The Leonard Library
College
Toronto
shelf NO. ^491
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THE
ENTIRE WORKS
REV. CHARLES SIMEON, M.A,
WITH COPIOUS INDEXES,
PREPARED BY THE REV.
THOMAS HARTWELL HOIINE, B. D.
i,o N no N :
IMilNTKD BY KIC1IAHD CLAY, EKEAU-STIIEKT-II 1 1. 1..
HOR^E HOMILETIC^E:
OR
DISCOURSES
(PRINCIPALLY IN THE FORM OF SKELETONS)
NOW FIRST DIGESTED INTO ONE CONTINUED SERIES,
AND FORMING A COMMENTARY
UPOX EVERY BOOK OF
THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT;
TO WHICH IS ANNEXED,
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 Fr.I.I.OVV OF KING S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.
VOL. VII.
PROVERBS TO ISAIAH XXVI.
LONDON:
HOLDSWORTH AND BALL,
18, ST. PAUL S CHURCH-YARD.
M nccc xxxir.
CONTENTS TO VOL. VII.
liiscourse.
Text.
Subject.
Pa K o.
PROVERBS
753.
i. 2031.
Attending to God s gracious Invitations
1
754.
ii. 16.
The Way of attaining Divine Knowledge
5
755.
ii. 10, 11.
Piety a Preservative from Evil
9
756.
ii. 10 22.
15
757.
iii. 5, 6.
j /
Confidence in God encouraged .
20
758.
iii. 9, 10.
The Reward of Charity .
25
759.
iii. 17.
j j
The Pleasantness of Religion
30
760.
iii. 2124.
True Religion delineated ....
36
761.
iii. 35.
The Rewards of Wisdom and of Folly
42
762.
iv. 7.
Nature and Excellence of true Wisdom
46
763.
fv. 18.
Christian s Path compared to the Light
49
764.
iv. 23.
Keeioinn the Heart
52
u
765.
v. 12, 13,
Sinner s Retrospect ....-
59
766.
v. 22.
The captivating Power of Sin .
63
767.
vi. 6 10.
The Sluqqard reproved
67
768.
vii. 1 4.
Love to the Holy Scriptures inculcated
72
769.
viii. 17.
Address preparatory to Confirmation .
76
770.
viii. 29 32.
Wisdom s Address to Men ....
79
771.
viii. 35, 36.
The Value of true Wisdom ....
86
772.
ix. 1 6.
90
773.
x. 3.
God s Care for the Righteous .
95
774.
x. 4.
Effects of Sloth and Diligence compared
98
775.
x. 22.
God s Blessing, the greatest Riches .
101
776.
xi. 18.
The Wicked and Righteous contrasted .
104
777.
xi. 25.
Christian Liberality encouraged . .
108
778.
xi. 30.
The Wisdom of winning Souls .
112
779.
xii. 26.
The Excellency of the Righteous .
116
780.
xiii. 5.
The Character and End of the Wicked
121
781.
xiii. 5.
The Way of Transgressors hard . .
124
782.
xiv. 9.
The Folly of making a Mock at Sin .
128
783.
xiv. 10.
Man s Experience known to himself alone
133
\ 1
CONTENTS.
Dl.co.r,,
Te*t.
Subject.
Page.
VROVERBS
784.
xiv. 12.
Misconceptions about Salvation
134
785.
xiv. 13.
The Vanity of carnal Mirth . . .
141
786.
xiv. 14.
The Danger of Backsliding
144
787.
xiv. 26.
Fear of the Lord a Source of much Good
148
788.
xv. 3.
The Omnipresence of God ....
150
789.
xv. 8.
The Upright alone acceptable to God .
154
790.
xv. 32.
159
791.
xvi. 2.
Mans Estimate of himself and God s
162
700
xvi. 3.
Trustino in God ......
168
/ */ .
793.
xvi. 23.
The Benefit of experimental Religion
170
794.
xvi. 25.
Erroneous Views of Religion refuted .
175
795.
xvi. 33.
God is the Disposer of all Events .
185
796.
xviii. 10.
The Name of the Lord a strong Tower
188
797.
xviii. 14.
192
798.
xix. 2.
Divine Knowledge most desirable .
197
799.
xix. 3.
Sinfulness of murmuring against God
202
800.
xx. 4.
The Consequence of Sloth ....
205
801.
xx. 6.
208
802.
xx. 9.
No absolute Perfection here below .
213
803.
xxi. 25.
Desire is nothing without Labour .
217
804.
xxiii. 17, 18.
The Fear of God all the Day . .
221
805.
xxiii. 23.
225
806.
xxiii. 26.
3 7
The Duty of giving the Heart to God .
229
807.
xxiv. 11, 12.
The Folly of vain Excuses .
232
808.
xxiv. 30 34.
The Sluggard s Vineyard .
234
809.
xxv. 21, 22.
Returning Good for Evil .
238
810.
xxvi. 12.
243
811.
xxvii. 1.
i/ /
Against depending upon future Time .
247
812.
xxvii. 4.
250
813.
xxvii. 19.
The Hearts of Men alike ....
257
814.
xxviii. 4.
Effects of Piety and Impiety .
263
815.
xxviii. 5.
The Light enjoyed by the Godly
270
810.
xxviii. 1 1 .
Advantages of Rich and Poor compared
276
817.
xxviii. 13.
True Repentance recommended . .
281
818.
xxviii. 20.
The Portion of the Faithful Man .
286
819.
xxviii. 26.
Self-confidence removed ,
289
820.
xxix. 1.
Danger of Obstinacy in Sin . . .
293
821.
xxix. IS.
The Importance of Gospel Ministrations
298
CONTENTS.
Vll
Discourse.
Text.
subject.
Page.
PROVERBS
822.
xxix. 25.
The Fear of Man
299
823.
xxx. 1, 2.
A Saint s Views of himself .
304
824.
xxx. 7 9.
Agur s Wish
311
825.
xxx. 12.
The Self-deceiver exposed .
314
826.
xxxi. 10.
Usefulness of Schools of Industry .
318
ECCLESIASTES
827.
i. 2.
The Vanity of the Creature .
322
828.
i. 14, 15.
The Creature is Vanity and Vexation
326
829.
ii. 2.
The Emptiness of worldly Mirth .
331
830.
ii. 13.
The Excellency of Wisdom .
336
831.
ii. 26.
Portions of the Righteous and Wicked
341
832.
v. 4, 5.
Duty of paying our Vows .
345
833.
vii. 4.
The House of Mourning to be preferred
350
834.
vii. 10.
Contentment recommended . . . .
356
835.
vii. 12.
The Excellency of Spiritual Wisdom .
360
836.
vii. 16.
Against an over-righteous Spirit .
365
837.
vii. 29.
Man s Origin and present State .
370
838.
viii. 1 1 .
Man s Abuse of God s Patience .
376
839.
viii. 12.
The Blessedness of Fearing God .
378
840.
ix. 3.
The Wickedness of Unregenerate Men
382
841.
ix. 10.
Earnestness in Religion recommended
384
842.
ix. 1416.
Wisdom practically disregarded . .
390
843.
ix. 18.
The destructive Influence of Sinners .
395
844.
xi. 1.
Liberality encouraqed
400
845.
xi. 9.
Youth warned of the future Judgment
405
846.
xii. 1.
Remembering God in our Youth
409
847.
xii. 13, 14.
The Sum of all true Religion .
415
CANTICLES
848.
i. 3, 4.
The Church s Love to Christ .
420
849.
ii. 13.
The Church s Fellowship with Christ .
426
850.
Hi. 14.
Perseverance crowned with Success .
432
851.
v. 28.
437
852.
v. 9.
Transcendent Excellencies of Christ .
442
853.
v. 16.
The Excellency of Christ ....
446
854.
viii. 5.
The Christian s Reliance on Christ
450
855.
viii. 6, 7.
The Church s Desire of Christ s Love
454
ISAIAH
856.
i. 2, 3.
God s Complaint against his People .
459
857.
i. 4, 5.
The Sinfulncss of the Nation .
462
VJ11
CONTENTS.
858.
859.
860.
861.
862.
863.
864.
865.
866.
867.
868.
869.
870.
871.
872.
873.
874.
875.
876.
877.
878.
879.
880.
881.
882.
883.
884.
885.
886.
887.
888.
889.
890.
891.
892.
893.
894.
895.
896.
ISAIAH
i. 1017.
i. 18.
i. 25.
ii. 5.
iii. 10, 11.
iv. 5.
v. 35.
v. 20.
vi. 5 7.
vi. 8.
viii. 1214.
viii. 18.
viii. 19.
ix. 24.
ix. 6.
ix. 13.
x. 1217.
xi. 2, 3.
xi. 6 9.
xi. 9.
xi. 10.
xii. 1, 2.
xii. 3.
xii. 3 6.
xiv. 2.
xiv. 27.
xiv. 32.
xix. 20.
xix. 24, 25.
xxi. 11, 12.
xxii. 1214.
xxii. 24.
xxiv. 23.
xxv. 4.
xxv. 6 8.
xxv. 9.
xxvi. 3, 4.
xxvi. 13.
xxvi. 20, 21.
Service which alone is pleasing to G< d 464
Crimson Sins made White . . . -470
God purifying his People .... 474
Exhortation to a Holy Walk . . .4/8
Final State of Man 482
God the Protector of his Church . .486
God s Appeal to Man s Decision . . 490
Sinfulness of confounding Good andEcil 493
Isaiah s Vision of Christ 504
A Missionary Spirit described . . . 509
God the only proper Object of Fear . 513
Believers are for Signs and Wonder x . 517
Seeking after God 520
Blessings imparted by the Gospel . . 522
Christ s Incarnation and Character 526
Impenitence under, Divine Chastisement} 529
Abasement of the Assyrian Monarch . 532
Christ s Qualifications for his Office . 539
Change to be wrought in the latter Da// 543
The Millennium 547
Christ a Standard for the Gentiles 551
The Believer s Song 555
The Wells of Salvation 559
The Believer s Song 563
The Christian Warfare 568
Immutability of God s Counsels . .573
God s Church and People secure . . 578
Christ a great Saviour 583
The Conversion of Jews and Gentiles 585
Profane Scoffers instructed .... 590
Unconcern amidst Calls to Repentance 595
Eliakim a Type of Christ .... 599
The Reign of Christ glorious . . . 602
Christ a suitable and all-sufficient Help 605
The Gospel a Source of richest Blessings 610
Christ s Advent a Ground of Joy . . 614
Trust in God recommended . . . .618
Humiliation with Zeal 624
The only Refuge of Sinners . . . 627
PROVERBS.
DCCLIII.
THE NEED OF ATTENDING TO GOD s GRACIOUS INVITATIONS.
Prov. i. 20 31. Wisdom crieth without ; she uttereth her voice
in the streets : she crieth in the chief place of concourse, in
the openings of the gates : in the city she uttereth her words,
saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity ?
and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate
knowledge ? Turn you at my reproof : behold, I will pour
out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto
you. Because I have called, and ye refused ; I have stretched
out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at
nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof : I
also will laugh at your calamity ; I will mock when your
fear cometh ; ivhen your fear cometh as desolation, and your
destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish
cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will
not answer ; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find
me : for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the
fear of the Lord: they would none of my counsel: they
despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit
of their otvn way, and befitted with their own devices.
TO expostulate with men respecting their evil ways,
to point out the consequences of persisting in
them, to urge the necessity of a speedy and thorough
conversion to God, and to enforce the address with
affectionate entreaties and encouraging assurances,
is stigmatized as the effervescence of a heated ima
gination, the offspring of a weak enthusiastic mind.
But, however it be foolishness with men, it is wisdom
in the sight of God. No expostulations, entreaties,
promises, or threatenings can be delivered with greater
VOL. VII. B
2 PROVERBS, J. 2031. [753.
energy or affection than those in the text ; yet God
calls them the voice, not of folly and enthusiasm, but
of " wisdom ;" and, whatever we may think of them,
they will be found to be " the words of truth and
soberness." We are now " in the chief place of con
course," and it is wisdom itself, or God under the
name of Wisdom, that now addresses us. The sub
stance of the address may be comprehended under
two general observations :
I. To those who receive his invitations, God will be
exceeding gracious-
Nothing can be more tender than the expostulation
before us
[The words are addressed not merely to the " simple," but
to those who " love simplicity ;" not only to the ignorant, but
to them that " hate knowledge;" not only to those who are
destitute of religion, but who "delight to scoff" at it. "What
can we suppose that God should say to such daring trans
gressors ? What, but to denounce the heaviest judgments?
But " he is God and not man," and therefore he speaks to
them as God, in terms of inconceivable love and mercy ; "How
long will ye love your evil and destructive ways ? " Will not
" the past time suffice to have followed" them? Have they
been so pleasant or profitable that ye will forego all the hap
piness of heaven for them ? or, if ye intend to turn away from
them, have ye fixed the period of your conversion ? " How
long " do you intend to persist ? Till the time of sickness, and
the hour of death ? or till some more convenient season ?
Ah ! " turn you at my reproof;" let the words of a Father
and a Friend prevail with you : do not attempt to justify
your actions; or to extenuate your guilt: you see clearly
enough that your conduct is indefensible : turn, turn from it
without delay]
The promises, with which the expostulation is
enforced, add greatly to its weight
[A consciousness both of weakness and of ignorance often
contributes to keep men under the power of their sins A
thought arises in their minds, I know not how to turn ;
I know not how to obtain either the pardon of my sins, or
victory over my lusts. But God obviates at once all such
discouraging reflections. He says in effect, Are your cor
ruptions insuperable by any efforts of your own ? "I will pour
out my Spirit " to sanctify you throughout. Are you at a loss
753.] GOD S GRACIOUS INVITATIONS. 3
how to obtain my favour? " I will make known to you the
words of life ;" I will reveal my Son in your heart ; I will
shew you the efficacy of his atonement, and make you wise
unto salvation through faith in him. Thus does he silence
their objections, and dissipate their fears : " Behold, what
manner of love " is this ! surely we should not hear of it but
with wonder ; we should not receive its overtures, but with
grateful adoration ]
But " God will not always strive with man." On
the contrary,
II. They, who despise his invitations, shall be given
up to final impenitence and ruin
The contempt too generally poured upon the mercy
of God, is awful in the extreme
[One would suppose that such invitations and promises
could not fail of pi-oducing the desired effect. But, alas, the
reception they meet with is such as God himself represents it :
men " refuse to obey his calls ; when he stretches out his hands
to them with parental tenderness and importunate entreaties,
they will not regard him ; they set at nought his counsel ; they
despise his reproof; they hate even to hear of their duty, and
determine, whatever be the consequence, that they will not
perform it." The zeal and earnestness of his ministers are made
a subject of profane ridicule ; and the dictates of wisdom are
laughed at as the effusions of folly and fanaticism. We appeal
to the consciences of all respecting these things. Who that has
made any observations on the world around him, or on what
passes in his own heart, must not attest that these things are
so ? Yes ; we are all guilty : " This has been our manner from
our youth." Some have been more open and notorious, and
others more secret and reserved, in their oppositions to God s
will ; but all have opposed it, and, if divine grace have not
slain our enmity, we are opposing it still : the deliberate sen
timent of every unregenerate man is like theirs of old, " As for
the word which thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the
Lord, we will not hearken unto thee a ".]
But such conduct, if persisted in, will one day meet
a suitable reward
[As God cannot be deceived, so neither will he be mocked :
if he have a day of grace, so has he also a day of vengeance ;
and that day is hastening on apace. However secure the sinner
may think himself, there is an hour of " desolation, and of
consequent distress and anguish coming upon him." Perhaps
a Jer. xliv. 16.
4 PROVERBS, I. 2031. [753.
it may come in this life ; on a dying bed he may be filled with
terror and remorse; and though, like Judas, he may confess
his sin, or, like Esau, pray for a revocation of his sentence, his
prayers may be cast out, and God laugh at his calamity. Often
does God threaten this, and often has he executed his threat
ening ; " Go to your gods whom ye have chosen," said he to
his people of old; let them deliver you ; for I will deliver you
no more 11 ." So now does he often suggest to the mind of an
awakened, but unconverted sinner, What will the world do
for you now? What will your pleasures, your riches, or your
honours profit you in this day of my wrath ? What do you
think of the seed which you have been sowing, now you begin
to reap the fruit thereof? But if God deal not with us thus
in this world, most assuredly he will in the world to come.
That will indeed be an hour of distress and anguish when these
despisers of mercy shall stand at the tribunal of their Judge :
and oh! how will HE then " laugh at their calamity! how will he
mock at all their fear" and terror ! You would not believe my
word : now see whether it be true or not. You would not be
persuaded that I would ever vindicate my insulted Majesty:
What do you think of that matter now ? You despised me,
and said, " Depart from me ; I desire not the knowledge of thy
ways !" You shall have your request : I will depart from you;
and you too shall depart from me: depart, accursed, into ever
lasting fire : and though you should pray to all eternity for a
mitigation of your pain, you shall never have so much as a
drop of water to cool your tongue.
Would to God that men would realize these things, and be
persuaded to believe that God is true ! But whether they will
hear, or whether they will forbear, we must declare what God
has spoken : and, however an ignorant world may deride it as
folly, we will aver it to be the " counsel of true wisdom," and
the declaration of an unerring God.]
APPLICATION
1. Let all adore the divine goodness
[Which of us must not plead guilty to the charge of
despising God ? Which of us has not persevered in a course
of disobedience to him in spite of all his messages of mercy ;
and that too, not for clays merely, but for months and years?
Yet has God exercised forbearance towards us ; and at this
very instant renews to us his gracious invitations. Let us con
sider how many thousands have been cut off in their sins, while
we are yet spared to hear the tidings of salvation : and " let
the patience and long-suffering of God lead us to repentance."
b He has threatened it, Mic. iii. 4. Jer. ii. 27, 28 ; and he has
executed it, Zecli. vii. 11 13. Judg. x. 13, 14.
754. ] THE WAY OF ATTAINING DIVINE KNOWLEDGE. 5
Let us magnify him for such distinguished favours ; and turn
to him " to-day, while it is called to-day, lest he swear in his
wrath that we shall never enter into his rest."]
2. Let all tremble at the divine justice
[Though God be so full of compassion, " not willing that
any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and
live," yet is he a just and sin-avenging God : " he will by no
means clear the guilty ." He sometimes " repays the wicked
to their face" even in this life; but there is a day which he
has appointed for the full display of his own righteousness ; a
day, wherein he will render to every man according to his deeds ;
to those, who have sought for immortality, eternal life; but
to the despisers of his truth, indignation and wrath, tribulation
and anguish d . Let us then get our minds impressed with this
thought, that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the
living God e : and let us instantly comply with his invitations
here, that we may be par takers of his promises in a better world.]
c Exod. xxxiv. 7. d Rom. ii. 6 9. e Heb. x. 31.
DCCLIV.
THE WAY OF ATTAINING DIVINE KNOWLEDGE.
Prov. ii. 1 6. My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and
hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine
ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding ;
yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice
for understanding ; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest
for her as for hid treasures , then shalt thou understand the
fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the
Lord giveth wisdom ; out of his mouth cometh knowledge
and understanding.
WISDOM is justly considered as the first of human
attainments. It is that which elevates us in the scale
of being, and to it we are indebted for all the most
refined comforts of civilized society. But there is a
spiritual wisdom totally distinct from that which is
merely intellectual, and as much superior to it both
in its qualities and effects, as reason is superior to in
stinct. What this is, and how it is to be attained,
we are informed by Solomon in the words before us.
Let us then consider,
I. Wherein true wisdom consists
The nature of true wisdom is plainly declared in
the text
G PROVERBS, II. 16. [754.
[That which in one verse is called, " Wisdom," and
" Understanding," in a subsequent verse is called, " The fear
of the Lord," and " The knowledge of God." The wisdom
which unregenerate men possess, resides only in the head ;
but that of which the text speaks is seated in the heart. The
former consists merely in a knowledge of men and things, with
a faculty of applying that knowledge to present circumstances :
but the latter consists in a knowledge of God as reconciled to
us in Christ Jesus, together with a correspondent fear and love
of his name. The former enlarges the mind, and directs the
conduct in things relating to time : the latter informs and re
gulates the soul in reference to eternity.]
This description is just and accurate
[We confess that the knowledge and fear of God is not
so reputed by the world : on the contrary, it is stigmatized as
folly and madness. But that which arrogates to itself an ex
clusive title to the appellation of wisdom, is by no means so
deserving of it as this : because, whatever excellencies it pos
sesses, its operations are weak, uncertain, transient : whereas
" the wisdom that is from above" brings into subjection every
rebellious passion, and progressively prepares us for the enjoy
ment of our God. It was with this wisdom that the Messiah
himself was endued " 1 . And it is of this that Solomon speaks,
when he declares that nothing else is worthy the name of
wisdom b .]
Respecting wisdom the text further informs us,
II. By what means it is to be attained
The wisdom of this world may be gained by study
only : but spiritual wisdom requires,,
1. Sincerity
[If a man have not a disposition to obey the word of God,
he will find occasion of cavil and dispute in the plainest ex
pressions. The Pharisees of old, though conversant with the
sacred writings, and instructed by our Lord himself, remained
ignorant of the truth, because " they loved darkness rather
than light." Thus it will be with us. However good the seed
that is sown may be, it will never bring forth fruit to perfec
tion, unless it be " received into an honest and good heart."
If we would be truly wise, we must imitate the docility of
Cornelius c ; or, in the language of the text, we must " receive
God s word, and hide his commandments with us," as an in
estimable jewel which we are solicitous to possess and keep.]
2. Diligence
d Isai. xi. -2, :}. > Prov. ix. 10. < Acts x. 3:3.
754.] THE WAY OF ATTAINING DIVINE KNOWLEDGE. 7
[This idea is strongly inculcated in the words before us:
" we should incline our ear, and apply our heart to under
standing, and seek it as silver, and search for it as for hid
treasures." We should consider the inspired volume as an
inexhaustible mine, which yields nothing to a superficial
observer, but will richly repay those who explore its inmost
recesses. To this effect was the direction given to Joshua d ;
and if we follow that advice, we shall succeed like the Be-
reans of old 6 . It is the diligent hand, and that only, that
can ever make us rich.]
3. Prayer
[Nothing will succeed without prayer. A man might
commit to memory the whole Bible, and yet not understand
one spiritual truth contained it, if he trusted in his own
powers, instead of looking up to God for the teaching of his
Spirit. Our blessed Lord assures us, that none knoweth the
Father, but he to whom the Son shall reveal him f . And this
also is intimated in the repeated direction given us in the text,
to " cry after knowledge, and lift up our voice for under
standing." The Apostles themselves needed to have " their
understandings opened, before they could understand the
Scriptures 8 ." Yea, established Christians still need "a spirit
of wisdom and revelation to be given" to them, in order to
their obtaining a juster view of revealed truths 11 . All of us
therefore, if we would be taught of God, must cry with David,
" Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things
out of thy law 1 ."]
For the encouragement of all, Solomon further
declares,
III. The certain issue of those means-
God is the source and giver of all spiritual know
ledge
[Nothing can be more positive than the assertion before
us, That " God giveth wisdom, and that out of his mouth
cometh knowledge and understanding." It is in this view that
he is called, " The Father of lights k ;" because as that bright
luminary, the sun, was the work of his hands, so all light, in
tellectual or spiritual, is derived from him. Human learning
gives a man no advantage towards the attainment of true
wisdom. All, under God, depends on the state of mind with
which men seek divine knowledge : if they be willing to " learn
of the Father ," he will teach them: if they be too proud to
<l Josh. i. 8. e Acts xvii. 11. f Matt. xi. 27.
8 Luke xxiv. 4,3. h Eph. i. 17, 18. Ps. cxix. 18.
k Jam. i. 17. 1 John vi. 45.
