommodate ourselves to their wishes, but to God s com
mands : and he says, " Be not conformed to this world ; but
be ye transformed in the renewing of your minds, that ye may
prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of
God d ."]
3. To use undue means with a view to the attain
ment of some desirable end
[Safety was desirable to Nehemiah : but, to secrete him
self in the temple was not a right method of obtaining it.
Such a step would have argued a distrust of God s power to
preserve him in the way of duty, and would have given great
occasion of triumph to his enemies 6 . Thus there may be
many objects which may be desirable in themselves, which yet
we must not seek by any sacrifice of duty or conscience. Let
it be granted, that there is some great danger to be avoided,
or some valuable blessing, say, the preservation of life itself,
a See Rom. xii. 11. b Luke xi. 42. c John xv. 19.
d Rom. xii. 2. c ver. 13.
443.] CHRISTIAN FIRMNESS. 281
to be acquired ; still the maintenance of strict integrity and of
a good conscience must be preferred: nor must we suffer our
selves to be diverted so much as an hair s breadth from the
line of duty, for the attainment of any object under heaven.
Uzzah has taught us this. To keep the ark from falling was
good: but he, not being a Levite, had no right to touch it :
and God, in striking him dead upon the spot, has shewn us,
that, on no occasion whatever, are we at liberty to " do evil,
that good may come f ." Our answer to every temptation must
be, " Shall I go into the temple to save my life? I will not
go in."]
The greater the subtlety of Satan is, the greater
should be our vigilance, and the more immovable.
II. The firmness with which we should resist him
The direction given us is, " Resist the devil, and he
will flee from you g ." And, as a pattern of firmness,
we cannot have a better example than that before
us: "Shall such a man as I flee?" a man invested
with authority ? a man engaged for the Lord ? a man
in whom any act of cowardice will be productive of
the most injurious effects ? "I will not go into the
temple, even though it be to save my life." Now,
thus should we set the Lord ever before us ; bearing
fully in mind,
1. Our relation to him
[Shall such a man as I yield to temptation of any kind ?
I, a servant of the living God? I, who profess myself to be a
child of God? Nothing shall ever induce me to violate my
duty to my heavenly Father, or to walk in any respect un
suitably to the relation I bear to him. God helping me, I will
walk worthy of my high calling: and whoever he be that would
seduce me from my duty, even though he were my dearest
friend, I will spurn at his advice with honest indignation, and
reject it with the utmost abhorrence 11 .]
2. Our obligations to him
[What do 1 owe to Almighty God, who gave his only-
begotten Son to die for me, and to reconcile me to himself by
his vicarious sacrifice upon the cross? And shall I, for any
temporal advantage, offend his Divine Majesty? Shall I dis
trust his care of me, or be afraid to suffer for his sake ? Ab
horred be the thought ! Let me only know the path of duty ;
f Rom. iii. 8. B James iv. 7- h Gen. xxxix. 9.
NEHEMIAH, VI. 11. [443.
and no consideration under heaven shall divert me from it.
Let those who know nothing of redeeming love please them
selves, if they will: but so will not I: I will strive only to
please my God, and to " render unto the Lord according to
the benefits he has conferred upon me."]
3. Our expectations from him
[Here am I, not only a candidate for heaven, but, through
grace, an expectant of it. I see crowns and kingdoms reserved
for me in a better world. And shall I cast them all away ?
What carnal gratification can ever be put in competition with
the glory that is prepared for me? or what temporary gain
be weighed in the balance against an everlasting inheritance ?
Tell me of what dangers you will, they shall not appal my
spirit ; and tell me of what joys you will, they shall never al
lure my soul. For eternity I have been begotten, redeemed,
and sanctified; and for eternity alone will I both live and die.]
4. The interest which God himself has in the
whole of our conduct
[This in particular pressed on the mind of this eminent
saint. He saw that his enemies laboured to draw him into
sin, that they might have occasion for reproach against him,
and might cast reflections upon God himself. And, under this
conviction, he would risk life itself rather than comply with
the solicitations of his friend. And thus it is that God s ene
mies endeavour to beguile us, in order that they may triumph
over us, and exult in our shame. Only let them draw us into
sin of any kind, and they will immediately exclaim, " There,
there, so would we have it :" yea, if they can prevail to the
extent they would, they will even " blaspheme the very name
of God on our account." But who, that is aware of this, will
not rather die than dishonour God ? If we only consider how
God s honour is involved in our conduct, we shall need no other
motive for steadfastness in his holy ways : and if tempted to
leave them, even for a moment, we shall reply, " Shall a man,
situated as I am, be driven from his post, and go into the
temple to save his life ? No : I will not go in : nor shall all
the powers of earth or hell ever induce me to relax my diligence
in the service of my God."]
What, then, shall I say to you, my Brethren ?
THIS I SAY,
1. Expect temptation-
fin the Book of Ecclesiasticus this advice is given : " My
son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for
443.1 CHRISTIAN FIRMNESS. 283
temptation i ." You must not expect that Satan will suffer his
vassals to cast off his yoke, without many earnest endeavours
to reduce them to their former bondage. And he has " wiles
and devices" innumerable, whereby to assault our souls. He
can even put on the aspect of an angel of light, in order the
more effectually to beguile unstable souls k . He will even make
use of your own friends, yea, and of pious persons too, to draw
you aside from the path of duty. It was no other than Peter,
the bold and zealous Peter, whom he instigated to dissuade our
blessed Lord from subjecting himself to the pains which were
necessary for the redemption of a ruined world. But our Lord
withstood him, saying to this favoured disciple, " Get thee
behind me, Satan; thou art an offence unto me: for thou
savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of
men 1 ." So be ye also on your guard not to follow implicitly
the advice even of good men ; but weigh every sentiment in
the balance of the sanctuary, and conform yourselves in every
tiling to the mind and will of God.]
2. In every circumstance place your entire con
fidence in God
[This was Nehemiah s excellence. He knew in whom
he had believed; and that, whatever conspiracies might be
formed against him, he was safe in God s hands ; " nor could
any weapon that was formed against him prosper." Thus
then do ye. " Say not, A confederacy to all them that say a
confederacy: neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid: but
sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and let him be your
fear, and let him be your dread 111 ." This your holy profession
indispensably requires. When Ezra went from Babylon to
Jerusalem with all the vessels of gold and silver which had
been carried thither by Nebuchadnezzar, and was in danger
of being plundered by robbers who infested the road, " he
was ashamed to ask from Artaxerxes a guard of soldiers for
his protection ; for, says he, I had said to the king, The hand
of our God is upon all them for good that seek him ; but his
power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him 11 ."
And do not ye profess the same truth, that God is the pro
tector, and friend, and portion of all that seek him ? Whom
then will ye fear ? or what will ye desire for your comfort,
when ye have such an all-sufficient Friend ever at hand?
" If He be for you, who can be against you ?" or, if He be
your Shepherd, what can you want p ? Only "be strong in
1 Eccl. ii. 1. k 2 Cor. xi. 14. l Matt. xvi. 23.
m Isai. viii. 12, 13. See also Ps. xi. 1 4. Ezra viii. 22.
Rom. viii. 31. P Ps. xxiii. 1.
284 NEHEMIAH, VI. 15. [444.
faith, giving glory to God;" and "you shall be kept in
perfect peace ;" " nor shall so much as a hair of your head
perish." Your trials may be multiplied to the most fearful
extent : but " you shall not be ashamed or confounded, world
without end."]
CCCCXLIV.
THE EXPEDITION WITH WHICH THE WALL OF JERUSALEM
WAS BUILT.
Neh. vi. 15. So the wall ivas finished . . . in fifty and two
days.
A MERE historic record of the time occupied in
rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem appears at first
sight to be an uninteresting subject for a popular
discourse : but it will be found replete with interest,
when the circumstances connected with it are taken
into the account. The extremely dilapidated and
ruined state of the fortifications at that time, the
weakness and poverty of those who undertook to re
build them, and the opposition which they met with
from numerous and potent enemies, combine to
render the record in our text almost incredible. For
the completion of such a work, two and fifty weeks
would have been a very short time ; but two and
fifty days seem utterly insufficient for it : such expe
dition appears perfectly beyond the physical powers
of the persons engaged in it : yet in that time the
wall was finished : and it will be very profitable to
inquire,
I. How it was completed in so short a time-
To enter fully into the subject, the six first chap
ters of this book should be carefully read. In them
we shall find that the means whereby this great
work was accomplished, were,
1. The wisdom and energy of the governor-
fin every step which Nehemiah took, we are struck with
his consummate wisdom. When first he made known to the
Persian monarch his desire to undertake the work of rebuilding
the walls of Jerusalem, he kept out of sight every consideration
which might tend to create jealousy in the monarch s mind, and
444.] THE WALL OF JERUSALEM SPEEDILY BUILT. 285
mentioned only such as were likely to produce in him a favour
able impression. With this view he speaks of Jerusalem, not
as the city of the great God, which had been so great and
powerful in former times, and was yet ordained of God to be
come the capital of an independent nation, but simply, as " the
city of his fathers sepulchres 3 ."
Having obtained permission to execute his purpose, and come
to Jerusalem for that end, he again shewed his wisdom in con
cealing from the people the reason of his journey, till he had
personally himself inspected the walls, and was thereby quali
fied to obviate all objections which indifference or despondency
might suggest b .
The way in which he counteracted all the plots of his ene
mies, still further marked the depth and solidity of his judgment.
He forbore to use any irritating expressions, notwithstanding
the multiplied provocations which he met with : and whilst his
enemies wasted their time in plotting how to arrest his pro
gress, he occupied himself in the prosecution of his work,
augmenting his exertions in proportion as they increased their
efforts to impede him c . Yet it is worthy of particular obser
vation, that he neither trusted to his own exertions, nor yet
neglected them under an idea that he should be protected by
his God : but he combined a dependence on God with a dili
gent use of all proper means of self-defence d ; thereby setting
us an example which we shall do well to follow in every diffi
culty which we may be called to encounter.
Nor was the energy of Nehemiah less admirable than his
wisdom : we see throughout the whole of his conduct as much
promptitude as consisted with sound discretion, and an invinci
ble firmness in executing whatever his deliberate judgment had
dictated. So intent was he on the prosecution of his purpose,
that neither he, nor those under his immediate influence, ever
put off their clothes for several weeks together, except for the
purpose of their being washed 6 . And when a proposal was
made to him to hold a conference with some adversaries in an
adjacent village, his reply was, " I am doing a great work, so
that I cannot come down : why should the work cease, whilst
I leave it, and come down to you f ? " Yea, when the same mes
sage was sent four times, he repeated the same answer : and
when at the fifth time it was accompanied with a letter con
taining many accusations against him, he contented himself
with exposing the falsehood of them, and more determinately
than ever besought the Lord to strengthen his hands for the
work in which he was engaged p .
a Neh. ii. 5. ^ ^eh. ii. 1218.
c Neh. ii. 19, 20. and iv. 8, 9, 13, 14. d Neh. iv. 9.
e Neh. iv. 23. * Neh. vi. 2, 3. & Neh. vi. 59.
286 NEHEMIAH, VI. 15. [444.
On the failure of that device, his enemies sought to intimi
date him by reports of a conspiracy against his life, and advised
him to take refuge in the temple : but he, with a fortitude
worthy of his high character, answered, " Should such a man as
I flee ? And who is there, that, being as I am, would go into
the temple to save his life ? I will not go in h ." It is in con
nexion with this anecdote that our text informs us, " So the
wall was built in fifty and two days :" and certainly to this
extraordinary combination of wisdom and energy in him we
must ascribe it, that the wall was erected in so short a time.]
2. The union and perseverance of the people
[An individual, however good and great, can do little, un
less he is seconded by those who are under his direction : but
in this case Nehemiah found instruments well fitted to his
hands. No sooner did he make known to the rulers of Jeru
salem the commission which he had received from the king of
Persia, and call for their assistance in the execution of it, than
they said, " Let us rise up and build :" and " immediately they
strengthened their hands for this good work 1 ."
It is true, there w r ere some exceptions, some who were too
proud and fond of ease to work k ; and others, who yielded to
despondency 1 ; and others who actually carried on a treasonable
correspondence with Nehemiah s most inveterate enemies" 1 :
but, on the other hand, there was such a zeal amongst the
great mass of the people, that some performed double the work
allotted them", and even ladies of the highest rank combined
their utmost efforts to assist in building the wall, not account
ing any service either derogatory to their honour, or unsuited
to their sex, if they might but encourage their brethren, and
advance the glory of their God . And to this union is the suc
cess expressly ascribed : "So built we the wall ; for the people
had a mind to work p ."
There was also among them astonishing perseverance : for
when they w r ere menaced with a sudden assault, and were told
ten times over, that an armed host would come suddenly upon
them to destroy them, they persisted resolutely in their work,
arming themselves for their defence, setting alternate watches
for their preservation, and working with a trowel, as it were,
in the one hand, and a sword in the other, determining rather
to sacrifice their lives, than be deterred from the service in
which they had embarked q . Had they yielded to indolence or
fear, the work could never have been carried forward : but by
h Neh. vi. 10, 11. * Neh. ii. 1719. * Neh. iii. 5.
1 Neh. iv. 10. m Neh. vi. 17 19. Neh. iii. 5, 27.
Neh. iii. 12. P Neh. iv. 6.
1 Neh. iv. 1113, 1018, 21.
444.1 THE WALL OF JERUSALEM SPEEDILY BUILT. 287
this zealous co-operation of all ranks and orders among them,
all difficulties were overcome, and the wall was built with an
expedition almost incredible.]
3. The peculiar blessing of their God
[To this above all must the success be ultimately ascribed ;
for to this were owing the desire of Nehemiah to rebuild the
wall 1 ", the consent of Artaxerxes to the plan proposed 8 , the
wisdom and energy with which Nehemiah was inspired 1 , the
cordial co-operation of so many people, and the defeating of
all the plots which were devised to retard the work u . Even
the very enemies themselves were so convinced that the work
exceeded all the power of man, that they were constrained to
acknowledge God himself as the author of it x , since none but
God could have carried them through such labours, or deli
vered them from such perils, or given a successful issue to such
hopeless exertions.
It is of infinite importance that we notice this; for other
wise we shall be ready to give to the creature the honour that
is due to God only. Throughout the whole work, application
was made to God for his direction and blessing : it was not
undertaken without prayer y , nor carried on without prayer 2 :
but a reliance was placed on God as an all-sufficient Helper 3 ;
and he shewed himself worthy of the confidence reposed on
him : he shewed that " none who trust in Him shall ever be
confounded."]
Having thus traced Nehemiah s success to its true
cause, we proceed to set before you,
II. The important lesson which we are to learn from
it
We might with great propriety direct your atten
tion to those wonderful events which occupy the
attention of the public at the present hour b : for
certainly, whether we consider the union which has
been produced amongst all the allied powers, or the
wisdom and energy with which their efforts have
been combined, or the rapid and complete success
with which their labours have been crowned, there
never was an occurrence which more strongly
r Neh. ii. 12. Neh. i. 11. with ii. 4, 8. t ^eh. ii. 18.
u Neh. iv. 15. x Neh. iv. 13. with vi. 1G.
y Neh. i. 411. z Neh. ii. 4. and iv. 4, 5, 9. and vi. 9, 14.
a Neh. ii. 20.
b June 23, 1814, a day or Uvo after peace had been proclaimed.
288 NEHEMIAH, VI. 15. [444.
marked the hand of God, or more strictly corre
sponded with that which we have been considering,
than that which we now commemorate, the re-
establishment of peace amongst all the powers of
Europe. We may almost literally say, in reference to
it, " The wall has been built in fifty and two days."
But we will direct your attention rather to that
which will be of importance, not to the present age
only, but to all people to the end of time.
Behold, then, hi what way zve should all engage in
the Lord s work
[To every man in the universe is a work assigned, namely,
To erect an house that shall be an everlasting habitation for
our God. The walls of Jerusalem reduced to heaps of rubbish
do but faintly represent the desperate state of the world
around us ; whilst the number and malice of those who ob
structed the rebuilding of that wall give us a very inadequate
idea of the enemies with whom we have to contend whilst
executing the work which God has given us to do. Every one
indeed must begin at home, and work before his own door c -,
for it is by getting the work of God advanced in our own
souls that we shall best contribute to the good of the Church
around us. But in the whole of our work we must cultivate
wisdom. It is lamentable to reflect how often men defeat
their own purposes by not attending to the counsels of wisdom.
Many give great advantage to their adversaries by not con
sidering what is the peculiar line of conduct which the parti
cular time and circumstances call for, and how they may best
overcome the difficulties with which they are surrounded. We
are told to " walk in wisdom towards them that are without,"
and to unite " the wisdom of the serpent with the harmless-
ness of the dove:" and it is of absolute and indispensable
necessity that we attend to these directions, if we would walk
honourably before God ourselves, or be instrumental to the
advancing of his work in the souls of others
But to wisdom we must add energy. There is no time to
be lost: " Whatever our hand findeth to do, we must do it
with all our might." We must be " fervent in spirit whilst
serving the Lord : " and, if any one would divert us from our
purpose, or tempt us to relax our diligence, we must make
this our uniform and steady answer, " I am doing a great
work, and cannot come down "
In this kind of conduct there should be an union amongst us
all ; ministers and people should all work together : yea, and
c Neh. iii. 10, 23, 28, 30.
445.] EFFECT OF EZRA S PREACHING. 289
women also should engage in the good work; for they, in
their place and station, may be as helpful as any. Even the
Apostles owed much to the labours of women d ; and the most
eminent ministers have been helped forward by their pious
and well-regulated zeal 6 . Let all of us then be of one heart
and one mind in relation to this great matter ; for it is sur
prising how much more rapidly the work of God advances in
the souls of men, where many are engaged in strengthening
each other s hands, and in encouraging one another s hearts.
There are a thousand works which may be carried on in
concert, which an insulated individual can never accomplish:
and whoever engages in such works for the good of others,
will find that he himself is the most profited by his own
exertions : " Whilst watering others, his own soul will be
watered" also
Nor must we draw back through fear or weariness. We
must be men of fortitude and self-denial. We should scarcely
find time, as it were, for relaxation, any further than absolute
necessity requires : and if menaced with assaults, we should put
on the panoply of God, and stand ready for the contest : and
if by a temporary desertion of our post we may even preserve
our lives, we should be willing rather to lay down our lives than
dishonour our God by cowardice in his service " Should
such a man as I flee?" must be our answer to every suggestion
of our great adversary, and to every unbelieving fear that may
arise in our own hearts
But above all, we must go forward in dependence on God.
He must teach us, and guide us, and prosper us, in all our way.
" Without him we can do nothing:" but, on the other hand,
" through Christ strengthening us we can do all things." We
need not despond on account of the greatness of the work, nor be
discouraged through the number and malignity of our enemies:
" if God be for us, none can effectually be against us:" " He
will perfect that which concerneth us," and " carry on to the
end the work he has begun." If only we " be steadfast, im
movable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord, he
has pledged himself to us, that our labour shall not be in vain
in the Lord"- ]
d Rom. xvi. 1 4, 12. e Acts xviii. 26.
CCCCXLV.
EFFECT OF EZRA S PREACHING.
Neh. viii. 5, 6. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all
the people ; (for he ivas above all the people ;) and when he
opened it, all the people stood up : and Ezra blessed the
VOL. iv. u
290 NEHEMIAH, VIII. 5, 6. [445.
Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen,
Amen, ivith lifting up their hands : and they boived their
heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the
ground.
THOUGH in the time of our Lord it was the
custom to read the law of God in the synagogues, it
does not appear to have been any regular part of the
priest s office to preach unto the people. On some
occasions however we find persons sent through the
land of Israel to make known the law ; and here we
behold Ezra, on a pulpit of wood, elevated above
the people, and surrounded by an immense congre
gation, who had come together on purpose to hear
the word of God expounded to them. Since the
introduction of Christianity, the preaching of the
Gospel to men has been the particular office assigned
to men who are set apart for that purpose : and
though we must chiefly look to the Apostles as our
examples, and to the effects of their ministrations as
the pattern of what we may expect to see amongst
our auditors, yet may we profitably look back to the
time of Ezra to learn from him and his ministry,
I. In what manner the word of God should be
dispensed
The mode adopted by Ezra, namely, the expound
ing of Scripture 3 , we conceive to be peculiarly
worthy of imitation. It is indeed but little prac
tised at the present day, though at the time of the
Reformation it generally obtained : and it has very
great advantages above the plan which has super
seded it.
1. It leads the people into a better acquaintance
with the Scriptures
[The Scriptures, except as a book for children, are but
little read: persons are discouraged from perusing them by an
idea that they are unintelligible to common capacities. But a
very little explanation would render them, for the most part,
easy to be understood by all. And what a vast advantage
would this be! The people studying the word of God at home
would be abundantly better qualified to understand it when
a ver. 8.
445.] EFFECT OF EZRA S PREACHING. 291
read in public ; and the explanations given to them in public,
would enable them to study it to better purpose at home:
whereas the present plan of taking only a small passage for a
motto, or merely as a ground-work for some general observa
tions, leads to an extreme neglect of the Holy Scriptures, and
to a consequent ignorance of them among all classes of the
community.]
2. It brings every part of the sacred records into
view
[There are some who bring forward the doctrinal part of
Scripture exclusively, and leave the practical part entirely out
of sight : there are others who insist only on the practical parts,
and leave out the doctrinal. There are some also to whom
many of the doctrines contained in the sacred volume are per
fectly hateful; and who never in all their lives so much as men
tioned the doctrines of predestination and election, but to
explain them away, and to abuse the persons who maintained
them. But by expounding whole books of Scripture, every
doctrine must be noticed in its turn, and the connexion be
tween them and our practice must be pointed out. True it is,
that this mode of preaching would not altogether exclude false
doctrine ; but it would render the establishment of errors more
difficult, because the hearers would be able to judge, in some
good measure, how far the true and legitimate sense of Scrip
ture was given, and how far it was perverted. The benefit of
this therefore cannot be too highly appreciated.]
3. It brings home truth to the conscience with
more authority
[The word of man, though true, has little \veight, in com
parison of the word of God: " that is quick and powerful, and
sharper than a two-edged sword." It is inconceivable what an
advantage a preacher has, when he can say, " Thus saith THE
LORD:" then every doctrine demands the obedience of faith,
and every precept the obedience of righteousness. "When told
that the word which is delivered to them will judge them in
the last day, the people will not dare to trifle with it, as they
will with the declarations of fallible men. Were this matter
more attentively considered, we have no doubt but that more
frequent appeals would be made to Scripture in our public ha
rangues ; and that the obsolete method of expounding Scripture
would have at least some measure of that attention which it
deserves 11 .]
b This part of the subject, as addressed to Ministers, is deserving
of much fuller notice, than it could receive as addressed to a common
congregation.
u 2
NEHEMIAH, VIII. 5, 6. [445.
But, in considering the word of God as explained
to the people of Jerusalem, we are more particularly
led to notice,
II. In what manner it should be heard
Truly admirable was the conduct of the people on
this occasion. Observe,
1. Their reverential awe
[When Ezra opened the book of God, all the people, in
token of their reverence, stood up : and when he blessed God
for giving them so rich a treasure, they " all with uplifted hands
cried, Amen, Amen;" yea, " they bowed their heads also, and
worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground." This was
a deportment which became sinners in the presence of their
God: they did not look to the creature, but to God, whose
voice they heard, and whose authority they acknowledged, in
every word that was spoken. What a contrast does this form
with the manner in which the word of God is heard amongst
us! How rarely do we find persons duly impressed with a
sense of their obligation to God for giving them a revelation
of his will ! How rarely do men at this day look through the
preacher unto God, and hear God speaking to them by the
voice of his servants! Even religious people are far from at
tending the ministration of the word in the spirit and temper
that they ought : curiosity, fondness for novelties, and attach
ment to some particular preacher, too often supply the place of
those better feelings by which men ought to be actuated in their
attendance on the preached Gospel. To " stand in awe of
God s word," and " to tremble at it," are far more suitable
emotions, than those which we usually see around us. The
Lord grant, that our duty in this respect may be more justly
estimated, and more generally performed!]
2. Their devout affections
[" When the people heard the words of the law, they all
wept," as feeling that they had sinned greatly against it c . And,
when they were reminded, that, as the design of the present
feast was to bring to their view the tender mercies of their
God, and to encourage them to expect all manner of blessings
at his hands, they ought rather to rejoice d , they did rejoice,
insomuch that " there was very great gladness" amongst them 6 :
and they rejoiced especially on this account, that " they had
understood the words that had been declared unto them f ."
Now it is in this way that we should hear the word delivered
c ver. 9. d ver . 10, 11. e ver, 17. f ver. 12.
446.] THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH. 293
to us. When it shews us our sins, we should weep, as it were
in dust and ashes : and when it sets forth the exceeding great
and precious promises of the Gospel, we should rejoice, yea,
" rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorified." We should have
our hearts rightly attuned, so that we should never want a string
to vibrate to every touch of God s blessed word. But may it
not be said to the generality in the present day, " We have
piped unto you, and ye have not danced ; we have mourned
unto you, and ye have not lamented ?" Yes; the Gospel has
little more power over the affections of men than if it were
" a cunningly devised fable." But we entreat you to consider,
that, if the law, when expounded, was so powerful, much more
should the Gospel be, since " it is the power of God unto sal
vation to every one that believeth."]
3. Their unreserved obedience
[No sooner was it discovered that an ordinance, appointed
by Moses, had been neglected, than they hastened to observe
it according to the strict letter of the law, and actually did
observe it with greater fidelity than it ever had been observed
even from the days of Joshua to that present hour g . This
shewed, that the impression made on their affections was deep
and spiritual. And it is in this way that we also must improve
the ministration of the word. If we attend to the Gospel as
we ought to do, we shall find out many things which we have
neglected, and many that we have done amiss: yea, many
things which are not generally noticed even among the godly,
will occur to our minds, and shew us the defectiveness, not of
our obedience only, but of the obedience of the best of men.
Let us have our minds then open to conviction, and attentive
to eveiy commandment of our God. Nor let us be satisfied
with paying only a customary attention to his revealed will,
but let us aspire after higher degrees of purity, and a more
perfect conformity to the divine image. This will serve as
the best test of our sincerity, and it will shew, that neither
have you heard in vain, nor we dispensed his word in vain.]
g ver. 13 18.
CCCCXLVI.
THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH.
Neh. viii. 10. The joy of the Lord is your strength.
THE preaching of God s word is a very ancient
ordinance. In the context we have a description of
the manner in which Nehemiah conducted it. These
294 NEHEMIAH, VIII. 10. [446.
means of instruction were useful in that day ; nor
are they less necessary in every place and age.
People need,, not only reproof for what is wrong,
but direction in what is right. The Jews wept
bitterly at the hearing of the law; but Nehemiah
corrected their sorrow as ill-timed, and exhorted
them to rejoice in God, who had done so great
things for them.
Let us observe,
I. What reason we have to rejoice in the Lord-
God is often said to rejoice over his people 3 ; but
the joy here spoken of must be understood rather
of that which we feel in the recollection of God s
goodness towards us.
The Jews at that season had special cause for joy
in God
[They had been miraculously delivered from Babylon.
This temple had been rebuilt in twenty years, and the worship
of God restored ; and now, after seventy years more, the wall
of the city was finished. They had been enabled to surmount
innumerable difficulties 11 : they had prospered, even to a miracle,
in their endeavours . These were tokens of the divine favour,
and pledges of its continuance. They were therefore called
upon to rejoice with gratitude and confidence : nor was their
sorrow, however just, to exclude this joy.]
Such reason also have all the Lord s people to
rejoice in the Lord
[They have experienced a redemption from sorer captivity,
and been delivered by more stupendous means Every
day s preservation too from their numerous enemies is, as it
were, a miracle ; yet the work of their souls is carried on in
spite of enemies, yea, is expedited through the means used to
defeat it. Surely then they should say, like the Church of
old, " The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we
are glad d ." Moreover, these mercies are pledges to them, and
earnests of yet richer blessings. They may well confide in so
good and gracious a God. They have indeed still great cause
for sorrow on account of their past violations of the law; yet is
it their duty to rejoice, yea to " rejoice always in the Lord 6 ."]
a Zeph. iii. 17. b Neh. iv. 17. c Neh. vi. 16.
d Ps. cxxvi. 3. c Phil. iv. 4.
446.] THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH. 295
To promote and encourage this, we proceed to
shew,
II. In what respects this joy is our strength
We are as dependent on the frame of our minds as
on the state of our bodies. Joy in God produces
very important effects :
1. It disposes for action
[Fear and sorrow depress and overwhelm the soul f : they
enervate and benumb all our faculties ; they keep us from
attending to any encouraging considerations g ; they disable us
from extending relief to others 11 ; they indispose us for the
most necessary duties 1 . We cannot pray, or speak, or do any
thing with pleasure. On the contrary, a joyous frame exhi
larates the soul k . David well knew the effect it would pro
duce 1 : and every one may safely adopt his resolution, " I will
run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge
my heart" 1 ."]
2. It qualifies for suffering
[When the spirit is oppressed, the smallest trial is a
burthen. In those seasons we are apt to fret and murmur
both against God and man. We consider our trials as the
effects of divine wrath; or, overlooking God, we vent our
indignation against the instruments he uses. But when the
soul is joyous, afflictions appear light". How little did Paul
and Silas regard their imprisonment ! How willing was Paul
to lay down his very life for Christ p ! This accords with the
experience of every true Christian 11 .]
APPLICATION
1. Let us not be always brooding over our cor
ruptions
[Seasonable sorrows ought not to be discouraged ; but we
should never lose sight of all that God has done for us. It is
our privilege to walk j oy fully before the Lord r . If we abounded
more in praise, we should more frequently be crowned with
victory 8 .]
f Isai. Ivii. 16. e Exod. vi. 9. h Job ii. 13.
1 Luke xxii. 45. k Prov. xvii. 22. ] Ps. li. 12, 13.
ra Ps. cxix. 32. n Heb. x. 34. and xii. 2.
Acts xvi. 25. P Acts xx. 24.
<i Rom. v. 2, 3. and 2 Cor. vi. 10.
r Ps. cxxxviii. 5. and cxlix. 5. and Ixxxix. 15, 16.
8 2 Chron. xx. 21, 22.
296 NEHEMIAM, VIII. 10. [446.
2. Let us, however, carefully guard against the
fresh incursions of sin
[It is sin that hides the Lord from our eyes 1 . Joy will
not consist with indulged sin u . Let us then "mortify our
earthly members," and our besetting sins. Let us be girt with
our armour, whilst we work with our hands x - - Nor
ever grieve the Holy Spirit, lest we provoke him to depart
from us.]
3. Let us be daily going to God through Christ
[If ever we rejoice in God at all, it must be through the
Lord Jesus Christ y . It is through Christ alone that our past
violations of the law can be forgiven 2 . It is through Christ
alone that the good work can be perfected in our hearts 3 .
And, since " all things are through him, and from him, let
them be to him also V]
4 Isai. lix. 2. u Ps. Ixvi. 18. x Nch. iv. 17, 18.
y Rom. v. 11. z Col. i. 20. a Heb. xii. 2.
b Rom. xi. 3G.
ESTHER.
CCCCXLVII.
HAMAN S MURDEROUS PROPOSAL.
Esther iii. 8, 9. And Haman said unto King Ahasuerus, There
is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among
the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom ; and their
laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king s
laws : therefore it is not for the king s profit to suffer them.
If it please the king, let it be ivritten that they may be
destroyed.
REVENGE is cruel : but never more cruel than
when it has its foundation in mortified pride. In the
passage before us, it is carried to an almost incredible
extent. Haman occupied the highest post of honour,
next to the royal family, in the Assyrian empire. All
the subjects in the kingdom bowed down to him.
But there was a poor man, one Mordecai, who sat at
the king s gate, and consequently was often passed
by Haman, who refused to pay him this homage. At
this neglect, Haman was grievously offended. He
deemed it an insufferable insult, which could be ex
piated only by the death of the offender. On inquiring
into Mordecai s habits and connexions, Haman found
that he was a Jew : and, conceiving probably that
this contemptuous spirit pervaded that whole nation,
and accounting it a small matter to sacrifice the life
of one single individual, he determined, if possible, to
destroy the whole nation at once ; and, accordingly,
he made this proposal to King Ahasuerus, engaging
from his own resources to make up to the king s
treasury whatever loss might arise to the revenue
from the proposed measure.
298 ESTHER, III. 8, 9. [447.
Now this proposal appearing, at first sight, so very
extraordinary, I will endeavour to set before you,
I. The commonness of it
In every age of the world have God s people been
hated, for the very reasons that are here assigned
[" Their laws are diverse from those of all other people,
neither keep they the laws of the kingdoms where they
dwell." This is true in part. They worship the one true
and living God ; and obey his laws, which are unknown to the
rest of the world, or, at all events, unheeded by them. Of
course, whatever laws are inconsistent with the laws of God,
they disobey; because they owe to Jehovah a paramount duty
of allegiance, and are bound to " obey God rather than men."
On this account they are hated, reviled, persecuted: and, on
many occasions, if man could have prevailed, they would
have been utterly extirpated. David tells us of confederacies
formed for this very purpose by all the nations around Jeru
salem, each saying to the others, " Come, let us cut off the
Jews from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be no
more in remembrance 3 ." So, in the early ages of Christianity,
there were not less than ten strenuous efforts made to attain
this object. And at different periods since that time has
persecution raged to the utmost extent, to destroy, if possible,
all real piety from the face of the earth. How " drunk the
Roman Church has been with the blood of the saints," has
been often seen, and would be seen again, if she could regain
the power winch she once possessed 5 . She cannot endure
that God should be served in opposition to her, and that his
laws should be regarded as of superior authority to hers.]
But we need not go back to former ages for an
elucidation of this truth
[Behold any person at this time cordially embracing the
faith of Christ, and conforming in all things to his revealed
will ; and it will soon be found that the same enmity still reigns
in the hearts of men against the people of God, as at any
former age. True, the cruelties of martyrdom are stayed:
but private animosity is indulged as far as the laws of the
land wherein we live will admit ; and every person who tho
roughly devotes himself to God, is made to feel its baneful
influence. St. Paul, speaking of Ishmael and Isaac, says, in
reference to his own time, " As he that was born after the
flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so
it is now c :" thus also must I say at this time. Our blessed
11 Ps. Ixxxiii. 38. b Rev. xvii. 6. c Gal. iv. 29.
447.] RAMAN S MURDEROUS PROPOSAL. 299
Lord told us, that " he came not to send peace on earth, but
a sword; for that he came to set the nearest and dearest
relatives at variance with each other d ." (Not that this was the
intent, though unhappily it is the effect, of his Gospel.) And
thus it is, wherever the Gospel is preached with power.
There is immediately " a division among the people;" and
those who are " obedient to the faith" become objects of
hatred and persecution to those who " rebel against the light:"
so true is that saying of the Apostle, " All that will live godly
in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 6 ."]
Passing over the inhumanity of this proposal, as
being too obvious to be insisted on, I proceed to
notice,
II. The impiety of it
The very accusation brought against the Jews by
Haman shews what is the real ground of enmity
against the Lord s people : it is, that they serve God,
whilst the rest of the world bow down to idols ; and
that, in this determination of theirs, they inflexibly
adhere to the dictates of their own conscience. This
is universal amongst all the people of the Lord
[The man that turns aside from the path of duty, through
fear of man s displeasure, has no title whatever to be num
bered amongst the children of God. If we fear man, the fear
of God is not in us f . We must be willing to lay down our
life for the Lord, or else we can never be acknowledged as his
disciples g -And this inflexibility we must carry into
every part of our duty - ]
But this preference of God to man is the very
thing which gives the offence
[Where man s laws and customs are contrary to those
of God, man expects and demands submission to his will,
rather than to the oracles of God : and if we will not comply
with his requisitions, he will use all possible means to compel
us. But what is this, but a direct rebellion against God, and
an usurpation of his authority ? It is, in fact, a contest with
God, whether He shall govern the universe, or they. Look
at all the Prophets and Apostles, and see what was the ground
of the world s opposition to them. They were ambassadors
from God to men ; and they were living examples of all that
they proclaimed. Hence they were regarded as " the troublers
(1 Matt. x. 3436. e 2 Tim. iii. 12.
f Luke xii. 4, 5. s Matt. x. 37 39.
300 ESTHER, III. 8, 9. [447.
of Israel," and were represented as enemies to the govern
ments under which they lived 11 . It was this adherence to
God s laws that involved the Hebrew youths and Daniel in
the calamities inflicted on them; and that subjected all the
Apostles, with one only exception, to the pains and penalties
of martyrdom. Hence, when Saul breathed out threatenings
and slaughter against the disciples, our Lord addressed him,
" Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME ? " And hence he has
declared, in reference to all his persecuted people throughout
the world, " He that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he
that despiseth me, despiseth Him that sent me V]
And this leads me to shew,
III. The folly of it-
Can it be thought that such feeble worms as we
shall be able to prevail against Almighty God ?
[Hear how God derides the vain attempt: " Why do the
heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The
kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel
together, against the Lord, and against his anointed ; saying,
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords
from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord
shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them
in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have
I set my king upon my holy hill of ZionV So said our
blessed Lord to Saul also; " It is hard for thee to kick against
the pricks 1 ." The truth is, that " the Lord Jesus holds all his
stars in his right hand" 1 ;" and it is impossible for any man to
pluck them thence". " Their life is hid with Christ in God :"
who, then, shall get access to it, to destroy it? Haman, with
all his power, could not prevail against the Jews, who yet, in
appearance, were altogether in his hands. The whole power
of the Roman empire, by whomsoever wielded, could not root
out the disciples of the Christian Church : " nor shall the gates
of hell ever prevail" against the weakest of God s faithful
people P; for "HE will keep them even as the apple of his
eye q ," and " perfect in every one of them the work he has
begun r ," and " keep them by his own power through faith
unto everlasting salvation 8 ." However " they may be sifted,
not one grain from amongst them shall ever fall upon the
h Compare Ezra iv. 13. with Acts xvi. 20, 21. and xvii. 6, 7.
and xxiv. 5. and xxviii. 22.