8 PROVERBS, II. 16. [754.
submit to his instructions, he will leave them to wander further
and further from the right way. He will " take the wise in
their own craftiness" 1 ," and "reveal to babes what he hides
from the wise and prudent"."]
Nor will he suffer us to use the appointed means in
vain
[Frequent are the assurances which God has given us
respecting this . And he has made distinct promises to each
of the foregoing means. Are we sincere? he will open our
eyes P. Are we diligent? he will reveal himself to us q . Are
we importunate in prayer? he will give us liberally, and
without upbraiding 1 . No want of learning, no weakness of
intellect, shall be any obstacle to him, or deprive us of the
benefits which we seek 8 . On the contrary, he will make use
of the weakest and most contemptible of men to confound the
wise and mighty 1 .]
INFER
1. How highly should we value a preached Gospel!
[Men spend much time and money in acquiring human
knowledge, and are glad to avail themselves of all lectures,
public or private, whereby they may gain instruction. But a
frequent ministration of divine ordinances, and a faithful dis
pensation of God s word, are deemed worthy of censure rather
than of approbation ; and the very persons for whose benefit
the word is preached, can scarcely be prevailed upon to lend
an ear to the instruction that is freely offered. Little do they
think what it is that they thus despise. The ordinances are
appointed of God for the express purpose of " converting souls,
and making wise the simple 11 ." How many are there now in
heaven, who would have " perished for lack of knowledge," if
the voice of God in his ministers had not reached their hearts,
and " brought them out of darkness into marvellous light x !"
Let all then improve the ordinances with diligence, and pray that
by means of them they may be " made wise unto salvation y ."]
2. How precious should the Scriptures be in our
sight !
[It is only at certain seasons that we can attend on public
ordinances : but the Scriptures we may read at all times. In
them is contained all that we need to know. And the Holy
Spirit is promised us, to guide us into all truth 2 . Let the
m 1 Cor. i. 19. and iii. 19. n Matt. xi. 25.
Ps. xxv. 9, 12, 14. P John vii. 17. i Prov. viii. 17.
r Jam. i. 5. s isaf. X xxv. 8. t I Cor. i. 27, 28.
u Job xxiii. 12. Ps. xix. 7. x 1 Pet. ii. 9.
> 1 Pet. ii. 2. Hob. ii. 1. * John xvi. 13. 1 John ii. 20, 27.
755.] PIETY A PRESERVATIVE FROM EVIL. 9
sacred volume then be our delight, and our meditation all the
day a . Let us not cavil at any part of it, or say, This is a hard
saying b ; but let us receive it with meekness, knowing that, if
it be engrafted in our hearts, it is able, and shall be effectual,
to save our souls .]
a Ps. i. 2. b John vi. GO. c Jam. i. 21.
DCCLV.
PIETY A PRESERVATIVE FROM EVIL.
Prov. ii. 10, 11. When ivisdom entereth into thine heart, and
knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul, discretion shall preserve
thee, understanding shall keep thee.
PIETY, more than any other thing whatever, is
regarded with jealousy and suspicion : and it is no
uncommon thing for parents to guard their children
against its advocates and professors, as they would
against persons infected with a contagious disease.
What the fruit of this folly, both in parents and chil
dren, too generally is, may be easily conceived : the
children, taught to dread piety, which alone could
preserve them from evil, become the victims of temp
tation, and fall into every species of iniquity ; and
the parents not unfrequently are bowed down by the
misconduct of their children, till their grey hairs are
brought with sorrow to the grave. Men vainly hope
to effect that by moral suasion, which nothing but
the grace of God can produce : they would have
fruit without a root, and blamelessness without any
fixed principle of piety in the soul. But the only way
in which any man can be kept in one uniform path
of goodness and of honour, is, by submitting his soul
to the influence of true religion, and surrendering
himself up unreservedly to God. This at least was
the conviction of Solomon s mind : " When wisdom
entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant
to thy soul, discretion shall preserve thee, under
standing shall keep thee." By "wisdom and know
ledge" we are not to understand worldly wisdom : for
a proficiency in that, however great it may be, is no
pledge of morality, no preservative from sin. These
terms are used in Scripture to express real piety; and
10 PROVERBS, II. 10, 11. [755.
it is that alone which will prove a sufficient antidote
to temptation, or become a perennial source of holi
ness in the life.
In confirmation of this sentiment, I will shew,
I. What reception divine truth should meet with
The heart is the proper seat of divine knowledge
[Other knowledge is seated in the head : it is acquired
only by deep study, and by force of intellect : nor, in what
ever degree it be attained, does it at all sanctify and renew
the soul. But the truth of God " enters into the heart :" there
is that " incorruptible seed " deposited ; and from thence is it
brought forth into life and action. I mean not to say, that
the understanding is not to be exercised, or exercised deeply,
in relation to divine truth ; for, beyond all doubt, every truth
must so far approve itself to our judgment, as evidently to
appear worthy of God, and suited to our condition : nor should
any man give an unrestrained scope to his imagination or
affections : for, if he were implicitly to follow them, he would
of necessity be led away from the solid maxims of the Gospel:
but when once he is convinced of any truth of God, then is he
to deliver up his affections to be moulded and directed by it.
To make this clear, let me state what I mean by divine
knowledge. The word of God teaches us that sin is an evil
of extreme malignity ; that, to every soul in which it reigns,
it is defiling, debasing, damning. It teaches us that we are
altogether incapable of cancelling its guilt, or of subduing its
power ; and that if we find not a Saviour who is able to effect
these things for us, we must inevitably and eternally perish.
It teaches us yet further, that the Lord Jesus Christ is precisely
such a Saviour as we want, and that he is both " able and
willing to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him."
Still further, it teaches us the beauty of holiness, and the
blessedness of serving and enjoying God. But of what use are
these things, as a mere theory ? It is only by their being
actually experienced in the soul that they can be productive of
any solid benefit. But, when truly received into the heart,
they set in motion all the affections of the soul, and call into
activity our fears and our hopes, our sorrows and our joys.]
It should be received there with supreme delight
[Truth of any kind is pleasing to the mind, as all who are
accustomed to the investigations of science can attest. But
divine truth should generate the sublimest joy ; or, as my text
expresses it, should be " pleasant to the soul." It should be
to us what light is to the wandering and benighted traveller :
he pants for it; and congratulates himself on the very first
appearance of its orient dawn. To him it comes as a remedy
755.J PIETY A PRESERVATIVE FROM EVIL. 1 1
that is suited to his most urgent necessities. Conceive of the
Israelites, when pressed with hunger, or perishing with thirst ;
with what interest must they have beheld the manna that was
showered about their tents ! and with what avidity must they
have bowed down to drink of the streams that issued from the
rock ! Or, if it be said that these things are objects of sense,
and therefore inapplicable to the point in hand, take the in
stance of the brazen serpent, which was exhibited to their faith.
They felt themselves dying of the wounds which had been
inflicted by the fiery serpents : they were perfectly conscious
that no physician on earth could help them : and they were
informed, that, by God s appointment, a brazen serpent had
been erected, in order that, by looking to that, they might be
restored to health. Would they hear of that with sceptical
indifference, or behold it with an uninterested curiosity ? No :
it would be to them a matter of life and death : the very first
tidings of such an instrument would make them eager for the
exposure of it to their view ; and when they saw or heard others
attesting its efficacy, they would look to it with a desire to
experience in themselves its healing power. Now this is the
way in which divine truth should be viewed by us. To the
ungodly world it is most unwelcome, because it bears testimony
against them, and against all their ways : hence " they hate
the light, and will not come to it, lest their deeds should be
reproved." But to us it should be an object of ardent desire
and supreme delight. We should look to it, not for the pur
pose of critical discussion, but of grateful application to the
soul. Our spirit should be precisely that of the blind man
whom Jesus had healed. Our Lord put the question to him,
" Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" To which he replied,
" Who is he, Lord s that I might believe on him a ?" Here he
finds no disposition to speculate upon the subject, as on a
matter of mere critical inquiry ; but shews a readiness to admit
the truth the moment it should be revealed to him, and to
embrace it as the one ground of all his future conduct. Such
should be the disposition of our minds also. And when we have
attained clearer views of divine truth, we should " rejoice as
one that findeth great spoil V]
That we may be stirred up to seek divine truth in
this way, let us consider,
II. Its salutary influence when duly received
" Discretion will preserve us, and understanding
will keep us." This is the testimony of God himself.
But it may be asked, * If common knowledge be not
effectual to keep us, or even divine knowledge when
a John ix. 35, 36. b Ps. cxix. 1G2.
12 PROVERBS, II. 10, 11. [755.
received only into the head, how can the circumstance
of receiving knowledge into the heart be productive
of any such effect ? I answer, It is this very cir
cumstance which makes all the difference : divine
knowledge, when it resides merely in the head, is
speculative only ; whereas, when it enters into the
heart, it becomes practical.
1. It rectifies the judgment
[On every subject connected with the soul, the judgment
of mankind is in direct opposition to the mind of God. In their
eyes, the things of time and sense are of the first importance ;
but in the sight of God they are all lighter than vanity itself:
in his eyes, the concerns of the soul and of eternity are alone
worthy of the care of an immortal Being. To the ungodly, even
the Gospel itself, that unrivalled production of divine wisdom,
is " foolishness;" but to an enlightened mind, it is " the power
of God and the wisdom of God." To the stout-hearted infidel,
to follow the commands of God is to " be righteous over-much: "
but to one who is taught of God, obedience to God s commands
appears his highest honour and felicity. But the truth is, he
once was in darkness, but is now " brought into marvellous
light : " he once saw only through the distorting medium of
sense ; he now beholds with the eye of faith, which brings him
within the vail of the sanctuary, and discovers every thing as it
is beheld by God himself. Nor should this appear strange to us.
The difference made in the aspect of any object by its being
viewed through glasses of different construction, may easily
convince us how different an appearance every object must
assume, according as it is viewed through the medium of sense,
or by the penetrating eye of faith. The person who turns to
God has the very law of God written in his heart ; and needs
only to look within, and he will see the correspondence between
the divine records and his own actual experience : so that he
does not merely believe the divine testimonies to be true and
good, but " has ivitkin himself a witness" of their transcendent
excellence : or, as it is said in the verse before our text, " he
understands righteousness, and judgment, and equity, yea,
every good path."]
2. It infuses sensibility into the conscience
[The conscience of an unenlightened man is blind, partial,
and in many respects seared ; since, in relation to the disposi
tions of the soul towards God, which is of far greater importance
than any thing else, it never reproves at all. But when divine
wisdom has entered into his soul, a man will not be satisfied
with a freedom from great and flagrant transgressions : he will
755.] PIETY A PRESERVATIVE FROM EVIL. 13
examine his duties towards God as well as those towards man:
he will mark his defects, no less than his excesses : he will
observe his thoughts, yea, and " the very imaginations of his
thoughts;" and will be more grieved for an evil propensity or
desire, than the world at large are for an evil act. He endea
vours to have his conscience as much alive to the least evils, as
to the greatest ; and to keep it tender, as the apple of his eye :
and if but a mote assail it, he will take no rest, till he has wept
it out with tears of penitence and contrition. See this in the
Apostle Paul. Before his conversion, he could find no evil in
himself, though he was " a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and
injurious;" but after his conversion, he did but utter a disre
spectful word to a judge who was violating the plainest rules
of justice, and he made it a matter of humiliation in the pre
sence of the whole court.]
3. It instils a watchfulness against the occasions of
evil
[Those who are destitute of vital godliness will venture
themselves any where, without fear and without remorse : but
a man of real piety will be afraid to expose himself where
the objects around him present only what has a tendency to
vitiate his mind : he prays to God " not to lead him into
temptation;" and therefore he will not voluntarily run into it;
he will select his associates from amongst the excellent of the
earth, who will forward, rather than retard, the growth of
holy affections within him ; and, as far as his situation will
admit of it, he will " come out from the ungodly world, and
be separate, and not even touch an unclean thing," lest he
be defiled, and have " his good manners corrupted by evil
communications." This is very particularly insisted on in the
following context, in reference both to evil men and evil tvomen.
It is said, " Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall
keep thee ; to deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from
the man that speaketh froward things ; who leave the paths of
uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness ; who rejoice to do
evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked ; whose ways
are crooked, and they froward in their paths : to deliver thee
also from the strange woman, even from the stranger who
flattereth with her words ; who forsaketh the guide of her
youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God : for her house
inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead : none that
go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths
of life : That thou mayest icalk in the way of good men, and
keep the paths of the righteous ." Here the conduct of evil
men is drawn to the very life, as is the character of the evil
woman also, against both of whom the man of piety will be
c ver. 11 20.
14, PROVERBS, II. 10, 11. [755.
strictly on his guard, proposing to himself the example of the
godly, and availing himself of their aid in his walk before God.
He knows, that " he cannot take fire in his bosom, and not be
burned ;" and therefore he will use the utmost possible circum
spection in the whole of his deportment. The books, the
company, the conversation that would defile his mind, he care
fully avoids ; and, like the Jews at the time of the Passover,
he searches the most secret recesses of his soul, to sweep from
it the leaven that would offend his God.]
4. It leads us continually to God for direction and
support
[Without divine aid all human efforts are vain. But the
word of God clearly, fully, constantly directs us to look to him ;
and an experience of it in our own souls will convince us of the
necessity of crying to him continually, " Hold thou me up, and
I shall be safe." It is in this way chiefly that divine wisdom
preserves us. The soundness of our principles may prescribe
what is right ; and our love to those principles may incline us
to the performance of it : but divine grace alone can ever prove
effectual for us. No " power, but that which raised Jesus Christ
himself from the dead," will be sufficient to carry on within us
the work that has been begun. On the other hand, if we really
trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall, " through his strength,
be able to do all things," " nor shall any thing ever prevail to
separate us from his love."]
Having illustrated the great truth in our text, we
would further IMPROVE it, by suggesting,
1. In what spirit we should hear the word
[We should not come to the house of God in a mere cus
tomary manner, for example sake, or to perform a duty, and
still less to be amused with what we hear : but, as Cornelius
and his friends, when Peter came to minister unto them, said,
" Now are we all here before God, to hear all things that are
commanded thee of God ;" so should we come up to the house
of God to " hear what the Lord our God shall say concerning
us." We should come to learn our duty, in order that we
may practise it. We should bless our God that so sublime a
privilege is accorded to us. We should come as a patient to
receive the counsels of his physician, with a determination of
heart to follow his prescriptions. A mariner, if amongst shoals
and quicksands, does not consult his chart and compass for
amusement, or with a disposition to dispute their testimony,
but with a desire to have every mistake rectified, and to navi
gate his ship through the dangerous passage, agreeably to their
direction. O ! when will Christian assemblies meet in this
frame ? When will God s ordinances be thus improved for
756. J BENEFITS OF TRUE WISDOM. 15
their proper end ? Brethren, only reflect on the office of true
wisdom, as delineated in the passage before us, and you will
never want either a direction or a motive for a profitable
attendance on the means of grace.]
2. With what care we should improve it
[The word we hear will judge us in the last day : and if
we do not take occasion from it to follow the counsels of the
Most High, we shall greatly aggravate our guilt before God.
The word we hear, if it prove not " a savour of life unto life,
will become to us a savour of death unto death." The lessons
of wisdom had better never have been delivered to us, than be
suffered to pass away without a suitable improvement of them.
Our blessed Lord told his hearers, that if he had not come
and spoken unto them, they had not had sin ; but that now
they had no cloak for their sin. And so must I also say unto
you. All that you have heard respecting the evil of sin, the
sufficiency of Christ, the beauty of holiness, of what use will
it be to you, if it do not humble you as sinners, encourage you
as penitents, and animate you as believers ? I pray you,
neglect not the day of your visitation, nor " hold the truth in
unrighteousness ;" but receive the truth in the love of it; and
deliver your souls into it as a mould, that it may fashion you
after the image of your God. And never imagine that you
have got above the use of ordinances, or that it is of no profit
to attend upon them : they are the golden pipes through which,
to your latest hour, you must receive the golden oil into your
lamps ; and through the supplies of the Spirit which you may
receive by them, you may hope that your path shall shine
brighter and brighter unto the perfect day."]
DCCLVI.
BENEFITS OF TRUE WISDOM.
Prov. ii. 10 22. When ivisdom entereth into thine heart, and
knoivledge is pleasant unto thy soul, discretion shall preserve
thee, understanding shall keep thee ; to deliver thee from the
way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward
things : who leave the paths of uprightness, to tvalk in the
ways of darkness; who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the
frowardness of the wicked ; whose tvays are crooked, and they
froward in their paths : to deliver thee from the strange
woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her
words ; which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forget-
teth the covenant of her God: for her house inclineth unto
death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her
return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life;
that thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the
16 PROVERBS, II. 1022. [756.
paths of the righteous. For the upright shall dwell in the
land, and the perfect shall remain in it : but the wicked
shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall
be rooted out of it.
WHETHER we regard Solomon as a saint walk
ing with his God, or as a backslider restored to God,
we must consider him as pre-eminently qualified to
give advice for the regulation of our conduct : for, as
a saint, he was endued with wisdom above all the
children of men ; and, as a backslider, he had a wider
range for his wickedness, and a deeper experience of
its folly, than any other person ever possessed.
Under the character of " wisdom," he here speaks
of true religion ; which he recommends to all, but
especially to persons in early life ; and, in order to
impress his advice the more deeply on our minds, he
sets before us,
I. The benefits derived from true wisdom
When once religion is deeply rooted in the heart,
it will render us the most essential services
1. It will keep us from the society of ungodly men
[There are many whose delight is in wickedness : they
have departed from God themselves, and have " made crooked
paths for themselves;" in which they proceed with all imagin
able " frowardness" and perverseness. Disdaining to receive
any light from God or his word, they " walk in utter darkness,
not at all knowing whither they go a ." And not content with
casting off all restraint themselves, and walking after their own
lusts in all manner of uncleanness, they wish to draw all they
can along with them: they deride all serious piety, and labour to
the uttermost to turn aside from the way of godliness any who
may be inclined to it b " They rejoice to do evil :" and,
if they can but succeed in their efforts to ensnare a person who
has been fleeing from sin, and to divert him from following after
God, not even Satan himself will exult more than they
Now from such companions true religion will preserve us.
We shall see at once how far they are from God, and how im
possible it is to be happy in their society : " for what fellowship
can righteousness have with unrighteousness ; or light with
darkness ; or Christ with Belial ; or he that believeth with an
unbeliever ?" Instead of seeking their society, therefore, we
a ver. 13. with 1 John ii. 11. b 1 Pet. iv. 4.
c 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15.
756.] BENEFITS OF TRUE WISDOM. 17
shall come out from among them, and be separate ; and not
have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather reprove them 6 "
2. It will keep us from the snares also of ungodly
women-
fit is lamentable to think how degraded human nature is,
and how assimilated to the very beasts multitudes are, who
were originally formed in the image of their God. Females,
married, as well as unmarried, " forsaking the guide of their
youth and the covenant of their God," will abandon them
selves to the most vicious courses, soliciting the embrace of
men to whom they are utter " strangers," and practising every
species of artifice, to ensnare and vitiate all who come in their
way-
And such is their influence over those whom they have once
ensnared, that it is a miracle almost if even one is recovered to
a sense of his duty, and is brought back again in penitential
sorrow to his God f . Truly their ways lead down to death and
to hell g : for not only do they draw men from all thoughtfulness
about their souls, but they bring them into extravagances and
crimes, which not unfrequently issue in suicide, or death by the
hands of the public executioner.
But from these also will vital piety preserve us. It will
lead us to use all the precautions against them, that a prudent
government employs against the infection of the plague. We
shall have no communication with persons, whose very pre
sence will endanger the life of our souls. We shall not go
near their houses, or the places of their resort h . We shall not
parley with temptation when it comes in our way ; but shall
flee from it, as Joseph did, saying, " How shall I do this great
wickedness, and sin against God 1 ?"- ]
3. It will guide us in the paths of righteousness
and peace
[When once true religion enters into the soul, we shall
take the Scriptures for our guide, and endeavour to walk in
the paths which all the holy men of old have trod before us k .
We shall not be satisfied with following the customs of those
around us, or with conforming to the standard of duty which
the world approves ; we shall desire to be " holy, as God is
holy ;" and shall determine through grace to " perfect holiness
in the fear of God " ]
Such being the effects of true wisdom, I will pro
ceed to point out to you,
d 2 Cor. vi. 17. c Epb. v. 11. f ver. 19.
* Prov. v. . 5 5. and vii. 2fi, 27. h Prov. v. 8.
Gen. xxxix. 9. k ver. 20.
VOL. VII. c
18 PROVERBS, II. 1022. [756.
II. The vast importance of seeking after it
Both the promises and threatenings of the Mosaic
law were chiefly of a temporal nature ; the people
who served God faithfully being encouraged to ex
pect peace and plenty in the land of Canaan ; whilst
those who were disobedient to his laws were to be
visited with war, famine, pestilence, and ultimately
to be driven out of that land, as the Canaanites had
been before them. But under these figures truths
of far higher moment were veiled : and the present
and eternal states of men were shadowed forth as
indissolubly connected with their moral and religious
character. Hence the contrast drawn between the
sentence accorded to "the upright" and "the wicked"
in the concluding verses of our text, must be under
stood as referring to their respective states,
1. In this world
[" Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the pro
mise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come 1 ."
Certainly in this world there is an immense " difference between
those who serve God, and those who serve him not m ." We
readily grant that the ungodly and profane may prosper in
respect of outward things, and that the saints may be in a state
of degradation and oppression": but there is no comparison
between the real happiness of the one and of the other : the
ungodly are " like the troubled sea, whose waters cast up mire
and dirt :" they are agitated by many ungovernable and con
flicting passions: their tempers are a source of continual dis
quietude 1 : and they have no inward resources to calm the
tumult of their minds But the godly have consolations
peculiar to themselves, and abundantly sufficient to counter
balance their afflictions. They have a God to go unto ; a God,
who says, " Cast thy burthen on the Lord, and he will sustain
thee." The very tribulations which they endure for righteous
ness sake, are to them a ground of glorying q : and the light of
God s countenance lifted up upon them fills their souls with joy
and peace, even with " a joy that is unspeakable," and " a peace
that passeth all understanding."
If then we look no further than to this present life, we do
not hesitate to declare, that " the fear of the Lord, that is wis
dom ; and to depart from evil, that is understanding 1 ."]
1 1 Tim. iv. S. m Mai. iii. 18. " Ps. Ixxiii. 310.
Isai.lvii. 20, 21. i> Rom. iii. 16, 17. Rom. v. 3.
r Job xxviii. "28.
756.] BENEFITS OF TRUE WISDOM. 19
2. In the world to come
[" There is a rest which remaineth for the people of
God 8 ;" a rest, into which the true Joshua shall introduce
them, as soon as ever they shall have completed the period
fixed for their abode in this dreary wilderness : and there shall
they " remain" for ever : there shall they be as " pillars in the
temple of their God, and shall go no more out 1 ." But how
shall I represent their happiness in that place where there will
be no remains of those evils which they experienced in this
world"; and where every blessing which they here sought for,
shall be imparted to the utmost extent of their desires, and of
their capacities for enjoyment x
On the other hand, there is a day of retribution for the
ungodly, when they shall not only be " convinced of all their
ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed, and of all
their hard speeches which they have spoken against the Lord
and his ways, but will have judgment executed upon them"
by the Judge of quick and dead y . And what words can ever
suffice to give an adequate idea of their misery, when, driven
from the presence of their God, and from the congregation of
his saints 2 , they shall be consigned to those regions of misery,
where they will take their portion in " the lake that burneth
with fire and brimstone," arid " dwell for ever with everlasting
burnings ? "
If men would but reflect one moment on these consequences
of their impiety, there would be no longer any occasion to
descant on the wisdom of seeking after God, or the folly of
provoking his displeasure by a life of sin.]
Let us LEARN then,
1. To form a right estimate of religion
[Religion is wisdom, even though the whole world should
combine to call it folly ]
2. To seek it in due measure
[To receive it into the head is to little purpose: the proper
seat of it is the heart. Nor is it sufficient that we yield a
constrained obedience to it : its service should in our estimation
be accounted perfect freedom. It is only " when wisdom enters
into our hearty and knowledge is pleasant to our soul" that we
can be said to have received the grace of God in truth. The
worldly man is at home in the world : it is his element wherein
he moves. And such must religion be to the child of God, his
rest, his element, his delight
3. To let it have its full operation on our souls
8 Heb. iv. 9. * ver. 21. with Rev. iii. 12. u Rev. xxi. 4.
x Psal. xvi. 11. > Jude, ver. 15. z Ps. i. 5. Lukexiii.28.
20 PROVERBS, III. 5, G. [757.
[Wherever true wisdom is, there will be " discretion to
preserve us, and understanding to keep us a ." We conceive this
observation to be deserving of peculiar attention ; because the
indiscretions of religious people are rarely traced to their proper
source, a want of right dispositions in the heart. Where meek
ness, and modesty, and diffidence, and humility reside in the
heart, there will be a corresponding propriety of conduct in the
life : but where pride, and conceit, and forwardness, and self-
will are predominant, there will the deportment savour of these
hateful qualities in all our intercourse with mankind. There is
this remarkable difference between human wisdom and that
which is divine : human wisdom leaves the heart untouched,
or even administers fuel to its corruptions : but divine wisdom
" pours the very soul into the mould of the Gospel b ," and assi
milates all its dispositions to the image of God himself. It was
not Paul s eminence in intellectual attainments that made him so
eminent in Christian tempers : it was the abundance of God s
grace that rendered him so fruitful in every good word and
work: and, if the grace of God abound in us, we also shall
proportionally adorn the Gospel in the whole of our life and
conversation. Let that then be remembered which Solomon
has told us, " I Wisdom dwell with Prudence :" and let us be
careful that we do not by any indiscreet conduct give " occasion
to the adversary to speak reproachfully." Our determination,
through grace, must be, to cut off from the world all unnecessary
occasion of offence. We must not imagine that our separation
from an ungodly world gives us a licence to violate either the
duties or the charities of life ; but, whilst we " abstain from all
appearance of evil," we must cultivate to the uttermost not only
" whatsoever things are true, and honest, and just, and pure,
but whatsoever things are lovely and of good report 1 ." We
must labour to " behave ourselves wisely in a perfect way ."]
a Prov. ii. 11. i> Rom.vi. 17. The Greek.
< Prov. viii. 12. ll Phil. iv. 8. e Ps. ci. 2.
DCCLVII.
CONFIDENCE IN GOD ENCOURAGED.
Prov. iii. 5, 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and
lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways
acknowledge him; and he shall direct thy paths.
THE book of Proverbs is not so much designed to
open to us the way of salvation, as it is to regulate
our conduct after we have attained the knowledge
of the truth. It abounds with maxims admirablv
757.] CONFIDENCE IN GOD ENCOURAGED. 21
calculated to assist us in our intercourse with men,
and with instructions also relative to our walk before
God. Of this latter kind is the advice given us in
the words which we have just read ; wherein we see,
I. The confidence which God requires of us
As creatures, we are of necessity dependent on
Him who first gave us our existence ; for in him we
live, and move, and have our being. But it is by
no means sufficient for us to acknowledge this as a
truth which we cannot controvert : we must acquiesce
in it as a state that we approve, and glory in it as
our highest privilege. Our confidence in God must
be co-extensive with our necessities : it must be
1. Entire
[We must trust in the Lord "with all our heart." There
must be no aversion to such an appointment as unnecessary,
no distrust of it as insufficient. We should view ourselves
as utterly incapable of ensuring our own happiness ; and we
should regard God as engaged to order every thing for our
good. We should not for a moment doubt his wisdom to
discern what shall eventually prove best for us, nor his power
to execute it, however great or numerous the difficulties may
be which appear to obstruct its accomplishment. Nay, we
must be persuaded, that his love delights in caring for us, and
that his truth and faithfulness will perform all that in his un
bounded mercy he has undertaken in our behalf. From this
conviction we must commit all our concerns to him, to be
ordered and overruled as he in his infinite wisdom shall see
best. There must be an actual transfer of them (if we may
so speak) into his hands, and a full conviction of mind that
he is able to keep, and will assuredly keep, what we have so
committed to him, so as to bring all our affairs to a blessed and
successful issue 3 .]
2. Exclusive
[We must " not lean to our own understanding," so as to
rely on it for any thing. We are to use our understanding
indeed, but not to transfer to it any measure of that depen
dence which should be placed on God only. We know not
what would be the ultimate issue of any one thing. We are
ready to suppose, that whatever obstructs our wishes for a time,
will endanger their final accomplishment : whereas God often
makes those very events subservient to his own gracious
a Ps. xxxvii. 5. with 2 Tim. i. 12.
22 PROVERBS, III. 5, G. [757.
purposes, and uses them as means whereby his ends shall be
fulfilled. This was remarkably the case with Joseph, in all his
trials : and there is no true believer who will not acknowledge,
that in his own experience many things which have been
desired by him would have proved injurious, and many things
which have been deprecated by him have been overruled for
his welfare. From a full conviction that " a man s way is not
in himself, and that it is not in man that walketh to direct his
steps b ," we must renounce all idea of planning for ourselves,
any further than in an entire dependence on the divine
guidance and direction. We are doubtless to use all proper
means for attaining what on the whole appears most desirable :
but the relying on our own devices, as calculated of themselves
to ensure success, is the thing which God has marked with
his strongest disapprobation The doing of this de
monstrates our folly d , and exposes us to the heaviest curse 6 .
We must therefore altogether " cease from our own wisdom f ."]
3. Uniform
[" In all our ways we must acknowledge him;" not in
those only which seem to be of greater importance, but in all
without exception. It is not in the rise and fall of empires
only that God s hand is to be viewed, but in the falling of a
sparrow, or in any event equally insignificant. We are apt to
consider some things as important, and others as unimportant;
but the truth is, that in God s sight nothing is important
(except as it may advance his glory) ; nor is there any thing
unimportant as it relates to us. Many things which in their
effects and consequences have been of the greatest imaginable
importance, may in their origin be traced to the slightest pos
sible occurrence. If we look into the book of Esther, we shall
see this observation confirmed in its utmost extent. Nor is
God to be acknowledged only in those events which would be
deemed small, but in those also which are casual, or, as we call
them, accidental: "the lot (than which nothing is more casual)
is cast into the lap, but the whole disposal thereof is of the
Lord." In every thing therefore, whether great or small,
painful or pleasant, concerted or fortuitous, God must be
acknowledged as having sent it, if past, and as having the entire
disposal of it, if future.]
To place this entire confidence in God will be
found our truest wisdom, if we consider,
II. The encouragement he gives us to trust in him
b .Tor. x. 23.
Tsai. xxii. 8 11. See also Isai. xxx. 1 3. and xxxi. 1 3.
11 Prov. xxviii. 26. Jer. xvii. 5, G. f Prov. xxiii.4.
757. J CONFIDENCE IN GOD ENCOURAGED. 23
Wonderful is the promise here given for our en
couragement ; " He will direct our paths." But how
will he direct us ? Will he speak to us in dreams, or
visions, or by Urim and Thummim, or by an audible
voice ? Or will he go before us in the pillar and the
cloud, as he did before his people in the wilderness ;
or answer us, as he did David, in reference to the
men of Keilah, and the Amalekites g ? No: we are
not authorized to expect any thing of the kind : yet
will he direct us sufficiently to preserve us from any
material error,
1. By his Spirit
[To " open the eyes of our understanding" is one of the
most important offices of the Spirit : and, in doing this, he will
purge away from our eyes that film which obstructs our sight.
Pride, passion, interest, and a thousand other things, incapaci
tate us for a clear and perfect discovery of our duty : and, till
these be mortified, we are constantly exposed to the most awful
delusions : we are ready at all times to " call good evil, and evil
good ; to put darkness for light, and light for darkness." But,
when our minds are duly enlightened, we see things in their
proper colours. On different occasions, when the apostles
would have called fire from heaven to consume a Samaritan
village, and when they contended with each other who should
be the greatest, our blessed Lord instructed them better : and
so will he do with us, bringing to our remembrance some por
tion of God s word which bears upon the point in hand. Thus
he fulfils that blessed promise, " that we shall hear a word
behind us, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it ; when we
should otherwise have turned either to the right hand or to the
left h ." We say not, that the Holy Spirit does not sometimes
effect this without the word : we are inclined to think he does ;
and that too by a kind of impression on the mind deterring us
from evil and guiding us to good : but he never does it con
trary to the ivord. Suffice it to say, that whether with or
without the word, he will guide us into all truth, so far as shall
be necessary for the rectifying of our views, and the regulating
of our conduct.]
2. By his Providence
[God often interposes for men in a most wonderful man
ner, to preserve them from evil, and to guide them into that
which is good. Even a wicked Balaam was obstructed in his
way by God s appointment, in order to awaken him to a just
s 1 Sam. xxiii. 4, 11, 12. and xxx. 8. h Isai. xxx. 21.
1 Ps. Ixxiii. 24. 1 John ii. 20, 27.
21. PROVERBS, III. 5, G. [757.
sense of his duty. A remarkable instance of such an interposi
tion occurs in the life of David. He, being incensed against
Nabal for the contemptuous manner in which he had treated
his messengers, and for his ungrateful refusal to administer to
his necessities k , had determined to avenge himself upon him
and all that belonged to him. But God put it into the heart of
Abigail to go to meet him, and by mild representations to
pacify his wrath . Thus were the greatest impieties prevented
through the intervention of this prudent female m . And in this
way God often directs the ways of his people, either sending a
friend perhaps, or a minister, to suggest such considerations as
shall influence their minds : or by some particular occurrence
" raising, as it were-, a hedge, or building a wall," to keep them
in the path of duty". It may be, that the occurrence may
occasion much grief at the time : but God knows how to accom
plish his own purposes, and will constrain us all in due time to
acknowledge that " he doeth all things well."]
We will ADD a few words,
1. To direct your exertions
[Do not imagine that confidence in God is to supersede
your own personal exertions. You are to labour, as much as
if every thing depended on yourselves ; and then to trust in
God, as if nothing had been done by you. You must also
expressly commit your concerns to God in fervent and con
tinual prayer. The Psalmist particularly combines this with
confidence in God : " Trust in God at all times, ye people ;
pour out your hearts before him ." The confidence that is
unaccompanied with prayer and diligence is mere presumption.
We have a beautiful pattern in Jacob, when he was about to
meet his brother Esau. He disposed every thing in a way most
suited to pacify his brother s anger, or, in the event of not
succeeding in that attempt, to secure that part of his family
who were most dear to him: but, whilst he acted thus, he
committed himself wholly to the Lord, and looked for success
from him alone p . Thus let there be no want of prudence or
of diligence on your part ; and then you may be assured that
God will not suffer you to be disappointed of your hope.]
2. To regulate your expectations
[Though God promises to direct your paths, he will not
so direct you as to keep you from every degree of error. The
apostles themselves, though in what they declared to be the
will of God they were inspired to utter nothing but what was
true, were not infallible in their own personal conduct. Peter
k 1 Sam. xxv. 411. > 1 Sam. xxv. 1831.
111 1 Sam. xxv. 3234. IIos. ii. 6, 7.
1 s. Ixii. 8. P Gen. xxxii. 932.
758.] THE REWARD OF CHARITY. 25
greatly erred on one occasion, in his conduct towards the
Gentiles ; as Paul also did in reviling God s high priest. You
must not therefore conceive thatyou are certainly and altogether
right, because you have prayed to God for direction: God may
have many wise and gracious purposes to answer by leaving
you still under some measure of darkness and ignorance : if it
be only to humble you still more, and to shew you the blind
ness of your minds and the deceitfulness of your hearts, it is a
good and gracious end, for which you will in the issue see
reason to be thankful. Be modest then, and diffident in your
conclusions: and instead of assuming infallibility to yourselves,
be always ready to suspect that your way is still far from per
fect ; and to the latest hour of your lives be praying to God
to lead you in a right path, and to fulfil to you that gracious
promise, " The meek he will guide in judgment ; the meek he
will teach his way."]
DCCLVIII.
THE REW ARD OF CHARITY.
Prov. iii. 9, 10. Honour the Lord tvith thy substance, and with
the first-fruits of all thine increase : so shall thy barns befitted
with plenty, and thy 2>resses shall burst out with new trine.
TO instruct men how to ensure success in their
agricultural pursuits or commercial speculations, is
no part of a minister s office. Were we able sub
stantially to benefit mankind in those particulars,
there would be no want of hearers, nor any complaint
that we laboured too zealously in our vocation : on
the contrary, the more successful we were in effecting
our wishes, the more gratefully should we be acknow
ledged as public benefactors. Shall I then, for once,
exceed, as it were, the commission given me, and at
tempt to teach you how to thrive in this world ? Yes;
suffer me for once to usurp this office ; and to assure
the most unlearned person amongst you, that by
acting on the principles which I will set before him
this day, he shall be as sure to prosper in his busi
ness, as if he were ever so conversant with the arts of
trade. I mean not indeed to say, that a person going
out of his own proper line shall be enabled to pro
secute that line to advantage ; but that, whilst pro
ceeding prudently in his proper vocation, he shall
succeed more certainly, and to a greater extent, than
26 PROVERBS, III. 9, 10. [758.
on other principles he can expect to do. And I say
this the more confidently, because the directions
which I shall give are not the results of fallible rea
sonings or of uncertain conjectures, but the plain
unequivocal declarations of Heaven : " Honour the
Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of
all thine increase : so shall thy barns be filled with
plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."
In these words we see,
I. Our duty
We must "honour the Lord with our substance"
[All that we have is the Lord s. " Our very bodies and
souls are his;" and much more the property which he has
committed to our care. With the whole of that he is to be
honoured ; and in the disposal of it, respect must be had to his
will, his interests, his glory. We are to consider every thing
that we possess, not as given to us, but merely as confided to
us, to be improved for him ; and we must so employ the whole,
as to meet his approbation in the day that we shall give up our
account, and to be acknowledged by him as good and faithful
stewards.]
We must honour him, also, " with the first-fruits
of all our increase "-
[The first-fruits under the Law were claimed by God as
his, and they were to be presented to him as his peculiar pro
perty : " Thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth,
which thou shalt bring, of the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the
place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name
there 3 ." Besides these, was the tithe of all their increase to be
offered to him every third year : " At the end of three years
thou shalt bring all the tithe of thine increase the same year,
and shalt lay it up within thy gates. And the Levite, because
he hath no part nor inheritance with thce, and the stranger,
and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates,
shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied ; that the Lord thy
God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand, which thou
doestV Under the Gospel, the letter of this law is abolished;
but the spirit of it yet remains in force : for the express com
mand of God to UK is, " On the first day of the week let every
one of you lay by him in store as God has prospered him c ."
We are not to wait for the gathering in of our harvest ; and
then give a portion to the Lord after our own interests are
a Deut. xxvi. 2. b Deut. xiv. 28, 29. c 1 Cor. xvi. 2.
758.] THE REWARD OF CHARITY. 27
secured : but rather to honour the Lord first, as the real pro
prietor of all ; and then, trusting him for a supply of our own
wants, to employ for ourselves what he shall graciously bestow
upon us.]
This duty will not appear hard, if we consider
what God has spoken for,
II. Our encouragement-
It should seem as if the giving of our substance
were the way to diminish it ; and the devoting of our
first-fruits to him, the way to endanger our own pro
vision through the year : but God has declared the
very reverse, and has pledged himself that he will
amply make up to us all that we part with for his sake.
This, under the Law, he did, visibly, according to
tlie letter
[Under that dispensation, a present and visible retribution
marked, for the most part, the approbation or displeasure of
God. When the people delayed to build his temple, he chas
tised them with famine, and referred to that visitation as a
judgment inflicted on them for their sin: " Ye looked for much,
and, lo ! it came to little ; and when ye brought it home, I did
blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of Hosts. Because of
mine house that is waste, and ye run every man to his own
house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and
the earth is stayed from her fruit d ." And when they were
stirred up to begin the work, he not only assured them of his
blessing on their temporal concerns, but bade them note down
the day that the foundation of his temple was laid, and see
whether their blessings were not augmented from that very
hour : " Consider now, from this day and upward, from the
four-and-twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day
that the foundation of the Lord s temple was laid, consider it :
from this day will I bless you 6 ." He bids them even to prove
him in relation to this matter, and to see whether his bounty
would not keep pace with their piety : " Bring ye all the tithes
into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house :
and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will
not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing,
that there shall not be room enough to receive it f ."]
Under the Gospel, also, he will do it, but invisibly,
and according to the spirit
[ We are not taught to look so much to temporal rewards,
as to those which are spiritual and eternal : though still we are
d Hagg. i. 9, 10. e Hagg. ii. 18, 19. Mai. iii. 10.
28 PROVERBS, III. <), 10. [758.
told that " godliness has the promise of the life that now is, as
well as of that which is to come K ;" and that, if we " seek h rst
the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all needful things
shall be added unto us 1 ." A temporal recompence for our
liberality we may not obtain : but a spiritual reward is sure.
For thus said the Lord: " If thou deal thy bread to the hungry,
and bring the poor that are cast out to thy house ; if, when
thou seest the naked, thou cover him, and hide not thyself from
thine own flesh; then shall thy light break forth as the morning,
and thine health spring forth speedily : and thy righteousness
shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thyrereward.
If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted
soul ; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness
be as the noon-day: and the Lord shall guide thee continually,
and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones : and
thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water,
whose waters fail not 1 ." An eternal recompence will also most
assuredly await us : for our blessed Lord has expressly told us,
that if, instead of lavishing our money in feasting the rich, we
delight to expend it on the poor, " we shall be recompensed at
the resurrection of the just k ." He has commanded us on this
account to " make friends to ourselves of the mammon of un
righteousness," in the full expectation that at our death " we
shall be received into everlasting habitations 1 ." And St. Paul
speaks to the same effect, when he says, " Charge them that
are rich in this world, that they do good, that they be rich in
good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying
up in store for themselves a good foundation.against the time
to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life" 1 ."
But, after all, we must not altogether put out of our consi
deration even a present reward in the precise sense spoken of
in our text : for it is beyond a doubt, that God does engage to
supply the necessities of those who honour him with their sub
stance": and we can appeal to many, and ask, whether they
have not seen, in relation to their temporal concerns, many
gracious interpositions of God in their behalf? But, indepen
dent of these, who does not know that liberality is the parent
of economy, and economy of wealth? A man desirous of
honouring God with his substance, is delivered at once from
all those vices and follies which ruin the estates of thousands.
Besides, who that delights in doing good has not found incom
parably greater delight in self-denial for the benefit of others,
than the utmost latitude of self-indulgence could ever have
afforded him? Granting, then, that no addition is actually
8 1 Tim. iv. 8. h Matt. vi. 33. > Isai. Iviii. 7 11.
k Luke xiv. 12 14. Luke xvi. 9. 1 Tim. vi. 1710.
11 Phil. iv. 18, 1 J.
758.1 THE REWARD OF CHARITY. 29
made to our wealth ; yet, if our desires are moderated, and our
expenditure restrained, the same effect is ultimately produced:
for we are not more truly enriched by the increase of our sub
stance, than we are by the diminution of our wants and our
consumption.]
Let me now point out THE BEARINGS of this subject,
1. On those who are engaged in visiting the sick
[Persons engaged in imparting instruction to the ignorant,
and consolation to the afflicted, have yet, in a more eminent
degree, the promise in our text fulfilled to them. Their light
perhaps, at first, is but very imperfect ; but by imparting it
to others, their own views become enlarged, and their own
experience of divine truth becomes deeper, from the very cir
cumstance of their improving it for the benefit of others. In
deed, I can hardly suggest any better method for enlarging our
own knowledge, than the making use of it for the instruction
of our less enlightened brethren: for, besides the natural effect
which may be expected from the communication of knowledge,
we may expect a peculiar blessing from God whilst we are so
employed. A remarkable instance of this may be found in
Apollos : " He, when he knew only the baptism of John,
spake and taught diligently the word of the Lord." " Aquila
and Priscilla hearing him in the synagogue, took him, and ex
pounded unto him the way of God more perfectly." And then,
going forth with his augmented light, he prospered far more in
his labours of love, not only " convincing the Jews that Jesus
was the Christ, but helping them much who had believed through
grace p ." This example is most encouraging to all, to improve
for God the light which they possess : for, whatever we do for
God, is regarded by him as a loan which he will repay q : and
in every instance shall it be found, that " he who vvatereth
others, shall be watered also himself 1 "."]
2. On those who contribute for the support of the
charity
[On these, the subject bears to its full extent ; and we
are warranted to affirm, that men shall " reap either sparingly
or bountifully, according as they sow s ." But there is one point
of view in which they pre-eminently " honour God," and with
peculiar advantage secure their reward. They honour God
particularly, not merely by the distribution of their alms, but
by employing and calling forth into activity the piety of others,
This part must be varied, according to the occasion. It was
preached in behalf of a Visiting Society ; but it may easily be accom
modated to a Spiial Sermon, or any other Charitable Institution.
P Acts xviii. 24 28. 1 Prov. xix. 17.
r Fiov. xi. 25. 8 2 Cor. ix. G.
30 PROVERBS, III. 17. [759.
for the benefit of their fellow-creatures. It is obvious that
individuals of small property could not, without assistance from
others, relieve the necessities of the poor to any great extent :
and if they could not administer some temporal relief, they
could not find easy access to the chambers of the sick. But
being furnished with the means of easy access, they can pour
the light of instruction and the balm of consolation into the
souls of the afflicted to great advantage ; and the persons so
instructed and comforted, not only abound in thanksgivings to
God for the benefits received, but in prayers to God in behalf
of their benefactors. This St. Paul speaks of, as ennobling
charity far beyond the mere conveyance of temporal relief 1
Now, then, let me ask, How can you honour God more,
than in causing thanksgivings to arise to him from the altars
of many hearts ? and, What compensation under heaven can
equal the prayers and intercessions of saints in your behalf?
Put your alms in one scale, and the prayers offered to a prayer-
hearing God in the other, and say whether your recompence
be not very abundant, or whether it is possible to lay out money
in any other way to such advantage ? Let all of you, then,
according to your power, "abound in this heavenly grace" of
charity, after the example of your blessed Lord ; " who,
though he was rich, yet for your sakes became poor, that ye
through his poverty might be rich u ." Only get a sense of his
love upon your souls, and a " sincere love to him" in return,
and we shall have no occasion to entreat liberality from you ;
for " you yourselves will be willing of your own accord, and
will be ready to pray us, with much entreaty, that we will take
upon ourselves the office of ministering to the saints" as your
stewards 1 .]
* 2 Cor. ix. 12, 13. Cite the words, and mark what is said of their
thanksgivings and prayers.
u 2 Cor. viii. 9. * 2 Cor. viii. 38.
DCCLIX.
THE PLEASANTNESS OF RELIGION.
Prov. iii. 17. Her ivays are ivays of pleasantness, and all her
paths are peace.
TO be sincerely and eminently religious is consi
dered by the world as a symptom of weakness and
folly. But the Scriptures represent such a life as
characteristic of true wisdom. Upon such " wisdom"
Solomon bestows the highest commendations 3 : he
a vcr. 13 16. That this is the true meaning of "wisdom" and
" understanding." is evident from Job xxviii. 28.