1 Luke x. 16. k Ps. ii. 16. J Acts ix. 5.
m Rev. ii? 1. " John x. 28, 29. Col. iii. 3.
P Matt. xvi. 18. <i Deut. xxxii. 10. r Phil. i. 6.
s 1 Pet. i. 5.
447.] HAMAN S MURDEROUS PROPOSAL. 301
earth 1 ." Hypocrites may turn apostates: but of " those who
were really given him of the Father, our blessed Lord never
has lost, nor ever will, so much as one u "- ]
ADDRESS,
1. Those who are the objects of the world s
hatred
[Realize the promises which God has given*"
and then say, " Shall I be afraid of a man that shall die, and
of the son of man that shall be as grass, and forget the Lord
my Maker y ?" Dear Brethren, know that " He that is in you
is greater than he that is in the world;" and that, if you
confide in Him, " no weapon that is formed against you shall
prosper."
We have said, that it is on account of your peculiarities that
you are hated. But let not those peculiarities be carried into
matters of mere indifference. If to love and serve God, as Elijah
did, render you peculiar, then must you, like Elijah, dare to be
singular in the midst of an ungodly world. You are not to
leave " the narrow path that leadeth unto life, and to go into
the broad road that leadeth to destruction," to compliment or
please any man under heaven. In matters that are indifferent
I am far from recommending an undue stiffness or singularity :
but in relation to every thing substantial, such as living a life
of faith on the Lord Jesus, and confessing him openly before
men, and devoting yourselves altogether to his service, I say,
" Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour shall not be
in vain in the Lord."]
2. Those who are unhappily prejudiced against the
Lord s people
[If you cannot see with their eyes, do not endeavour to
make them see with yours, unless in a way of sober argumen
tation, and of candid reference to the word of God. To have
recourse to derision or persecution of any kind will only involve
your own souls in yet deeper guilt than you already lie under
for rejecting the Gospel of Christ : and our blessed Lord
warns you, that " it were better for you to have a millstone
hanged about your neck, and be cast into the sea, than that
you should offend one of his little ones." This is the advice
I would give you : Search the Scriptures, to see what were
the principles by which all the Prophets and Apostles were
actuated, and what was the course of their lives : and then
4 Amos ix. 9. u John xvii. 12.
x Isai. xxxiii. 16, 2022. and xli. 11 1G. y Isai. li. 12, 13.
302 ESTHER, IX. 27, 28. [448.
compare with them the principles and practice of God s people
now: and if you find, as you will, a general agreement amongst
them, though, alas ! with a sad disparity in point of actual
attainment amongst those of the present day, beware how you
imitate the unbelievers of former ages, in opposing the work
of God in others: for, if you do not succeed, you only fight
against God for nought; and if you do succeed, you will perish
under the accumulated guilt of destroying the souls of others;
for assuredly " their blood will be required at your hands."]
CCCCXLVIII.
THE FEAST OF PURIM.
Esther ix. 27, 28. The Jews ordained, and took upon them,
and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves
unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these
two days according to their writing, and according to their
appointed time every year; and that these days should be
remembered and kept throughout every generation, every
family, every province, and every city ; and that these days
of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the me
morial of them perish from their seed.
IT has been observed of the Book of Esther, that
the name of God is not in it : and certainly there is
not the same strain of piety pervading it as is found
in the Book of Nehemiah. This perhaps may be
accounted for from the circumstance of its having
been written in the court of Persia, where Jehovah,
the God of Israel, was not known or acknowledged.
But though in this point of view it may appear more
like to a mere record of facts, it does in reality con
tain as striking a display of God s providence as
any book in the inspired volume. In explaining the
feast of Purim, spoken of in our text, we must of
necessity bring before you all the most leading facts
recorded in the whole book ; though we shall of
course notice them only so far as they throw light on
our main subject.
We shall consider,
I. The feast itself
It is called the feast of Purim, in reference to a
lot which was cast (the word Pur signifying a lot),
448 J THE FEAST OF PURIM. 303
and which had a very principal effect in the preser
vation of all the Jewish people throughout the Per
sian dominions. But in speaking of the feast, we
will distinctly state,
1. The occasion on which it was instituted
[Haman, the prime minister and favourite of King Aha-
suerus, was offended with Mordecai a Jew, who had refused to
,y him that homage which the king had enjoined to be paid
im by all his courtiers. Indignant at this supposed insult,
Haman sought to avenge himself, not on Mordecai alone, but on
all the Jews throughout the empire. For this end, he cast a lot
to determine on what day he should execute this design against
them ; and, having fixed the day in his own mind, obtained
an order from the king that every one of them, old and young,
women and children, should be put to death, and their pro
perty be delivered over as a prey to their destroyers. The
Jews, informed of the edict, betook themselves to fasting and
prayer : and God, in answer to their prayer, wrought a won
derful deliverance for them, and enabled them to execute upon
their enemies the very evils which they themselves had been
previously doomed to suffer 3 . It might have been expected
indeed, when the king, at the request of Esther, had given
liberty to the Jews to stand in their own defence, that their
enemies would have abstained from any attempt against them,
more especially when it was seen that the rulers of the different
provinces favoured the Jews : but, as Haman had been hanged
on the very gallows which he had erected for Mordecai, and
thus had fallen the first sacrifice to his own devices, his sur
viving friends were determined at their own peril to carry into
execution his cruel design : but God so strengthened the Jews,
that they prevailed in the contest, and slew in one day no less
than seventy-five thousand of their enemies, besides five hun
dred in the very palace of Shushan, and, on the day following,
three hundred more. In commemoration of this glorious event,
the feast of Purim was instituted : and from that day to the
present hour it is kept, wherever there is a body of Jews to
join in the celebration of it.]
2. The manner of its observance
[We doubt not but that it was observed with pious grati
tude: for though nothing is spoken of that, we may be well
assured that the same piety which had enjoined a fast of three
days to obtain the blessing, enjoined thanksgivings also, when
the blessing was obtained.
But it was to be celebrated also with festive mirth. This is
a ver. 1 .
304 ESTHER, IX. 27, 28. [448.
by no means incompatible with pious exercises, or unfit to be
united with them on such an occasion as that. God himself
had ordered three great feasts to be annually kept, in remem
brance of his mercies ; the feast of the passover, in remembrance
of the deliverance of the Jewish first-born from the sword of
the destroying angel ; the feast of weeks, in remembrance of
the promulgation of the Law from Mount Sinai ; and the feast
of tabernacles, in remembrance of their dwelling in tents in the
wilderness b : and these sufficiently shew that our animal nature
may participate in the joys which belong more particularly to
our higher and better part, provided we keep within the strict
rules of temperance, and enjoy the Donor in his gifts.
A special direction also was given, that the feast should be
kept with active benevolence : the richer were not only to send
portions to each other, but to provide for the poor also, who
could not otherwise be partakers of the general joy. This was
a very essential part of the institution, and highly proper to be
observed ; since we ought then more particularly to shew love
to our brethren, when we are commemorating God s love to us.
This union of piety, festivity, and love, may be seen in the
feast which Nehemiah made for the people, when Ezra ex
pounded to them the law of God : and it were to be wished
that tve, in the feasts instituted for the commemoration of still
richer blessings, were careful never to separate what God in
his ordinances has so plainly joined together.]
The very particular injunctions given by Esther,
and Mordecai, and all the principal Jews, respecting
the perpetual observance of this feast, lead us natu
rally to inquire into,
II. The ends and reasons for which it was ap
pointed-
It doubtless was designed,
1. As a memorial of God s goodness to them
[It was right to keep up, as far as possible, the remem
brance of this mercy to all future generations. We are but
too apt to forget the goodness of God to us : and we need
occasional observances commemorative of them, in order to
revive in our minds the impressions, which the first communi
cation of his blessings excited in us. It was on this principle
that God appointed a number of days to be kept holy under
the Law ; and for the same end is the ordinance of the Lord s
supper appointed under the Gospel; " Do this in remembrance
of me : for as oft as ye shall eat this bread and drink this cup,
b Deut. xvi. 16. c Neh. viii. 10, 12.
448.] THE FEAST OF PURIM. 305
ye do shew forth the Lord s death, till he come." On the same
principle the Fathers of our Church have set apart certain days
for the special contemplation of those mysteries, on which the
salvation of the whole world depends; the incarnation, the
death, the resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In truth, the Jews in all ages are equally interested in this
event; since, if the design of Hainan had been carried into
effect, the whole posterity of all the Jews in that immense
empire would have been cut off in one day: arid consequently
they, as much as their remoter ancestors, are bound to " keep
God s great goodness to them ever in remembrance."]
2. As an incentive to love and serve him
[Commandments have but little effect, where love does
not exist towards the authority that enjoined them. It is love
alone that will constrain us to a willing and unreserved obedi
ence even to God himself. Hence St. Paul urges us "by the
mercies of God to yield ourselves as living sacrifices unto him ;"
for it is a sense of them only that will enable us to regard such
a surrender of ourselves to him as " a reasonable service d ."
Now certainly the contemplation of this great deliverance
could not but deeply affect the hearts of all, and stir them up
to glorify their adorable Benefactor. And though, alas! at
this time the feast is made only an occasion of intemperance
amongst all who observe it, yet it ought to excite far other
sentiments than those of carnal mirth, and to stimulate to far
other conduct than that of riot and excess.]
3. As an encouragement to trust in God-
fin this view it may well be a feast to the whole world.
For where can we find, except in the history of Joseph, so
striking an exhibition of the ways of Providence, as in the
history before us ? Even long before the wicked thought was
conceived in the heart of Hainan did God in a most singular
manner exalt Esther to the throne, that she might be able to
counteract and defeat his purpose : and he enabled Mordecai
also to detect and reveal a conspiracy against the life of the
monarch, that he might afterwards have the influence that was
necessary for the final preservation of the Jewish people.
When Hainan had conceived the purpose, he superstitiously
" cast a lot from month to month, and from day to day," to
determine the best time for carrying it into effect: and behold
God, "with whom alone the disposal of the lot rests," so or
dered it, that the lot should fall on the very last month, and on
the thirteenth day of that month ; so that there was abundant
time for making the people sensible of their danger, and for
d Rom. xii. 1.
VOL. IV. X
306 ESTHER, IX. 27, 28. [448.
accomplishing tlicir deliverance. That the king should have a
sleepless night might appear a very trivial accident ; yet in the
divine counsels it was an important link in the chain of his
purposes, since it led to the exaltation of Mordecai at the very
moment when Hainan was prepared to put him to death. In
a word, the courage with which Esther was inspired to go in,
uncalled for, to the king, the readiness of the king to hear and
answer her requests, the versatility of the courtiers, the jea
lousy of the king, together with many other circumstances, all
led to the immediate overthrow of Hainan, and the consequent
deliverance of the Jewish people. How remarkable was it, that
Hainan himself, and afterwards his ten sons also, should he
hanged on that very gallows which had been prepared by
Hainan for Mordecai ; and that, instead of the Jews being put
to death, they by the king s own authority should destroy
seventy-five thousand of their enemies, besides eight hundred
in the very palace of the king ! All this shews, how impossible
it is to fight successfully against God, and how safe they are,
who put their trust under the shadow of his wings. Truly, if
God be for us, we need not be concerned how many there
may be against us ; for " mightier is He that is in us, than he
that is in the world." Only let us trust in him, and not a hair
of our head shall perish.]
ADDRESS
1. To those who make a profession of religion
[You must expect, as in the days of old, that the " enmity
which exists between the seed of the serpent and the seed of
the woman" will yet shew itself, and that " they who are born
after the flesh will persecute those who are born after the
Spirit." As you differ from the world in the laws which you
obey, and in the habits you maintain, you must expect to be
represented by them as enemies both to the Church and State 6 .
But commit your cause to God, and he will preserve you.
Your enemies may rage ; but " no weapon that is formed
against you shall prosper." There is an efficacy in fervent
prayer, that shall bring Omnipotence to our aid : and though
your trials may be great and of long continuance, yet shall they
issue in more abundant joy to you, and honour to your God.]
2. To those who shew hostility to the people of
God-
[You little think whom it is that you revile and persecute:
"He that hateth you hateth ME," says our Lord; and again,
" Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME?" The people of God
are regarded by him as " his first-fruits," which, being the
e Esther iii. S.
448.] THE FEA.ST OF PURIM. 307
Lord s property, no man was at liberty to consume : be assured
therefore, that " all who shall devour them will offend; (i. e.
will stumble;) and evil will come upon them f ." It were
" better for you to have a millstone put about your neck, and
to be cast into the sea, than that you should offend one of
his little ones." Let the history before us suffice to shew you,
that " whoso toucheth them, toucheth the apple of Jehovah s
eye."]
3. To those who in the midst of a persecuting
world have been preserved
[Know to whom you owe it, that you have not been given
up as a prey into the hands of your enemies. The agency of
God s providence is secret, so that you behold it not : but you
reap the benefit of it, and will at a future day see as striking
interpositions in your favour as those which are recorded in the
history before us. Go on then, serving the Lord without fear,
and multiply your services for him as he multiplies his mercies
unto you.]
f Jer. ii. 3.
x 2
JOB.
CCCCXLIX.
JOB S ANXIETY FOR HIS CHILDREN.
Job i. 5. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were
gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up
early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according
to the number of them all : for Job said, It may be that my
sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did
Job continually.
WHO Job was, or at what precise period he lived,
or who wrote the book that is called by his name, is
not certainly known. It is probable that he was a
descendant of Nahor, Abraham s brother 3 , and that
he lived previous to the deliverance of Israel from
Egypt, because there does not appear to be any
direct reference to that event, which there would in
all probability have been, if it had taken place, and
Job or his friends had been acquainted with it. The
Book of Job, with the exception of the two first chap
ters, and part of the last, is written in verse ; and
this has given occasion to some to imagine, that the
whole book is a kind of poetic fiction : but there un
doubtedly was such a man as Job b ; and the events
referred to in the Book of Job did actually occur ;
and the record of them was most assuredly inspired d .
Though therefore we admit that the conversation
which passed between him and his friends is not
a Gen. xxii. 20, 21. b Ezek. xiv. 14. c Jam. v. 11.
d It is referred to by St. Paul in this view. Compare Job v. 13.
with 1 Cor. iii. 19.
449.] JOB S ANXIETY FOR HIS CHILDREN. 309
recorded in the precise words used by the different
speakers, yet it is certain that the substance of their
respective speeches is correctly given, and that the
record of them was written under the direction of
God himself ; so that it is, as much as any other part
of the inspired volume, the word of God. The scope
of the book must be clearly understood, and be borne
in mind throughout ; for, if we lose sight of that, the
whole will be a mass of confusion. The friends of
Job conceived, that his extraordinary calamities
proved that his former professions of piety had been
hypocritical : and Job maintained, that the trials
which a man might be called to endure were no just
criterion whereby to judge of his state ; since the
most upright of men might be deeply afflicted, and
the most ungodly of men might enjoy uninterrupted
ease and prosperity. And it will be found in the
sequel, that, though Job in some instances was un
guarded in his expressions, his views on the whole
were right, and those of his friends erroneous. But
we must not therefore conclude, that his friends
uttered nothing that was good : their general sen
timents were just ; but their application of them to
Job s particular case was incorrect : their premises
were often right ; but their conclusions wrong. Their
great error was, that they thought such extraordinary
dispensations of God s providence towards a man must
be sent on account of some extraordinary wickedness
committed by him. Conceiving themselves to be
correct in this, they concluded Job to have been a
hypocrite, and that God had now exposed his hypo
crisy to the view of all : and Job, on the contrary,
maintained that he had been upright in all his con
duct, and that the judgment of his friends was un
charitable, erroneous, and wicked.
But it is not our intention to enter any further
into the general question between Job and his friends
at present : we have now only to consider the private
character of Job, and that more particularly in re
ference to his family. He is represented as a man of
most eminent piety, as being " perfect and upright,
310 JOB, I. 5. 1449.
and one that feared God and eschewed evil 6 :" and
from what is said of him in our text, he evidently
deserved that high character. Let us consider then,
I. His conduct in relation to his family-
God had blessed him with a numerous family,
whom he had reared to manhood, and placed around
him with separate establishments. But, notwith
standing he had thus liberally provided for them, and
was evidently most indulgent towards them, (pro
moting to the uttermost a brotherly union among
them, and permitting his daughters to enliven the
innocent conviviality of their domestic circles,) he
was exceeding watchful and jealous over their eternal
interests. His seven sons had been entertaining each
other in succession : and, though Job knew not that
any thing contrary to God s will had passed amongst
them, yet, conceiving it possible that they might in
their mirth have been transported too far, he called
them to prepare themselves for a solemn attendance
upon God, whilst he should offer for every one of
them a burnt-offering unto the Lord.
Now consider this as an act,
1 . Of magisterial authority-
fit is manifest that he was, if not a king, yet a magis
trate, possessing very high authority, and occupied to a great
extent in judicial proceedings f : yet he did not therefore think
himself at liberty to neglect religion, or to confine his attention
to private duties : he felt that the more exalted his station
was, the greater was his responsibility, and the more urgent
his duty to honour God before men. What a blessing would
it be, if all people of wealth and dignity would use their influ
ence in this way ! But the generality of great men think
there is no need for them to stand forth as patrons and patterns
of religion : they suppose they have a dispensation from such
open acts of piety as would attract observation, and make
them appear particular ; and that, if they countenance by
their presence the public institutions of religion, it is quite as
much as can be required at their hands. But we must de
clare to all, that, if Job, with the small measure of light
which he enjoyed, accounted it his duty to exert all his
* vcr. 1. f Job xxix. 5 10.
449. J JOB S ANXIETY FOR HIS CHILDREN. 311
influence for the honour of his God, much more should we, who
profess to have received the full light of the Gospel, feel it
our duty to devote all our faculties and all our talents to the
honour of Christ, and the extension of his kingdom upon
earth.]
2. Of parental love
[Many who have been careful of their children in their
earlier days, cast off all concern about them, or at least decline
all interference with them as to religious matters, when they
have arrived at years of discretion. But so did not Job:
though he was an indulgent parent, he did not give up all
parental authority, but sought to use it for the eternal welfare
of his children. He called them all to self-examination and
prayer, previous to his offering for them the sacrifices in which
he commanded them to join g . Yea, we are told, " Thus he
did continually ;" continually watching over their eternal inte
rests, and using all his influence, both with them and with
God, to bring them to the enjoyment of the divine favour.
In this he is a pattern for parents in every age, and in every
place. As long as God shall continue to them the possession
of their intellects, so long should they improve their authority
for the enforcing of an attention to religious duties, and for
the cultivating of a spirit of piety in the hearts of their chil
dren.]
The peculiarity of his conduct naturally leads us
to inquire into,
II. The grounds and reasons of it-
Had any great evil been committed by his sons,, to
call forth that particular exercise of parental autho
rity, we should have ascribed to that the conduct of
this holy man : but, as no evil existed but in his
apprehensions, we must look for the grounds of his
conduct in some general views and principles to
which it is to be traced. It was founded in Job s
views of,
1 . The extreme depravity of our nature
[Though he had trained up his children in pious principles,
he knew that they were by nature prone to evil, and that there
was not any sin which, if left to themselves, they might not
commit. He knew that they might even go so far as to speak
lightly of God and his dispensations, whether of providence or
8 This is the meaning of the word " sanctified." See Exod. xix.
10, 11.
312 JOB, I. .5. "449.
grace ; yea, through an evil heart of unbelief they mi^ht depart
from God altogether, and actually renounce their allegiance to
him. Hence he was desirous to obtain mercv for them, that,
if they should have committed so great a sin, they might be
brought back again to repentance, and not be left to perish
for ever in their iniquity.
Now in this respect the views of Job were just : for the heart
of man by nature is " deceitful above all things and desperatelv
wicked :~ and, whatever education he may have received, and
whatever eminenc : in piety he may have attained, he has reason
to pray, " Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps
slip not!~ yea. he hrs reason to fear, " lest, having preached to
others, he himself should become a cast-away."^ And every
person in the universe should bear this in mind, in reference
both to himself and others : for it is " God alone that is able
to keep us from falling,"" and it is only whilst " he holds us up
that we can be safe."]
2. The corrupt tendency of carnal mirth
[Mirth may be very innocently enjoyed: but there is
great danger, especially when indulged to any extent, that it
may become an occasion of evL It certainly tends to stupify
the conscience, and to deaden our alfections towards God.
When we are rejoicing much in earthly things, we are apt to
languish in our desire of heavenly thinsrs: and to feel less
ardent longings for the srlory that shall be revealed. More
over, when " we are full, there is danger lest we deny God,
and say. Who is the Lord a ? " It was against this that God
cautioned his people of old 1 , and this effect Job saw as likely
to be produced in his own children. Hence he called them to
a particular recollection of their spirit and conduct duruur
their days of feasting : he ureed them to examine well their
own hearts, and to implore help from God, that they mi^ht be
enabled to discover any secret evil which might have lurked in
their bosoms. Xow in this he set an admirable example unto
us. The world is apt to fascinate our carnal hearts : and it is
extremely difficult to " use the world without abusing it.~
Whenever therefore we have been mixing in its company and
participating of its pleasures, it becomes us carefully to exa
mine our own hearts, lest we should have offended God bv
our forzetfulness of him, or contracted any stain that may
render us odious in his sight.]
3. The universal need of an atonement
[Had Job offered one burnt-offering for them all, it would
have sufficed to shew them what judgments they merited at
- Prov. XTX. S, 0. : Deut. viii. 10, 11.
449.] JOB S ANXIETY FOR HIS CHILDREN. 313
the hands of God, and that nothing but the Great Sacrifice
could ever avert his wrath from them ; but when he offered a
separate burnt-offering for each of them, these lessons were
inculcated with double force. In truth, whether the young
men had transgressed, or not, to the extent that their father
feared, it was still necessary that they should apply to the
blood of atonement to cleanse them from their sins. We need
one to " bear the iniquity of our holiest actions," and much
more to expiate the guilt which we contract in an hour of
conviviality and mirth: " Without shedding of blood there
can be no remission" of any sin whatever: and a most im
portant lesson we shall learn from this history, if we take
occasion from it to get this truth deeply impressed upon our
hearts.]
Let us LEARN from hence,
1. To exercise a jealousy over ourselves
[If it was right in Job to be jealous over his sons, it must
surely be right for all to maintain a similar disposition in refe
rence to themselves: nor is it only after a season of conviviality
that we should exercise it, but at all times. Not a day should
pass without diligent self-examination how we have passed our
time, and how we have performed our several duties in the
world, the family, and the closet; what tempers we have mani
fested towards man, and what affections we have exercised
towards God. Have we received every thing, whether good or
evil, as from him, and endeavoured to enjoy him in our com
forts and to bless him for all our trials? In a word, let us
especially inquire from time to time whether we have under
all circumstances walked as in his immediate presence, and
laboured to glorify his great and glorious name ? " This, like
Job, we should do continually:" and, like him also, we should
occasionally set apart a day for more than ordinary self-
examination, for deep humiliation on account of our innu
merable short-comings and defects, and for a more earnest
application to the blood of our Great Sacrifice to expiate the
guilt of all sins, whether deliberate or unintentional, whether
known or unknown.]
2. To seek above all things the eternal welfare of
our children-
fit is undoubtedly a parent s duty to seek the comfortable
settlement of his children in some good and useful occupation :
but it is his duty also to seek above all things the salvation of
their souls. Consider, ye who have families, that from you has
been transmitted to your children a corrupt nature, which, if
not changed by divine grace, will hurry them on to everlasting
311. JOB, I. 9. [450.
perdition. Surely then ye are bound to seek this grace for
them : ye are bound to pray for them night and day : ye are
bound to restrain them also, and to " bring them up in the
nurture and admonition of the LordV Nor is it only in their
earlier years that you are thus to watch over them, but in
after life : and if you neglect to do so, you will involve your
selves in the deepest guilt, and be justly answerable for them
in the day of judgment: " their blood will be justly required
at your hands." In particular, be careful to instil into their
minds high and reverential thoughts of God, and adoring
gratitude to Christ for the atonement which he has made for
sin and sinners. Teach them to go to that Saviour continually,
and to wash in the fountain of his blood, which alone can
cleanse them from their sins. Thus, whatever may be the
issue of your labours with respect to them, you will stand
acquitted in your own conscience, and have a testimony from
God in the last day that you have done the things which were
pleasing in his sight ; " Well done, good and faithful servant ;
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."]
k 1 Sam. iii. 13.
CCCCL.
UNCHARITABLE JUDGMENT REPROVED.
Job i. 9. Then Satan answered the Lord, and said. Doth
Job fear God for nouylit ?
WELL has it been asked, " Who can stand before
envy?" This vile principle is as ingenious as it is
malignant. Never is it at a loss for an occasion to
display its hateful propensities. The very favour of
God himself shall call it forth, and cause it to pierce
the most innocent of men with its envenomed darts.
Especially, if any person be made an object of ap
probation and applause, its odious qualities will
instantly appear in an endeavour, if not to destroy
the character of the person applauded, yet at least to
reduce it to the standard of ordinary attainments. In
the chapter before us, Satan is represented as coining
on a particular occasion into the presence of the
Most High, and as being asked of God, whether he
had considered what an eminently holy character
Job was, insomuch " that there was not one like him
450.1 UNCHARITABLE JUDGMENT REPROVED. 315
upon earth, so perfect, so upright," so altogether
conformed to the mind and will of God a . And what
was the answer of this malignant fiend ? It was in
direct opposition to the divine testimony : " Doth
Job fear God for nought ?" No : he is a selfish
hypocrite, that serves his God only because of the
temporal advantages he gains by it : and, if those
advantages were withdrawn, he would shew he has
no more regard for God than the vilest of mankind ;
yea, he would even " curse his God to his very
face b ."
Now, it is in this very way that envy operates, in
reference to the saints, in all ages : they are repre
sented as actuated by far different principles from
those which they profess, and as possessing in reality
no more of true sanctity than the world around them :
"Do they fear God for nought?" No: they have
some selfish end in view : and, if they be disap
pointed in attaining that, they will prove themselves
as destitute of any religious principle as those who
make no profession of religion.
It was in this sense that Satan put his challenge :
and, therefore, we shall first direct our attention to
it in that view. But we may take the words without
any particular reference to the context ; and then
they will afford occasion for some observations of a
very different nature. In both these views, it is my
intention to consider them, and to notice them,
I. As a base accusation, indignantly to be repelled
How false the accusation was, in reference to Job,
the event proved : nor is it a whit more just as thrown
out against the people of God in all ages. I grant
there are, and ever have been, some, who are not
upright before God. A Judas was amongst the im
mediate disciples of our Lord ; and a Simon Magus
amongst the early converts of his Apostles. But if
there be some like Orpah, who cleaved to Naomi in
her prosperity, but abandoned her when her name
was changed to Marah, (when, from being "pleasant"
a ver. 6. 8 b ver. 9 11.
316 JOB, 1. 9. [450.
her very existence became " bitter") so are there
many who, under all circumstances, " cleave unto
the Lord," and adopt the resolution of pious Ruth :
" Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from fol
lowing after thee ; for whither thou goest, I will go ;
and where thou lodgest, I will lodge : thy people
shall be my people, and thy God my God. Where
thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the
Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death
part thee and me c ."
And why should their motives be called in ques
tion ?
[Is earthly prosperity so generally the portion of the
godly, that hypocrites should be induced by the prospect of
it to profess themselves the people of the Lord? For one,
that is led by a hope of honour or emolument to embrace the
religion of Christ, there are ten, at the least, who are deterred
from professing it, by nfear of injuring their respectability or
interests. Indeed, we are taught, by our blessed Lord, that
" we must forsake all to follow him ;" and, consequently, a
desire after the loaves and fishes cannot reasonably be imputed
to the general mass of Christians as their motive for professing
godliness. We must look for other motives : and other motives
there are, abundantly sufficient to produce the effects which
we ascribe to them.
Are we not immortal beings, and accountable to Almighty
God for the whole of our conduct ? And is not the thought
of this sufficient to impress the mind with awe, and to sti
mulate us to the utmost efforts, if, by any means, we may
escape death, and lay hold on eternal life ? Has not God
also, in tender mercy to our souls, sent unto us his only-
begotten Son, to effect our reconciliation with him by the
death of the cross ? And is not this sufficient to shew us at
once the value of our souls, and the necessity of fleeing from
the wrath to come? May not such love on the part of our
offended God be well expected to operate on our hearts, and
to constrain us to devote ourselves altogether unto him ? And,
whilst our lives accord with our profession, has any one a
right to sit in judgment upon our motives? and, when no fault
can be found with our actions, is any one at liberty to criminate
our intentions ?]
If multitudes of God s people were upright in for-
c Ruth i. 1417.
450.] UNCHARITABLE JUDGMENT REPROVED. 317
mer ages, why should all who profess themselves his
be accounted hypocrites now ?
[Were Noah, Daniel, Paul, induced by any sinister
motives to serve their God ? Did not their whole lives bear
testimony to them that they were sincere ? And is not the
grace of God as sufficient for us as it was for them ; so far at
least as to inspire us with a holy fear of God, and a desire to
serve him with our whole hearts ? I may go further, and ask,
Whether there be not many, even at this present day, evincing
a superiority to all earthly good, and a determination to serve
their God, though with the loss of all things ? I repel, then,
and with indignation too, the base accusations that are so
generally brought against the people of God : and I declare,
without fear of contradiction, that at this day there are many
who, though far inferior to Job in respect of spiritual attain
ments, resemble him fully in the integrity of their hearts ; and
many, of whom it may be justly said, They are " Israelites
indeed, and without guile."]
But, as detached from the context, the words may
be regarded,
II. As an unanswerable truth, most gladly to be con
ceded
Selfishness is doubtless an evil, when it leads us to
postpone spiritual things to those which are tem
poral : but, if understood as implying a supreme
regard to our eternal interests, it is good and com
mendable ; for it is that very disposition which was
exercised by Mary, when she dismissed from her
mind all inferior considerations, and chose that good
part, which should never be taken away from her.
In this sense Christians are selfish ; and it may justly
be said of them, that " they do not serve God for
nought." For,
1. They desire, above all things, the salvation of
their souls
[They know what they have done to offend their God,
and what God has done to save them, and what promises of
mercy he has given to all who repent and believe his Gospel.
And, knowing these things, they desire to avail themselves of
the opportunity afforded them, and to secure to themselves
the proffered benefits. And is this wrong ? If so, what can
all the invitations and promises of the Gospel mean ? Why
S18 JOB, I. 9. [450.
did Peter say, " Repent, and be converted, that your sins may
be blotted out?" or why did our blessed Lord say, " If any
man thirst, let him come unto me and drink; and out of his
belly shall flow rivers of living water?"]
2. They actually obtain from God many present
benefits
[By " coming to Christ, they find rest unto their souls,"
and are " filled with peace and joy in believing:" and in this
way they are encouraged to " fight the good fight of faith,"
and to " run with patience the race that is set before them."
And is there any thing evil in this? Does it not accord with
the experience of the saints in all ages ? Yea, does it not con
stitute a very strong argument in favour of godliness, that " it
hath the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which
is to come d ?"]
3. They look forward to infinitely richer benefits
in the world that is to come
[To those who seek after glory and honour and immor
tality, God has promised eternal life: and the saints, under
their most afflictive trials, are pronounced blessed, because of
the recompence that awaits them in the eternal world e . Can
it be wrong, then, to have respect to that reward, and to run
with a view to obtain the prize ? Look at Moses : was not
he actuated by this hope, when he " refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction
with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for
a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than
all the treasures of Egypt?" Yes, we are expressly told that
" he had respect unto the recompence of the reward f ." By the
same hope were the ancient martyrs also actuated, when " they
refused to accept deliverance from their tortures, in the assured
expectation of obtaining a better resurrection g ." And even
of our blessed Lord himself is it said, that " for the joy that
was set before him he endured the cross and despised the
shame, till at last he sat down at the right hand of the throne
of God V
Then I confess the truth contained in my text, that we are
selfish : and my only complaint is, that we are not sufficiently
impressed with these hopes and expectations : for, if we were,
we should, like the holy Apostle, " forget all that is behind,
and reach forward to that which is before, and press on with
continually increasing ardour for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus."]
d 1 Tim. iv. 8. e Matt. v. 312. f Heb. xi. 24 26.
g Heb. xi. 35. h Hcb. xii. 2.
450.] UNCHARITABLE JUDGMENT REPROVED. 319
To all the calumniated servants of God, then,
would I SAY,
1. Regard not the uncharitable censures of un
godly men
[Do what you will, they will be sure to find fault with
you. Satan accused Job to God as a hypocrite, because of his
prosperity : and, when he had prevailed to involve him in utter
ruin, he stirred up Job s friends to condemn him as an hypo
crite, because of his adversity. So, when " John the Baptist
came neither eating nor drinking," Satan s agents said " he
had a devil:" and, when "Jesus came eating and drinking,"
they accused him as " a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber, a
friend of publicans and sinners." Thus, " whether you pipe
or mourn," they will find occasion against you, even as they
did against David, who, " when he put on sackcloth, and
fasted," to bring down blessings on his enemies, had even
" that turned to his reproach." Only be careful to give no
just occasion of offence. Let your enemies be able to " find
no fault in you, except concerning the Law of your God."
Let it be the one labour of your life to " be blameless and
harmless, as sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a
crooked and perverse nation, shining amongst them as lights
in a dark world, and holding forth, in the whole of your life
and conversation, the word of life."]
2. Endeavour in all things to approve yourselves
to God-
[A contempt of man s censures should ever be attended
with a determination of heart to " keep a conscience void of
offence towards both God and man." You have seen what a
testimony the heart-searching God bare to Job : seek that he
may testify respecting you also, that you are " perfect and
upright, fearing God, and eschewing evil." Be men of prin
ciple: and then you will be independent of outward things,
and serve God as well in one state of life as another. Neither
prosperity nor adversity will influence you in this respect;
but, " whether God give or take away, you will bless his holy
name." Then, if condemned by men, you may look forward
with confidence to the future judgment, when " your right
eousness shall shine forth as the noon-day," and " every tongue
that has spoken against you shall be condemned."]
320 JOB, I. 20,21. [451.
CCCCLI.
TRIALS AND RESIGNATION OF JOB.
Job i. 20, 21. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved
his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
and said, Naked came I out of my mother s womb, and
naked shall I return thither : the Lord gave, and the Lord
hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the Lord.
BEHOLD, the invisible world is here opened to
our view. We here see an assembly of the sons of
God, (whether of angek, or of glorified saints, is not
certain,) and Satan himself intruding in among them,
in the very presence of their God. We are informed
also of a conversation passing between Jehovah and
Satan in reference to Job ; God commending him as
the most eminent of the saints on earth ; and Satan
traducing his character, as a mercenary hypocrite, who
would even curse his Maker to his face, if only he
should be tempted to do so by a withdrawment of
his temporal prosperity. We are told also that God
permitted Satan to put the piety of Job to the test
which he had proposed.
There would be no inconsistency in this, if we
were to interpret it literal/// : but we apprehend that
it is a kind of parabolic representation, like that of
Micaiah, who saw in a vision a spirit coming into
the presence of Jehovah, and proposing to go forth
as a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab s prophets, in
order to persuade Ahab to go up to Ramoth-Gilead a .
In this view it is intended to shew us the malignity
of Satan, and the restraints imposed upon him by
Almighty God, who will suffer him to proceed no fur
ther than shall ultimately lead to his own confusion.
In whichever way we take this account, whether
literally or mystically, it appears that Satan was
permitted to assault Job with the most grievous
temptations, and that the piety of Job was victo
rious in the conflict. In considering this account of
Job, we shall notice,
a 1 Kimrs xxii. 19 22.
451. J TRIALS AND RESIGNATION OF JOB. 321
I. His trials
These were beyond measure great
[Their number find variety ; their rapid succession, without
one moment allowed him for reflection and prayer; the extent
of them, comprehending the loss not only of all his worldly
property, but of all his children, and that too in a season of
mirth, when he was peculiarly apprehensive that they might
be least fit to die ; and particularly the certainty of all these
calamities, every one of them being reported by an eye-witness;
all of these coming so suddenly, were sufficient to overwhelm
any one, more especially when the hand of God himself
appeared, not in the language of the reporters only, but in
the events themselves, to have been thus awfully directed
against him.]
In them we see,
1. How great the power of Satan is
[How speedily he found instruments to execute his will !
The minds of Sabeans and Chaldeans received in a moment
the impulse which he chose to give them ; and they performed
exactly the service to which he destined them : the time, the
manner, the measure of their actions were perfectly subject to
his control. The elements also were alike obedient to his
command, and performed precisely what he directed them to
effect : the lightnings flashed, the winds blew, and, by their
ready compliance with his will, proclaimed him to be indeed
" the god of this world," " the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that worketh in all the children of disobedience."
True it is, he could not have done these things if God had not
permitted him : but from what he did we may easily see what
he both could and would do, if all restraint were withdrawn
from him ; and what he will do in the eternal world to those
who shall be delivered into his hands.]
2. How uncertain is all worldly good
[When Job arose in the morning, he was " the richest
man in all the east; " and before night he was bereft of all that
he possessed. And such changes are by no means unfrequent
in the world. Not to mention the restless desires of a game
ster, the unfortunate speculations of a merchant, or the mis
placed confidence of a surety, (all of which are fruitful sources
of misery and ruin,) let us contemplate those other sources of
calamity which are more out of the reach of human prudence,
such as earthquakes, inundations, shipwrecks, invasions, con
flagrations; alas! alas! how many thousands are from time to
time reduced by these from a state of ease and opulence to the
most abject and destitute condition! Verily there can be no
VOL. IV. Y
322 JOB, I. 20, 21. [451.
one so ignorant as not to know, as well from observation as
report, that " riches make themselves wings, and fly away."]
3. That the most eminent saints are not exempt
from even the heaviest calamities
[If ever any man could venture to say, " I shall die in my
nest b ," it was Job; because, whilst he possessed more wealth
than others, he had a mind more under the influence of piety,
and consequently more free from those snares and temptations
to which others are exposed. Yet, though there was no one
like him upon earth in respect of piety, there never was a man
so oppressed as he by overwhelming calamities. Let no man
then ever venture to say, " My mountain standeth fast; I shall
not be moved :" for " all things come alike to all." " Of the
righteous in particular the afflictions are many : " as in the
case of Job, God often sends troubles to try and prove the
sincerity of their faith, to strengthen their graces, to purify
their hearts, to display before the world the efficacy of his
grace, and to fit his people for a better world. If God have
given faith to any, they may expect that it shall " be tried, in
order that it may be to the praise and honour and glory of
their God at the appearing of Jesus Christ ."]