759.] THE PLEASANTNESS OF RELIGION. 31
speaks of it as incomparably more precious than gold,
or rubies, or any earthly good whatever : he paints
her as a queen disposing of riches, honour, and lon
gevity to all her subjects : and, because we are more
captivated by the idea of pleasure than of any thing
else, he commends her to us in the text as productive
of it in the highest possible degree.
We are naturally led to shew from the words be
fore us, that the duties of religion are,
I. Pleasant in their exercise
In confirmation of this truth, let us consider religion,
1. In a general and comprehensive view
[Religion, as our Lord informs us, is comprehended in two
things ; the love of God, and the love of our neighbour.
Let us then inquire into the love of God. Suppose a person
filled with admiration of the divine perfections as exhibited in
the works of creation, must not that be a pleasant exercise of
mind? Suppose him rising yet higher to the works of redemp
tion, and contemplating the justice and the mercy, the truth
and the love, the wisdom and the goodness of the Deity, as
united, and harmonizing, and glorified in the cross of Christ ;
suppose him, I say, contemplating these with rapture, till he
burst forth in songs of praise similar to those uttered by the
angels at the birth of Christ, or those which are now sung
around the throne of God ; would there be no pleasure in such
an employment ? Suppose him yet further meditating upon the
mercies of God vouchsafed to himself in particular, and adoring
the triune God for all the wonders of electing, redeeming,
sanctifying grace ; must not such a frame be pleasant?
Inquire, next, into the love of our neighbour : suppose one
to be exercising all those dispositions towards him which his
relation to us or his situation demand: suppose one to be
rejoicing with him in his prosperity, or to be weeping over his
adversity in tender sympathy ; suppose one to be stretching out
the hand of charity for his relief, or administering consolation
for his support; is there no pleasure in all this? Surely he
has not the heart of a man, who can question this obvious,
indubitable truth.]
2. In its most difficult and painful duties
[Repentance is a principal duty of religion : but can we
find, it may be asked, any pleasure in that ? We answer, Yes :
only view repentance in its proper light, and we will affirm that
it is pleasant. Suppose that one of us had by mistake swallowed
somewhat that was poisonous ; that we felt the deadly venom
preying on our vitals ; and that our medical attendant informed
32 PROVERBS, III. 17. [759.
us, that, unless removed from our stomach, the poison would
destroy us in a few hours ; should we deem the exertions neces
sary for the removal of it a painful task ? Should we not gladly
renew them, till we had accomplished our end ? Should we not,
instead of regretting the pain occasioned by them, feel thankful
that we had an opportunity to use them? And would not the
success that accompanied our efforts turn our pain into a plea
sure ? Such then is repentance ; it is a painful exertion to get
rid of sin, which, if not expelled from our hearts, will utterly
and eternally destroy us : and, though we do not say that pain
can ever be pleasure, yet we affirm, that the very pangs of
contrition, considered in a complex view, as consonant with our
wishes and conducive to our good, are really pleasant : and for
the truth of our assertion we will appeal to all who ever expe
rienced those pangs : we will ask whether the seasons of their
deepest humiliation have not been the sweetest seasons of their
lives? We fear no contradiction upon this point, unless from
those who are wholly ignorant of the matter.
Self-denial is another, and a very important, duty. But this,
it should seem, precludes, in the very nature of it, the idea of
pleasure, because it is a thwarting our own inclinations. We
must however include this also among the ways that are ways
of pleasantness. That the gratifying of a corrupt inclination
is pleasant to flesh and blood, we cannot deny : but that the
mortifying of it is abundantly more pleasant, we do not hesi
tate to affirm. Suppose a person tempted to yield to the
solicitations of lust, or to gratify a no less keen appetite for
revenge ; would not a victory over his evil passions afford him
more pleasure than a compliance with them ? would not the
mortifying of an unchaste desire be attended with a pleasure
more pure and refined than could be attained by the indul
gence of it ? And, granting that the overcoming of evil with
evil would be pleasant, (for revenge, they say, is sweet,) would
not the " overcoming it with good" afford him incomparably
sublimer happiness b ? Let us illustrate each of these positions
by an example. Joseph, we know, resisted the importunity
of his mistress : but were his sensations less pleasing when he
had got out of the reach of temptation, than they would have
been if he had consented to her wishes ? David, when enraged
at the ingratitude and insolence of Nabal, went to avenge
himself by his destruction : but when stopped and pacified by
Abigail, did he regret the loss of any satisfaction which he
would have felt in executing his cruel designs? No: he blessed
her, and blessed God for her; and found infinitely more de
light in the exercise of a forgiving spirit than the completest
revenge could ever have afforded him . We maintain it then,
b Rom. xii. 21. 1 Sain. xxv. 31 33.
759.] THE PLEASANTNESS OF RELIGION. 33
that the self-denial which religion calls for, is a source of real
pleasure to the soul.
The bearing of the cross is another duty inculcated on all the
followers of Christ d . And can this be pleasant? Yes, we
must affirm that this also is a source of pleasure to the true
Christian. Doubtless the contempt and hatred which we must
expect from an ungodly world are not pleasant in themselves :
to be shut up in prison, and scourged, and put to a cruel and
lingering death, are not pleasant in themselves : but, as endured
for the sake of Christ, they are pleasant. To ascertain this,
inquire of those "who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods 6 ;"
or those who, with their feet in the stocks and their backs torn
with scourges, " sang praises to God at midnight ;" or those
who, after their imprisonment, " rejoiced that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for the sake of Christ 8 ." Ask
what our Lord meant, when he taught his followers to " rejoice
and be exceeding glad," whenever they should be called to
suffer 1 ? and inquire of all the primitive saints who had learned,
through grace, to " glory in tribulation 1 ." Inquire of him, who
suffered more than any other of the Apostles, and who, speaking
of his expected martyrdom, exults in it as a matter of the
wannest congratulation k . The experience of all true Christians
is the same at this day : they " count themselves happy when
they are called to endure 1 ;" and look upon it as a special honour
conferred upon them, when " it is given them to suffer any
thing for their Redeemer s sake." In a word, religion raises
us so much above earthly pains and pleasures, as to render us
altogether independent on them for our happiness".
Seeing then that even the most painful duties of religion
are sources of pleasure, we may confidently affirm the same
respecting " all" her w.ays.]
To this blessed account of wisdom s ways, we may
add, that they are,
II. Peaceful in their issue-
Mark the influences of religion on all who walk in
her ways : mark them,
1. In life-
[None know any thing of " peace," except the true
Christian. As God has said, so experience proves, that
" there is no peace to the wicked ." The cisterns to which
they go for refreshment, are polluted ; or rather, they are
d Luke ix. 23. 2 Tim. iii. 12. e Heb. x. 34.
f Acts xvi. 23 25. Acts v. 41. h Matt. v. 11, 12.
1 Rom. v. 3. k Phil. ii. 17, 18. Jam. i. 2. and v. 11.
m Phil. i. 29. " Hub. iii. 17, 18. Isai. Ivii. 21.
VOL. vn. D
34 PROVERBS, III. 17. [759.
" broken cisterns that can hold no water 1 ." All that they
possess is mere " vanity and vexation of spirit." " Even in
laughter their heart is sorrowful ; and the end of their mirth
is heaviness q ." But is it thus with the true Christian? Has
not he peace in his soul, and " joys, with which the stranger
intermeddlcth not r ? Yes, he "has already entered into
rest 8 :" he has a tranquillity arising from the subjugation of
his passions : he has a holy composure of mind springing from
the testimony of a good conscience*: he has many sweet
manifestations of God s love to his soul : he has that within
him which mitigates every sorrow, enhances every enjoyment,
and supplies his every want. In a word, from committing his
soul, and all his concerns, to God, he has " a peace that
passeth all understanding." This peace, we say, flows from
the very exercises of religion, and is, more or less, an in
separable attendant on them. To this effect the inspired
writers uniformly speak. The Psalmist observes, " Great
peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend
them"." To the same purpose Isaiah also says, " The work of
righteousness is peace, and the effect of righteousness is
quietness and assurance for ever x :" and St. Paul confirms
their testimony, saying, " To be carnally-minded is death ;
but to be spiritually-minded is life and peace y ."]
2. In death-
[Even in the time of health the ungodly cannot bear to
think of death : conversation upon that awful subject is irk
some and disgusting to them : they avoid it, because it makes
them melancholy. If they be attacked with any fatal disease,
their friends do all that they can to abate their fears, and to
hide from them the real state of their disorder. When at last
they come to feel their danger, then they are full of alarm and
terror ; and, however much they despised the duties of religion
before, will then begin to pay attention to them. There are
some indeed so blinded by their own delusions, that they believe
themselves safe ; while others are so callous as to be altogether
insensible of their awful condition. But if men are not wholly
blinded by conceit, or hardened by wickedness, they cannot
but tremble at the approach of death : and then the hopes which
they once fondly entertained, give way to painful forebodings,
even to "a fearful looking-for of judgment and fiery indigna
tion." On the contrary, he who hath walked in wisdom s ways,
is enabled in the midst of life to look forward to death, (like a
bridegroom to his approaching nuptials,) as to the period, when
all his desires shall be fulfilled, and his joys consummated. As
P Jer. ii. 13. 1 Eccl.ii.2. Prov.xiv. 13. r Prov. xiv. 10.
s Heb. iv. 3. 2 Cor. i. 12. Ps. cxix. 165.
x Isai. xxxii. 17. y Rom. viii. 6.
759.] THE PLEASANTNESS OF RELIGION. 35
he beholds death approaching, he rather chides its tardiness,
than deprecates its advent. He " knows in whom he has be
lieved;" and, in the hour of his departure, commits his soul
with confidence into the hands of his ever-living and adorable
Redeemer. Thus Stephen 2 , thus Paul a , and innumerable
others, have died ; and David tells us, that it is the privilege of
all true believers to expect and enjoy such a death as this :
" Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright ; for the
end of that man is peace V]
3. In eternity
[As soon as the ungodly enter into the eternal world,
whether they were conceited or callous, whether confident or
trembling, they know the truth of all that God s word has
declared. The Rich Man that fared sumptuously no sooner
breathed out his soul, than he understood and felt the evil of
neglecting his eternal interests ; he then found his misery
irremediable, and incapable of the smallest alleviation. He
knew his five surviving brethren were living in the same
thoughtless way, and hastening to the same fatal end ; and
wished that they might be apprised of their danger, ere it were
too late : he knew by bitter experience that to those who lived
and died in sin, nothing remained but unintermitted everlasting
misery ; " they drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which
is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation ;
and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever;
and they have no rest day nor night ." How different is the
state of true Christians ! They enjoy " the rest which here
remained for them ; " they rest in the bosom of their Saviour,
free from all sin and temptation, from pain and weariness. The
peace which they enjoyed in this world, was but a taste of that
banquet on which they feast continually, a drop of " those
rivers of pleasure which are at God s right hand for evermore."]
ADDRESS
1. The votaries of pleasure
[There are two fatal mistakes under which you labour:
the one is, that you think religion (according to the Scriptural
representation of it), will afford nothing but pain ; the other is,
that it will consist with an enjoyment of all the pleasures of the
world. With respect to the former of these, we hope that
nothing need be added to what has been already spoken : we
hope that religion, if it have a dark and gloomy side, has also,
like the pillar and cloud, a bright and cheering aspect : it is
only on God s enemies that it casts a gloom : to his friends it
affords a reviving light, a refreshing shade, a sure and safe
z Acts vii. 59, 60. a 2 Tim. iv. 6 8.
b Ps. xxxvii. 37. Rev. xiv. 10, 11.
3G PROVERBS, TIL 2124. [7GO.
directory to heaven. With respect to the latter idea, namely,
that of its countenancing worldly pleasures, surely no one can
deliberately put such a construction on our text. If Religion s
ways be pleasant, must therefore Pleasure s ways be religion?
If so, what can be meant by St. Paul, when he says, " She that
liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth d ?" What could St.
John mean, when he said, " If any man love the world, the love
of the Father is not in him 6 ? " And what could our Lord mean,
when he said, " They are not of the world, even as I am not of
the world f ?" Be not deceived, as though carnal and worldly
pleasures were the only sources of enjoyment ; but be assured,
that the renunciation of them will contribute more to your
happiness than the indulgence ; and that real pleasure is to be
found in God alone.]
2. The disciples of Christ
[The wicked know that you profess to find more pleasure
in religion than they can obtain in the world : give them not
then any reason to think that you are disappointed in your ex
pectations. If they see you lukewarm in religion, will they
not conclude that it has not charms sufficient to allure you, or
benefits sufficient to reward your labour ? And if they see you
joining in their company and vain pursuits, will they not, how
ever they may encourage you in such a conduct, suppose that
religion is not able to make you happy, and that you are forced,
after all your professions, to come and borrow of their carnal
pleasures, in order to eke out the scanty pittance that religion
has bestowed? O bring not such disgrace upon your holy
profession. Shew that you despise the vanities of this world,
and that you have no appetite for husks after living upon " the
bread that is in your Father s house." Our Lord has said,
" My yoke is easy, and my burthen is light;" shew therefore
that you feel it so ; and let it be seen by your zeal in religious
duties, that they are not a weariness to you, but a delight. Thus
will you recommend to others the paths you tread, and prove to
them that " your feet are guided into the way of peace."]
d 1 Tim. v. 6. e 1 John iii. 15, 10. f John xvii. 1G.
DCCLX.
TRUE RELIGION DELINEATED.
Prov. iii. 21 24. My son, let not them depart from thine
eyes : keep sound wisdom and discretion : so shall they be
life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou
walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When
thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid ; yea, thou shalt lie
down, and thy sleep shall be siceet.
760.] TRUE RELIGION DELINEATED. 37
IN the book of Proverbs, "wisdom" is generally
put for religion : in some places, perhaps, it may be
interpreted as representing Christ himself, who is
" the wisdom of God and the power of God :" but
in our text there can be no doubt of its importing
piety, or the influence of true religion in the soul.
And though in the Book of Proverbs the doctrines of
religion are not very distinctly specified, the general
character of it is developed with peculiar richness and
beauty : and this gives to the Proverbs of Solomon
an importance far beyond what would belong to a
mere collection of moral lessons. We have, in the
passage before us, what I might almost call a full-
length picture of religion, both in its character and
effects : and in these two points of view, we shall, in
conformity with our text, proceed to consider it,
I. In its true and proper character-
Doubtless religion admits of an infinite diversity
of description. But in no place can we find a juster
representation of it than in that before us. It is,
1. " Wisdom" in the heart
[Were \ve to define " wisdom," we should say, It is the
seeking of the best ends by the fittest means. And were we
to declare what true religion is, we should say, It is the seek
ing of the salvation of the soul through the mediation and
intercession of Jesus Christ.
Now, then, I would ask, What end is there for us to propose
to ourselves, that can be compared with the everlasting salva
tion of our souls ? The pursuit of crowns and kingdoms would
be unworthy of an effort in comparison of this Truly
it is " the one thing needful."
Again I would ask, What means are there fitted for the
attainment of this end in comparison of those which are pro
posed to us in the gospel of Christ ? There we find a Saviour
precisely suited to our necessities ; One who has made an
atonement for all our sins ; One who " ever liveth to make
intercession for us " in heaven ; and One who, as the Head of
all vital influence, is " able to save to the uttermost all who
come unto God by him." By the simple exercise of faith in
him, we become partakers of all his blessings : and, therefore,
it is our one aim from day to day to " live by faith upon him,"
and to " receive out of his fulness " all the blessings which we
stand in need of.
38 PROVERBS, III. 2124-. [760.
Now, compare with this any other mode of salvation that can
be devised ; and its wisdom will shine forth as the sun, which
eclipses, and, as it were, blots from the firmament, all the lights
of heaven
2. Discretion in the life
[When once religion occupies the soul, it implants a
principle there which thenceforth regulates the whole man.
No longer does an anxiety about earthly things distract the
mind. Pleasure, riches, and honour, are all subordinated to the
welfare of the soul ; and the will of God is the one only rule
of conduct to him. A regard for God s honour, too, will then
operate, so as to give to all circumstances, whether of time or
place, their legitimate influence, and to secure to him who is
under its influence the approbation of the wise and good. He
illustrates in his life that saying of Solomon, " I, Wisdom, dwell
with Prudence." In a word, to approve himself to God is the
one object of his life : and that one object being ever before
his eyes, he is kept from every corrupt bias, and from the incon
sistencies which an unhallowed principle would produce.
Of course, it must not be supposed that a person, naturally
weak and foolish, will pass in a moment to a comprehensive
ness of mind and soundness of judgment : that is not to be
expected : on the contrary, inasmuch as a principle of piety
infinitely outweighs every earthly object, it may be expected,
that, on its first entrance into the soul, it will operate rather
in a way of extravagance, and cause a person to overlook the
minor considerations of prudence and discretion. But this must
be imputed not to religion itself, but to the weakness of him in
whom it dwells : and the effect of religion will be to correct his
errors, and to induce habits of wisdom, which no other prin
ciple would ever have been able to form within him.]
Let us now proceed to consider it,
II. In its just and necessary effects
Religion is not a mere principle ; nor does it con
sist in any peculiar practice without a principle : it is
an operative principle, producing,
1. Life in the soul
[I cannot give any juster view of religion, than by saying,
It is that in the soul which the soul is in the body. Without
the soul, the body is dead ; and without religion, the soul is
dead. By the soul the body is animated, and performs all the
functions of the animal life ; by religion the soul is quickened,
and performs all the functions of the spiritual life. By the
union of the soul with the body, all the powers, both of body
and mind, are called into activity ; and by the operation of
760.1 TRUE RELIGION DELINEATED. 39
religion in the soul, the understanding, the will, the affections,
the memory, the conscience, perform their respective offices,
in subserviency to God, for the promotion of a man s spiritual
and eternal good. The soul, pervading the whole body, acts
with ease and regularity, and with so little ostentation, that its
operations, though effectual, attract no notice : and so it is
with religion in the soul : it brings into easy and harmonious
use all its different faculties and powers, governing the whole
man, and subjecting even the thoughts themselves to the obe
dience of Christ. In a word, it is, as my text has said, " life
to the soul." If we were to understand by this expression,
that it tends to lengthen out the existence of man on earth, it
would be true, and an important truth : but we cannot so con
tract the sense, or comprehend less in these words than what
we have expressed. Religion makes a man a new creature :
" old things pass away, and all things become new."]
2. Gracefulness in the deportment
[Well is it said by the Apostle, that " a meek and quiet
spirit is, in the sight of God himself, an ornament of great
price." Through the operation of divine grace upon the soul,
all the tempers and dispositions will be kept in order ; so that
none shall prevail to the injury of other men, or to the dishonour
of the man himself. The discipline of religion is not unlike
that which prevails in reference to the body amongst the higher
ranks of society. In persons untaught, there is an awkward
ness, as it were, apparent in their whole gait ; whilst those
who have mixed in polished society have a comparative ease
and elegance in all their motions. So, if you see a person un-
instructed in religion engaged in religious exercises, he is not
at home in any of them : his occupation sits not easy upon him:
and if he attempt to assume the posture of real piety, he betrays
his want of true feeling by the very motions in which he attempts
to express it. But let a contrite and devout soul draw nigh
to God, and there is a "correspondence between his looks and
attitude, his words and professions. His every motion is such
as befits the employment in which he is engaged : yea, there
is a symmetry in every part of the spiritual man, so that his
whole demeanour is simple, uniform, becoming. He exempli
fies in his life that expression of the Psalmist, " I will beautify
the meek with salvation :" and he shews in his deportment
what that inspired writer meant by that petition, " Let the
beauty of the Lord our God be upon us." The more of real
piety any man possesses, the more of this image will be stamped
upon him ; and the more he communes with his God, the more
will a divine glory surround his head, and beam forth from his
countenance in the sight of all who behold him.]
3. Stability in the walk
40 PROVERBS, III. 2124. [760.
[The man of sound wisdom takes heed to his ways : he
desires to see his path clear before him : if he be in doubt, he
will take " the word of God as a light to his feet, and a lantern
to his paths." If his path be slippery, he will cry unto his God,
" Hold thou up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip
not!" And in answer to his prayer, " God will give his angels
charge over him, to keep him in all his ways, that he dash not
his foot against a stone." Of these advantages the unconverted
man has no experience. He ventures into scenes of temptation,
without being aware of his danger : nor has he any guidance
or strength but his own. What wonder, then, if he fall? But
the man who, with wisdom in his heart, and discretion in his
life, " suffers not these " guardian angels, as it were, "to depart
from his eyes," will be kept amidst all the most trying scenes
in which he can be engaged, and " will be preserved blameless
unto the kingdom of his God." " The Law of God is in his
heart, and therefore his footsteps do not slide a ."]
4. Peace in the heart
[" What man is he that feareth the Lord ? His soul," says
the Psalmist, " shall dwell at ease." A man without religion
may pass through the day with some degree of comfort, because
of the variety of occupations that engage his thoughts. But
when he comes to lie down at night, and he has time for reflec
tion, some painful occurrence will dwell upon his mind, and
agitate his spirits, and disturb his rest : and when he wakes in
the morning, the same unpleasant feelings will haunt him, and
destroy that serenity which sleep was calculated to convey.
Or, if nothing particular have occurred to distress him, he lies
down and rises up without any other feeling than that which
he possesses in common with the beasts. But not so the truly
religious man. He, when retiring to rest, calls to remembrance
the mercies with which he has been encompassed during the
day, and renders thanks for them to his heavenly Benefactor ;
to whom also he commends himself for protection during the
defenceless hours of the night. Shall I speak too strongly if I
say, that he lies down, as it were, in the bosom of his God,
saying, "I will lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou,
Lord, only makest me to dwell in safety ? " In the morning,
too, when he awakes, he finds that " his sleep has been sweet
unto him ;" not to his body merely, but to his soul ; for his
soul, at the first resuming of its powers, finds God present with
it, in a way which the merely natural man has no conception
of: so true is that expression of the Psalmist, " When I awake,
I am still with tliee." So true, also, is that encouraging pro
mise of Solomom, " Bind the commandment upon thine heart,
and tie it about thy neck : when thou goest, it shall lead thee ;
a See Ps. xxxvii. 31. and Prov. iv. 11 13.
760.] TRUE RELIGION DELINEATED. 41
when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee ; and when thou awakest,
it shall walk with thee."]
APPLICATION
1. Are there now any present, who are prejudiced
against religion ?
[Know what true religion is. It is not by any means that
thing which prejudiced persons are ready to imagine. " It is
wisdom, sound wisdom, and discretion." There are doubtless
in the Gospel many things which surpass our comprehension.
But so there are also in all the other works of God, whether
of creation or providence. But if there are truths at which a
proud man will stumble, there is not one which will not com
mend itself to an humble and childlike spirit. And as far as
it operates upon the soul, it induces discretion in every part of
a man s conduct, and assimilates him to the very image of his
God. Who amongst us will say that the Saviour s example
was not good ? Yet his enemies condemned it, and accounted
him worthy to be crucified as the vilest malefactor. And may
there not be a measure of the same prejudice in you, a pre
judice that blinds your eyes, and makes you to hate those
whom you should love and honour ? But, at all events, know
this : whatever corresponds not with religion, as described in
our text, we disclaim. If there be folly and indiscretion in
any who profess the Gospel, let them bear the blame, and not
religion. But if you will condemn the care of the soul as a
needless preciseness, and a cleaving unto the Saviour as an
enthusiastic and vain conceit, you shall bear the burthen ; for,
blame these things as ye may, know that " Wisdom will be
justified of all her children."]
2. Are there those here who profess to love religion?
[Beware, lest by any thing imprudent ye " cause the way
of truth to be evil spoken of:" yea, seek rather to the utmost
of your power to " adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in
all things." On your conduct much depends. Men will not
judge of religion so much by what ice say, as by what we do.