But in the midst of all his trials we behold, and
admire,
II. His resignation-
He felt, and deeply too, the heavy load of his
afflictions ; and hence he rent his mantle, and shaved
his head, as customary expressions of deep anguish
of mind d . But still he was composed and tranquil,
" not charging God foolishly," or uttering any thing
hasty or unadvised. Let us notice,
1. The considerations with which he quieted his
mind
[These were two ; namely, that what he had lost, was
not properly his own; and, that HE had taken it, whose pro
perty it was. He felt himself now only reduced to the state in
which he was when he came into the world, and in which he
must at all events soon be, when he should be called to go
out of the world again. Why then should he repine and
murmur at being stripped of all, when he was so lately, and must
b Job xxix. 18. 1 Pet. i. 7.
d Gen. xxx vii. 29, 34. with Job ii. 12. and Isai. xxii. 12. with
Mic. i. 16.
451. J TRIALS AND RESIGNATION OF JOB. 323
so soon again be, altogether naked, without any thing that he
could properly call his own ? So just and important is this
idea, that St. Paul has actually quoted the very words of Job,
to shew that " godliness with contentment is the only desirable
gain 6 ."
Moreover, the use and enjoyment of those things had been
given him by God alone : whether they came by inheritance,
or had been the fruits of his own industry, God was equally
the giver of them f : and, whether men or devils or elements
had deprived him of them, they were no other than as instru
ments in the hand of God, who had accomplished by them his
own sovereign will g . How then could he presume to reply
against God? No: "he would be dumb, and not open his
mouth, because the Lord had done it."
What astonishing grace was here, that could suggest at a
moment such thoughts as these, and give them such an effi
cacy to compose and tranquillize his soul !
But let us notice more particularly,]
2. The manner in which he expressed his re
signation
[He "fell on the ground and worshipped" his God with
the profoundest humility. O what submission of heart was
here ! How meekly did he receive at the Lord s hands the
strokes of his chastening rod! But he went further still, and
" blessed the name of the Lord," yea, blessed him for that very
dispensation which Satan expected to have called forth only the
language of cursing and blasphemy. Job was convinced in his
judgment that " the Judge of all the earth could not but do
right ;" and that however " clouds and darkness might be round
about him, yet judgment and justice were the basis of his
throne." He knew that whether he could see the reason of
God s dealings now, or not, he should see reason to adore him
for them in the eternal world ; and therefore he would bless
and adore him for them here. Thus did he adopt exactly the
line of conduct which God approves; "neither despising the
chastening of the Lord, on the one hand, nor fainting under
his rebukes," on the other hand h . He " walked by faith, and
not by sight," and excelled all the saints, whether of that or
any other age. David was not the least eminent of men ; yet
when the Amalekites had invaded Ziklag, and taken away his
wives and property, " he wept till he had no more power to
weep 1 :" and when he lost his rebellious son Absalom, he so
e 1 Tim. vi. 79. r j am< j. 17.
g Isai. xlv. 7. Amos iii. G. h Heb. xii. 5.
1 1 Sam. xxx. 3, 4.
Y i>
324 JOB, I. 20, 21. [451.
fainted under the loss as to be altogether forgetful of all his
mercies, and of all his duties k . But Job lost not for a moment
his self-possession : his principles operated instantly to the full
extent that the occasion required : " Shall we receive good at
the hands of God," says he, " and shall we not receive evil 1 ?"
Any other conduct appeared to him to be highly unreasonable :
and hence he is proposed by God himself as a pattern for our
imitation to the end of time m .]
From contemplating this exalted character, let us
LEARN,
1. To sit loose to earthly things
[We deny not but that a competency in earthly things is
a blessing for which we have great reason to be thankful : but
when we see how uncertain the possession of them is, and,
above all, how happy we may be in God without them, we
have no occasion to covet them, or to set our hearts upon
them. St. Paul, when "he had nothing, yet possessed all
things ," because he had God for his God and portion. Let
us in like manner " learn in every state to be content, whether
we be full or hungry, whether we abound or suffer need ."
Let us, "if we have a wife, be as though we had none; if we
weep, be as if we wept not ; if we rejoice, be as if we rejoiced
not ; if we buy, be as though we possessed not ; and altogether
use this world as not abusing it, because the fashion of it so
quickly passes away p ."]
2. To stand prepared for trials
[Truly we know not what a day or an hour may bring
forth ; what losses we may have in our property, or in our
dearest friends and relatives; or what calamities may come
upon us. We are sure that " Satan, that roaring lion," is
" going to and fro throughout the earth," " seeking whom he
may devour:" and, if he have obtained permission to exercise
his power against us, how soon may he bring us down to the
ground, and even " sift us as wheat!" Who amongst us can
have any idea what storms he may be preparing for us, or what
instruments he may be stirring up against us ? Knowing then
his malignity and his power, let us stand upon our guard against
him; let us " arm ourselves with the mind that was in Christ
Jesus q ;" and let us so endeavour to realize our principles, that
we never give way to discontent or impatience, but bless in
every thing the name of our God.]
k 2 Sam. xix. 4 6. Job ii. 10. m Jam. v. 11.
n 2 Cor. vi. 10. Phil. iv. 11, 12. P 1 Cor. vii. 2931.
<i 1 Pet. iv. 1.
452.] FRIENDLY SYMPATHY ILLUSTRATED. 325
3. To seek the things which neither men nor devils
can take away from us
[Spiritual blessings are out of the reach of all our enemies :
" Our life is hid with Christ in God;" and not all the powers
of darkness combined can destroy it. Moth and rust may
corrupt our earthly treasures, or thieves may break through
and steal them : but if we lay up treasure in heaven, it will
be inaccessible to them all. That is "substance*" whilst all
else is vanity and vexation of spirit. Let us then " labour for
the meat that endureth to everlasting life ;" and " choose the
good part, that never can be taken away from us."]
r Prov. viii. 21.
CCCCLII.
FRIENDLY SYMPATHY ILLUSTRATED.
Job ii. 1 1 13. Noiv when Jolts three friends heard of all this
evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his
own place ; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite,
and Zophar the Naamathite : for they had made an appoint
ment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort
him. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and kneiv
him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent
every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads
toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground
seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto
him: for they saw that his grief iv as very great.
JOB in a second conflict had gained the victory :
yea, though his wife acted as a confederate witli
Satan, and urged him to " curse God and die," yet
did he retain his integrity, and prove himself worthy
of the character which God had given him. But the
rumour of his unprecedented calamities had spread
far and wide, and had caused all those who should
have been a comfort to him to depart from him ;
insomuch that, having none to administer to his
relief, he had " taken a potsherd to scrape himself
withal." But three of his aged friends, descendants
of Abraham, though not of the chosen seed, still
loved and honoured him; and feeling their incom-
petency, as individuals, to afford him all the in
struction and consolation that the occasion called
326 JOB, II. 11 13. [452.
for, concerted a plan to visit him together, and to
unite their efforts for his welfare. An account of
their first interview is here set before us ; and a
most interesting account it is. In discoursing upon
it, we shall be led to contemplate,
I. The nature of love
[Love, as described by St. Paul a , and as summarily ex
pressed by our blessed Lord b , is the acting in all things towards
our neighbour as we would think it right that he, in a change
of circumstances, should act towards us. It makes us to con
sider all men as members of one great body, and to participate
with them in their feelings, as the different members of our
own body would with each other . If any be afflicted, it
prompts us to fly to their relief, and to concert the best
measures in our power for their restoration to happiness. In
the friends of Job we see the nature of love well exemplified :
they did not feel indifferent about him, or run from him, as
they did whose hearts were destitute of love ; but they met
together for the express purpose of participating and alleviating
his sorrows. They did this, too, unsolicited, and unsought: it
was the fruit of a divine principle within them, the voluntary
expression of their own affectionate regards. This was a " love,
not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth:" it was
" a love without dissimulation :" and wherever true love exists,
it will produce exactly the same dispositions, and stimulate,
according to its measure, to the same exertions.]
In executing their benevolent plan, Job s friends
have shewn us,
II. The effects of sympathy
[When they were yet at some distance from him, they
saw him ; but would not have recognised him at all, (so altered
was he in his whole appearance,) if they had not been prepared
for the change by the reports which they had heard concerning
him. But the sight deeply affected them all; so that they burst
forth into floods of tears, and rent their mantles, as expressive
of their anguish, and sprinkled dust upon their heads towards
heaven, as mourners were wont to do d . On coming into his
immediate presence, " they sat down with him upon the ground
seven days and seven nights," that is, a considerable part of
a 1 Cor. xiii. 4 7. b Mark xii. 31. Matt. vii. 12.
c 1 Cor. xii. 25, 26.
d See this whole expression of sorrow exemplified in those who
mourned over the destruction of Tyre ; Ezek. xxvii. 30, 31.
452.] FRIENDLY SYMPATHY ILLUSTRATED. 327
each successive day 6 ; and so overwhelmed were they with the
sight of his melancholy condition, that none of them could
give utterance to their feelings, or attempt to suggest any
thing for his relief.
Those who have never known from their own experience
how entirely the soul may be overwhelmed with sympathy,
conjecture, that during all this time the friends of Job were
harbouring suspicions which they did riot dare to express.
But this idea is very injurious to the character of those holy
men, and directly contrary to the account given in our text :
for their silence is expressly ascribed to the overpowering effect
of their own sympathy at the sight of his unparalleled afflictions ;
" They spake not, for they saw that his grief was very great:"
and to this cause it must be ascribed. We know, that as
silence is the proper effect of great sorrow f , (David says, " I
am so troubled that I cannot speak g ,") so is it also of deep
sympathy; such as the elders of the daughters of Zion ex
perienced, when they saw their city and temple destroyed,
their princes and people carried into captivity, the law of their
God forgotten, and their prophets no longer favoured with
visions from the Lord h . In a word, the effect of sympathy is,
to make the sorrows of another our own ; and to produce in
our hearts those very feelings of grief and anguish, which the
afflicted individual himself is called to sustain.]
The interview, thus illustrated, displays,
III. The excellence of true religion
[The whole of true religion is comprehended under the
term love: "Love is the fulfilling of the law ." Moreover,
the sympathy before delineated, is the most unequivocal ex
pression of love : " Pure religion, and undefiled before God
and the Father, is this ; To visit the fatherless and widows in
their affliction k ." See then religion as exemplified in our text,
how beautiful does it appear ! A carnal mind would admire
rather a sight of kings surrounded by their nobles : but God
and his holy angels, I have no doubt, esteem such a sight as
was exhibited on that occasion, as infinitely grander than all
the pomp of courts, yea than of " Solomon in all his glory."
Never did our Lord himself appear more glorious, no not even
on the mount of transfiguration, than when he was weeping
with sympathy at the tomb of Lazarus, or with compassion
over the devoted city of Jerusalem. So the sight of these aged
e See Luke ii. 37. and Acts xx. 31.
f " Curse leves loquuntur ; ingentes stupent."
e Ps. Ixxvii. 4. i> Lam. ii. 911.
1 Rom. xii. 810. * Jam. i. 27.
328 JOB, II. 1113. [452.
men, assembled to mourn with, and to comfort, their afflicted
brother, and expressing in such significant ways their over
whelming sorrow, was as noble and as interesting as can be
seen on earth. And O, what would this world be, if every
one possessed such a spirit as they evinced ! Yet such is the
tendency of true religion, which transforms us into the image
of that God, whose name and nature is LOVE.]
By way of IMPROVEMENT, we will,
1. Recommend to you the exercise of these dis
positions
[Behold these men, how amiable they appear in all the
posture and habiliments of woe! And are they not a fit
pattern for you to imitate? But you have a brighter pattern
than they, even our Lord Jesus Christ himself; who, when he
saw our fallen state, came down from heaven to seek and save
us, yea, " though rich, for our sakes he became poor, that we
through his poverty might be rich." O, what marvellous grace
was here ! and still, " as our Great High-priest, he is touched
with the feeling of our infirmities, having been himself in all
things tempted like as we are, on purpose that he might
succour them that are tempted." If then the example of
Job s friends be not sufficient to commend to you these lovely
dispositions, let me entreat you to seek " the mind that was
in Christ." As a further inducement to this, consider how
soon you yourselves may need the compassion and the sympathy
of others. There is no man so secure, but he is open to the
assaults of trouble on every side. Would you then in trouble
have any to sympathize with you? Know, that " he who
would have friends must shew himself friendly 1 ;" and that you
must sow the grain which you desire to reap. This is an
argument used by God himself, who bids us to " remember
them that are in bonds, as bound with them ; and them that
suffer adversity, as being ourselves also in the body" 1 ." If any
further motive be wanted, consider, that in the day of judg
ment the exercise of this disposition will be a very principal
subject of inquiry, as evincing the sincerity of our love to
Christ : and every act of love towards the poorest of his people
will be acknowledged by HIM as a favour conferred upon
himself n . Let me then recommend the exercise of love and
sympathy to all who would adorn their holy profession now,
or be approved of their God in that great and awful day.]
2. Suggest some cautions in relation to it
[Let not sympathy be shewn with the rich only, or with
our own particular friends; but let it be extended to all who
1 Prov. xviii. 24. m Heb. xiii. 3. n Matt. xxv. 40.
453.] JOB CURSES THE DAY OF HIS BIRTH. 329
are in trouble, whether rich or poor, whether known or un
known . We deny not but that those who are nearly related
to us have a superior claim ; as they have also who are of the
household of faith? : but still we must, like the good Samari
tan, account every man our neighbour, and gladly avail our
selves of every opportunity of pouring balm into his wounded
spirit.
Again, wait not till you are called and summoned to the
house of mourning; but go thither of your own accord,
esteeming it "far better to go there, than to the house of
feasting q ." Let the principle of love in you be like a spring,
ever ready to act, the moment that a scope for action is afforded
it. " Look not every man on his own things only, but every
man also on the things of others 1 ;" and be ready on all occa
sions to " rejoice with them that rejoice, and to weep with them
that weep 5 ." This readiness to " bear one another s burthens
is a fulfilling of the law of Christ 4 ."
But lastly, be not hasty to offer advice to those who are
bowed down with a weight of trouble. There is a sacredness
in grief which demands our reverence ; and the very habitation
of a mourner must be approached with awe. A hasty effusion
even of consolatory truths is offensive to one who is not pre
pared in a measure for the reception of them. The language
of many is, " Look away from me ; I will weep bitterly ; la
bour not to comfort me u :" and to such, an obtrusive officious-
ness is disgusting. To such, the silent eloquence of sighs and
tears is more consolatory than the most copious harangue.
See that you yourselves feel deeply ; and then you will neither
fall into an officious impertinence, on the one hand, nor deem
even a silent visit unserviceable, on the other: you will pa
tiently wait for the most favourable season, and administer
your instructions as the mourner is able to receive them.]
Job xxx. 25. P Gal. vi. 10. q Eccl. vii. 2, 4.
r Phil. ii. 4. with 2 Cor. xi. 29. s Rom. xii. 15.
* Gal. vi. 2. u Isai. xxii. 4.
CCCCLIII.
JOB CURSES THE DAY OF HIS BIRTH.
Job iii. 1. After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
IT is worthy of observation, that the most eminent
saints mentioned in the sacred records are reported,
not only to have sinned, but to have failed in those
very graces for which they were most distinguished.
330 JOB, III. 1. [453.
Abraham, the father of the faithful, who is set forth
as the great pattern for all future believers, repeatedly
denied his wife through the influence of unbelief:
and Moses, the meekest of all men upon the face
of the earth, spake unadvisedly with his lips, and
thereby provoked God to exclude him from the
earthly Canaan. Of the patience of Job the Scripture
speaks in the highest terms : but, behold, he is here
set forth to our view in a state of grievous impa
tience. Let us consider,
I. The manner in which he expressed his impatience-
It should seem as if Satan had now assaulted, not
his body only, but his soul also, and had succeeded
in wounding him with his fiery darts. It is probable
too, that the continued silence of his friends had pro
duced an unfavourable impression on his mind. But
however these things might be,
He vented his complaints in very unbecoming
terms
[He first cursed the day of his birth, wishing it to be
marked, both by God in his providence, and by men in their
feelings, as a day of darkness and gloominess, even to the latest
generations 3 . He next expressed his regret, that lie had not
been left to perish as soon as he came out of the womb, seeing
that he should then have escaped all his calamities, and been
quiet in the tomb, where all of every class, whatever their situ
ations and circumstances were whilst they were living upon
earth, are enjoying equal repose 1 . And, lastly, he complained
that whilst his grievous sufferings tormented him beyond measure,
they did not prevail to take away his life c .
We have a similar instance of impatience in another eminent
saint, the Prophet Jeremiah, who seems almost to have adopted
the very expressions in the chapter before us d .
Alas! how weak a creature is man when left in any mea
sure to himself!]
But is this an uncommon line of conduct ?
[No, truly: there is the same spirit in every man, ready to
break forth whenever occasion offers : and in too many of us it
breaks forth almost without any occasion at all. How little a
thing will discompose the minds of the generality!
ver. 310. b ver. 1119.
c ver. 2026. d Jer. xx. 1418.
453.] JOB CURSES THE DAY OF HIS BIRTH. 331
How small a provocation will cause them to vent their displea
sure in angry and opprobrious language ! If trials be
at all heavy and of long continuance, how will they disquiet
our minds, and destroy all the comfort of our lives! Is it an
uncommon thing for men under some calamity to feel weary
of their existence, and even to entertain thoughts of termi
nating their sorrows by suicide ? Yea, do not multitudes, who
have not one half of Job s trials, actually destroy their own
lives, and rush headlong into hell itself, in order to get rid of
their present troubles?
Whilst then we lament the imperfections of this holy man,
let us turn our eyes inwards, and contemplate the prevalence
of our own corruptions, which a single loss, or disappointment,
or injury, is sufficient to call fortli in their utmost extent.]
Having viewed the impatience of Job, let us
notice,
II. Some observations arising from it
We may justly notice,
1. The folly of arraigning the providence of God
[Had Job been able to see the design of God in that
dispensation towards him, (as sent in the purest love;) and
the end in which it was soon to issue, (his greatly augmented
happiness and prosperity;) had he contemplated the benefit
that was to arise from it to his own soul (both in present
sanctification and in eternal glory,) and to the Church of God
in all ages, (in having such an example of sufferings and
patience set before them,) he would never have uttered such
complaints as these : he would have acknowledged then, what
he afterwards so clearly saw, that " the Judge of all the earth
did right." Thus if we also in our trials would look to the final
issue of them, we should bear them all, whether little or great,
with resignation and composure. We see Jacob complaining,
" All these things are against me," and yet at last find, that
the loss he so deplored was the salvation of him and all his
family: it was a link in the chain of providence to accomplish
God s gracious purposes in the preservation of the chosen
seed, and ultimately in the redemption of the world, by Him
who was to spring from the loins of Judah. And if we saw
every thing as God does, we should see that the very trials of
which we complain are sent by God as the best means of
effecting the everlasting salvation of our souls; and we should
unite in the testimony of David, that " God in very faithful
ness has caused us to be afflicted." Let us be contented then
to leave every thing to the disposal of an all- wise God : let us
in the darkest seasons " possess our souls in patience ; " assured,
332 JOB, III. I. [45e3.
that "he doeth all things well;" and let us say with Job
when in his better mind, " Though he slay me, yet will I
trust in him."]
2. The inability of Satan to prevail against the
Lord s people
[Satan had hoped that he should instigate Job to " curse
God to his face : " but in this he was disappointed. Job did
indeed " curse his day /" but never for a moment thought of
cursing his God. On the contrary, he often spake of God in
the most honourable and reverential terms. But Satan is a
chained adversary : he can prevail no further than God sees
fit to permit him. He could not have done any thing against
Job, if he had not first obtained leave of God. Neither can he
do any thing against the least of God s people, any further
than God is pleased to suffer him with a view to their eternal
good. He "desired to sift Peter as wheat:" but the inter
cession of Christ preserved his servant from being finally over
come. " He is a roaring lion, going about seeking whom he
may devour:" but he cannot seize on one of the lambs of
Christ s flock. They are kept in safety by the Good Shepherd ;
and " none can pluck them out of his hand." God has pro
vided for his people, " armour, by means of which they shall
be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to
stand 6 ." Nor do the more aged and experienced alone defeat
him; " the young men also overcome him f , yea, all that are
begotten of God are enabled so to " resist him, that he flees
from theme," and " toucheth them not h ." He may be per
mitted to tempt and try us 1 ; but he is a vanquished enemy k ,
and " shall be bruised under our feet shortly 1 ."]
3. The necessity of fleeing from the wrath to
come
[There is a period fast approaching, when all the ungodly
will be reduced to a state infinitely more calamitous than that
of Job. They will indeed then, and with justice too, " curse
the day of their birth;" for it would, as our Lord himself tes
tifies, be " better for them that they had never been born." O
what a day of darkness awaits them ; a day wherein there will
not be one ray of light to cheer their souls! Then will they
curse and " blaspheme their God, because of the plagues that
he inflicts upon them" 1 ." They will wish for death also, and
" call upon the rocks to fall upon them, and the hills to cover
them";" but all in vain. Now if we were informed that only
e Eph. vi. 1018. f 1 John ii. 13, 14. s Jam. iv. 7.
h 1 John v. 18. i Rev. ii. 10. k John xii. 31.
1 Rom. xvi. 20. m Rev. xvi. 9, 11. n Rev. vi. 15 17.
454.] ELIPHAZ REPROVES JOB. 333
such troubles as Job s were coming upon us, what diligence
should we use to avert them ! how careful should we be to
preserve our property, and to guard against the disorders with
which we were threatened ! Not a moment would be lost by
us, nor should we decline the use of any means, to ward off such
awful calamities. How earnest then should we be in fleeing
from the wrath to come ! Think, Brethren, what a fearful
thing it will be to " fall into the hands of the living God,"
and to " be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone," " where
the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched ." O delay
not one moment to flee for refuge to the hope set before us in
the Gospel : flee to Christ, as the city of refuge, where, not
withstanding all your past iniquities, you may find perfect rest
and security. Do not put off the great work of your souls to
a time of sickness and trouble : such a season is but ill calcu
lated for so great a work. Look at Job : if he had neglected
his soul hitherto, how incapable would he have then been of
performing those offices of repentance and faith, which require
all the energies of the mind ! He could not even compose his
mind to bear his affliction aright ; much less could he have
employed that season in calling his past ways to remembrance,
and in turning unto God with all his heart. So we also shall
find it quite enough to bear up under the pains or weakness of
a dying hour. Let us then improve the time of health and
prosperity, in preparing for a better world, where neither sin
nor sorrow shall molest us more, but we shall be for ever happy
in the bosom of our God.]
Mark ix. 4348. with Rev. xiv. 10, 11.
CCCCLIV.
ELIPHAZ REPROVES JOB.
Job iv. 12 19. Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and
mine ear received a little thereof. In thoughts from the
visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, fear
came upon me, and trembling, ivhich made all my bones to
shake. Then a spirit passed before my face: the hair of my
flesh stood up : it stood still, but I could not discern the form-
thereof: an image ivas before mine eyes, there was silence,
and I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more just
than God? shall a man be more pure than his Maker? Behold,
he put no trust in his servants ; and his angels he charged
with folly : how much less in them that dwell in houses of
clay, whose foundation is in the dust, ivhich are crushed before
the moth ?
334 JOB, IV. 1219. [454.
THE controversy on the part of Job s friends is
here begun : and Eliphaz leads the way. He begins
with acknowledging Job s former usefulness in alle
viating the sorrows of others, but turns it into a
ground of accusation against him for not bearing
with more fortitude his own sorrows. The testi
mony however was most honourable to Job : for we
can scarcely conceive a more honourable character,
than that of one who, possessing all the influence of
wealth, and power, and wisdom, employs it all in
instructing and comforting the sons and daughters
of affliction : and we cannot be surprised, that, when
Eliphaz was so well acquainted with the benevolent
exertions of Job, he did not in his own conduct pay
greater attention to his example. It is evident, that
he did not duly estimate the calamities of Job : not
feeling them in his own person, he was not aware
of their weight and pressure ; else he never could
have spoken so lightly of his affliction, as to say,
" It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled ;" and then
to make his confidence a subject of derision. But let
us come to the argument with which Eliphaz thought
to confound Job ; " Who ever perished, being inno
cent ?" This was the ground on which all Job s
friends proceeded : they maintained, that his suf
ferings were a certain proof of his having committed
some enormous wickedness, which God was now
punishing. From appealing thus to observation and
experience, Eliphaz proceeds to mention a revelation
which he had received from heaven, and which, in
his opinion, strongly confirmed the sentiments he
had delivered. This revelation we shall now con
sider ;
I. Abstractedly
The circumstance of so remarkable a vision having
been given to Eliphaz, in order to fix his attention the
more deeply on the instruction conveyed with it,
clearly shews, that the revelation delivered to him
was of great importance. The very terror also which
the vision inspired, led him, and should lead us also,
454.] ELIPHAZ REPROVES JOB. 335
to regard every word that was spoken with reve
rence and godly fear. As he trembled at the sight,
so should we " tremble at the word."
But we must not so understand the word as if it
imported only that man is not more just or more pure
than God ; for such a truth as that needed no reve
lation to make it known : it was obvious to all, and
acknowledged by all, without any such confirmation
as this. The truths intended to be made known,
were these ;
1. That no man is pure before God
[Man is a weak and sinful creature : his very nature is
corrupt : and therefore, whatever superiority to others he may
possess in point of dispositions or conduct, he must shut his
mouth, and acknowledge himself guilty before God a . Having
once violated the law in any one particular, (and it is as much
violated by defect as by actual transgression,) he is condemned
by it, and must to all eternity confess himself a just object of
God s displeasure. Job himself, notwithstanding some ap
parent inconsistency in his assertions, was convinced of this,
and expressed it too in very strong terms b ; just as it is else
where declared in Holy Scripture c . Even the angels themselves
are not so perfect, but that they are capable of committing sin,
precisely as the fallen angels did : nor are they so intelligent,
but that they would be guilty of the most egregious folly, if a
work like that of governing the world were intrusted to them
for one single hour. God therefore " can put no trust in
them :" and if " he charges even them with folly," in what
light must he view the children of fallen man ? Verily no
descendant of Adam can have any pretensions to wisdom or to
purity in his sight.]
2. That no man can claim any thing at the hands
of God-
[If we had done all that is commanded us, we must
acknowledge ourselves to be only " unprofitable servants :"
" we must have done no more than was our duty to do." The
same must be said of the holy angels, no one of whom ever ren
dered unto God either more or better sendee than was his
duty to perform. All idea of merit must be excluded as well
from them as from us : and it is beyond measure surprising
that any one should be found amongst the children of men so
ignorant, so conceited, so presumptuous, as to conceive that
a Rom. iii. 19. b Job ix. 2, 3, 20, 21, 30, 31. < Ps. cxliii. 2.
336 JOB, IV. 1219. [454.
God can by any means be made his debtor. Instead of
laying God under an obligation by any thing that we can do,
we ourselves are indebted to him for that grace whereby we
are enabled to do any good thing, and are more abundantly
indebted to him in proportion to the good which he has enabled
us to perform.]
3. That no man under any circumstances can have
reason to complain of God
[We will suppose a man to be as " perfect and upright"
as Job himself: we will suppose him too to suffer as severely
as ever Job suffered ; and that too without any previous warn
ing, or any assignable cause : would he have any right to com
plain? We answer, No: if his sufferings were a thousand
times heavier, even a perfect hell itself, he would have no right
to complain ; because, as a sinner, he is justly obnoxious to the
everlasting wrath of God. "Shall a living man complain?"
says Solomon. No surely : if he were dead and in hell itself,
he would have no other than his just portion ; and conse
quently, any thing short of that is a ground rather for thank
fulness than complaint.]
This we apprehend to be the import of our text,
abstractedly considered : but it will be proper to
notice our text,
II. As tending to decide the controversy between
Job and his friends
Eliphaz thought it admirably calculated to decide
the point : and so it really was, if only it had been
viewed in its proper light. Let us consider it,
1. As it was applied by Eliphaz
[Eliphaz, as we have already observed, thought that Job
was suffering on account of some great and hidden abomi
nations : and that, if he had not committed some enormous
wickedness, God was too just to punish him in so signal away.
Hence he argued thus : If a just man would not deal thus with
an innocent person, how much less will God ? " Shall mortal
man be more just than God, and more pure than his Maker?"
this is impossible : and therefore Job must be a hypocrite ;
and God has given me this vision on purpose that I may con
vince him of his hypocrisy. But all this was erroneous : the
principle itself was false ; and the application of it altogether
unwarranted. It was not true that God always punishes great
wickedness in this life ; for " all things come alike to all ;" and
the wicked are often the most prosperous : nor was it true that
Job, previous to these calamities, had committed any such
454.1 ELIPIIAZ REPROVES JOB. 337
evils as they apprehended ; for God himself had testified that
he was perfect. Therefore, notwithstanding all his confi
dence, Eliphaz erred exceedingly in his interpretation of this
vision.]
2. As it ought to have been applied
[The vision had respect to the controversy : and so far
Eliphaz was right : but it had not a partial reference to Job :
ajid there Eliphaz was mistaken. It referred to all the parties,
to the friends of Job as well as to Job himself. To Job it
spoke powerfully, reproving him for complaining of his suffer
ings ; because all discontent with the dispensations of God
does, in fact, impeach his wisdom, and his justice in the go
vernment of the world. But " shall man be more just than
God, or wiser than he who charges even the angels with
folly ? " This cannot be ; and therefore Job was to be blamed
for murmuring against God. But to his friends it spoke also.
They took for granted, that, if Job was not a hypocrite, God
must have been unjust in so afflicting him. But were they
able to fathom all the counsels of the Almighty, and to sit in
judgment upon God? Were they wiser, and more just, than
HE? or was HE bound to conform his proceedings to their
opinion of what was wise and just? No: they should learn
therefore not to pronounce so positively upon things which
were so far beyond their comprehension : they must not pre
sume to set up their own justice as a standard, whereby to try
the justice of their God ; and their own wisdom, whereby to
estimate the wisdom of their God. To act as they were acting,
was uncharitable to their friend, and insulting to their God :
and they, no less than Job, should wait for the issue of these
calamities ; assured, that the wisdom, the justice, and the
goodness of God would at last be fully manifested in the
whole of this most mysterious dispensation.
Eliphaz was partial in his interpretation of the vision : he
saw its bearing upon Job ; but overlooked its application to
himself. And this is indeed a too common fault in hearing
the word of God. We are struck with it as applicable to our
neighbour ; but we do not hold it up as a glass wherein to be
hold ourselves : we hear for others, and not for ourselves ; and
thus make it an occasion rather for uncharitable censures than
for personal humiliation. Let us mark this evil in Eliphaz,
and watch against it in ourselves.]
IMPROVEMENT
1. Be thankful to God for the written word
[Formerly God made known himself to men in dreams
and visions, and by voices and ministering spirits ; but these
communications were accompanied with terror, and, as in the
VOL. iv. z
338 JOB, IV. 1219. [454.
instance before us, not easy to be seen in all their bearings.
But in the written word we have a full revelation of God s
mind and will, that we may consult at all times ; that we may
have recourse to without any fear or terror ; and that we may
both clearly and fully understand : because if one part be dark
and intricate, we may compare it with another that is more
simple ; and so, by comparing spiritual things with spiritual,
may learn more certainly the mind of God. Besides, in the
written word there are great leading principles, which will serve
to throw light upon any point that is more obscure. If any
thing appear contrary to the analogy of faith, we have a stand
ard both of faith and practice whereby to try it ; and may
thus, for the most part, have our doubts respecting it removed.
Let us be thankful then for such an inestimable treasure: and
let us study the word, not as critics merely, or as controver
sialists to condemn others, but as persons desirous of discover
ing their own faults, and of conforming themselves in every
thing to the mind and will of God.]
2. Bear in mind the infinite distance between you
and your Maker
[He is the great, the incomprehensible God; you are
poor sinful worms crushed before the moth: He is the eternal
and infinitely wise God ; " you are of yesterday, and know
nothing." Get but a just apprehension of the infinite distance
between you and him, and all will go right with you : you will
take your proper place, at the footstool of your God. You will
receive with humility and confidence whatsoever he shall speak
in his blessed word : you will, if we may so speak, give him
credit for acting with unerring wisdom and goodness, even when
his dispensations are most dark and mysterious : you will be
submissive to his chastisements, and obedient to his will. Your
insignificance as creatures will constrain you to bow before him,
and to say, " Let him do as seemeth him good:" but your
vileness as sinners will make you to regard with unbounded
gratitude every mercy you enjoy, and especially that greatest
of all mercies, the gift of his only dear Son to die for you.
With what wonder and admiration will you embrace the salva
tion offered you in the Gospel ! with what simplicity of mind
will you live by faith on the Lord Jesus Christ! and with what
zeal and diligence will you devote yourselves to his sendee !
We say again, if only God be exalted in your eyes, and you
be abased in the dust, all will be well: God will be glorified,
and your souls be happy, both in time and eternity.]
455.] THE SECURITY OF GOD s PEOPLE. 339
CCCCLV.
THE SECURITY OF GOD s PEOPLE.
Job v. 19 27. He shall deliver thee in six troubles : yea, in
seven there shall no evil touch thee. In famine he shall
redeem thee from death : and in war from the power of the
sword. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue :
neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh : neither shalt
thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. For thou shall
be in league with the stones of the field : and the beasts
of the field shall be at peace with thee. And thou shalt
know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace : and thou shalt
visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. Thou shalt know
also that thy seed shall be great t and thine offspring as the
grass of the earth. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full
age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season. Lo this,
we have searched it, so it is ; hear it, and know thou it for
thy good.
THE friends of Job were men of undoubted
piety, and of very deep and extensive knowledge in
the things of God. Unhappily they had taken up
an erroneous principle in relation to the dealings of
God with men in this world ; and from that error
proceeded all their criminations of Job, together with
a continual misapplication of the sublimest truths.
This distinction we must ever bear in mind : their
general views of divine truth were most sublime and
glorious : it was only the particular point of doctrine
respecting divine providence in which they were
mistaken, and in which their sentiments are not to
be depended on. This very speech of Eliphaz is
repeatedly quoted in other parts of Scripture as of
divine authority. Solomon adopts one part of it a ;
St. Paul quotes different parts b ; St. James also refers
to it c : we may therefore safely regard the promises
recorded in our text as the declarations of God him
self; more especially as there is not one expression
in them which is not confirmed by a variety of other
passages of Holy Writ. Indeed Eliphaz himself
a Prov. iii. 11. 1 Cor. iii. 19. Heb. xii. 5.
c Jam. i. 12. and v. 11.
7. 2
340 JOB, V. 1927. [455.
lays singular stress upon them,, declaring, from the
deepest " search" his full conviction of their truth ;
and urging a reliance on them as a most infallible
source of " good" Regarding them therefore in this
light, we shall endeavour to explain, confirm, and
Improve them.
I. To explain them
They are very great and comprehensive
[They ensure to every believing soul a full deliverance
from all evil. Evils may arise in quick succession, not only
" six or seven," but to an indefinite extent : the pressure of
famine and the calamities of war may be felt by him as well as
others ; and the scourge of calumny may be directed against
him in a more peculiar and exclusive manner: but he shall find
such interpositions of God in his favour, either for his exemp
tion from the trial, or for his support under it, as shall suiii-
ciently distinguish him from all others. In the very midst of
the trials he shall feel himself like a man in an impregnable
fortress, that " laughs at" the efforts of his bitterest foes. So
chained shall all his enemies appear, that he shall feel as if the
very " stones of the field were in league with him" not to wound
his foot, and " the beasts of the field" not to open their mouths
against him.
The same sweet assurance also is given him as to an enjoyment
of all comfort. Not only is his mind at peace in relation to his
own personal concerns ; he has equal composure in reference
to those of a domestic nature. Whilst he sees his family
growing up around him, he knows that they also are under the
protection of an all-wise Providence; and that no evil shall
befall them. If he " visit his habitation," he has no fear that
he shall find his family overwhelmed with troubles, or that he
shall be disappointed^ in his hopes of seeing them in " peace"
and safety. Nor is it in life only that he is thus blessed, but
in death also; to which he shall be brought, when ripe for glory,
as a shock of corn, fully meet for the granary of heaven.]
They must however be understood with limitations
and restrictions
[Though " godliness hath the promise of the life that now
is, as well as of that which is to come 6 ," we are not to ima
gine, that the temporal promises are on the same precise
footing with those which relate to things spiritual and eternal.
d The word translated " sin" is in the margin translated " err : "
and the true sense of the passage is that given above.
c \ Tim. iv. 8.
455.] T11E SECURITY OF GOD s PEOPLE. 34-1
Grace and glory are secured to the believer at all events; whilst
temporal prosperity is secured only so far as shall ultimately
conduce to his eternal welfare. To this extent the promises
are equally sure: but where the benefit of the soul will be
most promoted by circumstances that are painful to flesh and
blood, the lesser good gives way to the greater ; and God, as
a wise Parent, sends us that which he knows to be most for
our eternal good. If we do not thus restrict the promises of
temporal happiness, we shall be at a loss to account for all the
trials that have befallen the saints from the time of Abel until
this present hour : but, with that solution, there is not, nor
ever has been, the smallest difference between the promises of
God s word, and the dispensations of his providence.]
The promises in our text being thus explained, we
proceed,
II. To confirm them
The whole Scripture bears testimony to the truth
of them. " Search,"
1. The Law-
[Precisely the same promises were made to the Jewish
people, if only they would serve their God in sincerity and
truth f - ]
2. The Prophets-
[Not to dwell on each individual promise, we may find
the whole collected together in one psalm by the sweet singer
of Israel 8 ]
3. The New Testament-
[Not only are we told in general that " God is faithful,
and will not suffer his people to be tempted above that they
are able 11 ," but we find the Apostle actually applying to him
self the promises of God to the full extent that they arc-
specified in the text 1 , and actually glorying over all the
enemies that might be supposed capable of interfering with
their accomplishment k
In a word, the promises which we have been considering
are confirmed by the uniform tenor of the Holy Scriptures ;
and " they are sure to all" who truly rely upon them 1 .]
Convinced of the truth of these promises, we are
now only concerned,
III. To improve them
f Lev. xxvi. 312. K Ps. xci. 1 10. h 1 Cor. x. 13.
[ 2 Tim. iv. 18. k Rom. viii. 35 39. > Rom. iv. 10.
312 JOB, V. 1927. [455.
Nothing can exceed the importance of them ; since
they most forcibly teach us,
1. Submission in trials
[Be it so, that our afflictions are great and manifold; can
we have any reason for complaint, when we know that they
are all ordered in number, measure, and duration, for our best
and greatest good, according to the counsels of infinite wisdom
and love? Can we have reason for complaint when we are
assured, that they are the very dispensations which we should
choose for ourselves, if we saw the issue of them as clearly as
God sees it? It is in this very view that the promises are
introduced, namely, to pacify the mind of Job, and to recon
cile him to the afflictions which he was called to sustain" 1 :
and, if once we are convinced that God is fulfilling to us the
promises of his word, we shall receive even the most painful
dispensations as blessings in disguise".]
2. Confidence in supplications
[What will he who unsolicited " has given us such ex
ceeding great and precious promises," refuse to our earnest
petitions ? The very end for which he gave them was, " that
by them we might be partakers of the divine nature ," and be
enabled " to perfect holiness in the fear of God p ." Can we ask
for any thing more than this? If we can conceive of any thing
beyond, he says, "Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be
done unto you : " yea, he teaches us to expect that he will do
for us exceeding abundantly " above all that we can ask or
think." Let us then " draw nigh to him in full assurance
of faith:" let us " open our mouths wide, that he may fill
them ; " and let us say to him in the confidence of a successful
issue, " I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."]
3. Activity in obedience
[Who can hear such promises as God has made to us in
our text, and not say, " W r hat shall I render unto the Lord?"
Can any "commandment be grievous," that proceeds from him?
If dissuaded from any exertion or any sufferings for his sake,
should we not instantly reply, " What mean ye to weep and to
break my heart?" for " I am ready not only to be bound, but
also to die" the most cruel death for so unspeakably gracious
and good a God q . My Brethren, let this unbounded "love
of His constrain you to live no more unto yourselves, but
wholly and unreservedly to him"- -Then indeed will
this grace of God have produced its due effect, and, as Eliphaz
intimates in our text, we shall have " heard and known it
for our good."]
m ver. 17, 18. See Rom. viii. 28. 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. 1 Pet. i. 7.
2 Pet. i. 4. P 2 Cor. vii. 1. n Acts xxi. 13.
456.] MAN S TIME ON EARTH FIXED. 343
CCCCLVI.
MAN S TIME ON EARTH FIXED.
Job vii. 1. Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?
are not his days also like the days of an hireling ?
THE precise connexion of these words is not very
clear : nor, as far as the sense of them is concerned,
is it of any great importance to inquire respecting it.
It should seem that Job, having been reproved by
his friend Eliphaz for expressing too strongly and
too impatiently his wish for death to terminate his
troubles, here vindicates himself by an appeal to him,
that, if an hireling looks forward with comfort to the
rest that awaits him after his labours, much more
may he desire rest under his great and accumulated
afflictions.
But, waving any further consideration of this, 1
will endeavour to shew,
I. What these interrogations import-
Wherever appeals are made to man in the inspired
volume, we may be sure that the things asserted are
true, and that they are deserving of particular atten
tion. Those which present themselves to our notice
in the text plainly imply,
1. That man s time on earth is fixed by God him
self-
[The time of our birth is fixed by Him who formed us in
the womb, and breathed into our nostrils the breath of life.
Our continuance, also, in life is fixed. No man can deprive
us of life till our time is come ; nor can any man protract his
existence upon earth one moment, when the appointed period
of his dissolution has arrived. " No man," says Solomon,
" hath power over the spirit, to retain the spirit ; neither hath
he pow r er in the day of death : and there is no discharge in
that war a ." No: " his days are determined, the number of
his months are with God, who hath appointed his bounds,
which he cannot passV " Our times are altogether in God s
hands ;" and "all the days of our appointed time must we.
wait, until our change come 1 ."]
a Eccl. viii. 8. h Job xiv. 5.
c Ps: xxxi. 15. (l Job xiv. 1-1.
344 JOB, VII. 1. [456.
2. That during that time we have a work to do,
and a warfare to maintain
[The word, " our appointed time," is, in the margin,
translated " our warfare." The same word occurs in the
fortieth chapter of Isaiah, and is there translated, " warfare:"
" Her warfare is accomplished:" and there the marginal read
ing is, " appointed time 6 ." Without determining which is
preferable here, we will include both. We have a work to do,
even " as an hireling," who labours in the field. To serve our
God, and to seek the salvation of our souls, are the great ends
of life. In this work we must engage, not as labourers only,
but as soldiers also : for we have corrupt propensities, which
must be mortified, and powerful adversaries that must be with
stood. Our conflicts with these may well be called a " war
fare;" for, indeed, we can never hope to overcome them, if we
go not forth to the combat " in the strength of Christ, and put
not on the whole armour of God f ." The world with its temp
tations, the flesh with all its lusts, and the devil with all his
w r iles, are ever seeking to destroy us : and, unless we " fight
manfully the good fight of faith g ," it cannot fail but that we
must perish. During the whole period of our abode on earth
this warfare must be maintained; nor must we ever put off our
armour till our victory be complete. It cannot be supposed
that God has sent us into the world merely to please and
gratify ourselves, like the rich fool, who said, " Let us eat,
drink, and be merry." There is not an hireling who feels not
that he has some work assigned him, nor a soldier who does
not expect that he will have some conflicts to sustain: and
every Christian must regard himself as invested with these
characters, and, as of necessity, called to the performance of
these duties.]
3. That, at the expiration of that time, God will
give us a recompence according to our works
[The hireling expects his pay, and the soldier his dis
charge, when they have completed the term for which they
were engaged, and fulfilled the offices to which they were ap
pointed. And we, also, may look forward, even as Moses did,
to " a recompence of reward 11 ," which our Divine Master will
surely give to all his faithful servants. Doubtless, whatever
be our labours or our conflicts, it is " not a reward of debt,
but a reward of grace 1 ," that we are to hope for: but still God
has graciously pledged himself that " our labour shall not be
in vain k ;" and he would even esteem himself " unrighteous, if
e Isai. xl. 2. f Eph. vi. 1018.
R 1 Cor. xvi. 13. 1 Tim. vi. 12. h Heb. xi. 26.
1 Rom. iv. 4. k 1 Cor. xv. 58.
456.] MAN S TIME ON EARTH FIXED. 345
he were to forget the works and labours of love which we have
performed for his name s sake 1 ."]
The import of the interrogations being sufficiently
clear, let me point out,
II. What they suggest to every reflecting mind
Wtiole volumes would not suffice for a full state
ment of this part of our subject. To mention only
what is most obvious, they suggest,
1. That we should perform with diligence our ap
pointed work
[We expect a hireling or a soldier to do this. If they
were unmindful of their calling, or loitered in it, we should
account them worthy of reproof. But their offices, however
important, are not to be compared with those which we have
to discharge: theirs relate to time and to mortals like our
selves ; but ours relate to God and to eternity. Let us, then,
at the commencement of every day, ask ourselves, " What have
I to do for God and for my own soul this day?" And " what
soever our hand fiiidcth to do, let us do it with all our
might" 1 ."]
2. That we should sustain with patience the trials
that are allotted us
[Trials there are in every situation of life, and especially
in those which expose us to great fatigue and danger. No
hireling or soldier expects to escape them. They are regarded
as necessarily attached to the offices which such persons have
to perform. And can ice hope to escape them ; ice, whose
work is so arduous, and whose warfare is so continued? We
should be prepared for them, and have our minds fore-armed
against them : and, bearing in mind who it is that has ap
pointed them, and what he deserves at our hands, we should
welcome every trial as a means of displaying our attachment to
him, and of honouring that God whose servants we are.]
3. That we may look forward to our dismission
from the body as a season much to be desired
[This, perhaps, is the primary idea intended in the text.
At all events, the hireling welcomes the rest and recompence
which await him after the labours of the day, as the soldier
does his discharge after a long and dangerous campaign. What
then should we do, whose rest will be so glorious, and whose
recompence so great ? Can we think of the approbation of our
1 Heb. vi. 10. m Eccl. ix. 10.
346 JOB, VII. 1. [450.
God, and not pant for the time when we shall hear him say,
" Well done, good and faithful servant ; enter thou into the
joy of thy Lord ? " Can we survey all the glory and felicity of
heaven, and the crowns and kingdoms that await us there, and
not long for the period when we shall be invested with them ?
St. Paul " desired to depart, and to be with Christ"," yea, and
" groaned in spirit" for the time, "when, the earthly house of
this tabernacle being dissolved, he should possess a house not
made with hands, eternal in the heavens ." We, then, may
exercise the same holy disposition ; not, indeed, through
weariness of life, but through desire of beholding our God
face to face: our wish must be, " not merely to be unclothed
(and freed from the storms and tempests of this present
world), but clothed upon, that mortality may be swallowed
up of life i ."]
In a REVIEW of this subject, what matter do we
find,
1 . For humiliation !
[What if a hireling employed by us had performed his
work, from day to day, as we have ours ; of what reward
should we account Mm worthy ? Or, if a soldier in our army
had discharged his duties as we have ours ; what recompence
\vould he receive at the hands of his commander ? Yet, our
zeal and diligence ought to have far exceeded those of the
most industrious labourer and the most devoted soldier upon
earth. Ah, Brethren, the very best amongst us has need to
weep in the review of all his past life, and even of the very
best day that he ever spent, and the best services that he ever
rendered. But rise, I pray you, to your duty; and redeem,
as much as possible, the time you have lost. What advice
would you give to a man that was under sentence of con
demnation, even though two or three months were yet to
intervene before the execution of his sentence? Take that
advice to yourselves, and follow it : and pray mightily to God,
that your appointed time, whether it be short or long, may be
so improved, as you will wish you had improved it, when you
shall come to die.]
2. For encouragement !
[Had we to perform our work in our own strength, or to
" carry on our warfare at our own cost," we might well despair.
But it is not so. The Spirit of the living God is promised to
us, to " help our infirmities ;" and " he who has begun the good
work in us has engaged to perfect it until the day of Christ q ."
11 Phil. i. 23. " 2 Cor. v. 1 3.
P 2 Cor. v. 4. i Phil. i. 6.
457.] BILDAD WARNS JOB OF HYPOCRISY. 347
Count not, then, your difficulties or your dangers, as though
they were too great for you to encounter. Only go forth in
the strength of Christ, and you may say to all of them, " Who
art thou, O great mountain ? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt
become a plain 1 ." Your weakness, if only you feel it as you
ought, should rather be an occasion of satisfaction than of
despondency; since, " when you are weak, then shall you be
strong; and Christ s strength shall be perfected in your weak
ness 8 ." After all, who can tell how few your conflicts may be?
Perhaps your appointed time is already so near a close, that
you have but a few days or hours to live. Be this as it may,
" let your loins be girt, and your lamps trimmed, as those that
wait for the coming of their Lord ; that, at whatever hour he
shall come, he may find you watching." " What I say unto
you I say unto all, Watch."]
r Zech. iv. 7. 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10.
CCCCLVII.
BILDAD WARNS JOB OF THE DANGER OF HYPOCRISY.
Job viii. 8 14. Inquire, I pray thee, of the former aye, and
prepare thyself to the search of their fathers : (for we are
but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon
earth are a shadow :) shall not they teach thee, and tell
thee, and utter ivords out of their heart ? Can the rush
yrow up without mire ? can the Jlag grow without- water ?
Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it
tcithereth before any other herb. So are the paths of all
that forget God; and the hypocrites hope shall perish:
whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a
spiders iceb.
RELIGIOUS controversy is rarely carried on
with that meekness and candour, which are neces
sary to render it profitable to the soul. Even in
such a sacred subject as religion, the generality seek
for victory rather than for truth, and put such a con
struction on the expressions of their adversary as to
distort his sentiments and to calumniate his views.
The friends of Job, though good men, were guilty
of this to a very great extent. In the chapter before
us, Bildad begins his reply with a most unjustifiable
misconstruction of all that Job had spoken; and
318 JOB, VIII. 814, [457.
accuses him of having represented God as " per
verting justice ;" when Job certainly never intended
to make so impious an assertion. But still we must
remember, that the general sentiments of Bildad
were just ; and that, if Job had really been sucli a
character as his friends imagined, the warnings which
they suggested, and the advice which they gave him,
were on the whole both salutary and good.
In order to enter fully into the meaning of the
words before us, we must particularly bear in mind,
that Bildad regarded the sons of Job as ungodly,
and Job himself as hypocritical a . In this view, he
designates the former as " forgetting God," and the
latter as having acted " the hypocrite* before him :
and both the one and the other he compares to "a
rush," which, when deprived of water, withers in a
very short space of time.
We shall consider this comparison,
I. In reference to those who manifestly " forget
God"-
Here, as we have observed, we must keep in view
the precise character which Bildad considered as be
longing to the sons of Job
[They were living in ease and affluence, happy in their
family connexions, and blessed with an abundant measure of
harmony in their domestic circle. The apprehension which
their father had, lest his sons should by any means have been
led to dishonour God in their mirth b , shews, that they were
not, in his opinion at least, possessed of solid piety; whilst,
on the other hand, it shewed, that they were not addicted to
impiety. Now persons of this description are very numerous :
" There is a generation," says Solomon, " that are pure in
their own eyes, but are not washed from their filthiness c :"
they fill up their stations in life with credit to themselves,
and with benefit to all around them : they are irreproachable
in their character, as men of honour and integrity, of kind
ness and benevolence, of decency and decorum : and in all
these respects they are, " like the rush in the mire, green and
flourishing."
In their prospects also and their expectations, they are
a Compare Job iv. 7 11. and v. 3 5. with viii. 4, 6.
b Job i. 5. c Prov. xxx. 12.
457.] BILDAD WARNS JOB OF HYPOCRISY. 349
happy. Not anticipating evil, they look forward to fresh
gratifications, like travellers in a rich and fertile country. In
early youth they form sanguine hopes of settling in the world;
and then of advancing their rising families : and thus, having
always some fresh object in view, they run their career of
pleasure or ambition, and conclude that, at the termination
of it, they shall stand as high in the approbation of their
God, as they do in the estimation of their ignorant fellow-
creatures.]
In their end also an especial reference is made to
them
[Those of the foregoing character, whilst living in their
proper element, the world, flourish ; but when, through illness
or misfortunes, they can no longer enjoy the world, like the
rush or flag in a season of drought, they wither : they need
" not be cut down" by great calamities; small trials suffice to
rob them of all their verdure, and to reduce them to a very
pitiful and drooping state. " In the fulness of their sufficiency
they are in straits 11 :" and they are compelled, however re
luctantly, to inscribe on every created enjoyment, " Vanity of
vanities, all is vanity and vexation of spirit."
But, if we look to the period of their departure hence, we
shall find the text yet more awfully verified in them : then in
deed " all their hopes perish, even as a spider s web." We
have a most remarkable illustration of their state in the parable
of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man seems to have
been much such a character as we suppose these to be : he
" lived to the flesh rather than to the Spirit," and " to himself
rather than unto God." This was the rich man s sin ; (we
charge him wrongfully, if we accuse him of avarice or oppres
sion ;) and it is the sin of those we are now speaking of e : they
" forget God :" they forget, that God is entitled to all their
love, and to all the service which they can possibly render to
him : they forget, that, as he is the Author, so he should be
also the End, of their being ; and that, " whether they eat or
drink, or whatever they do, they should have a single eye to
his glory." The end of such a course is seen in the rich man ;
who was no sooner taken from his present enjoyments, than he
was cast into hell, where he " lift up his eyes in torments, and
entreated in vain for a drop of water to cool his tongue." We
find him too requesting that a messenger might be " sent to
his five surviving brethren, to warn them, lest they also should
come into the same place of torment :" for then he found, what
during his life he would not believe, what must of necessity
d Job xx. 22.
c Rom. viii. 5. and xiv. 7 0. and 2 Cor. v. 15.
350 JOB, VIII. 811. [457.
be the issue of such a life ; he found, what all must find,
(either now by faith, or hereafter by their own actual expe
rience,) that " the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the
people \\\a.t forget God f ."~\
The comparison in our text will be found no less
just, if we consider it,
II. In reference to those who make a hypocritical
profession of serving God
As under the former head we have kept Job s
sons in view, so here we must keep Job himself in
view.
In Bildad s opinion of him we find the true notion
of a hypocrite
[Job had maintained a high reputation for sanctity, and
had shewn a great zeal for God s honour in relation to others ;
but, as Bildad erroneously thought, had neglected to consult it
himself, or to live agreeably to his avowed principles. This,
though not the true character of Job, is a just description of
many amongst ourselves : they profess to venerate religion,
and shew much zeal in the propagation of it : they pretend also
to feel deeply, when any depart from the good way, and bring
a disgrace on their holy profession : but yet they are them
selves under the dominion of some besetting sin. They are
secretly indulging pride, envy, malice, covetousness, lewdness,
or some other bosom lust: they do not live nigh to God in
their secret chamber, or aspire after an entire conformity to
his will : they are more anxious to appear religious, than to
be so, and to be applauded of man, than to be approved of
God.
Now these persons, whilst carried on by a conceit of their
own superior knowledge of divine truth, and a desire of esta
blishing a character for piety, are, like the flag in the water,
green and flourishing : they seem extremely rapid in their
growth ; and are regarded, both by themselves and others, as
persons of a higher order of being.]
But the hope of all such persons is most delusive-
fit rarely happens that a hypocrite continues long to de
ceive those who are acquainted with his private habits : he
cannot maintain a consistency of character, for want of an
inward principle of grace. Like the seed sown in ground
where it " had no depth of earth," or like the flag destitute of
water, he withers away, and exposes both himself and religion
1 Ps. ix. 17.
457.] BILDAD WARNS JOB OF HYPOCRISY. 351
to general contempt. For the truth of this we may appeal
to the records of former ages ; yea, " though we are of yester
day and know nothing," as it were, we must have seen it but
too frequently in our own day ; that persons of high expec
tation have declined from the right path, and " made ship
wreck either of faith or of a good conscience." As Lot s wife
was a monument in the Old Testament, so is Demas in the
New : and similar monuments are yet found in every Church.
But let us follow the hypocrite also into the eternal world :
what is his condition there ? Alas ! alas ! however high he
was in his own estimation or in that of others, he is now fallen
indeed ; and all his towering hopes are now swept away with
the besom of destruction g . Even whilst he is here carrying on
his deception, though it be unsuspected by himself or others,
and though his hypocrisy be not in act, but in heart only, he
is "treasuring up wrath for himself 11 " against "the day when
God shall judge the secrets of men by Christ Jesus 1 ." Possibly
he may carry his confidence with him into the eternal world,
and almost presume to expostulate with his Judge: but " he
will say to them, I never knew you : depart from me, ye that
work iniquity k : " and then shall their state be so superlatively
wretched, that they who sink the deepest into perdition are
said to " take their portion with the hypocrites."]
O that we might all LEARN from this subject,
1. The importance of piety
[We are not disposed to undervalue the blessings of
worldly prosperity, or domestic happiness : but in comparison
of eternal blessedness we must needs say, that every thing in
this world is only as the dust of the balance. Yet the highest
ambition of parents for their children is, to see them precisely in
the way that Job s children were, all with separate establish
ments, living in sweet harmony with each other, and in the
vicinity of their parents, where all as one family, may augment
and enjoy the happiness of the whole. This state also is re
garded by young persons of both sexes as the summit of their
ambition. But even in this life we see how soon their gourd
may be withered by a worm at the root : and after this life,
nothing remains of it, but a fearful responsibility for every hour
that has been spent in a forgetfulness of God. Indeed, indeed,
however the ungodly may scoif at piety, there is nothing that
deserves a thought in comparison of it. If the whole world be
no adequate price for one single soul, it is madness to be bar
tering away our souls, as so many do, for the veriest trifles that
R See Job xx. 4 7- h Job xxxvi. 13.
1 Rom. ii. 16. * Matt. vii. 22, 23.
352 JOB, IX. 24. [458.
can be presented to our view. To all then, and especially to
the young, I would say, Remember God; " remember your
Creator in the days of youth" or health; and let "the life
which you now live in the flesh, be by faith in the Son of God,
who loved you and gave himself for you." But, if you are still
disposed to hold fast your delusive expectations, go and sweep
away a spider s web, and then reflect, how suddenly, and irre
coverably, it is destroyed. Then say with yourself, Such is my
hope, and such will ere long be the termination of it. " O
consider this, ye that forget God, lest HE tear you in pieces,
and there be none to deliver you 1 ."]
2. The danger of self-deception
[All see how others deceive themselves; yet none, of
whatever class, imagine themselves to be in any great danger
of self-delusion. But St. James tells us, that we may " seem
to be religious," and persuade ourselves that we are so, and yet
" deceive our own souls, and have our religion vain 1 "." O re
member, that we live in a deceitful world, and have an adver
sary whose wiles and devices are inconceivably subtle ; and that
our own " hearts also are deceitful above all things and despe
rately wicked : " and let the consideration of these things make
you "jealous over yourselves with a godly jealousy." Be not
too confident that all is right with you ; but say with Paul,
" Though I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby jus
tified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord"." Yet, if you have
" the testimony of your own conscience that with simplicity
and godly sincerity you have your conversation in the world,
you may rejoice in it :" only " rejoice with trembling p ;" and,
bearing in mind that " God requireth truth in the inward
parts q ," beg of him to " search and try you 1 ," and to make you
" Israelites indeed, in whom there is no guile."]
1 Ps. 1. 22. Jam. i. 20. n 1 Cor. iv. 4.
2 Cor. i. 12. P Ps. ii. 11. q Ps. li. 6.
r Ps. cxxxix. 23, 21.
CCCCLVIII.
THE FOLLY OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PRESUMPTION.
Job ix. 2 k How should man be just with God? If he will
contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
He is ivise in heart, and mighty in strength : ivho hath har
dened against him, and hath prospered ?
THE fundamental doctrines of our holy religion
are not like the deductions of human reason, which
458.] THE FOLLY OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. 353
leave a degree of doubt upon the mind : they cor
respond with something within us, which contributes
to assure us that the things which we have received
upon the divine testimony are unquestionably true.
The inspired writers indeed, knowing by whom they
were inspired, delivered without hesitation those
things of which they had no internal evidence, as
well as those which were confirmed by their own
experience. Nevertheless there is a peculiar energy
in their mode of declaring experimental truths : they
make them a subject of appeal to their very enemies,
and challenge the whole universe to deny the things
whereof they affirm. Thus it was with Job. Bildad
had charged him with asserting his own perfect inno
cence, and accusing God as unjust in his proceedings
towards him : " Doth God pervert judgment ? or
doth the Almighty pervert justice ?" Job, in his
reply, allowed the premises of his opponent, but
denied the consequences which were deduced from
them : " I know it is so of a truth ;" that is, I know
God will not pervert justice : " but" I deny that I ever
intended to justify myself before God, or to harden
myself against him ; for I am as fully convinced of
the folly of acting in such a manner, as you or any
one else can be : " How can man," &c.
In this reply Job strongly asserts two things ;
I. The folly of justifying ourselves before God-
Many there are who justify themselves before
God-
[Few indeed, if any, will deny that they have sinned: but
all unregcnerate persons will deny that they deserve the wrath
of God: at least, if, on account of some flagrant transgression,
they be constrained to confess themselves obnoxious to eternal
punishment, they hope by some repentance or reformation to
compensate for their sins, and to establish a righteousness
whereby they may find acceptance with God.]
But this proceeds from an ignorance of the divine
law
["The law of God is perfect*;" " the commandment is
VOL. IV.
. 55-1 JOB, IX. 24. [458.
exceeding broad b :" it extends not to actions only, but to the
thoughts and desires of the heart c ; and it requires perfect and
perpetual obedience d . On our failure in any one particular, it
denounces a curse against us e ; and from that period it can
never justify us. It admits of no repentance on our part, or
relaxation on God s part f . It is as immutable as God him
self: and it is owing to men s ignorance of this law that they
so foolishly build upon it as the foundation of their hopes.]
None who understand this law will ever look for
justification from it
[If amongst a thousand perfect actions, one only were
found defective, it were sufficient to condemn us for ever.
But, if we will try ourselves by the law, we shall not find " one
action of a thousand," no, nor one in our whole lives, that will
not condemn us. If we should presume to " contend with
God" respecting the perfection of our best action, how soon
would he confound us! Even we will venture to expose the
folly of such presumption. Bring forth your action to the
light : was there nothing amiss in its principle) nothing defec
tive in the manner, nothing of a selfish mixture in its end?
See if you can answer a weak sinful creature like yourselves :
and, if you cannot, how will you " answer" the pure heart-
searching " God?"
See then the folly of hoping ever to "be just with God;"
and adopt the language of David, " Enter not into judgment
with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be
justified-."]
But there is another point in the text to which we
must advert, namely,
II. The folly of hardening ourselves against God
Those who justify themselves before God are
equally prone to harden themselves against him
[This they do by their unbelief and impenitence : they will
not give credit to the declarations of God concerning them :
they think, in direct opposition to ah 1 that God has spoken,
that he will never execute his threatenings against the trans
gressors of his law. They profess to hope that repentance will
appease his anger; and yet they put off their repentance from
b Ps. cxix. 96.
(; " Thou shalt not covet," i. e. Thou shalt not harbour, thou shalt
not even have, an inordinate desire, Rom. vii. 7.
d Gal. iii. 10. e Gal. iii. 10. f Matt. v. 18.
Ps. xix. 12. and xl. 12. and cxxx. 3. and cxliii. 2.
458.] THE FOLLY OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. 355
year to year, and take occasion even from his mercy to sin the
more against him.]
The folly of this appears,
1 . From the character of God
[If God were ignorant of what passes in our minds, or
unable to punish us for our sins, we need not concern our
selves so much about him. But are " the thick clouds a
covering to him, so that he cannot see us h ?" or " are we
stronger than he, so that we can provoke him to jealousy 1 "
without any fear of his resentment? No: "he is wise in
heart, and mighty in strength : " he beholds the most secret
emotions of our hearts, and will surely call us into judgment
for them. What folly is it then to " harden ourselves against
him," when " neither rocks nor mountains can conceal us from
him," nor the whole universe combined deliver us from his
hands k !]
2. From the experience of men
[" Who amongst all the sons of men ever prospered,"
while he lived in an impenitent and unbelieving state? Many
indeed have been wealthy and powerful 1 ; but who ever had
solid peace in his conscience? Who ever had real comfort in a
dying-hour? Who ever had happiness in the eternal world?
This is the only prosperity that deserves our notice : and, in
this view of it, the question in the text is unanswerable.
But, if we cannot tell of one that prospered, can we not
recount multitudes that have been marked as objects of God s
most signal vengeance? Was not thejrebellious Pharaoh visited
with ten successive plagues, and drowned at last, with all his
army, in the Red Sea m ? Was not the vain-glorious Nebu
chadnezzar changed, as it were, into a beast for the space of
seven years for his impious boasting against God n ? Was not
his son Bclshazzar warned by a hand-writing on the wall, in
the midst of his lewd, drunken, and blaspheming revels ; and,
agreeably to the prediction, dethroned and slain that very
night ? But why do we mention individual instances, when
we are told, that " every one who, after repeated reproofs,
hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that with
out remedy p ?" Who that considers this denunciation, must
not confess, that such opposition to a God of infinite wisdom
and power is madness itself?]
h Job xxii. 13, 14. ! 1 Cor. x. 22.
k Dan. iv. 37. Prov. xi. 21. J Ps. Ixxiii. 312.
m Exod. ix. 17. and xiv. 17, 28. " Dan. v. 20, 21.
Dan. v. 2228, 30. p Prov. xxix. 1.
356 JOB, IX. 2-4. [458.
These things then being clear, the following ADVICE
cannot but approve itself to the consciences of
all
1. Be attentive to the concerns of your souls
[To " repent, and believe the Gospel," was the advice
which Jesus himself gave to his hearers: and it is as necessary
for you as it was for them. But it may be thought that an
attention to spiritual concerns will interfere witli your worldly
prosperity. This however is not a necessary consequence :
there can be no doubt but that, if you serve God faithfully,
the world will hate you: but prudence and diligence may ad
vance your temporal interests even in spite of the world s hatred.
Be it so, however : your temporal and spiritual welfare, we will
say, are in direct opposition to each other : can it be doubted
which you should prefer? Is not the soul of more value then
ten thousand worlds? Seek then the prosperity which God
approves, and which will continue for ever.]
2. Study the Gospel in particular-
fit is the Gospel alone that can enable you to answer that
important question, " How shall man be just with God?"
That takes your eyes off from human attainments, and directs
them to the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is there
" set forth as a propitiation for sin, that, through him, God may
be just, and yet the justifier of penitent and believing sinners q ."
From thence you learn, that Christ s obedience unto death is a
sufficient plea against all the accusations of God s law; and
that, if you be washed in his blood, God himself will not behold
in you the least spot or blemish 1 . It was from " the Gospel as
originally preached to Abraham," that he found out the me
thod of a sinner s acceptance with God s . All the Apostles
acquiesced in this way of salvation : they all renounced their
own works in point of dependence, and sought for mercy
through faith in Christ 1 . Let the Gospel then, whether as
written by the first ministers of Christ, or as preached by
those who now follow their steps, be your meditation and de
light : so shall you find support under the most accumulated
trials, and be accepted of your God in the day of judgment.]
<i Rom. iii, 24 26. r Eph. v. 2,5 27.
s Gal. iii. 09. t Gal. ii. 15, 16.
459.] THE EVIL OF A SELF-JUSTIFYING SPIRIT. 357
CCCCLIX.
THE EVIL OF A SELF-JUSTIFYING SPIRIT.
Job ix. ^0, 21. If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall con
demn me : if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me per
verse. Though I were perfect, yet ivould I not know my
soul : I ivould despise my life.
IN controversies of every kind, and more especially
in those which relate to religion, the disputants are,
for the most part, more anxious to obtain the victory
than .to discover truth. Hence, instead of putting
that precise construction on each other s words which
they were designed to bear, they labour to turn to
their own advantage every expression of their adver
sary, and to derive from it an argument for the sup
port of their own cause. Even good men are by no
means so candid as they ought to be in relation to
this matter, more especially when they become heated
by opposition. The friends of Job were exceedingly
faulty in this particular. They first charged Job
with hypocrisy ; and then, when he asserted his own
innocence in relation to that heinous sin, they repre
sented him as asserting his freedom from all sin, and
as justifying himself as a righteous person before
God. This was by no means the intention of Job :
on the contrary, he here explicitly declares, that " no
man can be just before God a ," and that he should
stand utterly self-condemned if he should presume to
arrogate to himself any such measure of perfection.
He had stated in the foregoing verse, that if he
should dare to contend with God, he could neither
withstand his power, nor put himself into a capacity
to make good his cause before him b : and now he re
nounces with abhorrence any such impious idea. Of
the former verse of our text, this is the plain and
obvious meaning : and in the latter verse, the same
idea seems yet more strongly, though not so plainly,
stated : " Though I were perfect," so far as not to be
aware of any evil that I had ever committed, " yet
a ver. 2. b vor. 19.
358 JOB, IX. 20,21. [459.
would I not know my soul/ or pretend to know it as
the heart-searching God does : " I would despise my
own life/ and submit to any death, rather than pre
sume to offer such an insult to the Majesty of heaven.
Thus he avows, in opposition to the charge that had
been brought against him, first, the folly, and next,
the impiety, of a self-justifying spirit. These two we
propose to consider in their order :
I. The folly of a self-justifying spirit-
By a self-justifying spirit we understand, a persua
sion of mind that we do not deserve God s wrath and
indignation, but, on the contrary, that we do deserve
his favour and blessing. Now supposing a person to
indulge this spirit, what does he, in fact, affirm ? He
affirms, if not in words, yet by clear inference, what
" his mouth must utterly condemn." He affirms,
1. That there is no truth in the Scriptures
[The Scriptures in every part either affirm, or take for
granted, that man is a sinner, justly condemned, and standing
in need of mercy at the hands of an offended God. Now to
talk of perfection, or of being righteous before God, is to
assert directly the reverse of what the Scriptures assert, and,
consequently, to say that there is no truth in them. But will
any one dare to speak thus concerning the sacred oracles ?
Will not his own mouth instantly condemn him as a proud
and wicked infidel ? or, if he profess to believe the Holy
Scriptures, and yet maintain the notion of his being righteous
before God, will not his own mouth still condemn him as
guilty of the grossest inconsistency? Believer or unbeliever,
he must equally stand self-refuted, and self-condemned.]
2. That there is no sin in his heart
[We ask not whether there be any flagrant iniquities that
can be laid to his charge: it is sufficient if once, in ever so
small a degree, in act, word, or thought, he have transgressed,
or fallen short of, the perfect law of God: having offended thus
far, he has broken the law, and is from that moment subjected
to its curse c . Now to be justified by the very law that con
demns us, is a contradiction in terms : so that the person who
pretends to be just before God must either deny that he has
any sin in his heart, or maintain the contradiction before
stated. If it be said, that he may imagine that the law admits
c Gal. iii. 10.
459. J THE EVIL OF A SELF-JUSTIFYING SPIRIT. 359
of imperfections, and justifies us notwithstanding those im
perfections, we answer, that we cannot make laws of our own,
but must take the law as we find it : and that the law, being
a perfect transcript of God s mind and will, can be satisfied
with nothing but perfect and perpetual obedience : and con
sequently, if ever we have transgressed it in the smallest
measure, we are, and must for ever be, condemned by it.
To deny the perfection of the law would be to deny the per
fection of God, which is atheism: and to admit its perfection,
and yet dream of justification by it, is such an absurdity, as
every man s own mouth must condemn. The only possible
ground of being justified by it must be, that we have no sin in
our hearts : and, if any man dare affirm that, his own mouth
has already proved him most ignorant and perverse 11 .]
3. That he has no need of a Saviour
[If he be righteous himself, he has no need to be clothed
in another s righteousness, nor any need of an atonement for
his sins: consequently, as far at least as relates to that in
dividual, God has sent his own Son in vain. And will any
man say that God, in making his Son " a propitiation for the
sins of the whole world," was under a mistake, and that for
himself he needed no such exercise of mercy? Why then does
such a man call himself a Christian ? If he stood in no need
of Christ, and is in a state of justification without Christ, he
should cease to " name the name of Christ :" for whilst he
continues to do so, his own mouth condemns him, and proves
him perverse. " If righteousness come by the law, then Christ
is dead in vain e ."]
But let us proceed to notice,
II. The impiety of it-
It was not without good reason that Job expressed
such an abhorrence of the spirit that was imputed to
him : for the indulging of it is,
1 . A criminating of God
[There is not a perfection of the Deity which is not dis
honoured by a self-justifying spirit. It impeaches and vilifies
his truth ; seeing that he has represented all to be in a state
of guilt and condemnation before him. It denies his justice ;
since he threatens all men with death, when there are some
who do not deserve it. It degrades his wisdom; since it sup
poses that that wonderful contrivance of providing a surety for
us, and laying our sins upon him, was unnecessary. It holds
d 1 John i. 8. * Gal. ii. 21.
360 JOB, IX. 20, 21. [459.
up to derision also his mercy and grace, which are proclaimed
as incomprehensibly great and glorious, when the very offer of
them is only an empty sound. Hear what God himself says:
" If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a LiAR f ."
Can any thing be conceived more heinous than this? Should
we not " despise our own lives," and submit to ten thousand
deaths, rather than be guilty of it ?]
2. A contempt of our own souls
[God has provided a salvation for us, and offered it freely
to all who will accept it in and through his beloved Son; and
has told us, that " there is no other name under heaven
whereby we can be saved," but that of Jesus; and yet we
choose to ground our claim of happiness on the purity and
perfection of our own character, rather than submit to be
saved in his appointed way. But is not this madness? Will
a man deal so with his temporal interests ? will he risk the
loss of them upon a mere phantom of his own imagination, in
direct opposition to the plainest dictates of his understanding ?
Surely, if men had the least value for their souls, they would
not so trifle with them ; they would at least endeavour to
ascertain what degree of weight was due to their opinions, and
whether there was any rational ground for them to expect
God s blessing in a way so contrary to his own most express and
solemn declarations. But their total indifference about the
issue of their confidence shews, that they account their souls
of no value, or, as Solomon expresses it, " they despise their
own souls g ."]
3. A trampling under foot the Son of God
[This is God s own representation of the sin. In rejecting
the sacrifice of Christ, there being no other sacrifice, we cut
ourselves off from all hope of salvation ; yea, " we trample
under foot the Son of God, and count the blood of the cove
nant an unholy thing, and do despite to the Spirit of grace 11 ."
What amazing impiety is this! We are apt to confine our
ideas of impiety to gross sins committed against our fellow-
creatures : and such an error as self-righteousness we suppose
to be of very little importance. But it is not thus that God
estimates sin : he views sin chiefly as it dishonours him, and
more especially as it militates against that stupendous effort
of his love, the redemption of the world by the blood and
righteousness of his beloved Son. Know then, that to justify
ourselves, is to repeat, in fact, the conduct of those who
crucified the Lord of glory; it is to "crucify him afresh," and
to say, " We will not have this man to reign over us."]
f 1 John i. 10. Prov. xv. 32. h Heb. x. 2629.
459.] THE EVIL OF A SELF-JUSTIFYING SPIRIT. 361
This subject may be further IMPROVED,
1. For our conviction
[Who was it that used the language in our text? It was
Job, of whom God himself testified, that " he was a perfect
and upright man." And if he could not justify himself before
God, who are we, that we should presume to do so ? Are we
more perfect than he ? Hear how he speaks of himself, a few
verses after our text 1 ; and then see what our views of our
selves should be. Nor w r as Job singular in his views of himself:
the language of all the most eminent saints, both in the Old
and New Testament, is precisely similar k - And such
must be ours also, if ever we would find mercy at the hands
of God: we must "humble ourselves, if ever we would be
exalted."]