In vain shall Solomon himself describe it as forming such lovely
characters, if you contradict his statements in your life and
conversation. However we may expose the folly of so doing,
men will identify religion with the conduct of its professors ;
and will take occasion, from any thing that is unbecoming in
you, to cast reflections upon religion for your sake. But,
knowing this propensity in them, you should be doubly careful
not to cast a stumbling-block in their way. See to it, then, that
ye " walk worthy of your high calling." If ye be children of the
light, let it be seen by the holiness of your conversation : and,
wherever ye go, be ye epistles of Christ, known and read of all
M PROVERBS, III. 35. [761.
men ; so that all who behold you may be constrained to say,
" We will go with you; for we see that God is with you of
a truth."]
DCCLXI.
THE REWARDS OF WISDOM AND OF FOLLY.
Prov. iii. 35. The wise shall inherit glory ; but shame shall be
the promotion of fools.
A DESIRE of distinction and a fear of shame are
powerful incentives to the human mind, and produce,
in every department of life, exertions far beyond
those to which mere natural inclination would prompt
us. The soldier on the field of battle finds those
principles stronger than the fear of death : nor is the
student insensible of their influence upon his mind :
on the contrary, the nearer the time approaches for
a judgment to be passed upon him, the greater are his
anxieties respecting it a . Now, these feelings being
founded in nature itself, God is pleased to call them
into action in reference to things of far higher moment
than those which too generally engross them. Dis
grace or honour are awarded to men, even in the
present life, on moral and religious grounds, and
much more will they in the life to come : and I wish
that a due concern may be felt in reference to them,
whilst I point out the influence of wisdom,
I. On our present state-
Wisdom may fitly be described as a conformity to
the mind of God ; and folly, as any aberration from
it. But it is the Gospel alone that places these in
their true light. Let us,
1. Distinguish the two characters
[The Gospel is a proclamation of mercy to perishing sin
ners, through the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus
Christ ; nor is there any way of salvation for fallen man, except
that which is there revealed. All who are not interested in that
Saviour must perish under the guilt of their sins
a Preached a little previous to the Degree time at Cambridge ; a
time of extreme anxiety to the young men preparing for the Exami
nations.
761.] THE REWARDS OF WISDOM AND OF FOLLY.
Now, who is wise, but he who labours to secure that salva
tion? or who is a fool, but he who neglects it? Suppose that
means of escape from a sinking vessel, or a house in flames,
were oft ered to one in danger of instantaneous destruction ;
would any person in the universe hesitate to assign the proper
and distinctive epithets to him who availed himself of them,
and to him who disregarded them ? Yet would their conduct
but very faintly shadow forth that which is exhibited under the
Gospel dispensation ; and the terms used to designate that
conduct would very faintly describe its appropriate character.
Let the two characters, then, be properly distinguished. Where
is the man who, with all humility of mind and entire devotion
of soul, seeks an interest in the Saviour? Him we may
safely designate as " wise." Where, on the other hand, is the
man who neglects the Saviour ? Whatever excuses he
may allege in vindication of his conduct, we need not hesitate
to assign to him the humiliating appellation of a " fool."]
2. Declare their proper award
[" The wise" shall even here " inherit glory." Every
one, whatever his own practice may be, has within his own
bosom a witness in favour of those who are religious, provided
their conduct be uniform and consistent. In outward profession,
I grant, the world may brand religion with the name of folly :
but their consciences in secret give a very different testimony :
nor is there any man, however ungodly, so wicked, but that he
reverences in his heart a pious character, and wishes, if it were
possible, to be found in his place at the day of judgment. Herod,
in the midst of all his impiety, " feared John, because he knew
him to be a just and holy man." And so it is with the ungodly
world ; they venerate the very man whom for his piety they
hate and persecute. On the other hand, vain and thoughtless
as are the world at large, and interested in upholding each other
in their various pursuits, there is not one among them, who, in
his moments of reflection, does not see the emptiness and vanity
of worldly things ; and who would not regard it as an incon
sistency in a religious character, if he should betray an eagerness
m the prosecution of them. The truth of these observations
will be manifest beyond either contradiction or doubt, if only
we bear in mind the conduct of the Scribes and Pharisees of
old, who, whilst persecuting our blessed Lord even unto death,
" built the tombs of the prophets, and garnished the sepulchres
of the righteous," whom their forefathers had put to death b .
Precisely thus we also at this time honour the memory of the
Apostles, and of our own reformers too, (for who does not
honour the names of Cranmer, and Latimer, and Ridley ?)
whilst we hate, revile, and persecute the living saints, who walk
b Matt, xxiii. 29 31.
41 PROVERBS, III. 35. [761.
in their steps : and the names of the Scribes and Pharisees of
old are odious to us, whilst we pay respect to those who sustain
the same character amongst ourselves. All this clearly shews,
that whatever our outward behaviour may be towards the two
different parties, both of them have an inward witness in our
own bosoms; " the wise inheriting the glory" that is due to
them, whilst " shame is the only promotion of fools."]
But still more effect will wisdom have,
II. On our condition in the eternal world-
There the conduct of all will be rightly appreciated
[In this world there are many things which obscure the
wisdom of the wise, and which serve to palliate the folly of
fools. The weaknesses of many good men excite a prejudice
against their sentiments and conduct, and do really cast an
air of folly over their very profession. This is deeply to be
lamented : but, whilst there is so much folly bound up in the
heart of man, and in many the seed of Divine Grace is but as
a grain of mustard-seed, it is not to be wondered at that such
stumbling-blocks should occur: indeed, unless a miracle were
wrought to turn babes at once into young men and fathers, it
is scarcely possible that offences of some kind should not arise
from the injudicious deportment of weaker brethren. On the
other hand, amongst those who are not devoted to the Saviour,
there are many eminent for their attainments in science, and
abounding in every species of worldly wisdom ; and amidst so
much that is amiable and good, it is difficult to mark with
becoming severity the folly of which they are guilty. But God
will judge righteous judgment : he will distinguish infallibly
between the errors of the judgment and the bias of the heart :
and to those who sought him, though in much weakness, he will
give a testimony of applause ; but on those who sought him not
he will denounce his sentence of eternal condemnation.]
Then will wisdom and folly appear in their true
light-
[Behold the saint approved of his God, and seated on a
throne of glory ! Will any one think he sacrificed too much
for this, or laboured too hard for this? Will there be any
difference of opinion respecting him, amongst the hosts of
heaven, or even in the regions of hell? No; there will be
but one testimony respecting him. Every creature in the
universe will pronounce him wise. See, on the other hand, the
most successful and distinguished of the human race banished
from the presence of that Saviour whom he would not seek,
and of that God whom he refused to serve! Will there be any
difference of opinion respecting his folly? Nay, will not he
himself be the very first to accuse himself, and to curse the folly
701.] TIIE REWARDS OF WISDOM AND OF FOLLY. 45
which once he so fondly cherished ? Yes : we are told that, in
hell, men will " weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth" with
anguish : and I cannot doubt but that their self-reproach will
be one of the bitterest ingredients in the cup which will there
be given them to drink. When they see in what their love of
" promotion" has issued, and that it has brought nothing but
a pre-eminence in " shame" and sorrow, they will set their seal
to that once-despised truth, that " wisdom excelleth folly, as
much as light excelleth darkness."]
Permit me now to RECOMMEND to every one amongst
you,
1. A retrospect of your past lives
[What is your estimate now of your past life ? Is there one
amongst you who would not rather that it should have been
under the influence of wisdom, than that it should have been so
devoted to folly, as in the great majority of cases it has been ?
I suppose there is scarcely any one that has not, at some season
or other, had moments of reflection, and formed some faint
purposes of amendment. Let the humiliation then expe
rienced have been ever so transient, do you not at this time
look back upon it as the best hour of your lives ? and do you
not regret that it so speedily passed away ? And, however
deeply you may have drunk of the cup of pleasure, do you not
now feel that it is all vanity, and that nothing of it remains
but the dregs, which have a bitter taste ? Where is there one
amongst you, who, if he should hear a dying man glorying in
having lived altogether to the flesh and to the world, would
not be shocked at it as an excess of impiety and folly ? Or
who, if he were himself in dying circumstances, would riot wish
for a far different frame of mind to prepare him for his great
account ? I make this appeal with confidence, and am content
to rest the whole of what I have said on the testimony of your
own consciences. Yes, beloved Brethren, you shall be con
stituted judges in your own case ; and I will abide by the de
cision which you yourselves shall give. Let your convictions,
then, be now realized ; and let the Lord Jesus Christ be now
sought by you without delay.]
2. A prospective view of futurity
[Soon you will be convinced, at all events, whether you
will listen to good instruction now, or not. Soon you will
" see whose word shall stand the world s, or God s." De
pend upon it, God s word will not change. What he has
designated as wisdom by the mouth of Prophets and Apostles,
he will pronounce to have been so, when he shall sit on his
throne of judgment. Why will ye not then anticipate that
sentence ? And why will ye not consider what your reflections
4G PROVERBS, IV. 7. [762.
will be, when all your present opportunities of turning unto
God shall have passed away ? This only do I ask of you :
Act now, as you will then wish you had acted. Methinks
this is a reasonable request : it is a request which every one
acknowledges to be good in reference to the things of time ;
and surely it cannot be less good in reference to eternity.
May God enable all of you, then, to comply with it ! and may
you all not only become wise, but be made wise unto salva
tion through faith in Christ Jesus!]
DCCLXII.
THE NATURE AND EXCELLENCE OF TRUE W r ISDOM.
Prov. iv. 7. Wisdom is the principal thing : therefore get
n isdom , and ivith all thy getting, get understanding.
THE inspired volume is no less useful in rectifying
the prejudices of education, than it is in restraining
the indulgence of forbidden appetites. As far as
relates to the grosser violations of moral duty, the
advice of parents and teachers is in unison \vith the
Holy Scriptures ; but we are very rarely exhorted to
follow that which is the main end and purpose of life.
Get wealth, get honour, are the lessons inculcated on
all the rising generation. David however sets us a
better example : he earnestly entreated his son above
all things to cultivate true religion. And Solomon,
having reaped much advantage from those instruc
tions, has left them on record for our benefit 3 . We
shall endeavour,
I. To shew the nature and excellence of true wisdom
That which is usually termed wisdom is far from
being the object so extolled in the text
[We mean not to depreciate the attainments of art or
science. They are valuable in themselves, and, if duly im
proved, may, like the Egyptian gold, enrich and beautify the
sanctuary of God. But the wisdom spoken of in the text, has
respect entirely to spiritual things.]
True wisdom is the proposing of the best ends and
prosecuting of them by the fittest means
[There is no end so worthy to be pursued by a rational
creature, as the sanctification and salvation of his own soul.
a ver. 37.
762.1 MATURE AND EXCELLENCE OF TRUE WISDOM. 47
Nor are there any means of attaining it so proper, as those
prescribed in the Holy Scriptures. To repent of all our sins, to
flee to Christ for the pardon of them, and to seek the reno
vation of our hearts by the Holy Spirit, are represented as the
only effectual means of salvation. These things, it must be
confessed, are often called folly ; but they are called so only
by those, who have never known them by experience. Not
one among the holy angels would account it folly to love and
serve God. None of the redeemed in heaven regret that they
were once so strenuous in the exercises of religion. The saints
on earth are precisely of the same mind with those in heaven.
Hence conversion to a holy life is called " a turning of the
hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the justV Even
devils and damned spirits would confess that devotedness of
heart to God is the truest wisdom. Careless sinners are the
only beings who dissent from this truth ; and they in a little
time will assuredly alter their opinion .]
Such wisdom is justly termed "the principal thing"-
[There are many other things which are important in their
place ; but this is far superior to them all. Riches cannot be
put in competition with it d . Pleasure, honour, or even life itself,
are not worthy to be compared with it e . It excels every thing
else as much as~ light excelleth darkness f . This exclusively
deserves the name of wisdom, God himself being witness g . It
is " the good part; h " and he alone can be called truly wise,
who, like Paul, accounts every thing but loss for that unspeak
ably excellent attainment 1 .]
Its excellency being thus established, we may pro
ceed,
II. To urge upon you the diligent pursuit of it
In the text, with the preceding context, we may
see the utmost fervour that language can express.
May we be animated with the same, while we labour
to impress the subject on your minds by the following
considerations ! Consider then,
1. This wisdom is both more easily, and more cer
tainly, to be attained than any thing else
[With respect to other things, every one has not a capa
city for making great attainments ; nor have all, who possess
b Luke i. 17.
c Wisdom v. 4. What do those rich men, Luke xii. 19, 20. and
xvi. 19, 23. now think of their once envied state ?
d Job xxviii. 1219. e Prov. iii. 1318. f Eccl. ii. 13.
Job xxviii. 28. > Luke x. 42. J Phil. iii. 7, 8.
48 PROVERBS, IV. 7. [762.
good abilities, an opportunity of cultivating them to advan
tage. Nor can great industry united with great talents, always
ensure success k ; but no man ever sought this in vain. The
poor fishermen of Galilee were as capable of comprehending it,
as the philosophers of Greece and Rome. We attain it, not by
the mere exertion of our own powers, but by the teachings of
God s Spirit 1 . Nor will he ever refuse that heavenly gift to any
who seek it with a teachable and childlike disposition" 1 . This
thought may well encourage all. May we be stirred up by it to
seek the unction that shall teach us all things"! Then will
God bestow upon us his promised blessing ; and make us wise
unto salvation through faith in Christ p .]
2. There is nothing else which will so conduce to
our present happiness
[The creature is justly represented as a cistern that will
hold no water q . All who seek happiness in it are disappointed.
Even science itself, which is the most rational of all earthly
pleasures, is often a source of sorrow and vexation 1 "; but true
wisdom is an overflowing fountain of joy. In prosperity, it adds
a zest to all our comforts; and in adversity, a balm to all our
sorrows. In a time of pain and trouble more especially its excel
lency appears. What can earthly things do to assuage our
anguish or compose our minds 8 ? But religion enables us to see
the rod in our Father s hand, and to know that all is working
for our good 1 . St. Paul found it to be wealth in poverty, joy
in sorrow, life in death u . And such will every Christian expe
rience it to be in the hour of trial x . Shall not this consideration
then quicken our diligence in the pursuit of it?]
3. There is nothing besides this that can in the
least promote our eternal welfare
[Our duties, when performed with an eye to God, are a
part of religion itself; but, independent of the respect which
we have to him in the performance of them, they are of no
value in his sight. A person may do many things that are
beneficial to society, and yet be dead in trespasses and sins.
But Solomon, specifying the supreme excellency of wisdom,
affirms, that it giveth life to them that have it y . No man can
perish that possesses wisdom; nor can any man be saved who
is destitute of it z . Shall we not then be prevailed upon to seek
it? Shall we disregard the commendations that David and Solo
mon have given of it ? And shall their importunity be treated
k Eccl. ix. 11. ! Johni. 13. andvi. 45. m Jam. i. 5.
" 1 John ii. 20. Prov. ii. 1 6. P 2 Tim. iii. 15,
i Jer. ii. 13. r Eccl. i. 17, 18. s Eccl. v. 17.
4 Rom. viii. 28. u 2 Cor. vi. 9, 10. x Prov. iii. 21 2G.
y Eccl. vii. 12. * Rom. viii. G, 13.
7(53.1 TIIK CHRISTIAN S PATH. -1!)
by us with coldness and neglect? Surely such a conduct may
well expose us to the most severe of all reflections 3 .]
" Suffer then a word of EXHORTATION "
[The wisdom here spoken of is not the only thing in the
world that is desirable; nor the only thing that you may laudably
pursue. There are innumerable other things which demand
our attention ; and which our several conditions in life render
necessary. The text itself supposes, or rather enjoins, that we
should labour to get other things ; but wisdom is indisputably
" the principal thing ;" and " with all our getting we must be
mindful to get understanding." Whatever else be neglected,
this must not: it is " the one thing needful." Therefore, " get
it, get it, get it, get it b ." " Forsake it not, neither forget it ;
exalt it, love it, and embrace it; so shall it be an ornament of
grace to your head, and a crown of glory to your soul." For
whoso findeth it findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the
Lord c .] d
a Prov. xvii. 10. b Four times is this repeated, ver. .5, 7.
c Prov. viii. 35.
(1 If this were the subject of a Commemoration Sermon, the inten
tion of the founder, and the obligations necessarily attaching to every
member of the society, might be urged as a fourth and more appro
priate consideration to enforce the royal precept given in the text.
DCCLXIII.
THE CHRISTIAN S PATH COMPARED TO THE LIGHT.
Prov. iv. 18. The path of the just is as the shining light, that
shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
HABITS, of whatever kind, are strengthened by
exercise ; the more congenial they are with our na
tural feelings, the more easily are they confirmed.
Hence the wicked, without any express purpose on
their part, are daily more and more riveted to the
world and sin. The righteous too increase in love
to the ways of God in proportion as they endeavour
to fulfil his will. They have indeed a bias, which, if
they were left to themselves, would soon turn them
aside. But God will not leave them destitute of
needful succour : he pledges himself that their path
shall resemble the shining light. This is found true
by happy experience. Their path is,
I. Beautiful in its appearance
VOL. VII. E
50 PROVERBS, IV. 18. [763.
The rising sun is as beautiful an object as any in
the whole creation
[At its first approach it tinges the distant clouds with light.
On its first appearance it gilds the summits of the woods and
mountains : then, dispelling all the shades of night, it illumines
the whole horizon. How delightful is this to every one that
beholds it a !]
Thus is the path of the righteous exceeding beau
tiful-
["The just" are they who are renewed and sanctified by
the Spirit of God. Their path in the very outset is beautiful to
behold. Their simplicity of mind, and teachableness of spirit,
endear them to us ; their lowliness and humility attract the
notice of the very angels themselves 1 . The fervour of their
love engages both .our admiration and esteem. The very shades
in their character serve as a contrast to shew the excellence of
the change that has passed upon them. As they proceed their
graces are more matured. Their course is justly described by
the Apostle Paul c . Surely such a conduct must be beautiful
in the eyes of God and man. They are justly spoken of as
" beautified with salvation* 1 : they even reflect a lustre upon the
Gospel itself 6 .]
While their path is so amiable, it resembles the
light further, in that it is
II. Beneficial in its influence
The sun does not shine with unproductive splen
dour
[It enables the several orders of men to return to their
respective callings. In the darkness they could not go without
stumbling f ; but now they follow their occupations without fear
or difficulty. The productions of the earth also feel the genial
influence of the sun, and are matured by means of its invigo
rating beams.]
Nor is the Christian unprofitable in his course
[The wicked are stumbling on every side of him g ; but the
Christian affords a light to the benighted souls around him h .
He shines in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation 1 :
he is an epistle of Christ, known and read of all men k . The
account given of Job, describes his course, as far as his situa
tion and circumstances will allow 1 . Thus by his conduct he
a Eccl. xi. 7. b Luke xv. 10. c Phil. iv. 8.
d Ps. clxix. 4 e Tit. ii. 10. f John xi. 9, 10.
* Prov. iv. 10. h Matt. v. 14. Phil. ii. 15, 16.
k 2 Cor. iii. 2, 3. Job xxix. 1110.
763.] THE CHRISTIAN S PATH. 51
puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men. He even wins
some, perhaps, whom the word alone would never have con
verted", and causes many to glorify his heavenly Father .]
The comparison yet further holds, in that the path
of the just, like that of the sun, is,
III. Constant in its progress
The sun invariably pursues its wonted course
[From the instant it rises, it hastens toward the meridian.
Sometimes indeed its splendour is intercepted by clouds, and
sometimes it may be partially, or even totally eclipsed; still,
however, it proceeds in its appointed path, and is sure to arrive
at its meridian height.]
The Christian too goes forward towards perfection
[He never rests as though he had attained the summit P.
He determines to be ever pressing forward for higher attain
ments 1 . He may indeed for a season be involved in clouds:
yea, perhaps, he may through the violence of temptation, suf
fer an eclipse; but, if he be really " just" and upright, his light
shall break forth again. God has ensured this by a solemn pro
mise 1 . Jeremiah illustrates it by the very allusion in- the text 8 :
nor is this progress the privilege of some only*. David speaks
of it as belonging to Israel of old u . Paul represents it as enjoyed
by every true Christian x ; and Peter shew r s us whence this sta
bility proceeds y . None indeed arrive at absolute perfection in
this life 2 ; but soon the just will be changed into Christ s per
fect image 3 , and shine above the sun in the firmament for ever
and ever h .]
IMPROVEMENT
1. For conviction
[We are in a world that lieth in darkness and the shadow
of death ; and, if we be Christians indeed, we are shining as
lights in a dark place. Do our consciences testify that this is
the case with us ? Are we examples of holiness to those of our
own age and rank? Do we reprove all works of darkness, in
stead of having fellowship with them c ? If not, how can we
ever be numbered among the just? Shall we say that we once
were such, but are now under a cloud ? Or that our light is at
the present eclipsed ? Let us beware lest we prove only as a
m 1 Pet. ii. 15. n 1 Pet. iii. 1,2. Matt. v. 1C.
P Phil. iii. 12. q Phil. iii. 13, 14. r Job xvii. 9.
8 Jer. xxxi. 3337. l Phil. i. 6, 7. " Ps. Ixxxiv. 7.
* 2 Cor. iii. 18. y 1 Pet. i. 5. 1 Cor.xiii. 9, 10.
a 1 John iii. 2. Phil, iii, 21.
b Dan. xii. 3. and Matt. xiii. 43. c Eph. v. 11.
E2
52 PROVERBS, IV. 23. [764.
fleeting meteor. Our light must be steady and increasing, like
that of the sun. The tree is known by its fruit; and the just
by their light 1 ; and a false profession will deceive us to our
eternal ruin e .]
2. For consolation
[There are many true Christians who do not enjoy much
comfort, and the darkness of their minds sometimes makes them
doubt whether they be upright before God ; but they often
write bitter things against themselves without a cause. Dis
tress, whether temporal or spiritual, argues nothing against our
integrity. Job never shone brighter than in his trouble ; nor
Christ, than in the depths of his dereliction. Let him then that
is in darkness, stay himself upon his God f . It is to such persons
that God sends us with words of comfort K . To them in parti
cular is that delightful declaration addressed 1 . Wait then the
Lord s leisure, ye afflicted souls, and trust in him. Soon shall
your " light rise in obscurity, and your darkness be as the
noon-day;" nor will God be glorified less in your patience,
than in more active services.]
d Eph. v. 8. e 1 John i. 6. and ii. 9, 11.
f Isai. 1. 10. s Isai. xxxv. 3, 4. h Isai. liv. 7 10.
DCCLXIV.
KEEPING THE HEART.
Prov. iv. 23. Keep thy heart ivith all diligence ; for out of it
are the issues of life.
IT is certainly of infinite importance that we be
deeply convinced of our utter inability to do any
thing that is good, and of our entire dependence upon
God for the effectual aids of his Holy Spirit. But
we must not imagine, that, because we have no suffi
ciency of ourselves to do the will of God, we are not
bound in duty to do it, or not to be exhorted and
stimulated to the performance of it. Our duty is the
same, whatever be the circumstances to which we
have reduced ourselves ; and it is in, and by, our
personal exertions, that God has promised to " work
all our works in us." Hence, in the Scriptures of
Truth, we are continually exhorted to serve our God
in the way of his commandments. It is obvious that
we cannot preserve the life of our bodies for one
single moment ; yet God expects, that we keep
764.] KEEPING THE HEART. 53
ourselves from those things \vhich would destroy life,
and use all proper means of preserving it : so neither
can we, of ourselves, preserve the life of our souls ;
yet are we bound to " keep our heart with all dili
gence ; since out of it are the issues of life."
It is indeed supposed here, that a new heart has
been given to us ; because from the unregenerated
heart no good thing can issue : but inasmuch as even
the renewed heart has still innumerable corruptions
within it, we must keep it with all diligence.
To impress this duty on our minds, let us consider,
I. The duty enjoined
"To keep the heart" is indeed an arduous task.
To assist you in the performance of it, we will offer
such suggestions as appear suitable to the occasion :
1. Fortify it with good principles
[A city unfortified is open to assault on every side : and
so is the heart, if not duly fortified by the principles of true
religion. As a sinner redeemed by the precious blood of
Christ, and sanctified by his Spirit, I am the Lord s peculiar
property : I live by him ; and I must live for him : " having
been bought with a price, I am not my own, but his" who
bought me : and I have nothing to do but to " glorify him with
my body and my spirit, which are his." When therefore any
thing attempts to gain possession of my heart, I must keep it
for Him ; for Him wholly ; for Him alone. Nothing is to break
in upon this principle. Let earth and hell assault me, I must
oppose them in this impregnable bulwark ; " Depart from me,
ye evil-doers; I will keep the commandments of my God a ."
The Christian is furnished by God with armour for this con
test 15 ; and, clothed in this panoply, he must maintain the
conflict even unto death .]
2. Watch all its most secret motions
[A citadel, however strong, if filled with traitors waiting
for an occasion to open it to the enemy, needs to be guarded
with peculiar care : the professed defenders of it must them
selves be watched. So it is with the heart, notwithstanding it
be at present garrisoned for the Lord. It is inconceivably
difficult in many instances to distinguish between the loyal
and the treacherous. They are both habited in the same uni
form ; and both make the very same professions : both too
appear actuated by the same holy zeal. The Apostles, when
a Ps. cxix. 115. b Eph. vi. 11 10. c Rev. ii. 10.
51. PROVERBS, IV. #J. [764.
disputing with each other who should be the greatest, and
forbidding others to cast out devils, because they followed not
with them, and desiring to call fire from heaven to avenge their
Master s cause, appeared as faithful as men could be 1 : yet
were they in reality actuated by pride and envy, in the garb
of zeal and love : and, had not these corrupt passions been
checked at first, who can tell, " how great a matter this little
fire might have kindled"?" There is not a motion of the heart
but must be strictly marked : its associates must be carefully
noticed ; its tendencies examined ; its professions scrutinized ;
lest Satan himself be found there, under the semblance of an
angel of light f .]
3. Combine all its energies in the service of your
God-
[The Psalmist has a remarkable expression on this sub
ject ; "Unite my heart, O Lord, to fear thy name g ." If the
powers of the soul be scattered, they will be as inefficient as
soldiers that are dispersed. It is by a combination of efforts for
a preconcerted end, and by simultaneous movements for its
accomplishment, that success is attained. The various powers
of the soul must act in unison : the understanding, the will, the
affections, the memory, the conscience, must all have the same
object in view, each defending its proper post to the uttermost,
and ready to succour the other with all its might. If, whilst
the understanding is occupied about spiritual and heavenly
things, the will and the affections are running after earthly and
carnal things, what can be expected, but that the enemy shall
soon gain undisguised and permanent possession of the soul ?
Every one knows, that " a house divided against itself, falleth;"
and a divided heart must become a prey to the great adversary
of God and man. All its powers must center in God, if God is
to inhabit it as his temple, and to possess it as his inheritance.]
4. Call in for it the most effectual aid
[Human efforts, unassisted by God, will be of little avail.
Indeed we can do nothing but as we are assisted by "the
Captain of our Salvation V To him then must we look to
" strengthen us with might by his Spirit in our inward man :"
we must go forth against our enemies, as David did against
Goliath, not in dependence on an arm of flesh, but in the name
of the Lord God of Israel: we must "be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might k ." Then we may defy all our
adversaries : we may boldly ask the greatest amongst them ;
" Who art thou, O thou great Mountain? Before Zerubbabel
d Luke ix. 46, 49, 54. e Jam. iii. 5. f 2 Cor. xi. 13, 14.
K Ps. Ixxxvi. 11. i> John xv. 5. Eph. iii. 1G.
k Eph. vi. 10.
764.] KEEPING THE HEART. 55
thou shall become a plain." See how Paul taught the first
Christians to triumph, whilst yet in the midst of all their con
flicts : " Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? Shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or nakedness, or peril,
or sword ? No : in all these things we are more than con
querors l :" so then may the weakest of us triumph, if we call
in our blessed Lord to our aid: for " through Christ strengthen
ing us, we can do all things m ."]
But to form a right judgment of our duty, we must
yet more distinctly notice,
II. The particular instruction relating to it
We must keep our heart " with all diligence." Our
attention to it must be,
1. Earnest
[It is not a slight or superficial attention to it that will
suffice. The work is too great to be effected in such a way.
To keep the heart from sin amidst so many temptations on
every side, and to keep it in the exercise of all holy and hea
venly graces, from every one of which it is by nature alienated ;
this is a great work indeed, and requires the utmost possible
exertion on our part. The metaphors by which the Christian s
life is set forth, sufficiently shew what efforts are called for on
our part. A race is not to be won without straining every nerve :
an adversary, whether in fight or in wrestling, is not to be over
come without putting forth all our strength. Can we then
suppose, that, when our contest is not with flesh and blood
only, but with all the principalities and powers of hell, the
victory can be gained without the most strenuous exertions ?
No ; it cannot : and our Lord plainly tells us that it cannot :
"Strive" says he, "to enter in at the strait gate; for many
shall seek to enter in, and not be able." Know then, that what
ever you have to do in the keeping of your heart, you must
" do it with all your might."]
2. Constant
[The work which we have to do, is not like that of a
painter or a statuary, who may leave his work for a time, and
find it afterwards in the state in which he left it : it is rather
like that of one who is rolling up hill a stone, which will return
upon him, as soon as ever he intermits his labour. Our hearts
of themselves are " bent to backslide from God," ever ready to
"start aside as a deceitful bow :" and Satan is ever on the watch
to draw us aside. If he intermit his labours, it is in appearance
only, and not in reality : for he is ever " going about, as a
1 Rom. viii. 35, 37. m Phil. iv. 13.
5(> PROVERBS, IV. 9.3. [7(34.
roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." His wiles and
devices are innumerable : and, if once he can find us off our
guard, he will assuredly avail himself of the occasion to deceive
and, if possible, to destroy us. We therefore must be always
" on our watch-tower," according to that direction of our
blessed Lord, " Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation :
and, what I say unto you, 1 say unto all, Watch."]
3. Persevering
[There is no state at which we can arrive in this world that
supersedes the necessity of continued vigilance and care. AVere
we as eminent as Paul himself, we must still, like him, " keep
our body under and bring it into subjection, lest by any means,
after having preached to others, we ourselves become cast
aways." Let our circumstances be ever so favourable, we
know not but that we shall fall the very next moment. Heze-
kiah was but just recovered from a dangerous illness, and
that by miracle; yet when the Babylonish ambassadors came to
offer him their master s congratulations, he fell, and offended
God by "the pride of his heart 11 ." Peter also was but just
descended from Mount Tabor, where he had beheld his Lord
transfigured, and shining forth in all his glory, when he acted
Satan s part in dissuading his Lord from completing the work
assigned him : so that he drew forth from his Divine Master that
just reprimand, " Get thee behind me, Satan ." We may add
too, that there is no wickedness so great, but we may be drawn
to the commission of it. Who can reflect on David s adultery
and murder, or on Peter s denial of his Lord with oaths and
curses, and not see reason to cry continually to God, " Hold
thou me up, and i shall be safe ! "
Thus then we see, it is not enough to keep our hearts, but
we must " keep them with all diligence," engaging in the work
with earnestness, and maintaining it with constancy and per
severance to the latest hour of our lives.]
Let us now attend to,
III. The reason with which hoth the one and the
other are enforced
The heart may in some respects be considered as
the seat of vitality in the human body, because from
thence issues the blood that circulates through the
whole frame. But still more may it be said of the
heart in a spiritual view, that out of it are the issues
of life. For,
1. It is the proper source of all evil
11 2 Chron. xxxii. 2-1 -2G. Matt. xvi. 23, 24.
764.1 KEEPING THE HEART. 57
[There are many evils to which our corrupt nature is apt
to yield ; some are spiritual, and some are fleshly ; but the
womb where all are generated, and from whence they proceed,
is the heart. Adultery, and murder, and theft, with many
other evils, might be supposed to arise rather out of external
circumstances connected with our outward man : but they are
all traced by our blessed Lord to the heart : " From within, out
of the heart of man, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornica
tions, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lascivi-
ousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness : all these
things come from within p ." Now, if the heart be the fruitful
spring of such evils, ought it not to be watched ? ought it not
to be kept with all diligence ? It is evident that, without con
tinual care, the whole man would soon be inundated with evil :
should we not then watch the sluices ? should we not guard the
banks, and keep them in good repair ? In other words, should
we not do all in our power to prevent such fatal effects? Let
it never be forgotten, that the smallest breach in a bank will
soon yield to the torrent, and, by its extension, bid defiance to
any remedy that can be applied : consequently, if we would
not be overrun with all manner of evil, we must guard against
the irruption of any. " A little leaven will soon leaven the
whole lump."]
2. It is the proper seat of all good
[Grace is planted in the heart : it has no other residence :
it may operate by the members ; but its seat is in the heart.
Repentance flows from thence, even from " the broken and
contrite heart." Faith has there its first formation. " With
the heart man believeth unto righteousness." Love combines
and concentrates all its powers; " We are to love God with
all the heart :" yea, " Christ himself dwells in our hearts by
faith." Whatever then proceeds not from the heart, is of no
value : all our best services for God are no other than hypo
crisy, if the heart be far from him q . Must we not then keep
the heart with all diligence, to see that it be duly influenced
by divine grace, and that all which we do is the result of gra
cious principles implanted there ? Truly, if " a man may give
all his goods to feed the poor, and his body to be burned, and,
after all, be no better than sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal,"
because his actions proceed not from a principle of love in the
heart, we are called upon to watch over our hearts with all
imaginable care, that they be duly stored with all that is good.
This is the plain and obvious inference from what our Lord
himself hath distinctly affirmed in those memorable words, "The
evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that
which is evil ; and the good man out of the good treasure of
P Mark vii. 2123. 9 Matt. xv. 7, 8.
58 PROVERBS, IV. 3. [764.
his heart bringeth forth that which is good:" in both cases the
produce is "from the abundance of the heart 1 :" and " the tree
is known by its fruits."]
3. By it shall our state be determined in the last
day-
[Even in courts of judicature amongst ourselves, it is not
so much the act, as the heart, that is the object of investiga
tion. Murder itself is not accounted murder, if it was not
attended with a purpose of heart to injure and destroy. Much
more therefore may it be expected that God will inquire into
the designs and purposes of our hearts : " He looketh not on
the outward appearance, but at the heart:" and " he searcheth
the heart, and trieth the reins, on purpose to give to every
man according to the fruit of his doings." For this end " he
will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make
manifest the counsels of the heart." To our hearts then must
we look, if ever we would give up our account with joy : for,
as our hearts are, so shall we appear in his sight 8 . Let us then
not only search and try ourselves, but 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."]
APPLICATION
1. Grudge not your labour in the way to heaven
[You cannot make any attainments in this life without
labour : how then can you hope to attain without it the glory
and felicity of heaven ? True it is, that heaven is a gift of
God; a gift altogether of his free and sovereign grace: but
it is also true, that we must labour for it, according to that
direction of our Lord ; " Labour not for the meat that perisheth,
but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which
the Son of man shall give unto you*." Labour then with
all earnestness, and constancy, and perseverance. If you be
frequently foiled, still return to your post, and increase your
vigilance in proportion as you discover the deceitfulness and
wickedness of your hearts : and be assured, that, however
great your toil may be, heaven will be an abundant recom-
pence for all.]
2. Doubt not but that your labour shall at last be
crowned with success
[Were your success dependent on an arm of flesh, you
might well despond : but your God and Saviour is pledged to
" carry on in you the work he has begun," and to " perfect
that which concerneth you." Your enemies may renew their
assaults as often as they will ; but they shall not prevail : for
1 Luke vi. 45. s Prov. xxiii. 7. l John vi. 27.
765.] SINNER S RETROSPECT. 59
God has said, that " No weapon that is formed against you
shall prosper":" and again, " The law of God is in his heart;
his footsteps shall not slide x ." Go on then : " watch ye ; stand
fast in the faith ; quit you like men; be strong y :" and know for
your comfort what the all-gracious and unchanging God hath
spoken ; " Be not weary in well-doing ; for in due season ye
shall reap, if ye faint not 2 ."]
u Isai. liv. 17. x Ps. xxxvii. 31. x 1 Cor. xvi. 13. z Gal. vi. 9.
DCCLXV.
SINNER S RETROSPECT.
Prov. v. 12, 13. How have I hated instruction, and my heart
despised reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my
teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me !
A TIME of reflection must come to all : if men
shake off all thought till the hour of death, they will
not be able to do so when once the soul is separated
from the body : their ways will then be brought to
remembrance ; and all the powers of their minds be
fixed upon the contemplation of them. Happily, with
many this season arrives before it is too late : and,
not unfrequently, the very enormities which have
been committed are the means of exciting in the soul
a salutary remorse. Sometimes the present conse
quences of sin press heavily upon the mind, and
awaken the energies of a sleepy conscience. Thus
Solomon supposes many to be affected after they
have brought trouble on themselves by their licen
tious courses : and he urges this very consideration
as an argument for guarding against all temptations
to sin, that, however pleasurable a life of sin may be,
the retrospect will be painful in the extreme ; and
the now thoughtless debauchee " will mourn at the
last," in the review of the mercies he has abused, and
will say, " How have I hated instruction, and my
heart despised reproof!"
We shall not confine our attention to the particular
subject treated of in the context, though in every con
gregation, it is to be feared, there are but too many
to whom it would be applicable; but shall rather
GO PROVERBS, V. 12, l;j. [765.
take occasion from our text to set before you in a
more enlarged view,
I. The sinner s retrospect
That we may bring home the subject to every
man s bosom, we shall consider men under two dis
tinct classes ;
1. Those who already feel some painful conse
quences of their past conduct
[Amongst these we must first notice the persons more
immediately referred to in our text, namely, those who have
wasted their property, and injured their constitution, in habits
of criminal indulgence 3 . What reason for regret have they !
How glad would they now be, if they had restrained their
appetites, and not purchased a momentary gratification at so
high a price! Next to these we may mention the spend
thrift, and the gamester, who through covetousness or the love
of pleasure have dissipated their fortune, and involved them
selves in ruin. How common is it for persons so circum
stanced to destroy their own lives, and to seek in suicide a
remedy for the evils they have en tailed upon themselves !
To these we may add the persons who by any disgraceful act
have blasted their reputation, and rendered themselves ob
noxious to just reproach: to such the seasons of reflection are
bitter. They attempt perhaps to divert their thoughts by
business or pleasure ; but they can never cease to rue the day
in which they brought upon themselves so heavy a calamity.
There are times when all who have entailed misery on them
selves will bring to mind the instructions given them in early
youth ; and then they will, inwardly at least, complain, " How
have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof!"]
2. Those who, though they feel no present pain
arising from their sins, are yet sensible that they
have not answered the great ends of life
[The necessity of turning unto God, and the means of
acceptance with God through the atonement of Christ, have
been distinctly set forth from time to time ; so that, supposing
persons to have diligently attended to the word that has been
preached to them, and to have "mixed faith with it," it would
have been impossible for them to have continued in the ways
of sin and death. But how many are at this moment as far from
God as they were years ago ! How many have reason to regret
that they have ever heard the Gospel, which, instead of being
a savour of life to them, has, through their neglect of it, been
made a savour of death unto death ! Our blessed Lord told his
a vcr. 911.
765.1 SINNER S RETROSPECT. Gl
hearers, that " if he had never come to instruct them, they
would not, comparatively, have had sin ; but that now they had
no cloak for their sin." So must it be said to many amongst
us; " that having been exalted to heaven" in their privileges,
they have reason to expect that they shall, with Capernaum,
" be cast the deeper into hell" for their abuse of them. It is
a small matter that their sins have not been such as to expose
them to shame and reproach among men : their neglect of Christ,
their want of love to his name, and of zeal in his service, must
be reckoned for at the last day, when he will say, " Bring hither
those that were mine enemies, who would not that I should
reign over them, and slay them before me." O painful retro
spect ! O afflictive prospect ! Brethren, take a review of your
past lives; and seek " the things belonging to your peace, before
they be for ever hid from your eyes."]
What then remains to be done by these distinct,
but perishing, classes ? To both the one and the
other we would say, Consider,
II. The sinner s alternative-
There is but one alternative for any child of man :
we must either attend to the voice of instruction
given us in the Gospel, or we must carry with us un
changing and unavailing remorse into the eternal
world.
Are we willing to spend eternity in self-condemn
ing reflections ?
[They must follow us, if we die in our sins. God himself
will remind us of the benefits which here we neglected to im
prove : " Son, remember, that thou in thy life-time hadst such
and such advantages." What anguish of mind will be occasioned
by such thoughts as these : I once had the same offers of sal
vation, as they had who are now before the throne of God: I
enjoyed the same heavenly instruction as they; but I despised
it, and would not hear the voice of the charmer, how wisely
soever he endeavoured to charm me ! This will be the ground
of our heavier " condemnation, that light came into the world,
but that we loved darkness rather than light, because our deeds
were evil :" and our reflections upon this will be " a never-dying
worm," gnawing our conscience to all eternity. Whether our
sins were more or less flagrant, this will be the source of our
greatest torment, that we despised the instructions given us in
the Gospel, and trampled under foot that very Son of God who
came into the world to seek and save us.]
If we would not spend an eternity in these bitter
62 PROVERBS, V. 12, 13. [765.
reflections, we must now attend to the things which
are revealed to us in the Gospel
[If our teachers speak out of their own minds, we may
refuse to hearken to them : but, if they speak to us the very
word of God, then it is at our peril to turn a deaf ear to their
instructions. The word of God is sufficient to " make us wise
unto salvation through faith in Chi ist." It bids us fiee to Christ,
as to a strong hold, where we shall be safe from the assaults of
sin and Satan. It assures us, that " Christ is able to save to
the uttermost all that come unto God by him ;" that " his blood
will cleanse us from all sin ;" that " his grace is sufficient for
us ;" and that " he will cast out none who come unto him."
Follow these directions, and you are safe : give yourselves up
to him ; live altogether by faith upon him ; improve for his
glory the grace which you receive out of his fulness ; and you
have nothing to fear. Instead of remorse and sorrow, you shall
be filled with peace and joy. In the midst of life it shall be a
matter of " rejoicing to you, that you have the testimony of
a good conscience ;" in a dying hour you shall look back with
comfort in the thought of having " fought a good fight, and
finished your course, and kept the faith;" and to all eternity
shall you glory in the mercies and privileges which you here
enjoyed 6 .
Here then is your alternative : Despise this instruction, and
you shall perish : Obey it, and you shall live for ever.]
ADVICE
1. Endeavour to view every thing in the light of
eternity
[If you think of time only, the value of present enjoy
ments will be unduly magnified : but think of eternity, and
nothing will be deemed important but the salvation of the
soul ]
2. Endeavour so to spend each day, as you will
wish you had spent it, when you shall be standing at
the judgment-seat of Christ
[We know what the wishes are of men who are con
demned to death for their violations of the law : and we may be
sure that such will be our wishes when we are summoned to
meet our Judge : O that I had lived a very different life !
- Now then cleave unto Christ with full purpose of
heart, and devote yourselves to him without reserve. So shall
you behold his face in peace, and be partakers of his glory for
evermore.]
> Rev. i. 5.
766. J THE CAPTIVATING POWER OF SIN. 63
DCCLXVI.
THE CAPTIVATING POWER OF SIN.
Prov. v. 22. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself,
and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
THE force of habit is well known : it operates as
a second nature; so constant is it in its exercise, and
so imperious in its demands. There is this difference
however in habits of piety, and habits of sin ; that the
one are easily lost ; but the other are with great dif
ficulty overcome. Nor is this difficult to be ac
counted for; seeing that the one is against the course
of nature, and the other conformable to all its pro
pensities : the motion of the one is a continual
ascent ; the other is downward on a declivity. But
it is not merely as a natural consequence that sin,
when indulged, has so great a power : there is an
additional influence given to it by God himself, as a
judicial act, and as a just punishment for indulging
it : so that in a judicial, no less than in a natural
sense, our text is true : " His own iniquities shall
take the wicked himself: and he shall be holden
with the cords of his sins."
Let us consider,
I. The declaration itself
In a two-fold view it may be noticed ;
1. As a judgment inflicted
[It is inflicted on the whole human race. There is not a
sinner in the universe who cannot from his own experience
attest the truth of it. Every sin has a power to enslave the
mind, and to lead captive him who has indulged it. But we
will instance this in some particulars.
The man addicted to drinking previous to the formation of
his habit, had perhaps no particular love to strong drink, or
desire after it : but he has been drawn into company, he has
there acquired a taste for conviviality, and at last, by repeated
excesses, he has contracted such a thirst for intoxicating liquors,
that he cannot deny himself the use of them, or use them in
moderation. He can see his character sinking in the estima
tion of all the sober part of the community, his health im
paired, his fortune injured, his family suffering, and his eternal
interests sacrificed ; and yet he cannot cast off the habit which
Gi PROVERBS, V. 22. [766.
he has contracted : his soul is bound with it as with a cord,
and he cannot burst his bonds.
In a similar plight is he who has given himself up to the
gratification of his lusts and passions. They, at least as far as
the mind is concerned, are increased by indulgence, so that
every object calls forth desire, and " the eyes of the libertine
are full of adultery, and cannot cease from sin a ." His very
soul, as it were, is sensualized, and, whether sleeping or waking,
his imagination roves after the gratification of his lawless
appetites.
Nor must I omit to mention the gamester, in whom the text
is most awfully verified. Nothing can induce him to abandon
his ruinous pursuits. Domestic ties of wife and children
have no influence at all. The ruin of himself and family are
all suspended on a card or die. Not even the experience of
ruin will reclaim him. Let his losses be repaired again and
again, and again and again will he return to the fascinating
object, like the moth, and hover round it, till he is consumed.
I have mentioned these instances, as being more obvious and
acknowledged: but the declaration is equally verified in the
gay, the worldly, the profane ; yea, and in the superstitious
and self-righteous also. They all " feed on ashes ; and a de
ceived heart hath turned them aside, so that they cannot deliver
their souls, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand b ?"]
2. As a warning given
[In this view more especially the declaration in our text
is introduced, to guard young men against the temptations to
which they are exposed . And a most awful warning it is: it
shews us how earnestly we should guard against our besetting
sins. Every man has some " sin which more easily besets
him 11 ," and by which he is more in danger of being enslaved.
Now every man should find out what this peculiar temptation
is ; and should watch and pray against it ; lest, by yielding to
it, he provoke " God to give him over to a reprobate mind e ,"
and to say, " He is joined to idols ; let him alone f ." We should
labour to say with David, " 1 have kept myself from my ini
quity":" and, with Job, "Thou knowest I am not wicked,"
not deliberately and habitually wicked 11 . We should dread
lest that be inflicted on us which is spoken in the text ; a
judgment far heavier than any other that can be inflicted on
us even by God himself, as long as we continue in this present
life ; because it is a certain prelude to everlasting misery, and
the means of augmenting it every day and hour : for, if we are
delivered over to our own lusts, we do nothing but " treasure
a 2 Pet. ii. 11. b Isai. xliv. 20. c vcr. 20.
d Heb. xii. 1. Rom. i. 28. < IIos. iv. 17.
s Ps. xviii. 23. h Job x. 7.