2. For our consolation
[Some are discouraged at the sight of their own vileness,
and are ready to think that such unworthy creatures as they
can never be saved. And such thoughts they might well
have, if justification were, either in whole or in part, by any
righteousness of our own. But " we are to be justified freely
by God s grace, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus 1 : " it is " the ungodly whom God justifies" 1 ;" not indeed
those who continue ungodly, but those who come to Christ in
an ungodly state, desiring to be cleansed from the guilt and
power of their sins : those persons are justified the very
moment they believe in Jesus, and that too from all the sins
they have ever committed". Here indeed is abundant con
solation for "the weary and heavy-laden" sinner; here indeed
he may find rest to his soul. Remember then what the Apostle
has said; " This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all accepta
tion, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners : "
and that Paul himself, when he was a bloody persecutor and
blasphemer, obtained mercy, on purpose that the extent and
riches of God s grace might be displayed in him, as a pattern
and encouragement to all who should ever desire acceptance
with their offended God . Follow his example then, and
believe in Jesus for the remission of your sins : say, as the
prophet encourages you to do, " In the Lord Jesus have I
righteousness and strength;" for "in the Lord shall all the
seed of Israel be justified, and in him shall they glory P." The
very name by which the Lord Jesus himself delights to be
called, is, " The Lord our Righteousness q ."]
j ver. 30, 31.
k See Ps. cxxx. 3. and cxliii. 2. Prov. xx. 9. Isai. vi. 5. and
Ixiv. 6. Phil. iii. 4 9. and especially 1 Cor. iv. 4.
1 Rom. iii. 24 26. m Rom. iv. 5. n Acts xiii. 39.
1 Tim. i. lo, 10. i> Isai. xlv. 2i, 25. <i Jer. xxiii. 6.
3(52
JOB, X. 1. [460.
CCCCLX.
IMPATIENCE REPROVED.
Job x. 1 . My soul is weary of my life.
LIFE is justly esteemed a blessing : and we are
properly taught in the Liturgy to thank God, as well
for our creation, as for our preservation, and re
demption. But to the greater part of mankind this
world is a chequered scene at best ; and to very
many it is only a vale of tears. Had we seen Job in
his prosperity, we should have been led perhaps
to form a more favourable estimate of the present
state : but there are changes in the affairs of men, as
much as in the air and seas : and the day that
dawned with the most promising appearance, may
be overcast with clouds, and blackened with tem
pests, ere the sun has reached its meridian height.
Thus it was with Job : the man that was the envy of
all who knew him, was in a short space of time so
reduced, as to exclaim, " My soul is weary of my
life."
We shall,
I. Shew 7 that this is a common experience-
Daily observation proves that it is common,
1. Among the ungodly-
fit arises from domestic trials. Who can tell what trou
ble a tyrannical or unfaithful husband, a contentious or im
prudent wife, a rebellious or extravagant son, an indiscreet or
unchaste daughter, may occasion ? There is scarce a family
to be found, where something does not happen to embitter life,
and to make death, either to the head or members, an object
of desire.
From personal troubles also the same disquietude will spring.
Pain and sickness, when of long continuance, and especially
when accompanied with the infirmities of age, cause many to
wish for a speedy dissolution. Embarrassed circumstances too
will so oppress the spirits, particularly when occasioned by one s
own extravagance or folly, as to make the soul weary of life :
yea, to such a degree are the minds of men oppressed by trou
bles of this kind, that a deliverance from them is not unfre-
qucntly sought in suicide. Even a mere sense of the emptiness
460.] IMPATIENCE REPROVED. 363
of all earthly things will often fill the soul with disgust, and
cause it to sigh for a release from the body, in which it finds
no satisfactory enjoyment. Many, in the midst of youth,
health, and affluence, while moving in a constant round of
amusements, and free from every external trouble, are yet so
weary of life, that they would gladly part with it immediately,
if they were not afraid of entering into the invisible world.
But, above all, a guilty conscience renders man " a burthen
to himself." A person " weary and heavy-laden" with a sense
of sin, and not knowing where to go for rest, is indeed a piti
able object. He wishes that he had never been born, or that
he could be again reduced to a state of non-existence. If he
might but be annihilated like the beasts, he would gladly
accept the offer, and most thankfully forego all hope of heaven,
to obtain deliverance from the fears of hell.]
2. Among the godly
[Not even the most eminent saints are altogether free from
this experience. They are not, whilst in the flesh, above the
reach of temporal afflictions. They are not indeed overcome
by every little trouble, like those who know not God : but they
are not insensible to pain or pleasure : they have their feelings,
as well as other men. Pains of body, loss of substance, bereave
ments of friends, injuries from enemies, may, when accumulated,
cast them down ; and produce, as in the case of Job, extreme
dejection.
The weight of spiritual troubles is felt by these exclusively :
nor can those who have never experienced their pressure, form
any just conception respecting them. Who can describe the
anguish that is occasioned by violent temptations, Iteadstroncj
corruptions, unsuccessful conflicts? What language can paint
the distress of a soul under the hidings of God s face, and the
apprehensions of his wrath? Can we wonder that a person
long exercised with such trials, should say, " Oh that I had
wings like a dove! for then would I flyaway, and be at rest a ?"
Surely " the spirit of a man may sustain other infirmities ; but
a wounded spirit who can bear b ?"]
The commonness of this experience may well lead
us to,
II. Inquire into the reasons of it-
Many reasons may be assigned, but we shall limit
ourselves to a few :
1. Impatience
a Ps. Iv. 46. b Prov. xviii. 14.
364 JOB, X. 1. [460.
[Job, whose patience is celebrated even by God himself,
when borne down by the weight of his afflictions, cursed the
day of his birth c , and longed exceedingly for death d ; and
would have been glad to have had a period put to his existence,
even by strangling, rather than to have it protracted any longer
in such misery 6 . To the same source we must trace those
hasty wishes, which we also are ready to form in seasons of
great calamity. If " patience had its perfect work in us," we
should be willing to bear whatever God might see fit to lay
upon us. But " in the day of adversity the strongest of us
are too apt to faint."]
2. Unbelief-
[From this more particularly arose that weariness and
aversion to life which the Prophet Elijah manifested, when he
fled from Jezebel. He had encountered Ahab, and slain all
the prophets of Baal, in dependence on the divine protection :
but when this wicked woman menaced him, he stayed not to
take counsel of the Lord, but instantly fled into the wilder
ness ; and, to get rid of all his dangers and difficulties at once,
requested God to kill him f . Had he felt the same security in
God as on former occasions, he would have been quite com
posed, knowing assuredly that without God s permission not a
hair of his head could fall to the ground. Thus when afflic
tions render us weary of life, we shew that we have forgotten
the promise of Jehovah to make all things work together for
our good. When we know that medicine is operating for our
good, we disregard the uneasiness that it occasions : we are
contented even to pay for the prescriptions, from a confidence
that we shall be benefited by them in the issue. And should
we not welcome the prescriptions of our heavenly Physician,
if we duly considered his unerring wisdom, goodness, and
truth? Instead of repining and murmuring on account of his
dispensations, we should rest satisfied, that every additional
trouble would only call forth additional displays of his power
and love.]
3. A forgetfulness of our real desert
[Man, as a sinner, deserves the curse of the law, and the
wrath of God. Suppose we bore this in mind, should we not
say, even under the most accumulated trials, " Thou hast pu
nished us less than our iniquities deserve g ? " Would not a
recollection of our desert of death and hell constrain us to cry,
" Shall a living man complain, a man for the punishment of
his sins h ?" Would Jonah have been so clamorous for death,
Job iii. 122. d Job vi. 8, 9. * Job vii. 15, 16.
f 1 Kings xix. 4. Ezra ix. 13. h Lam. iii. 39.
460.1 IMPATIENCE REPROVED. 365
and so ready to justify his impatience before God 1 , if he had
considered what he merited at God s hands? So neither should
we be so fretful under our sufferings, if only we bore in mind,
that, instead of being put into the furnace of affliction, we
should, if dealt with according to our deserts, be cast into the
flames of hell. We should learn rather to adopt the sentiment
of the Church of old, " I will bear the indignation of the
Lord, because I have sinned against him k ."]
4. A disregard of the great ends of life-
fit is truly humiliating to find not only such querulous,
and almost doubtful, characters as Jonah, but the bold Elijah,
the pious David, the patient Job, fainting in their trials, and
longing for their dismission from the body. But to this cata
logue we must add another, even Moses, the meekest of man
kind. Even this holy man, unable to bear up under the burthens
imposed upon him, complains of them to God, and says, " If
thou deal thus with me, I pray thee to kill me out of hand 1 ."
Would he have offered such a petition if he had reflected on
the benefits which had already accrued to Israel by his means,
and, humanly speaking, the incalculable loss which they would
sustain by his removal? And should not we also be more
willing to endure our trials, if we considered w r hat valuable
ends might be promoted by our continuance under them ?
Perhaps we are not prepared to die ; (for persons are most apt
to wish for death when they are least prepared to meet it ;)
and would we, for the sake of extricating ourselves from some
earthly trouble, plunge ourselves, both body and soul, into the
everlasting miseries of hell? But, supposing that we are pre
pared, may not others be greatly edified by our example, our
counsels, and our prayers ? May not our own weight of glory
also be greatly increased, by a due improvement of our light
and momentary afflictions 111 ? Is not this last consideration
alone sufficient to reconcile us to a prolonging of our troubles,
and a deferring of our heavenly felicity"? We may indeed be
in a strait betwixt the two ; but we shall, like St. Paul, be
willing to live, when we reflect how much better that may be
both for ourselves and others .]
1 Jonah iv. 2, 3, 8, 9. k Mic. vii. 9.
1 Numb. xi. 14, 15. m 2 Cor. iv. 17.
n For this sublime idea the author is in a measure indebted to a
poor woman (so poor as to be supported by the parish), who, when in
great pain, and almost in dying circumstances, replied (in answer to
what he had suggested respecting the rest and happiness that awaited
her), " True, Sir, but in some respects affliction is better even than
heaven itself ; for, &c. &c."
n Phil. i. 23, 24.
366 JOB, X. 1. [460.
Towards lessening this common evil, we shall,
III. Prescribe some remedies for it
The painful experience before described may be
mitigated, and in many cases wholly prevented, by,
1. A due attention to our worldly callings
[Persons under the pressure of heavy afflictions are apt to
give themselves up to sorrow, and to neglect the proper duties
of their calling. By this means their minds hecome more and
more enervated ; their spirits sink, and they fall a prey to their
sorrows: they die of a broken heart. But if, instead of thus
yielding to lowness of spirits, they would employ themselves in
their accustomed duties, their occupations would divert their
attention from their troubles, and give scope and opportunity
to the mind to recover its proper tone. Whether the trouhles
he of a temporal or spiritual nature, this remedy should be
applied. We must not indeed go and plunge ourselves into
business or amusement in order to get rid of reflection, (that
would be to run into a contrary extreme ;) but we should never
be so occupied with our sufferings as to forget or neglect our
duties. It is remarkable, that when God repeated to the fu
gitive prophet that expostulatory question, " What doest thou
here, Elijah?" he ordered him, not to sit any longer wishing
for death, but to go about the business which yet remained for
him to do ; namely, to return to Damascus, and anoint Hazael
to be king of Syria, and Jehu to be king of Israel, and Elisha
to be his successor in the prophetic office 11 . And in the same
manner it becomes us, not to sit wishing for the spoils of vic
tory, but to continue fighting till God shall call us to put off
our armour.]
2. A close walk with God
[Strange it is, that heavy trials which are sent to bring us
to God, often prevail rather to drive us from him. We com
plain, " We are so overwhelmed with trouble, that we cannot
think of our souls or compose our minds for supplication to
God." But we are particularly commanded to " call on God
in the time of trouble^-," and to " cast all our care upon Him,
who careth for us r :" and we see in the instance of St. Paul
how speedily our sorrows might be turned into joy, if only we
would use this remedy 8 . Surely one ray of the light of his
countenance would dissipate all our darkness, and change our
impatient murmurings into " thanksgiving and the voice of
melodv." If we were bowed down with a sense of guilt, one
P 1 Kings xix. 15, 16. ( i Ps. 1. 15.
1 1 Pet. v. 7. s 2 Cor. xii. 7 10.
461.1 CONSCIOUS INTEGRITY. 367
glimpse of Christ would remove the load from our conscience.
If we were harassed with the fiercest temptations or most
overwhelming fears, one word from him would quiet the tem
pestuous ocean, and qualify us for encountering all the storms
wherewith we might at any time be overtaken.]
3. A frequent survey of heaven
[A view of heaven would indeed excite desires after the
full enjoyment of it. But this is very different from the ex
perience which is described in the text. Our longings after
heaven cannot be too ardent, provided we are contented to wait
God s time in order to possess it*. This is an important dis
tinction, and most accurately marked by the Apostle Paul.
He knew that heaven was the portion prepared for him; and
he earnestly desired to enjoy it u : but these desires did not
spring from an impatient wish to get rid of his troubles, or to
terminate his conflicts, but from a thirst after God himself, and
the perfect fruition of his glory x . Now this would be a most
effectual remedy against the other : the brighter the views we
had of the glory that awaits us, the less we should regard the
sufferings of this present time y . If the years of labour and
servitude appeared to Jacob only as a few days, because of the
love he bore to Rachel, and the desire he had to possess her as
his wife 2 , so will the tribulations which are appointed as our
way to the kingdom 3 appear of little concern, when we look to
the end of our journey, and the felicity we shall then enjoy.]
t 2 Pet. iii. 12. "2 Cor. v. 13. x 2 Cor. v. 4.
y Rom. viii. 18. z Gen. xxix. 20. a Acts xiv. 22.
CCCCLXI.
CONSCIOUS INTEGRITY.
Job x. 7. Thou knowcst that I am not nicked.
PAINFUL as the consideration of God s omni
science must be to the wicked, it is a rich source of
consolation to those who are upright before him.
Circumstances may arise, wherein they may not be
able fully to vindicate their character to the world,
even though they are perfectly innocent of the things
laid to their charge. The defilement also which they
sometimes contract by reason of their indwelling
corruptions may be such as to excite fears respecting
the state of their souls ; while they are maintaining
368 JOB, X. 7. [401.
a strenuous conflict with the whole body of sin. In
such cases it will be a satisfaction to them to reflect,
that their very inmost souls are naked and open be
fore God ; and that he can discern the integrity of
their hearts, even when most clouded, either by un
reasonable suspicions, or just occasions of doubt.
From this source Job drew his consolation, when
the dispensations of Providence seemed to justify his
friends in accusing him of hypocrisy : he could then
appeal to God, and say, " Thou knowest that I am
not wicked."
We propose to shew,
I. What we are to understand by this appeal-
Job never intended to assert that he was possessed
of sinless perfection
[God had indeed honoured him with the title of a " per
fect man." But in the very same place, the import of the term
"perfect" is limited and explained by the word "upright"
united to it a . Perfection, in the Scripture use of the word,
relates rather to our desires than our attainments ; and denotes
that growth in grace, which is found in those who have arrived
at the full stature of a Christian, as distinguished from a state
of infantine weakness, or youthful inexperience. That Job did
not deny himself to be a sinner, or still to be encompassed with
sinful infirmities, is evident from the whole of the preceding
context, where he repeatedly acknowledges, and deeply bewails,
his own depravity b . Indeed his spirit at this time was by no
means free from sinful impatience ; so that, if he had boasted
of sinless perfection, he would have opposed the whole tenor
of Scripture d , and his own mouth would have condemned him,
and proved him perverse.]
But he appealed to God,
1. That he was free from the sin imputed to him
[Job s friends imagined, that heavy judgments were never
sent except as punishments of some enormous wickedness.
What evils Job had been guilty of, they could not tell : but,
as they saw him so grievously afflicted, they concluded that he
must have indulged some secret wickedness, which God now
intended to disclose and punish. They therefore, at a venture,
a Job i. 8. * Job vii. 20. and ix. 20, 21, 30, 31.
c ver. 3. ll 1 Kings viii. 4C. Jam. iii. 2. 1 John i. 8.
461.] CONSCIOUS INTEGRITY. 369
accused him of hypocrisy 6 . But he repelled the charge, and
asserted, in opposition to them, his own innocence f .]
2. That he was, on the whole, upright before
God-
[He had unfeignedly endeavoured to serve and please
God; nor did his conscience accuse him of allowedly indulging
sin. In hopes therefore that the solemnity of an appeal to
God would convince and satisfy his friends, he presumed to
address the Deity in the words of our text. Nor was this
without an evident propriety : for, as the troubles which pro
ceeded from God were considered as a testimony against him,
he could not clear himself better than by appealing to the
Author of those troubles for a testimony in his favour. To
have done this merely to cover his guilt, would have been
madness : for if he was already suffering the rebukes of God
on account of his hypocrisy, he could expect nothing but a
ten-fold load of misery as the reward of such aggravated impiety.
Such an appeal therefore to the heart-searching God, upon a
subject of which none but God could judge, was the best, and
indeed the only means, of re-establishing his character in the
good opinion of his friends.]
But, that we may not be too hasty in making such
an appeal, let us consider,
II. What is necessary to warrant it
We ought to have the testimony of our own con
science,
1. That we are free from all allowed sin
[If we allow ourselves in any sin, we are servants of sin g ;
we belong to Satan 11 ; we have no interest in the covenant of
grace 1 ; yea, even the prayers we offer in such a state are an
abomination to the Lord k . It matters not whether the sin be
open or secret, great or small ; if we indulge it willingly, we
oppose the authority of God, which is equally displayed in every
commandment. It is no excuse to say, that such or such an
indulgence is conducive to our comfort, or necessary to our
welfare : if it be as useful as a right hand, or as precious as a
right eye, we can never be sincere, if we do not pluck it out
or cut it off, and cast it from us 1 . In order to say with truth,
e Job viii. 13, 14, 20.
f David did the same. See Ps. vii. 3, 8. and xxvi. 1, 6. And
Paul : see 1 Thess. ii. 10.
B Rom. vi. 16. ! 1 John iii. 8. > Rom. vi. 14.
k Ps. Ixvi. 18. Prov. xxviii. 9. } Matt. v. 29, 30.
VOL. IV. B B
370 JOB, X. 7. [461.
" I am not wicked," we must have " a single eye m ," and be
Israelites indeed, without guile".]
2. That we endeavour habitually to approve our
selves to God
[We may approve ourselves to our fellow-creatures, while
there is much iniquity harboured in our hearts. If we would
have a good conscience, we must act, not to men, but to God :
God s will must be the reason, his word the rule, and his glory
the end, of our obedience . We must have as much respect
to our motives and inclinations as to our words and actions ;
we must be careful to purge out all leaven p , and to have the
very thoughts of our hearts brought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ q . Without this we cannot say, " I am not
wicked;" for that which is the root and summit of all wicked
ness abides within us : we have " a carnal mind that is enmity
against God r :" and however clean we may be in the outward
appearance, we are inwardly like whited sepulchres, full of
rottenness and all uncleanness s .]
But in proportion to the difficulty of making this
appeal is,
III. The blessedness of being able to make it
Certainly such a consciousness of our own inte
grity must be a rich consolation to us,
1 . Under any troubles that may come upon us
[Under the pressure of any heavy calamity, when God
seems as if he were " bringing our sins to remembrance," and
especially in times of persecution, when our characters are
traduced, and we are regarded as the most worthless of man
kind, we find it a most painful addition to our grief if we think
that we have brought the trial on ourselves by some misconduct
of our own. But if, in either of these cases, we can appeal to
God that we have sought only his glory, and endeavoured to
approve ourselves to him, we shall feel our trials greatly alle
viated, and our spirits calmed. Never was a man more cruelly
aspersed, or more virulently persecuted, than the Apostle Paul :
yet the reflection that God knew his heart, and approved his
conduct, made it appear " a light matter to him to be judged
of man s judgment 1 ." A similar consciousness will be pro
ductive of similar composure in all our minds u .]
m Matt. vi. 22. " John i. 47. Col. iii. 23.
P Luke xii. 1. 1 Cor. v. 7, 8. q 2 Cor. x. 5.
1 Rom. viii. 7. s Matt, xxiii. 27, 28.
i I Cor. iv. 3. u 2 Cor. i. 12.
461.1 CONSCIOUS INTEGRITY. 371
2. In the prospect of death and judgment
[None who have guilt upon their conscience can look
forward to these seasons without pain and dread. But to him
who can make this appeal to God, death and judgment have
lost all their terrors. He has within himself an earnest of
the felicity that awaits him. The judgment has already passed,
as it were, with respect to him ; and, while others have only
a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation to
consume them, he " knows that he has a house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens x ." Not being condemned in
his own heart, he has a just and Scriptural confidence to
wards God?.]
ADDRESS,
1. Those who are living in any known sin
[Perhaps you have contrived so well, that you can defy
man to lay any particular evil to your charge. But what will
that avail, while God beholds the secret abominations of your
hearts ? To what purpose is it to say to your fellow-creatures,
" Ye cannot accuse me," when you are constrained to confess
before God, "Thou knowest that 1 am wicked?" Reflect
on the strictness of the trial that awaits you ; and know, that
God will bring every secret thing into judgment, whether it
be good or evil 2 .]
2. Those who think themselves in a good state
[It is by no means uncommon for men to " deceive them
selves, by thinking themselves something when they are no
thing 3 ." The way to prevent this is, to take the word of God
as the standard by which we try ourselves ; and, to beg of God
to search and try us. This is recommended by St. Paul, in
order that we may have rejoicing in ourselves alone, and not
merely in the good opinion of others b . If indeed we have in
ourselves an evidence that we truly love and fear God, we
may say, with Peter, " Lord, thou knowest all things, thou
knowest that I love thee c ." But, after all, we should remem
ber, that, whatever be our estimate of our own character,
" Not he who commendeth himself shall be approved, but he
whom the Lord commendeth d ."]
x 2 Cor. v. 1. y 1 John iii. 1921.
z 1 Cor. iv. 4, 5. with the first clause of Job x. 15.
a Gal. vi. 3. b Gal. vi. 4, 5. c John xxi. 17.
d 2 Cor. x. 18.
B B X
o7^ JOB, XI. 7 ! [462.
CCCCLXII.
THE INCOMPREHENSIBILITY OF GOD.
Job xi. 7 12. Canst thou by searching find out God? canst
thoufind out the Almighty unto perfection ? It is as high as
heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst
thou know ? The measure thereof is longer than the earth,
and broader than the sea. If he cut off, and shut up, or
gather together, then who can hinder him? For he knoweth
vain men : he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider
it ? For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a
ivild ass s colt*.
WE are not a little grieved to see a good man,
under circumstances that should have called forth
nothing but tenderness and compassion, run down
and persecuted by his own friends, and those friends
men of great intelligence and real piety. But human
nature, notwithstanding it may have been renovated
by divine grace, is still imperfect : and, if left under
the influence of any mistaken principle, we may
pursue evil with earnestness under the semblance
of good, and may provoke God to anger, whilst we
imagine that we are rendering him the most ac
ceptable service. The friends of Job were eminently
enlightened men : yet all in succession act towards
him the part of enemies ; and each in succession,
with increasing acrimony, condemns him as a hypo-
a Perhaps it might be better to take only ver. 7. and 8. for the
text, and to leave out the second head of this Discourse. In that
case, the subject will be * The Incomprehensibility of God ; and the
great divisions of it will be those which are found in the first head in
this Discourse. Then the IMPROVEMENT of the subject might be, to
LEARX, 1st, To receive with meekness whatever God has revealed :
(and there ver. 12. might be introduced :) 2dly, To bear with patience
whatever he may inflict: (where the inefficacy, ver. 11. and the danger,
ver. 12. of contending with God are stated :) and 3dly, To be thankful
especially for the discovery he has given of himself in the person of
his dear Son. Here it might be shewn, that God, though still incom
prehensible, has given the fullest discoveries of himself. Christ is
expressly called " the image of the invisible God ; " and " Whosoever
has seen him, has seen the Father." In his cross, all the perfections
of the Father are illustrated and glorified (Ps. Ixxxv. 1 . .) ; and by
the help of his Spirit (2 Cor. iv. 6.) we may discover them.
462.1 THE INCOMPREHENSIBILITY OF GOD. 373
crite before God. How painful is it to hear this
address of Zophar ; " Should thy lies make men
hold their peace ? and when thou mockest, shall no
man make thee ashamed b ?" But, whilst we lament
the sad misapplication of their arguments to the
point in hand, and the bitterness of spirit with which
they were urged, we must still avail ourselves of the
instruction they afford us, which in some respects is
equal to any that is contained in the sacred volume.
Zophar supposed, that Job had complained of God
as acting unjustly towards him : and, if he had been
right in his interpretation of Job s expressions, the
reproof he administered would have been just and
salutary. His error in relation to Job s real character
divests his observations of all force in reference to
him : but they deserve the strictest attention in
reference to ourselves. From them we are naturally
led to notice,
I. The incomprehensibility of God-
Well does David say, " Great is the Lord, and
greatly to be praised ; and his greatness is unsearch
able ." Truly he is unsearchable,
1. In the perfections of his nature
[Men will often talk of God, and lay down laws for him,
just as if they had the most perfect knowledge of him, and of
every thing relating to him. But our knowledge of God is
altogether negative: we know that he is not unwise, not un
holy, not unjust; but, as to any definite ideas of his attributes,
we have them not. What notion have we of his natural per
fections of eternity or immensity? None at all. So of his
moral perfections, of justice, mercy, goodness, truth, we, in
fact, know as little. We contemplate these qualities as exist
ing in man, and are enabled to estimate with some precision
their proper bearings : but, when we come to transfer these
qualities to the Deity, we are much in the dark : and we are
guilty of great presumption, when we prescribe rules for him,
and bind him by laws that are suited for the restrictions of
human actions. " He dwells in the light which no man can
approach unto:" and presumptuously to ascend the mount of
his habitation, or to look within the ark, is death d .]
b ver. 3. c Ps. cxlv. 3.
d Exod. xix. 12, 13. 1 Sam. vi. 19.
374 JOB, XI. 712. [462.
2. In the dispensations of his providence
[These we see ; but no one of them do we understand e *
Who will pretend to account for God s conduct towards our
first parents, in suffering them to be overcome by temptation,
and to entail sin and misery on all their posterity ? Who will
undertake to declare all the consequences that may arise from
any one event, however trivial, or all the motives which exist
in the divine mind for the permission of it ? We are apt to
speak of things as great and small, because of the degree of
importance that we attach to them : but there is nothing great,
nothing small, in the estimation of God : and whoever medi
tates on the history of Joseph, or the facts recorded in the
Book of Esther, will see, that the most casual and trifling cir
cumstances, as they appear to us, were as important links in
the chain of providence, as those which bear the clearer marks
of counsel and design. The rejection of the Jews, the calling
of the Gentiles, and the restoration of the Jews to the favour
of their God, are events of vast magnitude in human estima
tion : but what the Apostle says in reference to them, is in
reality as applicable to the events of daily occurrence, " O
the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of
God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past
finding out f !"]
3. In the operations of his grace
[Let that first act of grace be surveyed, the destination
of God s only dear Son to be the surety and substitute of
man : let the whole covenant of grace be contemplated : let
every act of grace from the foundation of the world to this
present moment be scrutinized : and what shall we know of it
all ? Let it be inquired, why God puts a difference between
one nation and another, and between one individual and
another: let the mode in which divine grace operates upon
the soul be investigated, so as to distinguish in all things the
agency of the Holy Spirit from the actings of our own minds:
Who is sufficient for these things? Who is not a child and a
fool in his own estimation, when he turns his attention to
them? We would address our text to every child of man;
" Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out
the Almighty to perfection ? It is as high as heaven ; what
canst thou do ? deeper than hell ; what canst thou know ? the
measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than
the sea." " Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him
out g ." " As no man knoweth the things of a man, but the
e This was as strongly affirmed by Job himself as by his friends.
Compare Job v. 9. and ix. 10. with the text.
f Rom. xi. 33. s Job xxxvii. 23.
462.] THE INCOMPREHENSIBILITY OF GOD. 375
spirit of man which is in him ; so the things of God knoweth
no man, but the Spirit of GodV]
If God be so incomprehensible, then we may see,
II. The folly of presuming to sit in judgment upon
him
This was the particular drift of Zophar s admo
nition. He conceived that Job had complained of
God as unjust towards him : and therefore, having
solemnly warned Job, that " God had exacted less
of him than his iniquities deserved," he proceeded to
dilate upon the character and ways of God as far
exceeding all human comprehension, and to shew
unto Job the folly of arraigning the conduct of the
Most High. In prosecution of his argument, Zophar
shews,
1. How incompetent we are to resist his will
[God is almighty: and, if he is pleased "to cut off" a
man s family, " or to shut him up" in darkness and distress,
or to gather together" his adversaries against him, " what
power has any man to hinder him?" We may dispute against
him ; hut we cannot divert him from his purpose : we may
complain and murmur; but " we cannot stay his hand." " He
doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven and among
the inhabitants of the earth:" and, " whatever his counsel
may be, that shall stand." What folly then is it to be in
dulging hard thoughts of him, and to be maintaining a stout
ness of heart against him, when we know beforehand that we
can never prevail, that we only kick against the pricks, and
that the only way of averting his wrath is, to humble ourselves
before him! Think, all ye who now repine, "Will your hands
be strong in the day that he shall deal with you ? or will you
thunder with a voice like his?"]
2. How unable we are to escape his judgment
[God sees all the rebellious motions of our hearts, and
will certainly call us into judgment for them. Here then is a
strong additional reason for not presuming to condemn him.
To know that the indulgence of such a rebellious spirit will
not avert his displeasure, were quite sufficient to suppress all
risings of heart against him : but to know that it greatly aug
ments his displeasure ; to know that he marks every rebellious
thought that springs up in our minds, and " that he considers
h 1 Cor. ii. 11.
376 JOB, XL 712. [462.
it" with a view to a just and awful retribution; surely this
should make us extremely cautious how we thus ensure and
aggravate our eternal condemnation. On this subject we shall
do well to remember the warning which God himself gave to
Job; " He that reproveth God, let him answer it 1 ."]
3. How destitute we are of every thing that can
qualify us for such an office
[What is any man, "vain man, that would be wise?"
What? " He is born" as stupid, as imteachable, and as refrac
tory " as a wild ass s colt k ." Were he of the first order of created
intelligences, he could know nothing of God any further than
God was pleased to reveal himself to him : but he is a being of
an inferior order, and that too in a fallen and degraded state ;
" having the eyes of his understanding darkened" by sin, and
" blinded by the god of this world;" yea more, having also a
thick impenetrable " veil over his heart." What then can such
a creature pretend to know of God, that he should presume to
sit in judgment upon him, and to arraign his conduct? We
know how incompetent a little child would be to comprehend
and sit in judgment upon the designs of a great statesman;
yet is there no distance between those, in comparison of that
which exists between God and us. Let us bear in mind then
what we ourselves are ; and that will most effectually repress
our arrogance, if we be tempted to judge of God.]
As the obvious IMPROVEMENT of this subject, let us
learn,
1. To receive with meekness whatever God has
revealed
[We are no more to sit in judgment upon God s word than
upon his providence : if once it be ascertained that the word is
a revelation from God, then are we to receive it with the sim
plicity of a little child. We must indeed use all possible
means to attain a clear knowledge of the meaning of the Scrip
ture, as well as to assure ourselves that it is of divine origin :
but we must not wrest the word, and put an unnatural con
struction upon it, because we do not fully comprehend it : we
must rather look up to God for the teachings of his Spirit, and
wait upon him till he shall be pleased to " open our under
standings to understand the Scriptures." Did we act thus,
setting ourselves against no truth that God has revealed, but
receiving with humility whatever he has spoken, we should no
longer behold the Church rent into parties, and the minds of
men embittered against each other by controversies. Let us
1 Job xl. 2. k See Jer. ii. 23, 24.
463.] A WANT OF SYMPATHY CONDEMNED. 377
remember, that " the riches of Christ are unsearchable ;" that
" his love passeth knowledge ;" and that however deep our
knowledge of Scripture may be, there will always remain some
things difficult to be understood : and our wisdom is, first, to
improve for our benefit all that is clear; and then, in refe
rence to the rest, to say, "What T know not now, I shall
know hereafter."]
2. To bear with patience whatever God has in
flicted
[Impatience does, in fact, reflect upon God either as un
just or unkind. But if we considered how " little a portion is
heard of him," that " his footsteps are not known," and that
those things which we deplore as calamities are sent by him in
love for our eternal good, we should not only submit with pa
tience to whatever he might lay upon us, but should adore him
for it as an expression of his love. The issue of Job s trials is
proposed to us in this very view, as the means of composing
our minds, and of reconciling us to the most afflictive provi
dences 1 . If Job were now to live on earth again, and were to
see all the benefit that has resulted both to himself and to the
Church, and all the glory that has redounded to his God from
the troubles that he endured, how differently would lie speak
of them, from what he did when under their immediate pres
sure ! What he has seen of God s unerring wisdom and un
bounded love would make him justify God, yea and glorify him
too, for all those trials which once he felt so insupportable: and,
if we now by faith learn to estimate the divine character aright,
we shall welcome every dispensation however afflictive, and
glory in our present troubles, under the sweet assurance, that
" our light shall ere long rise in obscurity, and our darkness be
as the noon-day."]
i Jam. v. 11.
CCCCLXIII.
A WANT OF SYMPATHY CONDEMNED.
Job xii. 5. He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp
despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
THE friends of Job meant well : but, mistaking
utterly his case, all that they spoke, though good in
itself, was irrelevant, and tended only to aggravate
his sorrows, which it was their professed intention to
alleviate. The injustice of their remarks generated
378 JOB, XII. 5. [463.
in him somewhat of tartness and asperity ; though,
considering how cruel and unjust their reflections
were, we wonder not that his vindications of himself
should assume somewhat of that character. But,
passing by his ironical reprehension of them a , I would
call your attention to the complaint which he utters
in the words which I have just read. It was a just
complaint, as it respected them : and it contains a
truth, which is confirmed by universal experience.
To mark the precise import of Job s expressions,
I will set before you,
I. The evil complained of
Job did not intend to deny that his friends were
possessed of humanity, or to say that kind dispo
sitions might not be found even in ungodly men : for,
where distress is great and visible, and within the
reach of common remedies, there are many who will
find a pleasure in relieving it. It was not this which
Job designed to controvert. To enter into the full
meaning of his words, we must distinctly notice,
1. The terms in which the evil is expressed
[The afflicted person is described as " one who is ready
to slip with his feet." Now, this is not the case with persons
in common afflictions. It refers to those only whose afflictions
are of a peculiarly dark, complicated nature, contrary to the
common course of things, or, at all events, contrary to what,
according to the usual dispensations of Providence, might have
been expected. These trials lead a person to complain of God
himself, and to question the justice and goodness of his deal
ings with them. Such was the state of Asaph, when he saw
the prosperity of the wicked, and compared it with the afflicted
lot of God s own faithful servants. He said, " As for me, my
feet ivere almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped: for I
was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the
wicked." Then he adds, " Verily, I have cleansed my heart
in vain, and washed my hands in innocencyV Here, by reason
of his trouble, this good man was ready to think that it was
altogether in vain to serve the Lord.
Now, such a person meets with little compassion from
those who have never experienced any similar affliction :
" he is as a lamp despised, in the thought of him that is at
a ver. 2. b Ps. Ixxiii. 2, 3, 13.
463.]
A WANT OF SYMPATHY CONDEMNED. 379
his mind, cannot enter into the feelings of one who is thus
dejected. He therefore looks upon the sufferer just as a
man, after the sun is risen, looks upon a lamp in the street,
from which he can reap no benefit, and about which he feels
no concern. He will not get a ladder, in order to trim it ;
nor will he put himself to the expense of oil to supply it ; nor
does he care how soon it is extinguished, provided only that
he himself be not annoyed by its smell. Like the priest and
Levite in the parable, he passes by such a sufferer with un
concern, instead of getting oil and wine to pour into, and to
mollify, his wounds.
This leads us to a just view of,]
2. The evil itself-
[Job was in such circumstances as his friends could not
at all account for : yea, and he himself too was ready to com
plain of God, as acting unjustly and unmercifully towards him.
Hence his friends, who came with a good design to comfort him,
expressed in reality no compassion towards him, nor seemed
to feel any concern, even though, by their unkind insinuations,
they should drive him to despair. They did, indeed, give him
good advice, on a supposition he was a hypocrite chastised of
God for some secret and enormous wickedness : but, for a
saint, placed in the furnace, by a wise and merciful Refiner, for
his own good, and the good of all to whom his history should
in future ages be made known, there was not, in all their
advice, one word of comfort, or encouragement, or support.
They themselves, never having been involved in such trouble,
could not understand his case. When he shined as the sun
in his prosperity, they could avail themselves of his light, and
bask with pleasure in his beams : but, now that he was under
so thick a cloud, they regarded him only "as a despised
lamp," which, having been shorn of its lustre, was left to be
extinguished in utter darkness.
And such is the treatment generally given to persons circum
stanced as Job was. Their sorrows being so little appreciated,
they find but little sympathy. Even good people know not
how to meet their case, or what to say for their relief. The
blow, which has struck down the sufferer, has stunned and
stupified those who, under less complicated afflictions, might
have been able to administer to him: and hence he is, for the
most part, left without those compassionate attentions which
his sorrows require, and perhaps is regarded as one whose
troubles admit not of any consolation, and of whose restoration
to happiness there is no hope.]
This evil prevailing so generally, I will endeavour
to shew,
380 JOB, XII. 5. [463.
II. The state of mind which it betrays
Certainly it denotes,
1 . A want of Christian knowledge
[By Christian knowledge I mean, emphatically, the know
ledge of Christ Jesus, and of all the wonders of redeeming love.
Doubtless, a speculative knowledge of the Gospel a man may
have, and yet be a stranger to the tender feelings of sympathy
in such a case as this: (for even the devils possess a speculative
knowledge of the Gospel, to a great extent :) but a practical
and influential knowledge he possesses not. How can he ever
have duly contemplated the compassions of Almighty God
towards our fallen race? Can he have ever been impressed
with the Father s love towards us rebellious creatures, and yet
feel no pity towards a suffering brother ? What sense can he
have of the tender mercies of our Lord, when he undertook
to assume our fallen nature on purpose that he might " bear
in his own sacred person our sins, and, by bearing, take away
from us, for ever, our iniquities c ? " What, I say, can he know
of the length and breadth and depth and height of this im
measurable love, and remain insensible to the wants and
miseries of others ? I may further add, What can he know
of " the love of the Holy Spirit" towards us, in undertaking
for us the office of " a Comforter," and dwelling in our polluted
bosoms, as in a temple, for the express purpose of administer
ing consolation to us, and of perfecting in us the work which
the Father planned, and the Son executed, and which He,
the third Person in the ever-blessed Trinity, applies ? When
all this love has been shewn to us on purpose to generate in
us a similar love towards each other d , what can he know of
this stupendous mystery, who displays it not in its effects ? If
it be true respecting those who sympathize not with others in
their bodily necessities, that " they have not the love of God
in them 6 ," much more is it true, that they who " shut up their
bowels of compassion from a brother" under the pressure of
spiritual troubles, can possess but little knowledge of that
mystery which unites all in one body, and causes every mem
ber to participate in the feelings and necessities of the whole
body .]
2. A want of Christian experience
[Some find comparatively few conflicts in the divine life:
others have to maintain a severe warfare, by which they are
often reduced to great straits. Now, it is to these latter that
I refer, when I speak of Christian experience. It is by no
c Isai. liii. 4. d John xv. 12, 13. Eph. v. 2.
1 John iii. 17. i 1 Cor. xii. 25, 26.
463.] A WANT OF SYMPATHY CONDEMNED. 381
means uncommon for persons, at their first awakening, to be
bowed down with fear and terrible apprehensions of the divine
displeasure. It was thus with the first converts on the day of
Pentecost: " they were pricked to the heart; and cried out in
great agony of soul, Men and brethren, what shall we do ? " In
subsequent stages of the divine life, too, many are brought into
deep waters, where, like David, they are apprehensive of being
swallowed up, and utterly destroy ed g . They " pass through
fire and through water h ;" and if they were not succoured from
on high by more than ordinary communications of grace, they
would sink and perish. Now, these persons can enter into
the feelings of others \vho are cast down by reason of their
afflictions ; and can suggest to them many suitable reflections,
such as perhaps the angels suggested to our Lord, when
tempted in the wilderness , and when agonizing in the garden
of Gethsemane k . But the man who has no sympathy with
persons under such circumstances, shews, that he knows but
little either of temptations or deliverances ; since these deep
experiences are vouchsafed to some for the express purpose,
that they may thereby be both qualified and disposed to ad
minister to others the consolations with which they themselves
" are comforted of God 1 ."]
3. A want of Christian feeling
[The very essence of Christianity is love : and it is " by
bearing one another s burthens that we very principally fulfil
the law of Christ" 1 ." But how can we fulfil that law, if we
do not " rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them
that weep"?" Or how can we possess " true and undefiled
religion, if we do not visit the fatherless and widows in their
affliction ," and endeavour, according to our ability, to "lift
up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, and to
make straight and smooth paths p " for " the feet of those who
are ready to slip?" It was peculiarly characteristic of our
blessed Lord, that " he would not break the bruised reed, or
quench the smoking flax, till he should bring forth judgment
unto victory q ;" and, if we do not resemble him in his compas
sionate regard for his afflicted saints, whatever we may profess,
" we have not the mind that was in Christ Jesus 1 ."]
BEHOLD, then,
1. The benefit of affliction
[" Affliction, doubtless, is not joyous, but grievous:" but
8 Ps. Ixix. 2. h Isai. xliii. 2. * Matt. iv. 11.
k Luke xxii. 43. 2 Cor. i. 4 6. m Gal. vi. 2.
n Rom. xii. 15. Jam. i. 27. P Heb. xii. 12, 13.
q Isai. xlii. 3. Phil. ii. 5.
382 JOB, XII. 5. [463.
it qualifies us for services for which we should be otherwise
unfit. Our blessed Lord was tempted in all things like unto
us, sin only excepted, on purpose that he might be touched with
the feeling of our infirmities, and be qualified (so to speak) " to
succour them that are tempted 8 :" and from that very consi
deration we are encouraged to come to him for relief under our
troubles 1 . Shall we not, then, be content to learn, in the
school of adversity, the lessons which he designs us to convey
to others ? We doubt not but that Job, if he were on earth
again, and knew how many millions of souls his example has
instructed, would readily submit again to the same discipline,
in order to communicate the same blessings to mankind. And
we also may well descend with David into the horrible pit and
miry clay of despondency itself, if only, with him, we may have
" a new song put into our mouth, which many, beholding, may
fear, and put their trust in the Lord u ."]
2. The excellency of the Gospel
[Under the gospel dispensation we have a perfect anti
dote to all the afflictions even of Job himself. We have a far
greater insight into the nature of God s dispensations than they
had under the darker ministration of the Law. The compas
sions of Christ do, in fact, dispel every cloud ; and bring such
light into the soul, that it may be said of all who view them
aright, " Unto the godly there ariseth up light in the dark
ness x : " and every believing soul may say, " When I walk in
darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me y ." Yes, Brethren,
"there is balm in Gilead;" there is balm for every wound.
Only study the Gospel, and get your souls filled with a sense
of redeeming love, and every storm you encounter shall only
forward you to your desired haven, and every furnace you en
dure shall only purge you from your dross, and " fit you, as
vessels of honour, for the use of your Divine Master z ." Of
those who come to heaven, as all, more or less, must be con
tent to do, through much tribulation, not one ever did, or ever
shall, complain, that his trials have been too great. Our pas
sage to heaven may be laborious: but our rest shall amply
compensate for all our labours.]
8 Heb. ii. 17, 18. t Heb. iv. 15, 16.
u Ps. xl. 2, 3. x Ps. cxii. 4.
y Mic. vii. 8. z 2 Tim. ii. 21.
464.] DEATH. 383
CCCCLXIV.
DEATH.
Job xiv. 10. Man giveth up the ghost, and where is he a ?
AFFLICTIONS, whilst they wean us from the
love of this present world, serve to familiarize us with
the thoughts of death, and to make that which to
our nature is terrible, an object of desire and hope b .
But it is proper for us to contemplate this subject
whilst we are yet in a state of health and prosperity ;
and, especially, to make the removal of others to the
eternal world an occasion of considering what our
own state may shortly be.
Man consists of soul and body. These, in death,
are separated ; the body returning to its native dust,
and " the soul returning to God who gave it." This
separation must speedily take place, whatever be our
rank, our age, our employment. The very instant
that " our soul is required of us," it must be sur
rendered up ; nor can the skill of all the physicians
in the universe enable us to ward off the stroke of
death one single hour.
And when the hour arrives for " man to give up
the ghost, Where is he ?" Whilst he is yet alive,
we may find him. His office in life will assist us in
our inquiry. The student, the mechanic, the man of
pleasure, yea, and even the traveller, may be sought
for, each in his own vocation, and may be found
without great difficulty : but who shall find the man,
when once his spirit has taken its flight to the invisible
world ? No more shall he return to his former abode ;
no more have intercourse with his former friends.
The house he has built, or the books he has written,
may remain : but he himself shall be far away, and
the place he has inhabited shall know him no more.
A tree that is cut down may sprout again : but not
a This is inserted, not as a set Discourse, but merely as a specimen
of an easy, popular, and extemporaneous Address on occasion of a
Funeral.
h See Job vii. 1 10. and ver. 1, 2. of the chapter before us.
384 JOB, XIV. 10. [4(J4.
so the man that dies : he shall pass away as a morn
ing cloud, and be no more seen c .
Then where is he,
I. As to any opportunity of serving God ?
[Once, he had one talent at least committed to him, and
he might have improved it for God : but now it is taken from
him : whatever he once possessed of corporeal or mental power,
of time, of wealth, of influence, is all gone for ever ; and he
can do no more for God than if he had never existed in the
world
II. As to any means of benefiting his own soul?
[Time was, when he could read the blessed book of God,
and draw nigh to a throne of grace, and pour out his soul in
prayer, and lay hold on the promises of the Gospel, and seek
from the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, such communications
of grace and mercy and peace as were needful for him : but
this time is passed away : no access to God now ; no help from
the Saviour now ; no scope for repentance now : none of these
things remain to a soul that is once removed to the eternal
world 11 : the work that is unfinished now will remain unfinished
for ever
III. As to any hope of carrying into effect his pur
poses and resolutions ?
[There are few so hardened, but they have some thought
or purpose of turning unto God before they die. To the gay,
the laborious, the dissolute, the fit time for religious services
is not yet arrived : but all have a secret conviction, that the
concerns of the soul deserve some attention ; and they hope
that, in a dying-hour at least, they shall regard what, in de
spite of all their levity, they know to be the one thing needful.
Peradventure the young only waited till they were settled in
life ; or till their children should be grown up, and leave them
more at leisure to follow the dictates of their better judgment :
and those who were immersed in earthly cares only w r aited till
they should be able to retire from the world, and to devote a
good measure of their attention to heavenly things. But " the
day is closed upon them ; and the night is come, in which no
man can work:" "their soul being, as it were, prematurely
and unexpectedly required of them," their hopes are never
realized, their desires never are accomplished ]
IV. As to any possibility of preparing for his eternal
state ?
c Eccl. ix. 10. d ver. 7 12.
464.] DEATH. 385
[The fight is terminated ; the race is closed ; the crown
awarded. There is no return to the field of action ; no further
scope for amended eiforts : " As the tree falls, so it lies;"
and so it will lie to all eternity. Pardon, peace, holiness,
glory, are all at an unapproachable distance to him who dies
without having attained the possession of them. There is an
impassable gulf between him and heaven ; and he must
take his portion for ever in that place for which alone he is
prepared ]
Permit me, then, now to ASK,
1. If the time were come for us to " give up the
ghost/ where should we be ?
[This is a thought which ought frequently and deeply to
occupy all our minds. Of individual persons we can know but
little : but respecting characters we may form a very correct
judgment. For instance, we know where the man who dies
impenitent shall be e ; and where the man who has not fled to
Christ for refuge f ; and where also the hypocritical professor p .
And if we will candidly search out our own character, we may
form a very accurate estimate respecting our future destina
tion. I beg you, then, to examine carefully into the state of
your own souls, in reference to your penitence your
faith your obedience to God s commands -
and then to say, as before God, what expectations the result
of that inquiry will authorize ? Reflect, too, I pray you, on
the inconceivable difference of those two states, to one of
which you must go; and on the different emphasis with which
the reflection in my text will be uttered by your surviving friends,
according as their hopes or apprehensions respecting you are
formed
2. As the time for your giving up the ghost will
shortly come, " Where should you now be ?"
[Are the scenes of gaiety and dissipation those which you
should chiefly affect ? Should not rather the house of God be
the place where you should delight to resort ? and should
not your own closet be frequented by you for the purposes of
reading, and meditation, and prayer ? - - In a word,
should you not live as dying men, and improve your time in
preparation for eternity ? - Realize the thought of your
feelings in that day, when, in the eternal world, you shall
say, " Where am I?" O! the blessedness of that reflection, if
you died in a state of acceptance with God; and the anguish it
will occasion, if you died under his displeasure ! I pray you,
e Luke xiii. 3, 5. f John iii. 18, 36. e Matt. vii. 21 23.
VOL. IV. C C
386 JOB, XIV. 11. [405.
Brethren, waste no more time in vanity and folly, but attend
now to the great concerns of your souls ; that, if the inquiry
he made either here or in the invisible world, " Where is
lie?" the answer may be, " He is happy for ever, in the bosom
of his God."]
CCCCLXV.
THE CHANGE THAT TAKES PLACE AT DEATH.
Job xiv. 11. All the days of my appointed lime will I wait,
till my change come.
"IS there not an appointed time to man vipon
earth a ? " Yes, there is : the time for every man s
entrance into the world, and the time for his con
tinuance in it, are fixed by Almighty God, from whose
hand we come, and by whose hand alone we are up
held. Successive generations arise, and are swept
away, like the foliage, which by revolving seasons is
produced and destroyed. But in this the illustration
fails : " for there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down,
that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch
thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax
old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the
ground, yet, through the scent of water, it will bud,
and bring forth boughs like a plant : but man dieth,
and wasteth away ; yea, " man giveth up the ghost,
and where is he ?" " As the waters foil from the sea,
and the flood decayeth and drieth up ; so man lieth
down, and riseth not, till the heavens be no more b ."
The change at death is complete : and, therefore,
whether a man be elated with joys or depressed with
sorrows, it becomes him to look forward to that
period, when all present things shall have passed
away, and an eternity, an unalterable eternity, shall
commence. In the prospect of this period, Job con
soled himself under his accumulated sorrows ; and
determined to wait with patience all the days of his
appointed time, till this change should come.
, It will be profitable to consider,
a Job vii. 1. b ver. 712.
465.] TI1E CHANGE THAT TAKES PLACE AT DEATH. 387
I. What is that change that awaits us all
The voice of inspiration tells us, " It is appointed
unto men once to die ; and after that the judgment."
Now, the change that takes place in death is,
1. Great-
[That which passes upon the body we can in some mea
sure appreciate; because we see before our eyes the frame,
which but lately exhibited the loveliest evidences of creative
wisdom, despoiled of all its powers, and reduced to the lowest
state of degradation and deformity.
But who can estimate the change which death produces on
the soul ? Who can form any adequate idea of its views and
feelings in a disembodied state ? Respecting it we know little
more than that it exists : of the mode of its existence, or the
nature of its operations, or the extent of its powers, we have
no means of judging. That it is in a state of inconceivable
happiness or misery, indeed, \ve have no doubt: but all beyond
that is mere conjecture. This, however, sufficiently warrants us
to affirm, that the change which takes place in death is great.
It is also,]
2. Momentous-
fit is a transition, not only from the use of means to the
absence of all means, but from a state of probation to a state
of retribution. Here we can read the word of God, and hear
it from God s appointed ministers. Here we can draw nigh to
God in prayer, and implore mercy at his hands, and plead his
great and precious promises, and flee for refuge to the hope
that is set before us. In our present state there is " a cloud
of witnesses," surveying all our motions, and, with affectionate
solicitude, panting for our success . God himself is watching
over us, and saying, " How shall I give thee up d ?" " Wilt
thou not be made clean ? When shall it once be c ?" But the
very instant that the soul departs from the body, its state is
fixed ; all opportunities of promoting its welfare are termi
nated^ and a sentence of happiness or misery is awarded to
it, according to what it has done in the body during the period
of its existence here.
The awfulness of this change is yet further increased by the
consideration of its being,]
3. Permanent
[True it is, indeed, that the body shall undergo a further
change ; because it will be raised again, to participate the lot
c Heh. xii. 1. (l Hos. xi. 8.
c Jcr. xiii. 27. f Eccl. ix. 10.
388 JOB, XIV. 11 [465.
which had been previously assigned to the soul. But, from
the instant of its dissolution, its doom was fixed ; and to all
eternity will it remain an heir of happiness or woe. Conceive
now the soul and body exalted to the throne of God, to enjoy
all his blessedness and glory; or cast down to hell, to endure
all the terrors of his wrath ! Conceive its state irreversibly and
unalterably fixed, so that, when millions of ages shall have
rolled on, it shall be no nearer a termination than at its com
mencement ! In what a view does this exhibit the change that
shall take place at death! Truly, this is a subject which
deserves the deepest consideration, and which, above all others,
ought to operate with the greatest force upon our minds.]
Let us consider,
II. Our duty in reference to it
We should continually look forward to that change,
and " wait" for it in a state,
1. Of patient expectation
[When trouble comes upon us, we are apt to feel impa
tience, and are ready, like Elijah, to pray that " God would
take away our life." Many, alas! proceed even to the extre
mity of terminating their lives by suicide : and I cannot but
think that the act of suicide would be still more common, if
the dread of an hereafter did not operate to produce a submis
sion to present ills, as, upon the whole, a preferable alternative.
But we should bear in mind, that " the number of our days is
determined" of the Lord ; that they are continually drawing to
a close; that, in a little time, our afflictions, how great soever
they may at present be, will come to a close; and, conse
quently, like persons waiting for the morning, we should
submit with patience to the evils of the night.]
2. Of diligent preparation
[The present is the only time for securing happiness in
the eternal world. Now, therefore, every hour should be im
proved for that end. Whatever talents have been committed
to us, we should employ them so as to give a good account of
them at last. If we have but one talent, we should not hide
it in a napkin, but turn it to the best account that we are
able ; that so our Divine Master may, at his coining, receive
his own with usury.]
Let this subject TEACH us,
1. The folly of ambition
[What if we possessed all that the world could give?
We might speedily, like Job, be dispossessed of all, or be
466.] THE FOLLY OF TRUSTING IN VANITY. 389
rendered incapable of enjoying it. At all events, the instant
our " change" comes, we must resign it all, and go naked out
of the world, even as naked as we came into it. Who, that
reflects on this, does not see that vanity is inscribed on all
created good ?]
2. The wisdom of true piety
[Piety is that which alone will profit us in the eternal
world : and the effects of that remain unchangeable for ever
more. Know, then, that " the fear of the Lord is the be
ginning of wisdom : a good understanding have all they that
do thereafter : the praise of it endureth for ever."]
CCCCLXVI.
THE FOLLY OF TRUSTING IN VANITY.
Job xv. 81. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity : for
vanity shall be his recompence.
THE friends of Job were enlightened and pious
men ; but they altogether mistook the character of
Job, and misinterpreted the dispensations of God
towards him. They had assumed a principle which
they carried too far : they laid it down as an inva
riable rule, that hypocrites would be visited with
some peculiar judgments, and that extraordinary
afflictions were in themselves a proof of some extra
ordinary wickedness which had procured them. But
though they were mistaken in this, their observa
tions are frequently most weighty and important.
The words in our text are a kind of general truth,
founded upon what Eliphaz had spoken in reference
to Job. As applied to Job, it was not by any means
pertinent : but as an abstract truth, it is deserving
of our deepest attention. Let us consider,
I. The caution-
Men are universally " deceived" through the in
fluence of a corrupt heart, a tempting world, and a
subtle adversary. And that deception shews itself,
as in other things, so particularly in the " trust"
which they place in " lying vanities." They trust,
tfM JOB, XV. 31. [466.
1. In vain conceits
[Men conceive themselves to be possessed of wisdom, good
ness, strength, in such a degree at least as to warrant their
expectation of happiness in a future world. Tell them from
God, that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind,
and naked, and they will deny your positions as false, and
ridicule them as enthusiastic. They have no idea that they
need the influences of the Holy Ghost to enlighten their
minds, or the blood of Christ to atone for their sins, or the
grace of Christ to renovate their hearts.
But let them examine their boasted attainments, and see
whether they amount to any thing more than " vanity." Let
them see whether their wisdom has made them like-minded
with God : let them bring their goodness to the touchstone of
God s law: let them try their strength in any act of spiritual
obedience : let them see if they can love God with all their
heart and mind and soul and strength : and they must soon be
convinced, that they are trusting to a mere vanity.]
2. In vain possessions
[If a man possess much of this world s goods he presently
trusts in it for happiness*: "his wealth is his strong city b ;"
and he says to gold, " Thou art my confidence ."
But is not wealth also vanity? What can it do to assuage
our anguish? or what stability is there in the possession of it?
Do not "riches often make themselves wings, and fly away?"
Or, when we are saying, " Soul, thou hast much goods laid up
for many years ; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry ;"
may not God reply, " Thou fool ! this night shall thy soul be
required of thee ? "
Let it not be said, that men do not trust in riches; for the
reverse is manifest beyond the possibility of contradiction, seeing
that the acquisition of wealth is regarded as the chief step
towards happiness ; and men bestow ten-fold more pains in the
attainment of it, than they do in the pursuit of heaven.]
3. In vain hopes
[Every one hopes that he shall be happy when he dies.
But, if we " ask men a reason of the hope that is in them,"
they can make no reply that will at all justify their expecta
tions. They will say, that they live as well as others, and that
God is too merciful to condemn them : but as for any Scrip
tural reason, they can assign none.
What a vanity then is this ! If a man were hoping for a har
vest while he neglected to use the proper means to obtain one,
would not his folly be manifest to all ? Wherefore then will
a 1 Tim. vi. 17. b Prov. x. 15. c Job xxxi. 24.
466.] TIIE FOLLY OF TRUSTING IN VANITY. 391
men dream of going to heaven when they die, not only without
having one word in all the inspired volume to warrant such a
hope, but in direct opposition to the plainest declarations of
God concerning them? Is not this a strange infatuation, a
fatal delusion?]
4. In vain purposes
[There is no one so hardened, but he intends at some
future period to repent. All who have ever reflected on the
value of their souls, or the importance of eternity, must have
purposed in their minds that they would prepare to meet their
God. But in this state they continue without carrying their
purposes into execution. The young confess the necessity of
repentance, and declare their intention to seek it: but they
arrive at manhood, and repentance is unattained : they proceed
to a more advanced period of life, and even to old age, and it
still is as far from them as ever. Thus they live, always pur
posing, but never accomplishing their purpose, till the time for
working is for ever past.
Can there be a greater vanity than this ? And does not the
trusting in such a vanity prove a man deceived ?]
That we may not ourselves be guilty of this folly,
let us consider,
II. The reason with which the caution is enforced
God has wisely ordained that men should reap
according to what they sow d . And it will surely be
found, sooner or later, that " they who trust in
vanity, shall have vanity for their recompence :"
they shall reap,
1. Disappointment
[God alone is the proper object of our trust and confidence,
because he alone can support us, and make us happy. If we
have looked to sin for happiness, we will venture to ask, with
the Apostle, " What fruit have we now of those things whereof
we are ashamed?" If we have sought happiness in things
lawful, still we must confess, that the creature, however excel
lent in itself, is but a broken cistern that can hold no water,
and that must consequently fail us when we most need its sup
port. We may fitly compare those who expect solid satisfac
tion in the creature, to a man almost famished, who dreams
that he is eating and drinking, but awakes afterwards as empty
and unsatisfied as before 6 . Truly, " he fills his belly with
the east wind f :" and his fairest prospects shall " be as the
d Gal. vi. 7, 8. Prov. iv. 8. e Isai. xxix. 8. f ver. 2.
JOB, XV. 31. [466.
unripe grape shaken off from the vine, or the blossom cast oiF
from the olive 8 ."]
2. Vexation
[Solomon has observed respecting all the choicest things
under the sun, that they are " vanity and vexation of spirit :"
and the experience of all attests the truth of his observation.
The more we trust in the creature, the more pain, generally
speaking, it will occasion us : it will not only be a broken
staff that refuses to support us, but a sharp " reed that will
pierce through the hand that leans upon it h ." When Ahaz
relied upon the Assyrian monarch to extricate him from his
troubles, he found nothing but additional vexation: " Tiglath-
pilneser distressed him, but helped him not 1 ." Thus it will
be with all who trust in vanities of any kind, or seek for hap
piness in any thing but God. They may not yet have reached
the crisis of their fate ; but vanity and vexation are insepara
ble, both. in this world and in the world to come. They may
think that they have a feast to come ; but while dreaming of
something pleasing to their palate, they will find that they
are " feeding on ashes, and a deceived heart hath turned them
aside V]
3. Ruin-
[We well know how the tasting of the forbidden fruit,
which promised such gratification and benefit to our first pa
rents, terminated, and what misery it brought on them and
their posterity : and the same recompence awaits us also, if we
trust in lying vanities, instead of depending wholly on our God.
Hear what God himself says respecting this: " Cursed be the
man that trusteth in man, and that maketh flesh his arm, and
whose hope departeth from the Lord 1 ." How should we tremble
at such a denunciation as this ! O let it have a becoming in
fluence on our minds ; and stimulate us to seek our happiness
where alone it can be found.]
We conclude with OBSERVING,
1. How necessary is it to mark the state and habit
of our minds !
[If it were said that gross sin should issue in misery, we
should not be surprised : but we are told that the mere " trust
ing in vanity," independent of any gross sins which may flow
from it, " will have vanity for its recompence." Let us look
then not to our actions only, but to the state and habit of
our minds ; since our happiness both in time and in eternity
P ver. 33. h 2 Kings xviii. 21. 2 Chron. xxviii. 16, 20.
k Isai. xliv. 20. See also Eccl. v. 16, 17. l Jer. xvii. 5.
467.] JOB S CONSCIOUS INTEGRITY. 393
depends no less on the latter than on the former. Let us not be
satisfied that we are free from any flagrant transgressions, while
we are relying on any thing besides God. Let us observe
whether we practically feel the emptiness of all created things,
and their utter insufficiency to make us happy either here or
hereafter. And let us be going forth to God in the constant
exercise of prayer, and " commit our souls to him in well
doing, as into the hands of a faithful Creator."]
2. How thankful should we be, that there is an all-
sufficient Friend in whom we may trust !
[God in Christ is the only legitimate object of our hope
and confidence. We are told, under the figure of Eliakim,
that." Christ has the key of David; that he openeth and no
man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth ; and that on
him must hang all the glory of his Father s house" 1 ." " Every
vessel in the Lord s house, whether great or small, must hang
on him;" and every care must be devolved on him. In him
there is a fulness of all that we can want. " In him is wisdom
for the blind, righteousness for the guilty, sanctification for the
polluted, and redemption for the enslaved : and all this he will
become to those who trust in him 11 ." Be thankful then,
Brethren, for such a friend, and for the command given you by
God, " Trust in him at all times, ye people." Rejoice that he
can bear your every burthen, and supply your every want ; and
that, as a trust in vanity will have vanity for its recompence,
so a " confidence in Jesus will have a great, substantial, ever
lasting recompence of reward ."]
m Isai. xxii. 2024. n 1 Cor. i. 30. Heb. x. 35.
CCCCLXVII.
JOB S CONSCIOUS INTEGRITY.
Job xvi. 19. NoiVj behold, my witness is in heaven, and my
record is on higJi.
GREATLY was this holy man afflicted by his own
friends, who came to condole with him ; so that he
was constrained to say, " Miserable comforters are ye
all a !" Yet was he not wholly destitute of comfort;
because he had the testimony of his own conscience,
that, to the best of his ability, he had approved
himself both to God and man : for neither had there
a vcr. 2.
394 JOB, XVI. 11). [467.
been any injustice in his hands towards man, nor
had his prayer been hypocritical before God b . Had
he been guilty of any secret oppression, he wished
the earth to disclose it, and his very prayers also to
be rejected of his God c : but he could appeal to
the heart-searching God himself for his integrity :
" Now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my
record is on high."
It shall be my endeavour,
I. To unfold this passage in reference to Job
These words may be understood as containing,
1. An unquestionable truth
[" The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the
evil and the good." There is not an abomination in the heart,
which is not seen by God, nor one that is not noticed in the
book of his remembrance as a ground of his future judgment.
To this the whole Scriptures bear witness : "I know the
things that come into your mind, every one of them d ." " I
search the heart and try the reins, even to give to every man
according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his
doings 6 ." On the other hand, there is not a holy motion in
the heart, but God notices it in the same manner, and for the
same end. " There was some good thing in the heart of young
Abijah f ;" and God made that the ground of distinguishing
him ahove all his brethren, who were wholly given to iniquity.
And where God is said to write in the book of his remem
brance the conferences of his people, he is represented as
taking peculiar notice of the thoughts of those who listen, no
less than of the ivords of those who speak: so observant is he
of every the minutest good that can be imagined. The sigh,
the groan, the very look, is understood by him, and regarded
with delight; and every tear is treasured up in his vials g , and
shall be exhibited by him, in the last day, in attestation of our
sincerity. " When thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee h ,"
is a specimen of the testimony he will bear to our most hidden
dispositions and desires.]
2. A consolatory reflection
[Inexpressibly painful must have been the judgment of
his misguided friends. Indeed, appearances were much against
him : for why should he be called to endure such complicated
b ver. 17. c ver. 18. d Ezck. xi. 5.
e Jer. xvii. 10. f 1 Kings xiv. 13. e Ps. Ivi. 8.
h John i. 48.
467.] JOB S CONSCIOUS INTEGRITY. 395
and unparalleled afflictions, if lie did not merit them ? and, if
he did merit them, what a consummate hypocrite must he
have been, to have gained so high a reputation for piety!
Such was the interpretation which his friends put upon the
troubles that had come upon him. They thought that the
dispensations of Providence were a sufficient criterion whereby
to estimate a man s character, particularly when they were
so extraordinary and unprecedented as those which they now
beheld. But Job knew that their accusations were unfounded,
and their decision altogether unmerited. The testimony of his
conscience, therefore, afforded him no little consolation. He
knew that heaven had witnessed in him a far different conduct
from that which his uncharitable friends imputed to him, and
that God s record concerning him differed widely from theirs:
to God, therefore, he committed his case, not doubting but
that, when his sentence should be declared, it would be the
very reverse of that which they so ignorantly passed upon
him. Hence he felt as the Apostle did aftenvards, under the
imputations cast on him : " It is a small matter to me to be
judged of you, or of man s judgment; yea, I judge not mine
own self: but he that judgeth me is the Lord 1 ."]
3. A solemn appeal
[There are many instances wherein the people of God
have made their appeal to him, respecting things of which
he only could judge. Thus Samuel k , and David 1 , and Paul m ,
frequently called God to witness, either their innocence of
evils imputed to them, or their performance of things to which
he alone was privy. And it is in this sense, chiefly, that the
words of my text are to be understood. In this view they
have the nature of an oath, and should have put an end to all
further controversy on the subject. In another place he makes
a similar appeal to God, and says, " Thou knowest I am not
wicked," that is, wilfully and deliberately wicked". And
happy was he, in having such a witness as could not err, and
such a record as could never be set aside.]
Such being, as I conceive., the import of this pas
sage, I shall now,
II. Improve it in reference to ourselves
To every description of person is this passage
capable of most profitable application. And I would,
in reference to it, address,
1 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4. k i g am . x jj t r^
1 Ps. xviii. 23, 24. and xl. 9.
* Rom. i. 9. 2 Cor. i. 23. Phil. i. 8. Job x. 7.
396 JOB, XVI. 19. [467.
1. The formal
[You, because of the constancy of your observances, are
ready to persuade yourselves that you are accepted of your
God. But what, I would ask, is the witness which you have
in heaven, and what the record that is on high concerning
you? Can the testimony of the heart-searching God be in
your favour? Must it not rather be to this effect? * I never
saw you weeping for your sins: never did I behold you fleeing
to Christ with any thing approaching to the earnestness with
which a manslayer fled from his pursuer to the city of refuge.
Never did I hear you surrendering up yourselves wholly to
the Lord, as his redeemed people. As far as outward services
have gone, you have been forward enough ; but to real vital
religion you have been utter strangers. Consider, Brethren,
I pray you, what reply ye will make to such a testimony as
this. You cannot set it aside : your own consciences attest
the truth of it : yet, if it be true, what hope can ye have
before God? Indeed, indeed, ye do but deceive your own
souls, whilst ye rest " in a form of godliness, and are destitute
of its power."]
2. The hypocritical
[Well I know, that none will conceive themselves addressed
under such a character as this. And I would to God that there
were none to whom the character really appertains ! But let
me ask, Are there none who have embraced the Gospel as a
system, and yet never been cast into the mould of it, so as
really to be assimilated to their Lord in the spirit and temper
of their minds ? Can God say concerning all of you, * I have
witnessed the subjugation of your passions, the mortification
of your lusts, and the entire change of all your tempers ; so
that you are no longer proud, and passionate, and vindictive,
in your spirit ; no longer earthly and sensual in your desires ;
no longer cold and formal in your duties ; but you are become
humble, meek, forgiving, towards men ; pure, spiritual, and
heavenly, in your own souls ; and devout and holy before God ?
What say you ? Can the heart-searching God bear this testi
mony respecting you ? and is this the habit which every hour
bears to heaven, to be recorded there? Tell me, Brethren,
what does conscience say to this ? Verily, it must be feared
that the experience of many will not bear this test ; but that
their own consciences at this moment condemn them as guilty
of gross, and flagrant, and frequent inconsistencies : and, " if
your own hearts condemn you, remember that God is greater
than your hearts, and knoweth all things." It is to little
purpose that your external conduct be approved : for " God
looketh at the heart ;" and expects that you " be renewed in
467.] JOB S CONSCIOUS INTEGRITY. 397
the spirit of your mind." He will bring all your tempers and
dispositions under examination at the last day : and, if he
cannot bear witness to the loveliness of them here, you may
be assured that you can have no favourable testimony from
him hereafter. You may forget your motions of pride and
envy, of uncharitableness and discontent, of covetousness and
impurity, but God records them all in the book of his remem
brance, and will surely bring them forth, to the confusion and
condemnation of your souls, if you do not get them washed
away in the Redeemer s blood, and mortified through the in
fluences of his Holy Spirit. I pray you, remember, it is by
your fruits that the tree will be estimated ; and, according as
they shall be found, will you either be translated to heaven,
or cast into the lake of fire, to be the fuel of God s righteous
indignation through all eternity.]
3. The calumniated
[It is possible that some of you, like Job, may lie under
censures which you do not deserve, and may " have things laid
to your charge which you never knew." It is possible, too,
that appearances may be against you ; as was the case with
Joseph in Potiphar s palace; and with Benjamin, when Joseph s
cup was found upon him. Should this be your unfortunate
condition, commit, with all humility, your cause to God, and
leave yourselves altogether in his hands. Doubtless it is
extremely painful to be calumniated and traduced : but the
testimony of a good conscience is sufficient to support you,
especially when confirmed by the witness of God s Spirit in
your souls. You remember "how many charges were brought
against our blessed Lord : yet he answered to never a word,
insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly." Imitate ye
Him in this respect. Be not too eager about the vindication
of yourselves : but let your life speak, and your spirit speak :
and the time shall speedily arrive, if not in this world, yet
certainly in the life to come, when your character shall
be cleared, and your righteousness shine forth as the noon
day sun.]
4. The sincere-
fit is an unspeakable consolation to know that God is
acquainted with all that passes in our hearts. If he knows our
defects, he knows also our humiliation on account of them.
He knows what conflicts we sustain, and what victories we gain
through the mighty operation of his Spirit on our souls. And
if we be " Israelites indeed without guile," he will bear witness
to it before the whole assembled universe, and vouchsafe to us
the richest tokens of his mercy and love. Be watchful, then,
against every deviation from duty, even in thought ; and
398 JOB, XVII. <). [408.
labour incessantly to " keep a conscience void of offence, to
wards both God and man." Bear in mind, that the eye of God
is ever upon you ; and endeavour constantly to walk as in his
jnmediate presence. Thus will you approve yourselves to
him, and ensure from him in judgment that testimony of his
approbation, " Thou hast been faithful over a few things ;
be thou ruler over many things ; enter thou into the joy
of thy Lord."]
CCCCLXVIII.
DARK DISPENSATIONS OVERRULED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF THE SAINTS.
Job xvii. 9. The righteous also shall hold on his ivay^ and he
that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
AMONGST all the doctrines of our holy religion,
there is not one more difficult to he received than
that which here offers itself to our notice : it may well
be numbered amongst " the deep things of God."
The manner too in which it has been professed by
men of enthusiastic minds, or antinomian habits, has
rendered it odious in the eyes of thousands, who yet
are truly upright before God. But neither the diffi
culty of guarding it from abuse, nor the averseness
of men to embrace it, must deter us from stating
what we believe to be the truth of God. We would
not needlessly go out of our way to introduce a sub
ject of such difficult discussion ; nor, on the other
hand, should we feel justified in passing it by when
it comes fairly before us : we are bound " to declare
unto you," as far as we are able, " the whole counsel
of God." The doctrine we allude to is that which is
generally called, The perseverance of the saints : and
it is evidently contained in the words of our text.
Job, seeing how all his friends were puzzled and con
founded by the mysterious dispensation under which
he was suffering, consoled himself with the thought,
that, when the issue of it should be seen, it should
greatly promote the edification of all who were truly
upright : persons who were unsound or hypocritical
might be discouraged by it ; but " the upright and
468.1 DARK DISPENSATIONS USEFUL. 399
innocent" would rescue it from abuse ; and would
take occasion from it to pursue their course with
augmented steadiness and zeal.
Agreeably to this view of our text, we will proceed
to state,
I. The general principles upon which the perse
verance of the saints is founded
It is supposed by many, that there is in the souls
of the regenerate a principle which is in its own
nature imperishable and indestructible : and in sup
port of this opinion, they appeal to several passages
of Scripture which seem to establish this fact. They
say, that " we are born of incorruptible seed 3 ;" that,
"because this seed remaineth in us, we cannot sin b ;"
and that it must of necessity " spring up unto ever
lasting life ." But we are by no means satisfied with
this statement : we doubt much whether there be in
the universe a man, provided he possess one grain of
humility, who will venture to affirm, that he has such
an indestructible principle of grace within him : nor
do we think that the passages here cited do by any
means establish such a notion : the seed to which
such efficacy is ascribed, is, not a principle, but " the
word of God* :" and it is the tendency, rather than the
certain infallible effect, of the Spirit s operations, that
our Lord speaks of, when he compares his Spirit to
" a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
Nevertheless we think that there is in the Holy
Scripture sufficient foundation for the doctrine we
are considering. It may be proved,
1. From the immutability of God-
fit is " from God that every good and perfect gift pro
ceeds 6 ;" even from Him "with whom is no variableness nor
shadow of turning f " -These gifts are the result of his
own eternal purpose and grace 8 : and they are bestowed by him
a 1 Pet. i. 23. b 1 John iii. 9. c John iv. 14.
d If we compare 1 Pet. i. 23. with the latter part of 1 John ii. 14.
they will give the true explanation of that difficult passage, 1 John
iii. 9. They will shew, that the seed is not a principle, but the word.
e Phil. ii. 13. f Jam. i. 17. e 2 Tim. i. 9.