766.] THE CAPTIVATING POWER OF SIN. G5
up wrath against the clay of wrath," and accumulate mountains
of guilt to sink us deeper and deeper into everlasting perdition 1 .
Our employment will be like that of those mentioned by the
Prophet Isaiah, who " drew out iniquity with cords of vanity,
and sin as a cart-rope k :" for, as a rope is spun out continually
to an indefinite length by the constant addition of fresh mate
rials, so will our sin be drawn out to an endless extent, till
death shall cut it short, and the deserved punishment be
awarded to it.]
It would be improper to pass over such a declara
tion as this without drawing your attention to,
II. The reflections which it naturally suggests
1. How thankful should we be for the Gospel of
Christ !
[Heathens are in the bondage above described, and have
no conception of any way of deliverance from it. But in the
Gospel a Saviour is proclaimed ; who came on purpose to
" preach deliverance to the captives, and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound 1 ." His power no lusts can
withstand. As he delivered Peter from prison, causing his
chains to fall off, and the prison doors to open of their own
accord, so can he liberate the slaves of sin and Satan from their
bondage, and bring them forth into the glorious liberty of the
children of God. Diseases, devils, elements, all obeyed his
voice in the days of his flesh : and at his word the most deep-
rooted lusts shall be plucked up, and the most inveterate habits
changed. The day of Pentecost sufficiently attests the truth
o this assertion. The hands of the men who had crucified him
were yet reeking with his blood, yet in an instant were their
hearts renewed, and they became altogether new creatures,
" the wolf being as harmless as the sheep, and the lion as
gentle as the lamb m ."
However inveterate then your habits may have been, despair
not : but look to " that Mighty One on whom your help is laid,"
and who is able to save " to the uttermost all who come unto
God by him."]
2. How watchful should we be against the first
incursions of sin !
[As we know not " how great a matter a little fire will
kindle," so we know not what evils one sin may introduce. Every
evil habit originated in one sin. Judas little thought in what
his first act of dishonesty would issue : and millions, who arc
now gone beyond the hope of redemption, once thought as little
to what a state they .should be ultimately brought, as we now
> Rom. ii. 5. k Isai. v. 18. Luke iv. 18. m Isni. xi. 6.
VOL. VII. F
G6 PROVERBS, V. 22. [766.
do. Say not, This angry temper is a light evil : It is murder
in the seed and embryo ; and may terminate in the very act of
murder much sooner than you imagine. Say not, This impure
thought or look is venial : it is constructive adultery ; to which
it leads, and in which, ere you are aware of it, it may soon
issue. The same I would say of envy, hatred, malice, covet-
ousness, ambition, and the whole catalogue of spiritual lusts :
the admission of them into the heart is as a leak in a ship,
which will sink it ultimately, if it be not stopped in time. A
mariner will not neglect that leak, though it be but small ;
because he knows the consequences: he knows that if it be
neglected, his efforts to preserve the ship will ere long be vain
and ineffectual. It is not possible to look around us without
seeing, in numberless instances, what dominion the evil tempers
of men have gained, and what misery they diffuse throughout
their respective families and spheres. Had they been checked
in their commencement, how much sin and misery would have
been prevented ! If then we would not forge chains for our
own souls, let us guard against the first risings of sin: for,
whatever we may think, " we shall reap according to what we
sow : he that sowcth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap cor
ruption ; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit
reap life everlasting"."]
3. How constant should we be in waiting upon
the Lord Jesus Christ, both in his public ordinances,
and in secret prayer !
[None but Christ can afford us any effectual help : for
" without him we can do nothing ." To him we must carry
our every trial, and every temptation: and we must plead with
him for help, as the Apostle did, till he answer us, and say,
" My grace is sufficient for thee 1 ." Let us never forget that
it is in vain to resist sin in our own strength. None but God
himself can subdue it in us. " Our sufficiency even to think
a good thought must be of himi." If he help us, it is well:
" We can do all things ihrough Christ who strengtheneth us r ."
But if we address ourselves to the purifying of our hearts in
our own strength, we shall fail, as the Apostles did, when in
self-confidence they attempted to cast out a devil, which " could
only be ejected through the influence of prayer and fasting 8 ."
Let us look simply to Christ to purge us both from the guilt
and power of our sins; and then we shall find, that " according
to our faith it shall be done unto us 1 ."]
n Gal. vi. 7, S. John xv. 5. P 2 Cor. xii. 9.
i 2 Cor. v. 5. Phil. iv. 13. s Matt. xvii. 21.
* Matt. ix. 29.
767.] THE SLUGGARD REPROVED. G7
DCCLXVII.
THE SLUGGARD REPROVED.
Prov. vi. 6 10. Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her
iv ays and be wise : which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in
the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, sluggard ? when
wilt thou arise out of thy sleep ? Yet a little sleep, a little
slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep : so shall thy
poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an
armed man.
FORESIGHT in relation to temporal concerns,
though not universally practised, is universally ap
proved ; and it is a ground of thankfulness that those
classes of society who have hitherto scarcely known
how to secure any little sums which they might save,
have now, by the establishment of Provident Banks,
encouragement to provide for themselves against the
day of adversity 3 . Happy would it be if a similar
zeal were now exerted in relation to the concerns of
eternity. But here, alas ! there is still a sad indif
ference amongst us. The wants which we are sure to
feel in the eternal world are not anticipated ; nor is
the importance of providing for them generally felt.
In relation to these things, all around us are cast, as
it were, into a deep sleep, from which they need to
be roused by the most solemn warnings. This ad
dress therefore of Solomon to the sluggards of his
day may well serve us as a foundation for a similar
remonstrance with those who are yet sleeping in
security and sin.
Addressing ourselves to persons of this description,
we will speak,
I. In a way of humiliating reproof
Justly does Solomon observe, that " a sluggard is
wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that can
render a reason V The more careless men are about
their souls, the more confident they are of their future
safety. But how confident soever they may be, they
may go and learn wisdom of the meanest insect.
a Preached the week before the establishment of a Provident Bank
at Cambridge. t> Prov. xxvi. 10.
G8 PROVERBS, VI. 610. [767.
There is scarcely any thing in the whole creation
from which we may not derive the most valuable in
struction. The ox and the ass, the crane and the
swallow, are brought forward by God himself to teach
and reprove us c : and here we are referred for in
struction to the ant. She collects in summer the food
that is necessary for her subsistence in the winter.
She does it with incredible labour, dragging to her
cell grains of corn, that one would scarcely conceive
she should be able to move. And this she does
"without any guide" to direct her, or " overseer" to
watch her, " or ruler" to call her to account. And,
that her labour may not ultimately prove vain, she
bites off, we are told, the ends of every grain, to
prevent it from vegetating in the ground.
Go now to the ant, thou sluggard, and consider
her ways : consider,
1. Her wise foresight
[Has she a time approaching, against which it is needful
for her to provide ; and hast not thou ? Is there not a time
coming, when thou must stand in the presence of thy God, and
give an account of every thing that thou hast done in the body,
whether it be good or evil ? And hast thou not now to provide
a righteousness wherein to appear before God, even the right
eousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein alone thou canst
ever stand in the presence of a holy God ? Hast thou not a
new nature also to obtain, in order to fit thee for the enjoyment
of the heavenly world? And is not the present the only
time when this provision can be made ? If thou neglect the
present opportunities, wilt thou find them in the eternal world?
Is there " any work or device to be executed in the grave,
whither thou goest d ?"- - If her work, which relates only
to the short transient life of the body, is important, is not yours,
which relates to the eternal interests of the soul, much more im
portant? Go then to the ant, and learn wisdom of her.]
2. Her voluntary labour
[She has none to direct her : she is guided by instinct alone.
But you have reason to guide you, and to assure you of the
certainty and importance of those things which you have not
yet seen with your eyes. You have God himself also inspecting
every thing that you do, and pledged to call you into judgment
for it, and to assign you your everlasting portion according to
c Isai. i. 3. Jer. viii. 7. d Eccl. ix. 10.
767.] , TIIE SLUGGARD REPROVED. 69
it. Should not you then exert yourselves with all diligence?
Are you not convinced, that to prepare for eternity is " a rea
sonable service," yea, that it is, in fact, " the one thing need
ful ? " Will you then grudge your labour? Will you
not put forth willingly and habitually all the powers of your
souls in this blessed work? ]
3. Her prudent care
[Is she careful to prevent her labours from ever proving
abortive ; and should not you prosecute your work to a suc
cessful issue? Yet Solomon justly observes, that "the slothful
man roasteth not that which he took in hunting 6 ;" yea, that
" his very desire killeth him, because his hands re fuse to labour f ."
Some kind of pains we all have taken in attending ordinances,
and in complying with outward forms ; but there we have rested,
without any persevering efforts to render those means effectual
for the salvation of our souls. We feel somewhat of a general
desire after eternal happiness; and with that consciousness of
desire we are satisfied, without pressing forward for the attain
ment of the things desired : and thus is fulfilled in us another
declaration of Solomon, " The soul of the sluggard desireth,
and hath nothing 8 ?" If good desires would suffice, the slug
gard would get to heaven as well as others : but if great and
persevering exertions are necessary, he will rather forego the
prize, than use the diligence necessary for the attainment of
it. In a word, instead of " looking to himself that he lose not
the things that he has wrought, but that he receive a full re
ward 11 ," he suffers Satan to take out of his heart the seed that
has been sown in it, and to keep him, like the foolish virgins,
from providing oil for himself, till it is too late. Say, thou
sluggard, whether these things be not true of thee, and whether
thou hast not need to go and learn wisdom of the diminutive
and despised ant?]
We will yet further prosecute our address,
II. In a way of solemn warning
As a man who has no provision independent of his
labour, and no disposition to exert himself, must soon
feel the pressure of poverty and want, so, sluggard,
shalt thou feel these evils in relation to thy soul
1 . Reflect on the awfulness of thy state
[The consequences of thy sloth are coming upon thee:
they are coming gradually indeed, but irresistibly. " A tra
veller" comes not to his journey s end all at once, but gradually,
and almost imperceptibly, by many successive steps. So neither
wilt thou find the fatal consequence of thy sloth all at once ;
e Prov. xii. 27. f Prov. xxi. 25. 8 Prov. xiii. 4. h 2 John, ver. 8.
70 PROVERBS, VI. 610. [767.
but every day and hour brings them nearer towards thee ; and
that too so clearly, that, if thou wouldst stop to examine, thou
shouklst see evident symptoms of their approach. Who has not
found, that the longer he lives in any sin, the more he becomes
addicted to it, and enslaved by it ? The truth is, that as a man
by indulging sloth, whether of mind or body, becomes daily
more unfitted for exertion, so the man who is remiss and negli
gent in his spiritual concerns becomes daily more alienated
from God, and more averse to those efforts that are necessary
for his salvation . The curse which is denounced against him
seems so distant, that it will never come : but it is advancing
as fast as the wings of time can carry it ; as St. Peter says,
" Their judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their
damnation slumbereth not k ." O sluggard! remember this:
thou mayest " linger, like Lot in the plain ;" but " thy judg
ment lingereth not ; thou mayest slumber on yet a little while,
but thy damnation slumbereth not :" the time is fast approach
ing when God will say to thee, as to him who hid his talent in
a napkin, " Thou wicked and slothful servant!" and will give
orders concerning thee, " Cast the unprofitable servant into
outer darkness, where shall be weeping, and wailing, and
gnashing of teeth 1 ."
These judgments too shall come upon you irresistibly. You
well know how entirely a man unarmed and sleeping is at the
mercy of " an armed man" that seeks his life. And such will
be your state, in the day that God shall deal with you, and visit
you for your sins. You may call on the hills to fall upon you,
and the rocks to cover you, from the wrath of your offended
God ; but they cannot perform for you this friendly office : no
creature in the universe can help you : " though hand join
in hand, you cannot pass unpunished." Reflect on this, thou
sluggard! Now thou mayest " puff at God s judgments :" but
ere long thou wilt bitterly regret that thou didst not improve
the opportunities afforded thee to escape from them.]
2. Reflect also on the vanity of thine excuses
[There are none so hardened as to avow a fixed deter
mination never to seek after God : on the contrary, there is in
almost all an indistinct purpose to turn unto the Lord at some
more convenient season, which they hope is at no very great
distance. Hence to those who would rouse them to exertion,
they say, " A little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little
more folding of the hands to sleep." They acknowledge in
general terms the propriety, and even the necessity, of exer
tion ; but they wish a little more time for indulgence to the
flesh, before they set themselves in earnest to mortify and
subdue it. But what has been the consequence of indulgence
i Prov. x. i. and xix. 15. k 2 Pet. ii. 3. * Matt. xxv. 26, 30.
767.JJ TIIE SLUGGARD REPROVED. 71
hitherto ? Are you at all more disposed for exertion now,
than you were when first you were bidden to arise ? Is your
ability for God s service at all increased by deferring your
attempts to serve him ? Have you not found, invariably, that
procrastination has increased your difficulties, at the very time
that it also enfeebled your powers ? Say not then any longer,
" There is a lion in the way," nor plead any longer for delay :
but arise and call upon your God, if peradventure time may
be yet afforded you to " work out your salvation," and to " flee
from the wrath to come."]
ADDRESS
1. Those who have never yet been awakened
[Have you no work to do ? or is it a matter of small im
portance whether it be done or not ? Is not the present life
the only time for doing it? " How long, then, wilt thou sleep,
O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?" Knowest
thou not, that if thou sleepest on till this short life be past,
thou wilt assuredly awake in hell? What then shall I say to
thee ? Shall I say to thee, as Christ did to his sleepy disciples,
" Sleep on now, and take thy rest?" No: God forbid. Let
me rather say, " Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from
the dead, and Christ shall give thee light" 1 ." Verily, if thou
wouldst now, even now, call upon his name, it should not be
too late. Whatever thou wantest, it should be given thee:
he would give thee the light of truth to shine into thy heart ;
the light of joy in his reconciled countenance ; the light of
holiness to attest thine acceptance with him ; and the light of
glory to perfect thy felicity. While ye have the light then,
walk in the light, that ye may be the children of light.]
2. Those who, though in part awakened, are yet
disposed to give way to slothful habits
[This, alas ! was the case both with the wise and foolish
virgins ; " they all slumbered and slept." But let me affec
tionately guard you against yielding to sloth. It is said, and
the very best amongst us know the truth of it by bitter ex
perience, that " the idle soul shall suffer hunger 11 ." Who has
not heard of the vineyard of the sluggard, where, through in
attention, nothing was produced but nettles and thorns? To
him is the same warning given as to the sluggard in the text .
Guard then against the excuses which ye are ready to make.
See the excuses made by the Bride in the book of Canticles ;
how injurious to her welfare! how destructive of her peace p !
" Watch ye then, and pray always." Had the disciples
watched, when they were directed to do it by their Lord, they
ra Eph. v. 14. n Prov. xix. 15.
Prov. xxiv. 30 34. P Cant. v. 2 7.
72 PROVERBS, VII. 14. [768.
would never have forsaken him as they did in the hour of his
deepest trial. But, if you do not watch and be sober, depend
upon it that Satan will prevail against you, and sift you as
wheat." " Be sober then, and vigilant." Give not way to
drowsiness in your spiritual calling : but "give all diligence
to make your calling sure." And, seeing that ye look for a
period when God shall come to judge the world, be diligent
that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blame
less. And " what I say unto one, I say unto all, Watch."]
DCCLXVIII.
LOVE TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES INCULCATED.
Prov. vii. 1 4. My son, keep my ivords, and lay up my com
mandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live;
and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy
fingers; write them upon the table of thine heart. Say unto
Wisdom, Thou art my sister ; and call Understanding thy
kinswoman.
THROUGHOUT the book of Proverbs, we are
strongly reminded of that expression of Paul to
Philemon, " Though I might be much bold in Christ
to enjoin thee that which is convenient, yet for love s
sake I rather beseech thee." There is an exquisite
tenderness in the exhortations of Solomon, addressed
as they are by a father to a son. Not that we are to
suppose that they were intended only for Rehoboam:
they were intended for the Church of God, in all
ages : and to us, no less than to Rehoboam himself,
is the affectionate language of our text addressed.
But indeed a greater than Solomon is here. Con
descending as the expressions are, they are addressed
to us by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who is Wis
dom itself incarnate a ; and his are the counsels which
we are so earnestly entreated to treasure up in our
minds.
In discoursing on the words before us, we will shew,
I. The respect which we should pay to the counsels
of Divine Wisdom
By comparing our text with similar language in
the New Testament, we see, that by the terms here
used we have to understand, not the Decalogue only,
a Sec Prov. viii. 22 32.
768.1 LOVE TO THE SCRIPTURES INCULCATED. 73
but the whole revealed will of God. Now to what
ever the counsels of the Deity relate,
1. They should be treasured up with diligence
[Whatever is of more than ordinary value in our eyes, we
lay it up with care in a place of safety ; and the more of it we
can amass, the richer we feel ourselves to be. Now there is
nothing in the whole universe to be compared with the Scriptures
of truth, nothing that will so enrich the mind, nothing that will
so benefit the soul. In the great mystery of redemption " are
hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." The precepts
too, and the promises, and the histories, and the examples, O !
who can estimate them as they deserve? -To treasure
these up in our minds should be our daily and most delightful
employment. Not a day should pass without adding to this
blessed store. We should always furnish ourselves with some
fresh portion, on which to ruminate. Not that it is merely in
the mind and memory that we are to store up this wealth, but,
as Moses tells us, in our heart and in our soul ; " Ye shall lay
up these my words in your heart and in your soul b :" this is
the proper seat of Divine knowledge ; and here should we
endeavour to amass the only true wealth, " the unsearchable
riches of Christ."]
2. They should be watched over with care
[Nature has made peculiar provision for the eye, so that,
by an involuntary and instantaneous motion of the eye-lid, it
is preserved from innumerable injuries which it must otherwise
sustain. Now with the same care that we guard " the apple
of our eye," we should watch over and preserve the treasures
of wisdom, which we have accumulated in our hearts. Satan is
ever labouring to " take out of our hearts the word of life," as
our Lord has told us in the parable of the Sower : and it
requires the utmost vigilance on our part to defeat his efforts.
Indeed the heart itself is but too prone to lose its riches through
any apertures by which the world has entered ; so that we need
to " give the most earnest heed lest at any time we should let
them slip c ." Besides, if we be not constantly on our guard
against " the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches,"
and other foolish and hateful lusts, we shall find to our cost,
that these " weeds and thorns will choke all the good seed that
has been sown in our hearts, and will render it unfruitful."
Our care and watchfulness therefore should be incessant, that
nothing be permitted to rob us of our good principles, or to
weaken their influence on our souls. If, as we are told, God
" himself keeps his people as the apple of his eye d ," surely we
b Deut. xi. 18. c Heb. ii. 1.
d Deut. xxxii. 10. and Zcch. ii. 8.
74 PROVERBS, VII. 14. [768.
should exercise all possible vigilance to keep his counsels, and
preserve inviolate his holy commandments.]
3. They should be kept ready for use
[It is not sufficient that we have reduced the counsels of
God, as it were, to certain heads, and made memorandums of
them in our books, so as to be able to refer to them when
occasion requires : we should have them " inscribed on the
tablet of our hearts," so that they may be always at hand,
ready to direct and regulate our ways. Conscience, by looking
inward, should be able to see them in an instant, and to suggest
the line of conduct conformable to them. Moreover, we should
have them " bound also upon our fingers," so as both to be
reminded of them at all times, and be ever ready to carry them
into execution. To this effect Solomon explains his meaning:
" Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about
thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee ; when thou
sleepest, it shall keep thee ; and when thou awakest, it shall
talk with thee : for the commandment is a lamp, and the law
is light: and reproofs of instruction are the way of life e ."]
4. They should be guarded with the tenderest
affection
[With persons standing in near and dear relation to us,
we are accustomed to live in habits of intimacy, consulting
them on any occasions of difficulty, paying considerable defer
ence to their judgment, and easily influenced by their opinions.
Now in this light we should view the counsels of our God: we
should be familiar with them ; we should consult them on all
occasions, and yield them a willing ascendency over our hearts.
Instead of standing aloof from them as strangers, we should
claim, and glory in, our relation to them : we should " say
unto Wisdom, Thou art my sister ; and call Understand
ing our kinswoman." We should, by our conformity to the
dictates of Wisdom, prove, and manifest, our relation to her ;
and constrain all who behold us to acknowledge, that God is
our Father, and that Christ, " the Wonderful Counsellor," is
our Friend.]
To encourage this acquaintance with the Divine
counsels, we will proceed to state,
II. The benefits which we shall derive from a due
attention to them
In our text itself, the great benefit of complying
with the exhortation is stated, in short but compre
hensive terms; " Keep my commandments, and live."
But in the verses following our text, a particular ad-
c Prov. vi. 20 23.
768.] LOVE TO THE SCRIPTURES INCULCATED. 75
vantage is insisted on, namely, the being delivered
from the snares and temptations to which we are ex
posed. That we may comprehend both, we would
observe, that by our attention to the Divine counsels,
1. We shall be delivered from evil
[" From the way of the evil woman " is particularly noticed,
both here and in the preceding chapter : and doubtless an
attention to the counsels of Wisdom will eventually secure us
against those temptations which lead captive so great a portion
of mankind. But we need not confine our views to iniquities
of one kind only : the advice here given is equally useful in
preserving men from snares of every kind. From the inspired
volume we learn the folly and malignity of every sin. The
temptations of the world, the lusts of the flesh, and the devices
of Satan, are all there exposed ; and armour is laid up for us,
that we may successfully maintain the combat against them.
Our blessed Lord himself, in whom was no sin, drew from this
armoury the arrows and the shield with which he vanquished
the tempter in the wilderness : and from the same source must
we also be furnished. Thus David tells us : " Wherewithal
shall a young man cleanse his way ? Even by taking heed
thereto according to thy word :" and again, " Thy word have I
hid within my heart, that I might not sin against thee." Would
you then be kept from evil tempers, and evil passions, and evil
habits of every kind ? Study the sacred records : treasure up
in your minds the terrors of God s wrath as there revealed, and
the declarations of his mercy as there promulgated. There see
the wonders of redeeming love unfolded to your view, and the
blessedness of those who have been monuments of converting
and saving grace. Let every part of God s word have its proper
bearing on your hearts and consciences, and it shall be effec
tual for your salvation. Whatever lusts you have hitherto
indulged, you shall, through the influence of the word, and by
the power of the Holy Ghost, be sanctified ; as our Lord has
said ; " Sanctify them through thy truth ; thy word is truth :"
and again, " Now are ye clean through the word that has been
spoken unto you."]
2. We shall be carried forward in safety to ever
lasting life
[So says our text ; " Keep my commandments, and live."
So also says our blessed Lord : "I know that thy command
ment is life everlasting f ." We must remember, that it is not
of mere morality that we are now speaking, but an impartial
attention to the whole revealed will of God. And where this
f John xii. 49, 50.
76 PROVERBS, VIII. 17. [769.
is, God will surely pour out upon the soul his richest bless
ings. Hear what our blessed Lord says respecting this : "He
that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that
loveth me : and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father;
and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him : " yea,
" We will come to him, and make our abode with him g ." What
unspeakable benefits are these ! Favoured with such commu
nications, what can we want ? - But it is not in this
world only that such persons are blessed : for to them are
secured all the blessedness and glory of the world to come ;
according as it is written, " Blessed are they that do his com
mandments, that they may have a right to eat of the tree of
life, and may enter in through the gates into the city V This
right indeed is not founded on any merit of their own ; but
solely on the promises of God made to them in Christ Jesus.