400 JOB, XVII. 9. [468.
with a fixed purpose to render them effectual for the salvation
of our souls 11 . Hence they are said to be "without repent
ance 1 ," or change of mind in him who bestows them. There is
an inseparable connexion between the original purpose formed
in the divine mind, and the final completion of it in the salva
tion of the person thus chosen k : and to this very immutability
in the divine mind is the salvation of men expressly ascribed 1 .
" The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The
Lord knoweth them that are his."]
2. From the covenant of grace-
fin the covenant which God from all eternity entered into
with his dear Son", there were a number given to Christ, to be
his purchased possession . In behalf of these the Saviour
stipulated, not only to redeem them by his blood, but also to
keep them by his grace p : and the Father also engaged, not
only never to depart from them, but to secure them from ever
finally departing from him q . Provision was made for them,
that they should have " every thing that pertained to life and
godliness:" and the promises which assured these things to
them, were made irrevocable r ; that so their consolation might
be made abundant 8 , and their salvation sure 1 . On this cove
nant the Christian lays hold u ; and in an assured dependence
on it lie may say, " I am confident of this very thing, that He
who hath begun a good work in me will perform it until the
day of Christ*;" and that nothing shall ever "separate me
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord y ." In
this covenant David felt his security 2 ; and in this may every
believer trust, with humble, but unshaken, confidence 3 .]
3. From the intercession of Christ
[Whence was it that, when Peter and Judas resembled
each other so much in their crimes, they differed so widely in
their end ; the one being restored to his apostleship, and the
other being left to go to his own place ? Our Lord himself
tells us : " Peter, I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail
notV And to the same cause must be traced the restoration
of all who are restored, and the stability of all who stand. St.
Paul, in defying all his enemies, lays the chief stress on this :
he mentions with gratitude a dying Saviour ; but glories more
especially in the thought of Christ as risen, and as making
h 2 Thcss. ii. 13. l Rom. xi. 29. k Rom. viii. 29, 30.
1 Mai. iii. 9. m 2 Tim. ii. 19. Tit. i. 2.
John xvii. 6. P John xvii. 12. <i Jer. xxxii. 40.
r 2 Cor. i. 20. 8 Heb. vi. 17, 18. * Rom. iv. 16.
" Isai. Ivi. 4, 6. x Phil. i. 6. > Rom. viii. 35 39.
z 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. a 2 Tim. i. 12. and iv. 8 18.
b Like xxii. 32.
468 J DARK DISPENSATIONS USEFUL. 401
continual intercession for the saints . Him the Father heareth
always : and, whilst he " appeareth in the presence of God for
us," " bearing our names on his breastplate," and " making
intercession for us according to the will of God," we need
not fear but that we shall in due time occupy " the mansions
which he has prepared for us."]
On these grounds we believe that the saints per
severance in faith and holiness is secured.
II. The particular manner in which the most un
toward circumstances shall be overruled to
promote it
This is the particular point to which our attention
should be directed, in order to elucidate the true
import of the text : for, in the text we have an assu
rance, not merely that the saints shall persevere, but
that they shall persevere under circumstances which
will prove a stumbling-block unto all whose hearts
are not truly upright before God.
There are many circumstances which prove stum
bling-blocks to the unsound
[Amongst these we must first notice those which Job him
self more especially refers to. Though he was perfect and
upright in himself, he was oppressed with a heavier load of
afflictions than ever fell to the lot of mortal man ; and in the
midst of them, appeared to be forsaken of his God. Now from
such a dispensation, a man whose heart was not right with God
would be ready to conclude, that it was in vain to serve God ;
and that, if he is to be subjected to such trials as these, it were
better at once to seek the happiness which the world affords ;
since God puts no difference between the righteous and the
w r icked.
But more especially, if there be heavy trials for righteous
ness sake, the unsound professor is alarmed; and he draws
back from an open confession of Christ, lest he should be
involved in troubles which he is not willing to endure 11 .
But the greatest obstacle in the way of the unsound arises
from the falls of those who make a profession of religion. A
man whose principles are not fixed, is ready to doubt whether
there be any truth in the Gospel itself, when he sees a Judas
and a Demas making shipwreck of their faith. Our blessed
Lord told us, not only that such circumstances would arise,
c Rom. viii. 34. with Rom. v. 10. and Heb. vii. 25.
d John x. 22.
"VOL. IV. D D
402 JOB, XVII. 9. [468.
but that they would produce the most unhappy effects : " Woe
unto the world because of offences; for it must needs be
that offences come."]
But all these tend ultimately to the establishment
of those who are truly upright
[The assurance that trouble springs not out of the dust,
composes their minds under the diversified trials of life : they
know, that, whoever be the instrument, it is God who uses it;
and that He doeth all things well.
If persecution rage, he has counted the cost, and is " ready
to suffer the loss of all things" for Christ s sake; yea, " he
rejoices, if he is counted worthy to suffer for his Redeemer s
sake." The imprisonment of Paul was designed to intimidate
his followers, and to obstruct the progress of the Gospel : but
" it turned out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel," inas
much as multitudes were encouraged by his example to preach
the truth with greater firmness and zeal 6 .
So also, if there be any public disgrace brought on the Gospel
by the misconduct of those who have been regarded as eminent
in the Church, the truly upright Christian is not at all shaken
in his faith : he knows that the Gospel is wholly independent
of those who profess it : if eleven of the Apostles had proved
like Judas, he would not therefore have concluded that there
was either less importance, or less efficacy, in the Gospel of
Christ. He considers religion as standing on its own proper
grounds ; and he determines, through grace, to adhere to Christ,
though all others should forsake him.
Here it may be well to mark more distinctly the operation
of such circumstances on the true believer s mind.
Events like these humble him before God: they shew him
how weak he himself is, and how certainly he also shall fall and
perish, if for one moment he be forsaken of his God. They
make him also more earnest in prayer to God. Seeing whence
alone his strength must come, he cries day and night, " Hold
thou up my goings in thy ways, that my footsteps slip not."
Moreover, he takes occasion from them to search and try more
carefully his own heart, lest he also should have deceived his
own soul. He is put also on his guard against temptations,
and is made to ivatch more carefully against every occasion of
sin. Finally, he is made to feel the necessity of living more
simply and entirely by faith in the Son of God, and of receiving
out of his fulness those supplies of grace and strength, whereby
alone he can hope to get the victory.
Thus are those very events, which weaken the hands, discou
rage the hearts, and subvert the faith of hypocrites, overruled
e Phil. i. 1214.
469.] CHRIST A LIVING REDEEMER. 403
for the advancement and establishment of the righteous in
every good word and work.]
To GUARD against an abuse of this doctrine, we en
treat you to bear in mind,
1. The characters who alone can take comfort in
it-
fit is " the righteous" only, and he that " hath clean
hands," that has any title to the promise before us, or that is
in a fit state to derive any consolation from it. If any be
walking in the habitual indulgence of either open or secret
sin, he is a hypocrite before God; and to be left to " hold on
his way," will be the heaviest curse that can be inflicted on
him. Know, all of you, that " herein the children of God are
manifest, and the children of the devil; he that doeth not
righteousness is not of God f ."]
2. The way in which alone it should be improved
[It is not to create in any one an unhallowed confidence,
and to make him imagine that he may relax his exertions ;
but rather to encourage his exertions, from the assurance that
they shall not be in vain^. Whatever confidence we may feel,
it must always be blended with holy fear h . If the Apostle
" kept under his body, lest after having preached to others he
himself should become a castaway," who amongst us will feel
himself at liberty to remit his caution, or relax his diligence,
in the ways of God? " The path of the just is as the shining
light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day:"
and whilst we have an evidence that our path accords with
that description, we shall be in no danger of deceiving our
selves: but the very moment that our progress is doubtful, we
have reason to inquire whether we are indeed upright before
God. Use then this doctrine, not as an excuse for idleness,
but as an incentive to diligence; that you may "not lose
the things which you have wrought, but may receive a full
reward."]
f 1 Johniii. 10. g 1 Cor. xv. 58. h Prov. xxviii. 14.
CCCCLXIX.
CHRIST A LIVING REDEEMER.
Job xix. 25 27. / know that my Redeemer liveth, and that
he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth ; and though
after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my Jlesh shall
D I) 2
404 JOB, XIX. 2527. [469.
I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall
behold, and not another.
THE trials of the saints have not only been emi
nently conducive to their own good, but also pro
ductive of the best effects to the Church at large. It
is in afflictive circumstances that their graces have
shone most bright ; and under them they have made
the most glorious confessions, which will be recorded
with admiration as long as the world shall stand. Of
all the calamities which Job endured, there was none
more pungent than the uncharitable censures of his
friends, which tended to rob him of his only conso
lation. But he rose superior to them all ; and when
lie could not convince his friends by argument, he
made his appeal to God, and wished it to be written
for the vindication of himself, and the encouragement
of others to the latest posterity. We shall point out,
I. The substance of his confession
That Christ is the person spoken of, the very
terms here used sufficiently declare.
Job speaks of him as then actually " living "-
[Doubtless Job was no stranger to the promise made to
Adam respecting " the seed of the woman that should bruise
the serpent s head ;" or to those so often repeated to Abraham,
of a " seed, in whom all the nations of the earth should be
blessed." The father of the faithful had anticipated the advent
of that promised seed, and had rejoiced exceedingly in seeing,
though at the distance of two thousand years, the day in which
he should exist 3 . But Job seems not only to equal, but even
to surpass that most distinguished "friend of God;" for he
saw Christ as actually living ; and understood that, which,
when spoken by our Lord, so much confounded the Jewish
doctors, " Before Abraham was, I am b ." Yes, Job beheld
him in his pre-existent state, seventeen or eighteen hundred
years before he became incarnate ; he beheld him as having
life in himself, and as being the same yesterday, to-day, and
for ever .]
He even declares him to be " God"-
[The same person whom he calls " his Redeemer," he
afterwards calls " God." And in this he is supported by
a John viii. 56. b John viii. 58. c John i. 4. Heb. xiii 8.
469.] CHRIST A LIVING REDEEMER. 405
numberless other testimonies of Holy Writ. The evangelical
prophet tells us that the very same person who was " a child
born, and a son given, was also the Mighty God d ;" and the
New Testament assures us that He was " Emmanuel, God
with us, even God manifest in the flesh e ." Job was accused
of ignorance by his friends ; but it is to be feared that they
had not by any means such exalted views of Christ as he
here exhibits.]
This holy man yet further confesses Christ as " his
Redeemer "-
[The word Goel imports the nearest of kin, in whom the
right of redeeming any estate that had been sold was vested f .
Behold then the depths of divine truths which had been
revealed to Job ! He sees his God incarnate ; and himself as
" a member of Christ s body, even of his flesh and of his
bones g ." He sees Christ redeeming his soul from deatli and
hell ; redeeming him at no less a price than his own blood ;
or, to use the words of an Apostle, he sees " God purchasing
the Church with his own blood V]
Nor does he view him only as incarnate, or as
dying for the redemption of man, but as coming
again to judge the world
[The words used by Job might be applied to the in
carnation and resurrection of Christ ; but they seem rather to
designate his appearance in the last day to judge the world.
This office is " committed to Christ because he is the Son of
man;" and when he shall execute it, " he will come from
heaven in like manner as he ascended up to heaven :" He will
not indeed any longer be seen in a state of weakness and
humiliation, but " in all the glory of his Father and his holy
angels:" nevertheless He will then appear "as a lamb that
has been slain ;" and will summon all those who pierced him
to his tribunal.]
But that which gives inexpressible dignity to this
confession, is, the full assurance it expresses of his
rising from the grave in that day to behold and enjoy
Christ-
[He does not seem to have had any hope of restoration to
temporal prosperity; but speaks in the most confident manner
of his resurrection to eternal happiness. The destruction of
his mortal frame by worms was not in his eyes any bar to its
d Isai. ix. 6. e Matt. i. 23. 1 Tim. iii. 16. f Lev. xxv. 25.
e Heb. ii. 11, 14, 15. Eph. v. 30. h Acts xx. 28.
406 JOB, XIX. 2527. [469.
renovation in the last day. He knew that what was sown
in corruption, weakness, and dishonour, should be raised in
incorruption, power, and glory ; that his vile body should be
changed like unto Christ s glorious body ! ; and that when his
earthly tabernacle should be dissolved, he had an house, not
made with hands, eternal in the heavens k . He knew that,
having awaked up after his Redeemer s likeness, he should
behold him, not as now through a glass darkly, but face to
face, and dwell for ever in his presence where is fulness of joy 1 .
This re-union of his soul and body, together with the beatific
vision of his glorified Redeemer, was the one object of his most
earnest desires, and most assured hopes. And he was deter
mined, notwithstanding all the accusations of his friends, to
maintain " this rejoicing of his hope firm unto the end."]
We shall endeavour to IMPROVE this subject by con
sidering,
II. The lessons to be learned from it-
Whatsoever was written aforetime was written for
our learning: and this confession in particular sug
gests to us that,
1. A full assurance of hope is attainable in this
world
[Job s assurance seems to have been remarkably strong :
he not only calls Jesus his Redeemer, but proclaims his con
fident expectation of dwelling with him for ever : he speaks
of this, not as a thing which he surmised, or hoped, but as
what he "knew" for certain. Nor was this a privilege
peculiar to Job. Had not Paul also the same delightful
confidence, when he said, " I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have
committed unto him against that day 1 ";" and again, when he
professed that " henceforth there was laid up for him a crown
of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge should
give him 11 ?" And has not the same Apostle bidden us all to
shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the
end ? Why then should we rest satisfied without attaining
this blessed hope? Would it not serve as an anchor of the
soul both sure and steadfast 11 , amidst all the storms and billows
of this tempestuous world? Would it not be an effectual
antidote to the poisonous breath of calumny, which will ever
1 1 Cor. xv. 42, 43. Phil. iii. 21. k 2 Cor. v. 1.
1 1 Cor. xiii. 12. 1 John iii. 2. Ps. xvi. 11. and xvii. 15.
m 2 Tim. i. 12. n 2 Tim. iv. 8. Heb. vi. 11.
P Heb. vi. 19.
CHRIST A LIVING REDEEMER. 401
469.]
strive to blast the fairest characters ? Will not the testimony
of a good conscience fill us with joy even when we are loaded
with the bitterest accusations 1 ? Shall we not say with
St. Paul, " It is a small matter with me to be judged of you
or of man s judgment, yea, I judge not mine own self, but he
that judgeth me is the Lord r ?" Seek then to " know your
election of God ;" strive to make it sure and evident to your
selves 8 ; and be continually " living a life of faith on the Son
of God," that you may be able to say, " He has loved me, and
given himself for me V]
2. A clear knowledge of Christ in his person and
offices is the best groundwork of an assured hope
[Though Job had been too ready to boast of his integrity,
it was not on that that he founded his hopes of immortality
and glory. He knew himself to be under the curse of God s
broken law; and that Christ, as his Redeemer, was his "deliverer
from that curse, having himself been made a curse for him."
And what other foundations of hope can ive have ? Are we
holier than Job, who notwithstanding all his holiness exclaimed,
" Behold, I am vile?" Have we not at least as much reason
as he to "abhor ourselves and repent in dust and ashes 11 ?"
How then shall we pretend to be just before God ? Let this
be firmly settled in our minds, that we must flee to Christ for
redemption, before we can know him to be our Redeemer :
we must be united to him by faith, before we can claim him
as our nearest kinsman : we must behold his glory now as it
is exhibited in the glass of the Gospel, if we would behold it
with joy in the great day of his appearing. Let us then seek
to know Christ as he is revealed in the word : let us " search
the Scriptures, which testify of him," and pray for the illumi
nating influences of that Spirit, whose office is, to " glorify
Christ, by taking of the things that are his, and shewing them
unto us." Let us be ashamed that Job, who lived before there
was any written record of Christ in the world, should know
more of Christ than we, who live in the meridian splendour of
gospel light. And, whatever we have attained, let us seek
daily to " grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ."]
3. There is no state, however afflictive, wherein
an assurance founded on the knowledge of Christ
will not support and comfort us
[It is worthy of observation, that from the instant Job
uttered these words he was enabled to suppress, in a considerable
q 2 Cor. i. 12. r 1 Cor. iv. 3. s 1 Thess. i. 4.
* Gal. ii. 20. " Job xlii. 0.
408 JOB, XX. 47. [470.
measure, his bitter murmurings and complaints. And what
greater support can any man need than to know that he has
Christ for his redeeming God, and that after a few more con
flicts he shall enjoy him for ever x ? We do not indeed expect
that a person shall always be so elevated by these considera
tions, as to soar above all sense of his afflictions. But some
times even this may be enjoyed; and at all times we may
hope to " possess our souls in patience, till patience have its
perfect work, and we be perfect and entire, lacking nothing."
Let the sons and daughters of affliction then have recourse to
this remedy: let them labour to attain a thankful sense that
they have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness into
the kingdom of God s dear Son ; and then they need not fear
but that they shall be strengthened unto all patience and long-
suffering with joyfulness y . Let them seek an evidence that
they are Christ s : let them beg the Holy Spirit to witness to
their spirit that they are children of God ; and then their trials,
however grievous at the time, shall only serve as a boisterous
wind, to waft them more speedily to their desired harbour.]
x 1 Thess. iv. 17, 18. y Col. i. 11, 12.
CCCCLXX.
AGAINST HYPOCRISY.
Job xx. 4 7. Knoivest thou not this of old, since man ivas
placed upon earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short,
and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? Though his
excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto
the clouds ; yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung :
they which have seen him shall say, Where is he ?
PREJUDICE or passion will miserably warp the
judgment. It will hide from us what we might
know, and cause us to pervert what we do know.
Never was this more strongly exemplified than in the
friends of Job. Had they calmly considered, they
might have comforted him in his affliction ; but, by a
hasty misapplication of acknowledged truths, they
most unjustly and cruelly condemned him. Job had
hinted to them the evil and danger of their conduct a .
And Zophar, irritated at the caution, replies with
great severity. His words, however, though mis-
a Job xix. 28, 29.
470.] AGAINST HYPOCRISY. 409
applied, suggest to us two very important truths
respecting sinners :
I. Their prosperity is transient
Of sinners, some make no profession of religion, and
others a false profession. Each of these characters
may enjoy, for a while, great prosperity
[The profane are often exalted to places of dignity and
power : they prosper in all their labours for wealth and pre
ferment. They not only despise, but perhaps persecute the
godly : they " triumph," as though no evil should ever happen
unto them. This the Psalmist saw with deep regret b .
Hypocrites also frequently are held in estimation . They
are objects of envy to many an humble and contrite soul. They
will boast of experiences which might well be coveted; and
even attain considerable heights of joy d . Their " excellency
may mount up to the heavens, and their heads reach unto the
clouds."]
But their prosperity will be of short duration
[Death will speedily seize upon the most stout-hearted
sinner. Then all, which he gloried in, shall come to an end.
None of his " pomp shall follow him," or his " wealth be
carried with him." The hypocrite also shall have a period put
to his dissimulation : he shall soon appear in his proper cha
racter. The all-seeing God will discover the secrets of his
heart. Nor is this time at any great distance e : in comparison
of eternity, the duration of his joy will be " but a moment."]
Then will they experience a sad reverse
II. Their ruin will be tremendous
The ungodly will in due time be visited for their
offences. They will then "perish;"
1. To their own eternal shame
[Many portions of Scripture appear to us indelicate ; but
God s representations of sin are surely just, and well calcu
lated to make us nauseate and lothe it. Such is his description
of the ways of sinners f ; and such his declaration respecting
their end g . They will perish under circumstances of disgrace
and ignominy. Christ will not deign to own them before his
Father 11 . The angels will come forth to execute the vengeance
b Ps. Ixxiii. 3 12. c Rev. iii. 1. d Matt. xiii. 20.
e Deut. xxxii. 35. f 2 Pet. ii. 22.
g Compare Rev iii. 16. with the text. h Matt. x. 33.
410 JOB, XX. 47. [470.
of God upon them. The saints would even " thrust them out
of heaven" if they should seek admittance there 1 . The damned
themselves will insult them with bitter taunts k : nor shall
they ever cease to be objects of contempt and abhorrence.
This is told us in the plainest terms 1 . Nor, while they retain,
as they must, their character, is it possible that their situation
ever should be changed 111 .]
2. To the astonishment of all that knew them
[The question, "Where is he?" refers primarily to the
utter extinction of the ungodly; but it may well be considered
also as an expression of surprise. The wicked little think
where their course will terminate. If the rich man s request
had been granted , what reply would his surviving brethren
have made so soon as that in the text ? The hypocrites also
often escape detection in this world. Perhaps they were cele
brated, after their departure, as eminent saints. We may
conceive that their dearest friends, or their associates in holy
exercises, may inquire after them in heaven. What surprise
and horror must seize them, when they hear of the doom
which the heart-searching God has passed upon them p !]
ADDRESS " KNOW YOU NOT THIS?"
Know you not that this has been so from the
beginning of the world ?
[Does not the word of God assert, that " it shall be ill
with the wicked q ?" Does not the most authentic history in
the world prove it to have been so r ? Does not conscience
itself testify that it shall be so still?]
1 Luke xiii. 28. k Isai. xiv. 9 1C.
1 Prov. xiii. 5. Dan. xii. 2. m Rev. xxii. 11.
n Luke xvi. 23, 27, 28.
They would most probably have exclaimed, * Where is he ! in
hell ! lifting up his eyes in torments ! Is it really so ? We never
could have thought it : we had no doubt but that he was happy : he
seemed to us as worthy and blameless a character as any : nor had
he himself any doubts but that he was going to heaven.
P If a Minister is to have those as his " joy and crown of rejoicing,"
who were truly converted by his ministry, we may, not improperly,
suppose a degree of disappointment, if he miss those, concerning whom
he had entertained the most sanguine hopes. We may suppose him,
upon the first discovery, to say, Where is lie ! What, HE in hell !
I often feared that I myself should go thither ; but who would have
ever thought that HE should ? The Lord grant that this may never
be realized by any of us !
<i Isai. iii. 11. Ps. ix. 17.
r Where are now the antediluvian scoffers, the haughty Pharaoh,
the treacherous Judas, the worldly-minded Demas, the heretical
Hymeneus ? &c.
471.] THE EMPTINESS OF EARTHLY POSSESSIONS. 411
If you know, do you not consider this ?
[Can any thing be more worthy of our consideration? If
we have " but a moment," should we not improve that mo
ment ? Are we willing to perish in this ignominious and awful
manner ?]
Let us live no longer in the neglect of religion
[The gratifications of sense can last but for a little time ;
but the consequences of neglecting God will- endure for ever.
Surely the care of the soul is the " one thing needful."]
Nor let us rest in a " form of godliness " without
experiencing "its power "-
et will avail us little to deceive our fellow-creatures,
gher we have been in their estimation, the deeper will
be our disgrace. Let us then go to Christ for the remission
of past sins : let us approve ourselves to him in future, as
" servants that need not be ashamed," and labour to be " sin
cere and without offence until his coming again."]
CCCCLXXI.
THE EMPTINESS OF EARTHLY POSSESSIONS.
Job xx. 22. In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in
straits.
MEN universally, by nature, seek their happiness
in earthly things : and though they meet with conti
nual disappointment, they will persevere in the same
unprofitable course, " spending their money for that
which is not bread, and their labour for that which
satisfieth not." The question, " Who will shew us
any good?" is asked by every man: but it is the
godly man alone that answers it aright, " Lord, lift
thou up the light of thy countenance upon me a ." The
godly man attains the object of his pursuit : but the
ungodly man finds, by bitter experience, that, what
ever be the measure of his success in the attainment
of earthly things, " in the fulness of his sufficiency he
is in straits."
a Hainan s state, Esther v. 11 13, may here be opened to ad-
v.intage.
412 JOB, XX. 22. [471.
From these words, I will take occasion to shew
what a poor wretched creature a mere worldly man is ;
I. As viewed in himself
It is here supposed, that he may not only possess
a very large measure of earthly things, but may
have a consciousness that his portion is, as it were,
" shaken together, pressed down, and running over."
Yet, " in the fulness of his sufficiency, he will be in
straits ;"
1. As it respects his present enjoyments
[Earthly tilings, of whatever kind they be, pleasures,
riches, or honours, are all, in their nature, empty and unsatis
fying in their use, transient and cloying and,
in their effects, productive of trouble and vexation Our
blessed Lord has told us, that " a man s life consisteth not in
the abundance of the things that he possesseth ;" and Solo
mon, after trying all things to an extent that no other man
ever did, has given us his testimony respecting them, that they
are " all vanity and vexation of spirit."]
2. As it respects his future prospects
[Every man has a consciousness that there is a future
state ; and that earthly possessions, so far from advancing our
preparation for it, tend rather to divert our attention from it,
and to obstruct our progress in the heavenly life. And it is
no uncommon thing for a man, in the midst of all his earthly
pleasures, to feel them embittered to him, by a consciousness
that he is hastening to the eternal world, and is unprepared
for it. In fact, though men may, for a season, shake off the
thoughts of eternity, they cannot so divest themselves of it in
a time of sickness, and in the approach of death, as not to feel
exceedingly straitened in their spirit, and to acknowledge that
they have been all their days following a phantom, that has
eluded their grasp, and disappointed their expectations.]
But, to see him in his true colours, look at him,
II. As viewed in contrast with a godly man-
As an ungodly man may possess an abundance of
earthly comforts, so may a godly man be reduced to
great straits. We can scarcely conceive a more
destitute condition than that of Lazarus, or that of
those persecuted saints who " wandered about in
sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted,
471.] THE EMPTINESS OF EARTHLY POSSESSIONS. 413
tormented b ." Yet, as the worldling is in straits in the
midst of his abundance, so these are in abundance in
the midst of all their straits. They enjoy much,
1. In possession
[They have peace with God : and that is more to them
than ten thousand worlds. With this they have content ;
which reconciles them fully to their state, whatever that state
may be. However great their distress may be, they are re
signed to it as their Father s will, and they assure themselves
that " all things shall work together for their good." They
know that " their affliction is but light and momentary, and
that it is working out for them a far more exceeding and eter
nal weight of glory." Hence, so far from being dejected by
their trials, they even " glory in them," and find them a source
of solid satisfaction .]
2. In reversion
[They are enabled to look up to heaven, with an as
surance, that, however destitute here, they have in that blessed
world " an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that
fadeth not away." They have already a foretaste of that bliss,
in " a spirit of adoption," and in the sealing of the Spirit,
which is to them "an earnest" of what they are speedily to
enjoy in all its fulness. How empty do all earthly things
appear to him, whilst in such an elevated state as this ! A king
upon his throne, if not possessed of these spiritual treasures,
is to him an object of pity rather than of admiration and envy :
so infinitely is the worldly man below the child of God !
The worldly man, in having all things, possesses nothing;
but the saint, whilst " having nothing, in reality possesses all
things*."]
APPLICATION
1. Seek not happiness in a way of sin
[Sin may afford a present gratification : but, though it be
as honey in the mouth, it will be as gall in the stomach. So
we are told in the preceding context e ; and so it is found by
every child of man ]
2. Be not too intent upon the things of this world-
fin earthly business, of whatever kind, we may be dili
gent ; yea, and great diligence will consist with great fervour
of spirit, and spirituality of mind f . But "our affections are
not to be set on things below." In heaven alone is the treasure
b Heb. xi. 37, 38. c 2 Cor. xii. 10. <* o Cor. vi. 10.
e ver. 1214. f Rom. xii. 11.
414 JOB, XXL 14, 15. [472.
which we are to affect; and " where that is, our heart must
be also."]
3. Seek your happiness in God alone
[TJtere can be no disappointment, and no satiety. That
will make you rich in possession, and in reversion too : for if
Christ be yours, " all other things must of necessity be yours
also : whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or
life, or death, or things present, or things to come ; all are
yours : and ye are Christ s, and Christ is God s ."]
s 1 Cor. iii. 21 23.
CCCCLXXII.
CONDUCT OF SINNERS TOWARDS GOD.
Job xxi. 14, 15. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from
us ; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ivays. What
is the Almighty, that we should serve him ? and ivhat profit
should we have, if we pray unto him ?
AS in the speeches of Job s different friends, so in
his answers to them, we must ever bear in mind the
ground of their controversy. This, as we have often
before mentioned, was, A persuasion on their part
that God in his providence would mark the charac
ters of men by his dealings towards them ; and that
signal judgments of any kind were sufficient, without
any other evidence whatever, to prove the pre-emi
nent wickedness of the person on whom they were
inflicted. The different speakers indeed all wander
occasionally from the point, and launch out into other
topics ; but all intended to keep this point in view,
and to make it the ultimate object of their discourse.
The friends of Job had maintained their side of the
question with great confidence, and had driven him
more immediately to vindicate himself in opposition
to the implied charge contained in their arguments ;
but here he speaks less of himself, and directs his
answer more clearly to the general question. He
shews that multitudes of those who prospered in the
world were altogether addicted to impiety ; yea, that
their very prosperity was made by them an occasion
472.^ CONDUCT OF SINNERS TOWARDS GOD. 415
of more determined hostility to God a : and yet God
continued to prosper them both in life and in death,
so far, at least, as to exempt them from any remark
able judgments either in the one or the other. The
impiety of these persons, as described in our text,
must not be interpreted literally, as if the words here
used were uttered with their lips : they must be
understood as marking rather the language only of
their hearts and lives ; and in this view they will be
found to designate with equal truth the dispositions
and habits of ungodly men in all ages.
In evincing this, we shall,
I. Confirm the assertion in our text
The assertion itself is most humiliating, seeing that
it lays to the charge of unconverted men these two
enormous crimes ; first, that they cast off all regard
for God ; and next, that they vindicate this conduct
as reasonable and proper. Now that this is but too
just a description of unregenerate men, we appeal,
1. To observation
[What is the conduct of the generality, when the light of
divine truth is set before them ? Do they not shut their eyes
against it ? Even the public exhibition of it they do not like :
but if a pious minister or friend speak personally to them in
secret, they rather resent it as an insult, than accept it with
gratitude ; and by the aversion to holy things which they ma
nifest, they, in effect, " say to God, Depart from us ; we desire
not the knowledge of thy ways"- -If an attention to
heavenly things be urged from a regard to duty and interest,
the generality will deny that a life of godliness is either neces
sary or profitable. They conceive, that their time and talents
are altogether their own, to be employed according to their
own will and pleasure : and that all serious piety, and a life of
communion with God, are sources rather of pain and melan
choly than of peace and happiness ]
2. To experience
[What does every man s own heart declare? Let us all
look back and see, What has been our conduct in relation to
this matter? Have we desired the knowledge of God s ways,
as we have of the ways that lead to worldly honour and in
terest? Have we not, on the contrary, when God, by his
a " Therefore:
416 JOB, XXI. 14, 15. [472.
providence, his word, his Spirit, has been knocking at the door
of our hearts, said to him, Depart from me ; 1 have other
occupations and interests to attend to ; Thou must wait for a
more convenient season ? If pressed by the exhortations of a
faithful friend or minister, have we not vindicated ourselves as
acting a wise and rational part ; and asserted, (by our conduct
at least,) that such a devotedness to God as was required of us
was neither necessary nor desirable ? Yes verily, we all have
"hated the light b ," have wished it to be withheld from us c ,
have " rebelled against it," when it has flashed conviction on
our consciences d , and have determined to go on our own way,
in spite of all God s warnings and invitations 6 . By this re
sistance to God we have in fact denied his authority over us f ,
avowed ourselves his decided enemies p , and lived without him
in the world h - ]
Let us now proceed,
II. To suggest some reflections naturally arising
from it
1. How marvellous is the patience and long-suf
fering of God !
[The conduct above described is not peculiar to men of
an abandoned character; it is found in every child of man.
There are indeed some persons comparatively religious. Of
these it may be said, that they affect religion, and even glory
in the distinction which they assume to themselves as persons
fearing God and working righteousness. But, in truth, there
are no people more decidedly hostile to the Gospel than those
whom we now refer to. No man was ever more zealous for a
certain kind of religion than Paul in his unconverted state ; yet
no man was ever a more bitter persecutor of the Church than
he. And it is a fact, that, when the Jews at Antioch wished
to expel Paul and Barnabas from their city, they could find
no persons that would enter more cordially into their views,
or more vigorously execute their designs, than " the devout
women, whom they stirred up" to countenance and aid their
proceedings 1 . " God s ways," whether of acceptance with him,
or of obedience to him, are displeasing and irksome to the
natural man ; the one being too humiliating for him, and the
other too strict and self-denying: and the contempt that is
universally poured on those who " walk as Christ walked," is
itself the most unequivocal proof of the universality of our
b John iii. 19, 20. c Isai. xxx. 10, 11. d Job xxiv. 13.
e Jer. vi. 16, 17. and xliv. 15 17.
f Exod. v. 2. Ps. xii. 4. Jer. ii. 31. s Rom. viii. 7.
h Eph. ii. 12. Acts xiii. 50.
472.] CONDUCT OF SINNERS TOWARDS GOD. 417
departure from God, and our hatred of his ways. How asto
nishing then is it, that God should bear with us a single hour!
that he does not now retaliate upon us, as he will do at the day
of judgment, and say, " Depart from me, ye cursed, into ever
lasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels!" Let us
then " account the long-suffering of God to be salvation;" and
" let his goodness and patience and forbearance lead us to
repentance."]
2. What glorious tidings does the Gospel bring to
our ears !
[It was for such persons that the Lord Jesus Christ came
into the world, and offered himself a sacrifice to the offended
Majesty of heaven : " Whilst we were enemies, Christ died for
us." To such persons also are we sent, to offer them a free
and full salvation : the extent or long continuance of their re
bellion is no bar to the exercise of divine mercy towards them :
" Whosoever cometh unto me," says our Lord, " I will in no
wise cast him out." O ye who are convinced of your past
iniquities, and are sensible of your need of mercy, hear what
St. Paul affirms ; " It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all
acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sin
ners, even the chief." Do not imagine that God is filled with
resentment against you, as your earthly parents would have
been, if you had so treated them : he is plenteous in mercy ;
and, if you will go to him, he will " give you his blessing libe
rally, without upbraiding." If it be thought, that justice will
require the execution of vengeance on such sinners as we ; be
it known, that his justice is satisfied by the atonement which
Christ has offered; and that he can now be "just, and yet the
justifier of all them that believe."]
3. What a blessed change takes place in the great
work of conversion !
[The inmost dispositions of the soul are changed by grace ;
so that he who lately said unto God, " Depart from me," now
desires his presence above all things, and pants after God as
the hart after the water-brooks, and considers "his loving-kind
ness as better than life itself." Now he " counts all things
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
his Lord." Nor is it the principles only of the Gospel that he
loves, but the precepts also; and the way of God s command
ments is as much approved as the way of salvation through a
crucified Redeemer. Now he feels that " he is not his own, but,
having been bought with a price, is bound to glorify God with
his body and his spirit which are God s." Nor is it any longer
a question with him, whether there is any profit in communion
with God : he knows and feels that there is no employment
VOL. IV. E E
418 JOB, XXII. 21. [473.
under heaven so profitable ; and that, in fact, there is no
profit in any thing, not even in attending the ordinances or in
reading the word of God, unless a blessing be brought down
upon the soul by fervent prayer.
Shew ye then, Beloved, the truth of your conversion by the
change of your dispositions, your tempers, your habits. If ye
be indeed brought forth into marvellous light, " walk as chil
dren of the light and of the day." And as some remains of
your former corruption will yet be found in you, be daily put
ting off the old man, and be putting on the new, which after
God is created in righteousness and true holiness.]
CCCCLXXIII.
ACQUAINTANCE WITH GOD.
Job xxii. 21. Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace.
IN estimating the characters and conduct of men,
we must make great allowance for their prejudices
and mistakes. Unless we take into our consideration
the erroneous idea which Joh s friends had conceived
respecting the dealings of Providence with men, we
shall he ready to view them in a most unfavourable
light. Even with this allowance we scarcely know
how to account for the extreme uncharitableness of
Eliphaz. He is not content with accusing Job of
secret sins that could he known to God only, but he
brings plain and positive charges against him of open
visible crimes, no one of which could with even a
shadow of truth be imputed to him. We regret to
see such inconsistency in a man, whom yet we are
constrained to consider as pious : and we turn from
this painful view of him, to notice the excellent ad
vice, which, though still under a mistaken apprehen
sion of Job s character, he gave him. To a person
under any circumstances, an acquaintance with God
is most desirable, but more especially under such a
dark and afflictive dispensation as that which Job at
this time experienced. That we may invite you all
to seek it, w r e propose to shew,
I. Wherein an acquaintance with God consists
473. J ACQUAINTANCE WITH GOD. 419
[There is a knowledge of God which may be obtained
from the works of creation : but this must of necessity be ex
tremely partial and defective. They display his wisdom, and
power, and goodness ; but they exhibit no traces of that per
fection which we so greatly need to be acquainted with,
namely, his mercy in pardoning sin. It is from revelation
only that we can learn his true character as " a just God and a
Saviour:" and for a discovery of him in that endearing view,
we must look at him as exhibited to us in the Gospel of his
Son. It is in the face of Jesus Christ that all his glory shines a .
It is in the cross of Christ that all his perfections are made to
unite and harmonize: it is there alone that we can see " mercy
and truth met together, and righteousness and peace kissing
each other." This then it is which constitutes a true know
ledge of God ; it is an acquaintance with the great work of
redemption ; a view of " God in Christ Jesus reconciling
the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto
them"- ]
II. What is that measure of acquaintance with him
which we as sinners are privileged to enjoy
[It is not a mere speculative knowledge of these things,
but an actual participation of them in our own souls : it is not
" an hearing of God with our ears, but a seeing of him with our
eyes," as Job speaks; I mean, with the eye of faith, which is
privileged to " behold Him who is invisible V By faith " we
have a fellowship," yea a most intimate and endearing fellow
ship, " with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."
God will come and manifest himself to us, as our God, our
Father, and our Friend . " By his Spirit he will enable us to
cry, Abba, Father." " He will dwell in us, and walk witli
us :" Christ will live in us, even as his heavenly Father lived
in him ; insomuch that " he himself will be our life d ." What
nearer intimacy can be conceived ? yet this it is our privilege
to enjoy : this union with him, this committing of our souls to
him, this receiving of all needful communications out of his ful
ness, this living entirely by faith in him as our Saviour and our
God ; this, I say, is that measure of acquaintance with him
which we ought to seek, and may actually possess e - ]
III. The benefits resulting from it
[Who can ever fully declare what is implied in peace
with God ? Verily it is "a peace that passeth all under
standing" - But there is peculiar emphasis in the word
" Now;" " acquaint now thyself with God, arid be at peace. *
a 2 Cor. iv. 6. b Heb. xi. 27. Gen. v. 21.
d John vi. f>6, 57. with Col. iii. 4. Gal. ii. 20,
E E 2
420 JOB, XXIII. 10. [474.
What was the estimate which Eliphaz had formed of Job s
character? He viewed Job as the vilest hypocrite upon earth,
and considered him as punished by God with most signal
vengeance : yet he said to him, " Acquaint now," now, not
withstanding all thy vileness ; now, in the midst of all these
judgments ; even now acquaint thyself with God ; and " so
shall good come unto thee." This was indeed a just view of
God, though an erroneous view of the poor afflicted saint.
This is the view we should ever have of God in Christ Jesus :
we should see him ready to bestow his richest mercies even on
the chief of sinners, and as determined " never to cast out any
who come unto him." Be it known then, that, if only we will
acquaint ourselves with God as he is revealed to us in the
Gospel of his Son, there is not a good which God himself can
bestow, which he will not richly communicate to us ; nor is
there a condition, either of sin or suffering, in which that
acquaintance with him shall not be effectual for the restoration
of our souls to peace. Were we the vilest of the human race,
our iniquities should be blotted out - and were we in a
condition a thousand times more deplorable than that of Job,
it should turn all our sorrows into joy f
ADDRESS
Acquaint now yourselves with God,
1. Ye who are in a state of sin
[Seek him in reading, meditation, prayer, c.]
2. Ye who are in a state of suffering
[Doubt not his willingness or sufficiency.]
f Cant. ii. 3.
CCCCLXXIV.
THE UPRIGHT PERSON S COMFORT UNDER AFFLICTIONS.
Job xxiii. 10. He knoweth the icay that I take : when he hath
tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
THE superior happiness of the godly ahove that
of the ungodly is not so manifest in a season of pro
sperity as under circumstances of deep affliction.
The world can rejoice in their portion as long as
their pleasures are uninterrupted hy bitter reflec
tions or painful dispensations : but in trouble they
have no refuge. The righteous, on the contrary,
have less of thoughtless gaiety; but in time of trouble
474.1 COMFORT OF THE UPRIGHT IN AFFLICTION.
they find abundant consolations. No man was ever
beset with a greater complication of trials than Job ;
all of which were beyond measure heightened by the
uncharitable censures of his friends : but still he
found an inward support by reflecting upon,
I. His conscious integrity-
It is characteristic of God s children, that they are
all upright before God
[As there is a very considerable difference in the attain
ments of different men with respect to bodily strength and
intellectual powers, notwithstanding all possess the same mem
bers and enjoy the same faculties, so is there with respect to
piety also, notwithstanding all are upright in heart. From
the very instant that a person is converted to God, he must of
necessity hate sin, and long after a conformity to God s image :
he cannot commit sin a ; he must be, according to the measure
of grace given him, " an Israelite indeed, and without allowed
guile." Nor does humility require us to confess ourselves
hypocrites (wilful hypocrites, I mean) when God has quickened
us by his Spirit ; for it is not humility, but ingratitude and
falsehood, to deny the work which God has wrought in us.
Many of God s most eminent saints have spoken of their own
integrity and rejoiced in it, and even pleaded it before God b .
And we also, by " proving every one of us our own work, may
have rejoicing in ourselves, and not in another ."]
A consciousness of their own integrity is a rich
source of consolation to them in a trying hour
[There are times and seasons when almost all the other
springs of comfort seem dried up : sometimes it may be painful
even to reflect upon God d . Job acknowledges in the context,
that God s " presence was a trouble to him:" but knowing that
God was acquainted with his heart, he could yet appeal to him
respecting his own integrity: and from this source he derived
a pleasing satisfaction, an encouraging hope. St. Paul, under
a daily and hourly expectation of martyrdom, experienced much
joy in the same thought 6 : nor shall we find it a small consola
tion to us, under any trials we may be called to endure.]
But Job found a yet further consolation in reflect
ing upon,
II. The expected issue of his trials
a 1 John iii. 9. b Ps. xvii. 2. 2 Kings xx. 3.
c Gal. vi. 4. d p s . Ixxvii. 3. 2 Cor. i. 812.
422 JOB, XXIII. 10. [474.
Though he was at present in as hot a furnace as
he could possibly endure, yet he believed that he
was put into it by a skilful Refiner, for the purifying
of his soul from dross
[They who are truly upright, learn to view the hand of
God both in their comforts and their troubles : they know that
affliction comes not by chance, but from the hand of Him who
directs every thing with consummate wisdom. The ungodly
look no further than to second causes; and therefore yield to
murmuring and impatience whenever they receive evil from the
hand of their fellow-creatures : but the godly are persuaded
that their portion, whatever it be, is mixed for them by God
himself, and that it is intended " to purge away their iniquity,"
that they may be partakers of his holiness 1 ". This was evi
dently the view which Job had of troubles, notwithstanding
they sprang from such various sources.]
An expectation of the benefit reconciled him to
the means used for his good
[No one can love trouble on its own account ; since it is
" never joyous, but grievous." But sanctification is the highest
wish of the upright soul : it is regarded as a pearl that cannot
be purchased at too high a price. Trials, however painful, are
welcomed, if they may but be the means of promoting this
blessed end. Many have even dreaded the removal of them,
lest with them they should lose also the benefits flowing from
them. And, if we could have viewed the afflictions of Job in
their true light, we should have preferred his condition when
upon the dunghill far before that of his censorious friends.
He was enabled to look forward to the end ; and the event
fully justified his expectations.]
ADDRESS,
1. Those who are in the furnace of affliction
[Look above all second causes, and see God appointing
the nature, measure, and duration of all your trials g . " He
brings the third part through the fire ;" and appoints tribula
tion as your way to the kingdom. Let him accomplish his
own will in his own way ; and " what ye know not now, ye
shall know hereafter."]
2. Those who have been delivered from their
troubles
[When you were bowed down under the load of your
afflictions, you probably thought how differently you would
f Ps. xxxix. 9. Isai. xxvii. 9. Ileb. xii. 10.
P 2 Sam. xvi. 10.
475.] JOB S LOVE TO THE WORD OF GOD. 423
live if God should hear your prayers, and deliver you. Now
then remember the vows that are upon you h . Provoke him
not to visit you with yet heavier afflictions. As clouds succeed
the rain, so do troubles come in succession while we are in this
vale of tears. Endeavour then so to improve the past, that
future troubles may find you better prepared for their recep
tion, and every dispensation fit you for your eternal rest.]
3. Those who have never yet experienced any
particular trials
[A little outward religion will satisfy you in a state of ease
and prosperity. But that will not be found sufficient in a time
of trouble. The fire will try what your attainments are. Now
therefore be in earnest about the work of salvation, that when
affliction comes, it may be mitigated by the consolations of an
upright mind, and not be aggravated by the accusations of a
guilty conscience.]
h Ps. Ixvi. 10 15. and cxvi. 1 14.
CCCCLXXV.
JOB S LOVE TO THE WORD OF GOD.
Job xxiii. 12. I have esteemed the words of his mouth more
than my necessary food.
WHENCE arose this remarkable assertion ? Was
it a spontaneous and uncalled-for effusion of self-
applause ? or was it drawn forth by the circum
stances in which this holy man was placed ? If we
look back to the preceding chapter, we find that
Eliphaz had given him this counsel : " Acquaint now
thyself with God, and be at peace : thereby good
shall come unto thee. Receive, I pray thee, the
law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy
heart*" In answer to this, Job replies, " O that
I knew where I might find him ! that I might come
even to his seat! .... Behold, I go forward, but
he is not there ; and backward, but I cannot perceive
him : on the left hand, where he doth work, but I
cannot behold him : he hideth himself on the right
a Job xxii. 21, 22.
424 JOB, XXIII. 12. [475.
hand, that I cannot see him. . . . My foot hath held
his steps ; his way have I kept, and not declined :
neither have I gone back from the commandment of
his lips ; / have esteemed the words of his mouth more
than my necessary food x \"
I will call your attention to these latter words,
I. As an honour to Job
What sacred records Job possessed, I know not :
but certainly he had some, either written or tradi
tionary : and to these he had respect, " esteeming
them more than his necessary food."
His desire after them was more ardent
[A man may feel no great appetite for dainties ; but for
his necessary food he cannot but feel a most intense desire.
Hunger and thirst will in time so oppress a man, that he will
gladly part with all that he possesses in the world to satisfy
their pressing demands. In the famine that was in Egypt, the
whole people of the country sold their lands, yea, their very
bodies, to Pharaoh, for a supply of necessary food c . Yea, on
some occasions, women have eaten their own children, to
satisfy the calls of nature. Yet was Job s desire after the
words of God more urgent than any pressure of the natural
appetite for bodily food.]
His delight in them was more exquisite
[The sacred records are represented to us as " a feast of
fat things, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees
well refined d ." Yet this, methinks, conveys but a very inade
quate idea of the delight which the promises of God afford to
a w r eary heavy-laden soul. Doubtless to one nearly famished
with hunger and thirst, the necessary food, how common
soever it may be, is exceeding sweet: but not so sweet as
were God s words to Job; so much more exquisite was the
satisfaction which they afforded to his soul than any of which
his bodily frame was capable.]
His refreshment from them was more abiding
[Elijah, after a hearty meal, " went in the strength of his
meat forty days and forty nights 6 ." And Jonathan, after a
day s extreme fatigue, did but taste a little honey, and his
strength was renovated in a very extraordinary degree f . But
the strength which God s blessed word imparted to Job was
b ver. 3, 812. r Gen. xlvii. 19. (1 Isai. xxv. 6.
c 1 Kin< s xix. ,"> 8. f 1 Sam. xiv. 29. ,30.
475.1 JOB S LOVE TO THE WORD OF GOD. 425
visible in every part of his life. Truly " it enlightened his
eyes" insomuch that his discernment of God s truth was
incomparably clearer than that of any of his friends who came
to instruct and comfort him : for God himself says of them,
that " they had not spoken of him the thing that was right, as
his servant Job had g ." And, as it informed his understanding,
so it strengthened him to bear his trials with a degree of con
fidence and composure never surpassed by mortal man. In
immediate connexion with my text, he says, " God knoweth
the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come
forth as gold h ." And St. James represents him, in this re
spect, as the most perfect pattern to the Church in all ages :
" Ye have heard of the patience of Job 1 ." I may add further,
his love to the word of God was that to which we must trace
the whole of that obedience which he so feelingly describes :
" My foot hath held his steps ; his ways have I kept, and not
declined ; neither have I gone back from the commandments
of his lips : I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than
my necessary food k ."]
Let me yet further pursue this subject,
II. As a reproach to us
How much fuller a revelation of God s mind do we
possess !
[Doubtless Job s views, both of himself as a sinner, and
of Christ as a Saviour, were, in many respects, clear and just 1 .
But how incomparably richer is that discovery of God s re
vealed will, which is transmitted to us in the writings of the
Old and New Testament ! There is nothing concealed from
us, which it would be for our advantage to know. All the
eternal counsels of God, as displayed in the covenant of grace,
are exhibited to our view, together with all the wonders of
redeeming love. How highly, then, should these be estimated
by us! If Job felt such regard for the partial revelations
vouchsafed to him, what should not we feel towards this
complete system of divine truth, which we are privileged
to enjoy?]
But how low is the esteem in which it is held by us !
[Not only is " our necessary food" preferred before it,
but every base indulgence : the gratifications of sense which
are most sinful, and the acquisition of objects which are most
worthless, have a greater preponderance in our minds than
either the Law of Moses or " the glorious Gospel of the
g Job xlii. 7. h Job xxiii. 10. Jam. v. 11.
k Job xxiii. 11, 12. Job ix. 20, 21. and xix. 2527.
426 JOB, XXIII. 14, [475.
blessed God." Let us only look back, and see how faint
have been our desires after divine knowledge, and how feeble
our endeavours to obtain it. In truth, every book has been
preferred before the sacred volume : and, with almost every
one amongst us, the perusal of a novel or a newspaper would
be resorted to, at any time, to occupy a leisure hour, rather
than God s blessed word.
To what is our ignorance of heavenly subjects to be ascribed,
but to this? And to what else must our disobedience to God s
commandments be traced? We love not God s word, and
therefore we do not study it: we explore not its contents, and
therefore we neither know it nor obey it. Though it ought
to be our meditation and delight all the day m , with many the
sacred volume is scarcely ever read at all: and with those
who do occasionally take it into their hands, it is read only in
a superficial manner, and without that veneration and love
which it deserves. I say, then, that Job may well rise up in
judgment against us, to condemn us for our grievous neglect
of that sacred volume, which even " the angels in heaven
desire to look into"."]
APPLICATION
Redeem, then, the time which you have lost, for
the attainment of divine knowledge
[Were the salvation of your soul out of the question,
God s blessed word deserves more attention than any other
book : for there is no other book whose contents are so
curious, so instructive, so edifying in every view. But, when
the salvation of your soul depends on your obedience to it,
what shall I say? Methinks, you should be studying it day
and night, in order to obtain all its proffered benefits, and to
comply with all its most reasonable demands. In public,
when it is opened to you in the ministration of the Gospel,
" receive it, not as the word of man, but as the word of the
living God." And in your secret chamber study it, as it
were, upon your knees; and implore of God the teaching of
his Holy Spirit, in order that you may be able to comprehend
its mysterious contents. In a word, esteem the revelation of
your God as Job esteemed it : and then, like Job, shall you
have a record on high, that you pleased God, and that you
were accepted of him.]
m Ps. i. 2. See Jer. xv. 16. "1 Pet. i. 12.
476.] REBELLING AGAINST THE LIGHT. 427
CCCCLXXVI.
REBELLING AGAINST THE LIGHT.
Job xxiv. 13. They are of those that rebel against the light.
WE cannot understand any part of the Book of
Job aright, unless we continually keep in mind the
subject in dispute between Job and his friends ; they
labouring incessantly to convince him, that the judg
ments with which he was visited were marks of
God s indignation against him, on account of some
secret wickedness he had practised ; and he endea
vouring to prove to them, that God s dealings with
men in this world were no proper tests of their cha
racter ; since even the most abandoned of mankind,
in many instances, prospered in this world, and
passed through life without any visible marks of God s
displeasure. Amongst persons of this character, he
mentions " those who rebel against the light ;" who
form, indeed, a very large portion of the community
in every age and in every country under heaven.
We shall find it not unprofitable to inquire,
I. Who they are that are obnoxious to this charge
The expression, " rebelling against the light," may
be taken both in a literal and a figurative sense.
Accordingly, we must comprehend under this de
scription those who rebel,
1 . Against the light of day
[This, in fact, is the primary import of the expression in
my text : for Job himself goes on to illustrate his meaning by
the conduct of murderers and adulterers, both of whom shun
the light of day, which would expose them to observation, and
affect the darkness of night, as more favourable to their pur
suits. " The murderer," says he, " rising with the light,
killeth the poor and needy : and in the night is as a thief. The
eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye
shall see me ; and disguiseth his face. In the dark they dig
through houses which they had marked for themselves in the
day-time : they knoiv not the light : for the morning is to them
even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they arc
428 JOB, XXIV. l;j. [476.
in the terrors of the shadow of death a ." Hence such persons
are called " children of the night and of darkness," in oppo
sition to the godly, who are termed " children of the light and
of the day b ;" the one choosing the night as the season for their
wicked transactions, and the other the day for their labours
which affect the light. The truth is, that God has given the
light of day on purpose that his people may be enabled to
serve and honour him in their different vocations : but the
persons here spoken of discard the light, denying to it their
acknowledgment of its superiority, and giving a decided pre
ference to darkness, which alone is suited to such a conduct as
they pursue. This is " rebellion against the light" inasmuch
as it is a withholding from it those services which the Creator
himself has assigned it, and which its peculiar properties de
mand.]
2. Against the light of conscience
[Conscience is God s vicegerent in the soul of man.
Under its direction and government all, without exception, are
placed. The heathen, who have no written law to regulate
their conduct, and are therefore " a law unto themselves," are
under the control of this faculty ; which either " accuses or
excuses them," according as they demean themselves in accord
ance with the law of their minds, or as they oppose and violate
its dictates . And whoever disobeys its motions is altogether
" inexcusable " before God d . True indeed, many, whilst
following their conscience, sin grievously against God, as Paul
did, when he persecuted the followers of Christ. But his sin
consisted, not in following the dictates of his conscience, but
in not having his conscience better informed. The obeying
of the voice of conscience, so far as that alone is considered, is
always right ; and to rebel against it is always wrong. And
who is there that has not transgressed in this way ? Who is
there that, having known what was evil, has not committed
it ; and, having known what was good, has not neglected to
perform it? St. James tells us plainly, that to " rebel thus
against the light" is sin : " To him that knoweth to do good,
and doeth it not, to him it is sin e ."]
3. Against the light of revelation
[God has given us " his word to be a light to our feet,
and a lantern to our paths :" and he requires that we obey it
without reserve. But where has it its legitimate control?
Where does it reign with unrestricted sway ? Alas ! whether
amongst Jews or Christians, its influence is very limited : any
" ver. 14, 17. M Thess. v. 57. c Rom. ii. 14, 15.
d Rom. i. 20, 21. c Jam. iv. 17.
476.1 REBELLING AGAINST THE LIGHT. 429
worldly interest, any carnal gratification, is quite sufficient to
overpower it. Not even the Gospel itself, with all the won
ders of redeeming love, can operate so as to subject men to its
dominion. See, I pray you, and consider, Who regards the
Law as a rule of life ? Who yields himself to the Gospel, so
as to have his soul " cast into it as into a mould," and so as to
he " formed by it into the image of our God?" Look round
the world, and see how few are really in subjection to it.
Even where the Gospel is preached in its utmost simplicity,
the great mass of those who hear it " rebel against the light,"
and " walk on still in darkness."]
But, not to speak of others, let us consider,
II. How far we ourselves are implicated in it
In order to bring it home to ourselves, let us call
to mind particularly,
1. Our indulgence of secret sins
[Let us look at those who are yet in a state of childhood,
and see what frequent deviations from truth and honesty are
to be found amongst them ; insomuch, that it is almost a mi
racle if a single individual be found who cannot call to mind
some violations of his duty in these respects. Let us trace
our lives up to manhood, and see what each successive year
has brought forth ; in how many instances we have harboured
thoughts which we could not have dared to express in words ;
yea, and uttered in words, to a fellow-creature, what we
should not have dared to utter in the hearing of a man of
God; yea, perhaps I may say, have carried also into effect,
when, if an intelligent and pious friend had been present, it
would have been impossible for us to have acted as we did.
As for God s presence, we thought not of it. It was suf
ficient for us that we were not seen by man. If we have had
reason to fear that our sin was discovered, we have been filled
with shame and sorrow : but, if we have eluded human obser
vation, we have thought little of the eye of God. In a word,
to a sense of our own honour and credit in the world we have
been all alive ; but, to the approbation of our God we have
been indifferent.
In speaking on this subject, I may fitly mention the artifices
of trade and commerce, which, in fact, constitute the great
art of rising in the world, and without which it is scarcely
possible for a man to gain a livelihood. Yet, all these arts of
adulteration and deceit are practised in secret, without any
regard to God or conscience. I wish all of you, Brethren,
from the oldest to the youngest, in whatever rank you move,
and whatever office in life you fill, to examine whether the
sins incident to your age and station are not indulged by you,
430 JOB, XXIV. 13. [476.
so far as the habits of the world will sanction them, without
any fear of God. Truly, there is not one amongst us, who, if
he will suffer conscience to speak the truth, must not acknow
ledge, that he has "rebelled against the light" in instances
without number, yea, and it is to be feared, in instances too
which he could not endure to have published to the world at
large.]
2. Our neglect of acknowledged duties
[Who, that has ever heard the Gospel, does not know the
two great leading requirements of it ; namely, " repentance
towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ?" Yet,
who complies with them ? Who calls his ways to remembrance,
and mourns over all the evils of his former life, and humbles
himself before God in dust and ashes? Who goes to God
from day to day, imploring mercy at his hands in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ, and wrestling with him, as it were, in
prayer, till he obtains an answer of peace ? Who " lives alto
gether by faith in the Lord Jesus," " receiving out of his ful
ness those supplies of grace and strength which are necessary
for him, and goes forth in dependence upon Christ to glorify
his God in all holy obedience ? Alas ! alas ! we acknow
ledge readily enough what the light of the Gospel requires ;
but we " rebel against it." And this, as our Lord says, is the
very point which so greatly offends our God: "This is the
condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love
darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil f ." In
fact, it is this which renders men so averse to be told in
private what they are accustomed to hear in public : " for
every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to
the light, lest his deeds should be reproved : whereas, he that
doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made
manifest, that they are wrought in God ? ." Let us, then, only
look at the daily habit of our minds, in relation to these things,
and we shall see how deeply we all, without exception, are im
plicated in the guilt which is imputed to those who rebel
against the light.]
BEHOLD, then,
1. How amazing has been the forbearance of God
towards us !
[God has seen all our wickedness, however secret, whether
it has been in a way of commission, or of omission. " The
darkness has been no darkness with him ; but the night and
the day to him are both alike." How wonderful then is it,
f John Hi. 19. e John in. 20, 21.
476.] REBELLING AGAINST THE LIGHT. 431
that he has borne with us, and not taken us away in the midst
of our sins : when, if I may so say, he might have cut us off* to
advantage, and made us most distinguished monuments of his
displeasure ! How wonderful, too, that when he has seen the
whole world, and all the iniquity that has been perpetrated in
it, he has borne with us so long, and not consumed us utterly,
as Sodom and Gomorrha ! Let us, then, acknowledge " this
long-suffering of God to be salvation 11 :" and let it convince us,
that he is " not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance and live 1 "
2. What a mercy is it that the light is yet con
tinued to us !
[From many churches God has removed the candlestick,
when those who enjoyed the light persisted in rebellion
against it. But we, Brethren, have the light continued to us,
the light of day ; being preserved in life, when so many have
been taken away long before they attained to our age ; the
light of conscience, too, which so many have been left to " sear
as with a hot iron;" and the light of revelation, which yet
sounds in our ears, and invites us to accept of mercy through
the Redeemer s blood. O Brethren! how "little a while ye
will have the light with you, God alone knows : but whilst
you have the light, walk in the light, that ye may be the chil
dren of light k ." Beg of God that the word ye hear may " not
be a savour of death to your death and condemnation, but a
savour of life to your eternal life and happiness."]
3. How thankful should we be if conscience have
in any measure its proper influence upon us !
[Does conscience smite you, Brethren ? Be not in haste
to close the wound : yea, beg of God that it may never be
healed, but by the blood of Jesus Christ. Conviction is the
very first work of the Spirit of God : and the deeper that is,
the richer will be your consolations. And, when you have
obtained peace with God, still let conscience sit enthroned in
your soul, to regulate your every act, and every word, and
every thought, according to the mind and will of God. Entreat
of God to make your conscience tender as the apple of your
eye : and, if but a mote offend it, let it never rest there, but
weep it out with tears of penitential sorrow, and get the guilt
of it also washed away in the blood of Christ. In a word,
endeavour to " walk in the light, as God is in the light ; and
then shall God and you have fellowship one with the other;
and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, shall cleanse you from
all sin 1 ."]
h 2 Pet. iii. 15. * 2 Pet. iii. f).
k John xii. 35, 30. 1 1 John i. ~.
4. ? . JOB, XXVII. G. [477.
CCCCLXXVII.
SELF-REPROACH.
Job xxvii. 6. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
JOB had been represented by God as a perfect
and upright man : and the severe trials he was called
to endure served only to prove the truth of that
assertion. True it is that he was occasionally driven
by the unkindness of his friends and the depth of his
sufferings to speak without due reverence for the
Supreme Being ; but never were the predictions of
Satan, or the accusations of his own friends, verified
respecting him. His whole life had been a continued
course of piety and virtue : and he determined,
through grace, that nothing should divert him from
it. Being conscious that he had maintained his in
tegrity hitherto before God, he would not suffer his
uncharitable friends to rob him of the comfort which
that consciousness afforded him in this hour of trial :
" he held fast his righteousness, and would not let
it go." And being determined to preserve the same
blessed course even to the end, he said, " My heart
shall not reproach me so long as I live."
Of all the blessings that man can enjoy in this
life, there is none greater than the testimony of a
good conscience : without it, not all the world can
make us happy ; and with it, we find support under
all the calamities that can come upon us. Let us
then consider,
I. The proper office of conscience
Whilst we acknowledge that there are no innate
ideas which obtain universally amongst the children
of men, we affirm that there is in every man an
innate capacity to judge of, yea, and an innate power
that will sit in judgment upon, his actions, and will
pronounce a sentence of condemnation or acquittal
upon him, according as he obeys or violates the law,
by which he conceives himself bound to regulate his
life. To this effect St. Paul, speaking of the Gentiles,
477.] SELF-REPROACH. 433
says, that they, not having the written law, are a law 7
unto themselves ; and that their conscience accuses
or excuses them, according as they demean them
selves in reference to that law a .
From hence we see that the office of conscience is
two-fold ;
1. To judge of what is past
[God, who will pass judgment upon all men at the last
day, has appointed conscience to be, as it were, his vicegerent
in the hearts of men, and to testify to them beforehand what
sentence they are to expect at his tribunal : nor is it of actions
only that it is constituted a judge, but of dispositions, of mo
tives, and of all the most secret workings of the heart. If evil
be committed by us in act, word, or thought, it is to condemn
us, even though the whole world should resound with our
praise : and, on the other hand, it is to bear testimony in our
favour, and to acquit us, if we are innocent, even though men
and devils should combine to load us with reproach. Its office,
as an accuser, is strikingly exhibited in those who brought to
our Lord the woman taken in adultery : when he bade the
person who was without sin amongst them to cast the first
stone at her, they all went out successively " from the eldest to
the last," every one of them standing condemned in his own
mind b . We are not necessarily to conclude, that they had all
been guilty of the same particular sin ; but that every one of
them had some grievous sin brought to his remembrance, by
which he was convinced that he himself was not a fit person to
use severity towards her. Our Lord did not lay any specific
sin to their charge ; nor were the spectators able to accuse
them : but conscience did its office : and they were unable to
withstand its potent sway. Many glorious instances also are
recorded of the power of conscience to support the mind under
the severest trials. The very instance of Job which we are now
considering, evinces this : and the solemn appeals which David,
and Paul, and others, have made to God himself respecting their
integrity, prove, beyond a doubt, that the testimony of a good
conscience will enable a man to rejoice, though suffering
under the foulest aspersions and the most unfounded accusa
tions c ]
2. To direct in what is to come
[Every man is bound to be regulated by his own con
science. We may sin indeed, and sin grievously, whilst fol-
a Rom. ii. 15. l) John viii. 7 9.
c 2 Sam. xxiii. 2125. 2 Cor. i. 12, 17, 18, 23. See also Acts
xxiii. 1. and Rom. ix. 1, 2.
VOL. IV. I F
434 JOB, XXVII. G. [477.
lowing the dictates of our conscience ; but our sin will consist,
not in doing what we think to be right, but in not taking care
to have our conscience better informed. Even supposing any
line of conduct to be right in itself, we ought not to do it, un
less we believe it to be right: for " whatsoever is not of faith, is
sin d ." We ought to be " thoroughly persuaded in our own
minds 6 :" if we doubt respecting the proper line of duty, we
should wait, and inquire, and pray, till we see our way clear ;
especially if the doubt have respect to the morality of the
action f . There may be doubts about some particular circum
stances which can never be fully resolved ; and in them
we must follow the line which expediency prescribes: but
where duty can by any means be ascertained, then we should
exert ourselves to the uttermost to learn the will of God,
and then follow the path which we apprehend he will most
approve.]
But, that we may mark more distinctly the office
of conscience in relation to this point, we shall pro
ceed to notice,
II. Our duty with respect to it
Whilst conscience is given to us to preserve us
from all moral evil, we are bound on our part to pre
serve it in a lively and vigorous state. It is our
duty,
1 . To consult its records
[Unobserved by us, it notices from time to time the quality
of our actions, and frequently assigns to them a very different
character from that which a common observer would imagine
them to bear. But if we forbear to consult its records, they
become gradually fainter, till they are almost w r holly effaced.
Scarcely an hour, and certainly not a day, should ever pass,
without our retiring, as it were, to converse with it. What hast
thou recorded concerning me this day ? What is thy testimony
respecting my morning addresses at the throne of grace ? Were
they such as became a poor sinful creature, redeemed by the
blood of God s only dear Son, and altogether dependent on
the operations of his grace ? Were they full of gratitude for
mercies received, of contrition for sins committed, of earnest
ness for future communications, and of affiance in him as a
promise-keeping God? What hast thou recorded concerning
my family devotions ? What, of my tempers throughout the
day ? What, of the improvement of my time for God ? What,
d Rom. xiv. 23. Rom. xiv. f>. f Rom. xiv. 22.
477.] SELF-REPROACH. 435
of my zeal for his honour? What, of my labours for the
eternal welfare of my fellow-creatures ? Thus, as the Apostle
says, " We should examine ourselves," and " prove our own
selves :" nay more, we should beg of God to search and try,
not our ways only, but our inmost thoughts and desires, that
so we may have a fuller knowledge of ourselves, and keep a
conscience void of offence both towards God and man.]
2. To venerate its testimony
[If we disregard its voice, we may soon silence it altogether,
yea, we may even " sear it" as with a hot iron, so as to make
it " past feeling g ." We must remember whose voice it is,
even the voice of God himself, speaking in our hearts. Were
God to speak by an audible voice from heaven, we should hear
and tremble : the fear of his Majesty would alarm us. But
his Majesty is the same, whether he speak in thunders and in
earthquakes, or in a still small voice : and he should be listened
to with the same reverence in the one case, as in the other. It
is his testimony respecting us ; and agreeably to that we should
estimate both our character and our prospects. " If our heart
condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all
tilings : but, if our heart condemn us not, then have we con
fidence towards GodV]
3. To obey its dictates
[Nothing can justify a violation of its commands. What
ever conscience prescribes, we should do it without hesitation
and without delay. Nothing should intimidate us, nothing deter
us : we should not count our lives dear in comparison of its
testimony in our favour. Like the Hebrew youths, we should
be resolute, though menaced with all the sufferings that
tyrannic cruelty can inflict. And here it may be useful to
observe, that the frst testimony of conscience is generally the
most just, and most to be depended on. We may by reason
ings bewilder conscience, so that it shall not know what testi
mony to give ; or we may by leaning to the side of our passions
or our interests bias it to give a directly contrary testimony to
that which it first suggested : it is therefore of peculiar import
ance to bear in mind our first impressions : for though they
may not be always right, and may be corrected by the acqui
sition of further light and knowledge, yet they may be always
considered as more pure and unadulterated, and therefore as
deserving of more peculiar attention.]
4. To get it enlightened and rectified
[This, though mentioned last, must be attended to in the
s 1 Tim. iv. 2. i 1 John iii. 20, 21.
V F ^
JOB, XXVII. 6. [477.
first place. If we navigate the seas with a compass, we must
take care that that compass be true to the pole, and not be
under any undue influence to impede its motions. If that be
drawn aside by a magnet, it will, instead of assisting us in our
voyage, infallibly drive us on rocks and quicksands. Thus St.
Paul could say, that he had lived " in all good conscience" from
his youth up; but, being blinded by his prejudices, and " think
ing he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus,"
he was for a long time a most determined enemy of Christ and
his Church. Afterwards, when he was enlightened and renewed
by the Spirit of God, he changed his course, and became as
zealous for Christ as ever he had been against him. No pains
therefore should be esteemed too great for the acquiring of
divine knowledge: we should study the Holy Scriptures with
all diligence : we should cry mightily to God for the influences
of his Spirit to guide us into all truth ; and we should keep
our minds open to conviction upon all points that will admit
of doubt. Especially we should entreat of God to give us a
single eye: for, " if our eye be single, our whole body will be
full oi light; but if our eye be evil, our whole body will be full
of darkness: and, if the light that is in us be darkness, hoiv
great is that darkness!"]
We cannot better improve this subject than by sug
gesting to you some salutary CAUTIONS. Guard
then against,
1. An evil and guilty conscience
[Many continue all their days impenitent, whilst yet they
know that they are guilty before God O let none of
you rest satisfied with such a state as this. If sin be not
repented of, and washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ, it
will abide upon your souls to all eternity. And will any of
you continue in a state of guilt and condemnation, when God
is ready to put you into " the fountain that was opened for
sin and for uncleanness ?" Know assuredly that " the blood
of Jesus Christ will cleanse from all sin k ;" and that, being
once cleansed in it, you shall " have no more conscience of
sin," so as to be under any distressing apprehensions on account
of it 1 ; since, whilst it " purges you from an evil conscience, it
will stimulate you to serve the living God m ."]
2. A partial and deluded conscience-
fit is surprising how partial the consciences of many are:
they can see no evil at all in some things which suit their
1 Compare Zech. xii. 1. with John v. 2 9.
k 1 John i. 7. Heb. x. 2. " Hcb. ix. 9, 14.
SPIRITUAL DECLENSION CONSIDERED. 437
478.]
inclination, whilst they are shocked at the very mention of
other things which are in themselves altogether indifferent:
"they strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel." The Pharisees
would not for the world eat with unwashen hands ; but they
would devour widows houses without a moment s hesitation :
they Would bribe a man to betray his Lord; but, on the
restoration of the money, they would on no account put it
into the treasury, because it was the price of blood. Thus it
is at this day, with persons of every description. We should
be glad if we could say that all religious professors were
exempted from the charge ; but there are many even of them
who would account it a heinous crime to deviate from the
rules of their own sect or party, who yet will violate both
truth and honesty in their dealings with the world. Such
rrsons will say, " My heart shall not reproach me as long as
live;" but we hope their consciences will reproach them
before it is too late : for, if they continue to harbour any one
allowed sin, whether in act or in heart, they are no better
than self-deceiving hypocrites; and their religion will be found
vain ut last ."]
3. An over-confident and unfeeling conscience
[Though a scrupulous conscience is an evil to be lamented,
yet a tender conscience is above all things to be desired : it
should be kept tender, even as the apple of our eye. The
smallest deviation from our duty, either to God or man, ought
to pain us in our inmost souls. How lovely was the spirit
of David, when his heart smote him for cutting off the skirt of
Saul s garment, when, in the judgment of the world at large,
he would have been justified in putting his malignant and im
placable enemy to death. Thus should it be with us : if only
a thought of our heart be in any respect contrary to God s
mind and will, we should be humbled in the dust; and our
incessant labour should be, " to stand perfect and complete in
all the will of God;" or, in other words, to be " holy as God
is holy," and " perfect even as our Father which is in heaven
is perfect."]
n Jam. i. 27.
CCCCLXXVIII.
SPIRITUAL DECLENSION CONSIDERED.
Job xxix. 2. O that I were as in months past!
TO take a retrospect of our past lives is always
profitable : but it is not unfrequently attended with
438 JOB, XXIX. & [478.
much pain. The man that has lived as without God
in the world, how can he look back upon the days
that are past, without feeling the deepest anguish of
mind ? Nor is a review of former days less distress
ing to one who from a life of spiritual peace and joy
has fallen into a state of darkness and of spiritual
death.
The change which Job had experienced, was both
outward, in all that related to the body, and inward,
in what related to his soul. The circumstances at
tendant on that change were so peculiar, that they
are but little applicable to the Church at large : and
the design of God in them was also very peculiar;
it being not so much to punish the sin which yet
remained in his servant, as to display, confirm, and
augment the grace that had been imparted to him.
Into these peculiarities we shall not enter ; because,
though they might instruct and amuse our minds,
they would not come home to men s business and
bosoms, or lead us sufficiently to a contemplation of
ourselves. His temporal calamities we shall alto
gether overlook : and his spiritual troubles we shall
notice only in a general view, as affording occasion
for us to take a review of our past lives, and to see
whether we have not reason for a similar complaint,
" O that I were as in months past !" There had been
a time when, as Job says, " the candle of God had
shined upon his head, so that by the light of it he
had been enabled to walk through darkness," and
when " God himself was with him," and " the secret
of God was upon his tabernacle." So it may have
been with us ; and yet a most painful reverse have
taken place. And so important do I conceive this
subject to be, that I shall endeavour to cast upon it
what light I can in the compass of one short dis
course. A person anxious to know the state of his
soul before God, would be ready to ask, What are
the usual causes and precursors of spiritual declension?
Whereby shall I ascertain whether it has taken place
in me? and how, if such a change has taken place,
.* hat I I regain my former happy condition? To answer
478.] SPIRITUAL DECLENSION CONSIDERED. 439
these questions, I will proceed, in a brief and partial
manner, to point out the sources, the evidences, and
the remedies of spiritual declension.
I. The sources of it-
It is obvious that, were we to attempt a full dis
cussion of the subject, a whole volume would scarcely
suffice for the consideration of it. We must therefore
of necessity confine ourselves to a few leading topics,
leaving a multitude of others, of nearly equal im
portance, untouched.
Amongst the sources which I will specify, the
first is,
1. A remissness in secret duties
[The duties of the closet, such as reading, and meditation,
and prayer, are indispensably necessary to the welfare of the
soul. As well might we hope that our bodies should retain
their vigour without food and exercise, as that our souls should
flourish without communion with God. The vegetable creation
will not thrive without light; nor will the seed of Divine grace,
which has been sown in our hearts, grow without the light of
God s countenance. But this returns not unsought, like the
light of day : it must be sought, and sought with care too, or
else it will be withheld, and the soul will be left to languish in
darkness and distress. And in this respect is that word of our
Saviour verified ; " To him that hath, shall be given, and he
shall have abundance : but from him that hath not, shall be
taken away even that which he hath V]
2. An indulgence of some secret lust
[Sin, of whatever kind it be, is " a worm at the root,"
which will soon make the^ fairest gourd in the universe to
wither. It matters not what the sin be : it may be pride, or
envy, or malice, or revenge, or l 