It is Christ who, by his obedience unto death, has purchased
these blessings for us : but it is to his obedient servants only
that these blessings shall ever be vouchsafed. They however
shall inherit them ; nor shall all the powers of darkness be able
to rob them of their promised inheritance. Only " let the
word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom , and you
shall never be straitened k , " nor ever fall; but have an entrance
ministered unto you abundantly into the kingdom of our Lord
aud Saviour Jesus Christ ."]
s Johnxiv. 21, 23. h Rev. xxii. 14. * Col. iii. 16.
k Prov. iii. 2123. and iv. 12 1 2 Pet. i. 10, 11.
DCCLXIX.
ADDRESS PREPARATORY TO CONFIRMATION.
Prov. viii. 17. / love them that love me ; and those that seek
me early, shall find me.
THESE are the words of our blessed Lord% who,
under the name of Widom, addresses himself to the
children of men b , and urges them to receive instruc
tion from him c . But to the young they are more par
ticularly directed : and it is for their encouragement
more especially that I have selected them for our
consideration at this time.
Two things they declare to us most explicitly ;
I. Who they are that already enjoy God s favour
God in some respects may be said to love the
whole world, even in their present degenerate state :
a ver. 22 31. b ver. 4, 5. c ver. 32, 33.
769.] ADDRESS PREPARATORY TO CONFIRMATION. 77
for " he so loved them, that he gave his only-begotten
Son for them." But there are some who are more
particularly the objects of his favour. Mark,
1. The description given of them
[" They love the Lord Jesus Christ." They know his
character, as set forth in the Holy Scriptures ; they know him
to be the only, and all-sufficient Saviour of fallen man
They have seen and felt their obligations to him, and have sought
for redemption altogether through the blood of his cross
They live in daily habits of communion with him They
have a good hope of acceptance with God through him
And his very name " is precious to their souls" - ]
2. The love he bears towards them
[" He loves them," and looks with peculiar complacency
upon them, " rejoicing over them with joy, and resting in his
love, and joying over them with singing*." To them he delights
to " manifest himself, as he does not unto the world ," even to
" come and sup with them f ," and " make his abode with them"
" He rejoices over them to do them good g ," imparting
all needful supplies of grace and strength to their souls 1 , and
ordering all things both in heaven and earth for the promotion
of their welfare l He accounts them " his jewels k " and
" his peculiar treasure 1 ;" and esteems the salvation of their
souls a rich recompence for all the sufferings he ever endured" 1
- For them does he interest himself day and night in
heaven; ever " making intercession for them" with his Father,
and preparing kingdoms for them, which they in due season shall
inherit, in glory and felicity similar to his own n
O ! who amongst you does not desire to partake of this
blessedness ?
But as amongst you there must be many who are
not yet in this blessed state, and who yet desire to
participate this happy lot, we proceed to shew,
II. Who they are that shall certainly obtain it
In some respects it may be said, that " He is found
of them that sought him not, and made known to
them that inquired not after him." But no person is
authorized to hope for an interest in his favour, un
less he seek after it. The promise is, " Ask, and ye
shall have ; seek, and ye shall find." But
d Zeph. iii. 17. c John xiv. 21 23. f Rev. iii. 20.
J? Jer. xxxii. 40, 41. h John xv. f>, 7, 16. > Rom. viii. 28.
k Mai. iii. 17. ! Exod. xix. 5.
m Heb. xii. 2. Isai. liii. 11. n John xiv. 2. Rev. iii. 21.
78 PROVERBS, VIII. 17. [769.
The persons to whom the promise is more espe
cially made, are " those who seek him early."
[Those who seek the Lord even " at the eleventh hour"
shall not be cast out ; but those who in the early dawn of their
day are found desirous of entering into the service of their Lord,
shall surely be employed by him. The very circumstance of
their seeking the Lord while yet they are free from the cares
of this life, and before their souls are vitiated with its sinful
pleasures, whilst their consciences are yet tender, and their
hearts open to every good impression, is a strong presumption
in their favour: we should be ready, without any express
promise from God, to say, that such persons " shall never seek
his face in vain." But we have an absolute promise in their
favour : we can assure them from God himself, that they " shall
never fail."]
" They," says our Lord, " shall find me"-
[Yes, he will delight to visit them : they are " the lambs
which he will carry in his bosom p ;" " the little ones, whom he
will never suffer to perish q ." Though they be weak both in
knowledge and in grace, " he will not despise the day of small
things 1 "." He says, " Suffer the little children to come unto me,
and forbid them not : for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
And when he sees them flocking around him, he will " take
them up in his arms, and put his hands upon them, and bless
them 8 " - - When he saw only " some good thing towards
the Lord God of Israel" in the heart of young Abijah, he
noticed it with a distinguishing mark of his favour 4 : and how
much more will he, when he sees " the babes desiring the
sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby," and
actually growing in stature up to young men and fathers!
Verily their hosannahs, however despised by men, shall enter
into his ears with acceptance, and their prayers shall return in
" showers of blessings" upon their souls u -They shall
" find him" here an ever-present help, and hereafter their in
estimable and everlasting portion ]
ADDRESS
1. To the Young People here assembled
[You are about to be confirmed. But do you know what
confirmation is ? You were consecrated to the Lord in your
baptism; and a solemn engagement was then entered into in
your behalf, that you should love him, and surrender up your
selves entirely to his service. This vow you are now going to
Matt. xx. G, 7. P Isai. xl. 11.
1 Matt, xviii. 14. Luke xii. .32. r Zech. iv. 10.
6 Mark x. M 10. l 1 Kincjs xiv. 13. u Luke xix. 40.
770.] WISDOM S ADDRESS TO MEN. 79
take upon yourselves. And tell me Whether in my text you
have not all the encouragement that your souls can desire?
Give yourselves to the world, and you will inherit only vanity :
but " seek to love the Lord, and you shall inherit substance 1 ."
Think how happy you will be through life, when you are the
objects of the Saviour s care and love and think how
happy you will be in death O let me not plead with you
in vain! but " remember your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the evil days come, in which you shall say, you have no
pleasure in them y " " Seek ye the Lord whilst he may
be found; call ye upon him whilst he is near z " - ]
2. To Parents, and those who have an opportunity
of influencing the minds of young people
[This is a favourable opportunity for you to exert your
selves, and to concur with your minister in his labours of love.
Be labourers together with him, with all your might
But do not forget that the glorious truths in our text are to
be experienced by you also And, if much of your day
is already past, be the more earnest now in " redeeming the
time" that yet remains to you ]
x ver. 21. v Eccl. xii. 1. z Isai. Iv. 6.
DCCLXX.
WISDOM S ADDRESS TO MEN.
Prov. viii. 29 32. When he appointed the foundations of the
earth, then I was by him, as one brought up with him : and I
was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him : rejoicing
in the habitable part of his earth : and my delights were with
the sons of men. Now therefore hearken unto me, ye
children ! for blessed are they that keep my ways.
THE Proverbs of Solomon are a rich compendium
of moral precepts, suited to men in all the various
situations of civil, social, and domestic life. Some
intimations indeed there are of Evangelical doctrines ;
but they are neither numerous, nor distinct ; the
scope and intent of the author having been, not so
much to enlighten the minds of men with respect to
principles of religion, as to supply them with a code
of sacred ethics, for the regulation of their conduct.
Yet, in the chapter before us, the language is so pecu
liar, as to have induced the most able commentators
to think, that there was in the author s mind an in
tentional departure from his accustomed plan, and a
80 PROVERBS, VIII. 2932. [770.
designed reference to Christ, the Saviour of the world.
It is not our object to decide this point, but, rather,
to exhibit the passage in such a view, as may render
it most conducive to our spiritual improvement.
Let, us consider then,
I. What is that wisdom which here addresses us
The two leading views of it will come under our
consideration, if we interpret it as importing,
1. Wisdom personified-
fit is evident that, throughout the whole chapter, Wisdom
is represented as a person, and it must be spoken of as a
person, in order to give scope for such a representation of it as
is contained in our text a .
Wisdom was then ever " with God, as one brought up with
him." It is an essential perfection of his nature, attendant on
him on all occasions as a counsellor, without whose advice not
any thing was ever transacted from all eternity. God has never
done any thing from the mere impulse of his own sovereign will
and pleasure : whatever he has predestinated, has nevertheless
been " wrought according to the counsel of his own will b .
Wisdom has presided in all his councils ; nor has any thing
ever been carried into effect without having previously received
her sanction.
Her deliberations have been very mainly conversant about the
affairs of men. God foresaw that man would fall, and, if left
to himself, would perish like the fallen angels. But he greatly
desired to save man, if peradventure it might be accomplished
consistently with his own perfections. Every one of his attri
butes concurred in the wish ; but with some of them there
seemed to be claims, which interfered with that object, and
which could not by any means be set aside. Holiness required,
that its hatred of sin should be fully known. Justice required
satisfaction for the violations of God s law, and could in no wise
be induced to relax its demands. Truth also desired, that its
honour should not be compromised. It had no objection to the
exercise of mercy, if only the sacred word of God might be kept
inviolate : but it could never consent, whatever object were to
be attained thereby, that the immutable God should be " made a
liar c ." In this difficulty, all looked to Wisdom, to know, whe
ther she could devise any way, whereby the exercise of mercy
might consist with the rights of all the other attributes of the
a We beg this to be particularly noticed ; because it is tlie sole
ground of the following statement ; which, if that circumstance were
overlooked, might appear fanciful.
b Eph. i. 5, 10. c 1 John v. 10.
770.] WISDOM S ADDRESS TO MEN. 81
Deity. Wisdom intimated, that she had a plan to propose ; a
plan, whereby Mercy might have free scope for exercise, not
only without invading or injuring the rights of any other at
tribute, but to the great advantage of them all, insomuch that
all should be honoured to an infinitely greater extent than they
ever could have been, if their demands had been satisfied through
the destruction of the whole human race. It proposed, that
the Son of God himself should take upon him the sins of the
whole world, and suffer, as man s substitute, all that Truth and
Holiness had denounced against him, and all that the most
rigorous justice could require. Such a sacrifice made to law
and justice, to truth and holiness, would put on all of them
an honour, which they could never by any other means ob
tain
Her proposal, made with infinite delight to herself, was heard
with infinite delight by Almighty God. Whilst she was thus,
by anticipation, " rejoicing in the habitable part of the earth,
and her delights were with the sons of men, she was daily God s
delight, and rejoiced always before him." We may be assisted
in our meditations on this subject, by considering a philosopher
occupied with the deepest investigations, and crowned with
unexpected success : what joyous exultation fills his breast!
how is he ready to proclaim to all the world, " I have found it!
I have found it !" Or perhaps we shall approximate nearer to
the point, if we conceive of a physician, on whose skill the life
of thousands is depending, discovering an antidote that will
arrest the progress of the plague, and a remedy that will restore
to health all those who are already infected with it: what pure
and holy joy will animate his soul ! But the Scripture itself
furnishes us with various illustrations of this important idea :
the woman finding the piece of money which she had lost, and
the shepherd his sheep that had strayed from the fold, are each
represented as calling for the sympathetic joys of their friends
and neighbours : and, as these are intended to elucidate the
joy which our Redeemer feels in the successful execution of his
office, they may well serve to illustrate the ineffable delight
which the proposals of Wisdom are represented as exciting in
her own bosom, and in the bosom of the Deity.
But we have said that Wisdom may also be interpreted as
signifying,]
2. Wisdom incarnate
[Most Commentators think that the expressions in our
text refer to Christ, who is called "the Wisdom of God d ;"
and who, as the Logos or Word, declares to men the hidden
counsels of the Father.
Of him it is distinctly said, that He " ivas wilh God, and
<l 1 Cor. i. 24.
VOL. VII. U
82 PROVERBS, VIII. 2932. [770.
was God 6 ;" that " He made all things ; and that without him
nothing was made that was made." Here then we have the
precise language of our text applied to the Son of God, who
was from all eternity " in the bosom of the Father f ," concur
ring with him in all that ever he planned or executed p .
How lie was occupied in the concerns of men, is familiar to all
our minds. Truly " his delights were with the sons of men,"
whom he determined to rescue from perdition, and to " redeem
unto God by his own blood." This was "the joy that was set
before him, for which he engaged to endure the cross, and
despised all the shame that should ever be poured upon him h ."
No sacrifice was too great for him to make. Was it necessary
that satisfaction should be made for all the breaches of God s
law ; and that the very nature that had sinned should suffer ?
He willingly engaged to lay aside his own glory, and to assume
our nature, in order that lie might suffer, and, by suffering in
our stead, " make reconciliation for our iniquities."
In understanding this mysterious office, he iras filled, as his
Father also was, with ineffable delight. What joy the thought
of ransoming our fallen race excited in his bosom, we are told
by the Psalmist : for when it was declared by the Father,
" with whom the council of peace was held 1 ," that all creature-
sacrifices would be insufficient for the occasion, he instantly
replied, " Lo, I come ; (I, thy co-equal, co-eternal Son, come :)
I delight to do thy will, O my God ! yea, thy law is within
my heart V A corresponding joy sprang up also in the
Father s breast; as the prophet Isaiah tells us; for in the con
templation of the future accomplishment of this mystery, the
Father, looking with infinite complacency on his Son who had
undertaken the office, and on his people as accepted in and
through him, said, " Behold my servant, whom I uphold;
mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth 1 !" And, at the time
when he bore an audible testimony to his Son from heaven,
it was in these words, " This is that my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased" 1 ." Thus, in reference to this great
event, it is said in our text, " I was daily his delight, rejoicing
always before him :" and in reference to the same we must
understand that declaration of our Lord himself, " Thou
lovedst me before the foundation of the world "."]
Thus, whether we understand the address as made
to us by Wisdom personified, or Wisdom incarnate, we
cannot but feel a deep interest in all that it has spoken
to us, and set ourselves carefully to ascertain,
e John i. 1 3. with lieb. i. 10. f John i. 18.
B John v. 19. and x. 38. i> Ileb. xii. 2.
1 Zecli. vi.13. * Ps. xl. 8. with Heb. x. 59.
1 Isai. xlii. 1. Matt. iii. 17. See the Greek. n John xvii.24.
770.] WISDOM S ADDRESS TO MEN. 83
II. Our duty in reference to it-
Doubtless we should " hearken to its voice," and
with child-like simplicity receive its loving instruc
tions. We should,
1. Delight ourselves in the contemplation of wis
dom
[Wisdom generally, wisdom universally, should be the
object of our continual pursuit: " through a desire of attain
ing it, we should separate ourselves, and seek, and intermeddle
with all wisdom ." The works of creation should, as far as
we have a capacity for such subjects, be investigated by us, in
order to excite our admiration of that wisdom by which they
were framed. The order and harmony of the heavenly bodies,
the beauty and richness of this terraqueous globe, the exquisite
workmanship of the human frame, together with the powers
and faculties of our immortal souls, all open to us such inex
haustible stores of wisdom and knowledge, as, if duly explored,
will strike with reverential awe the humble inquirer, and fill
with devoutest gratitude the admiring soul. The works of
Providence also, if once we are enabled to view them in their
mutual relation and dependence, will transport the soul with
wonder, and overwhelm it with the deepest sense of gratitude.
No book in the universe, except the Bible, will convey half so
much instruction to the mind, as may be gathered from a man s
own experience of God s dealings with him, especially in the
concurrence of his providence with the operations of his grace:
and the man who has learned to read this book, and become
conversant with its contents, has acquired " secrets of wisdom,
which are double p ," yea, which are tenfold greater than any
which are known to the merely natural man. God has said,
that " he has abounded towards his people in all wisdom and
prudence q :" but " his secrets are with those alone who fear
him 1 :" none others are at all able to appreciate his love: that
" knowledge is plain only to him that understandeth s ."
Our chief attention however must be directed to that ado
rable Saviour, who " spake as never man spake," and in whom
his most inveterate enemies could not find a flaw*. In him we
have such lessons of wisdom as the whole universe besides does
not afford. In tracing all the circumstances of his life, we
should do well at every step to inquire, What answer should /
have given? what conduct should /have pursued? and, from
such examinations frequently repeated, we shall learn at last,
how far we are removed from true righteousness, and how mucli
" folly is bound up in our hearts." In a word, we should sit
Prov. xviii. 1. P Job xi. G. ^ Eph. i. 8.
r Ps. xxv. 14. Hos. xiv. 9. s ver. 9. l John viii. 46.
84 PROVERBS, VIII. 2932. [770.
at the feet of Jesus, as Mary did, drinking in, with insatiable
avidity, the instructions of Wisdom, and applying our hearts to
them as the clay to the seal. " In Him are hid all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge"." Jn Him is revealed to us " the
mystery that was hid from ages and generations," and " which
the angels themselves desire to look into x ;" and the mystery,
at the first intimation of which, long " before the worlds were
made, the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God,
the holy angels, shouted aloud for joy y ." No sooner was the
commission given to make this known to men, than a host of
the heavenly angels left their bright abodes, and came down
to earth exulting, " Glory to God in the highest ! and on earth
peace; good will towards men 7 -!"
These are contemplations worthy of our exalted powers,
worthy of our high destinies : and to delight ourselves in them
is the wisdom, and the happiness of man.]
2. Surrender up ourselves to its dictates-
fin every duty of life there is need of the suggestions of
wisdom. Even good men often act a very foolish part, for
want of a well-regulated mind. Many have no idea of that
important truth, " I, Wisdom, dwell with Prudence 3 ." To"walk
in wisdom towards them that are without b ," and to " give no
offence either to the Jews, or to the Gentiles, or to the Church
of God c ," come not into the contemplation of many, anymore
than if no such things were required of us, and no such exam
ple had been ever set us. But our determination, through
God s help, should be, under all circumstances, like that of
David, " I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way d ."
In fact, there is no true wisdom but that which is practical.
The very end of knowledge is practice : and, however deep or
exalted our speculations may be, " if we walk not circumspectly,
we are fools e ." But, in order to carry into effect the lessons
of A\ isdom, we must " watch daily at her gates, and wait at the
posts of her doors f ." We must bring our views, our desires,
our motives, to the strictest scrutiny : we must apply to every
thing " the line of judgment, and the plummet of righteous
ness :" and, above all, we must beg of God to give us " the
Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and
of might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord,
and to make us quick of understanding in the fear of the
Lord 8 ." Without this, we shall continually err: without this,
we shall inevitably fall.]
u Col. ii. 3. x 1 Pet. i. 12. > Job xxxviii. 6, 7.
* Luke ii. 13, 14. ver. 12. " 1 Col. iv. 5.
c 1 Cor. x. ,32. f > Ps. ci. 2. e Eph. v. 15.
f ver. 34. P Isai. xi. 2, 3.
770.] WISDOM S ADDRESS TO MEN. 85
" Hear then the voice of Wisdom, O YE CHILDREN !"
Hear it,
1. Ye children in age
[Ye can never begin too early to listen to the counsels of
Wisdom. It is by them only that you can avoid the snares of
a corrupt heart, and of a deceitful world O ! think what
dangers are before you : see " what multitudes are walking in
the broad road that leadeth to destruction, and how few there
are that walk in the narrow path that leadeth unto life ! " and
remember, that " you must reap according to what you sow :
if you sow to the flesh, you must of the flesh reap cor
ruption ; but if you sow to the Spirit, you shall of the Spirit
reap life everlasting 11 ." Say not, that you are too young to
receive her lessons : for she particularly encourages you by ex
pressing a more than ordinary solicitude for your welfare : " I
love them that love me," says she ; " and they that seek me
early, shall find me 1 ."]
2. Ye children in understanding
[The poor, whose intellectual powers have never been ex
panded by the aid of education, are ready to imagine that it
is in vain for them to explore the depths of heavenly wisdom.
But be it known to all, that divine wisdom enters, not by the
head, like earthly knowledge, but by the heart : be it known
also, that it is not acquired by deep laborious research, as
human sciences are, but by the teaching of the Holy Ghost ;
(for " the Lovdgiveth wisdom ; out of his mouth cometh know
ledge and understanding 14 :") and so far are the poor from having
any reason to despair of attaining it, that they are by far the
most likely to obtain it, because they are more willing than
others to be taught of God. Hence our Lord himself says,
" I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because
thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast
revealed them unto babes: even so, Father, for so it seemed
good in thy sight 1 ." Pray then to God to " give you the
Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him m ,"
and be assured " it shall be given you"," and you shall be made
" wise unto salvation through faith in Christ."]
3. Ye children in grace
[You have begun to know the value of wisdom : you have
a little glimmering view of those great mysteries, of which we
have been speaking. " The day-star has arisen in your hearts,"
and you have found " the ways of Wisdom to be ways of plea
santness and peace." But you must " go on unto the perfect
h Gal. vi. 7, 8. j ver. 17. k Prov. ii. G.
1 Matt. xi. 25, 26. m Eph. i. 17, 18. Jam. i. 5.
86 PROVERBS, VIII. 35, 36. [771.
day," even till Christ himself, " the Sun of righteousness, arise
upon you with healing in his wings." O seek to " grow in grace,
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ! "
Be constant in your attendance on the ordinances of God ;
search the Scriptures, and treasure them up in your hearts; and,
above all, " be instant in prayer" for fresh supplies of the Spirit
of Christ: then shall you be guided into all truth; and " the
light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light
of the sun seven-fold, as the light of seven days."]
DCCLXXI.
THE VALUE OF TRUE WISDOM.
Prov. viii. 35, 36. Whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall
obtain favour of the Lord. But he that sinnelh against me,
wrongeth his oivn soul : all thay that hate me, love death.
IT is common in the prophetic writings to find
expressions which really relate to the Messiah, while
they apparently speak only of some other person or
thing ; and while other expressions in the same pas
sage have no proper reference to him at all. It is
impossible not to notice this in the 22d and 69th
Psalms,, and in many other places \vhich are quoted
in the New Testament as referring to him. The
same mode of speaking, we apprehend, may be ob
served in the chapter before us. In some parts of it,
true religion seems to be characterized under the
term "Wisdom;" but in others, Christ himself.
From the 22d to the 31st verse, the language cannot
well be interpreted as designating religion, nor even
an attribute of the Deity : it can only be understood
of God s eternal Son, who lay in the bosom of the
Father, and before the foundation of the earth re
joiced in the prospect of becoming an inhabitant of
this globe, for the salvation of sinful man. Yet, on
the whole, w r e apprehend, that the exhortation to
Wisdom at the beginning of the chapter speaks
rather of piety as the proper object of our pursuit.
We are sure that this is the general import of the
term throughout the book of Proverbs ; and that
piety, as personified under this name, frequently
addresses us. We rather lean therefore to the safe
771.] THE VALUE OF TRUE WISDOM. 87
side in our interpretation of the text, than ground
upon it any observations which may appear forced,
or unwarranted by the text itself.
Two things then we shall be led to notice ;
I. The benefit of seeking true wisdom-
Wisdom, whether relating to temporal or eternal
things, is never found by chance : it must be sought
by persevering inquiries, and be obtained as the fruit
of diligent research. To those who do find it, it will
be productive,
1. Of present happiness
[By " life " we may understand happiness ; and then the
first clause of our text wall exactly correspond with what is
more diffusely stated in the third chapter a . Till we have
attained true wisdom, we know not what real happiness means :
" There is no peace," saith God, " to the wicked." As for the
mirth which the men of this world enjoy, it is only " like the
crackling of thorns under a pot ;" it blazes for a moment, and
then goes out in spleen and melancholy. He who knows per
fectly what is in man, says, " Even in mirth their heart is
sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness b ." But when
once they have just views of Christ, and are truly devoted to
him, they are filled with " a peace that passeth all understand
ing," and, at times, with "joy unspeakable and glorified." Now
they begin to know what life is : " they truly pass from death
unto life." Their former was little better than a state of mere
animal existence ; but now they see the true end, and taste the
true enjoyment, of life : they participate in a measure the
blessedness of heaven itself. We appeal to those who have
ever known what it is to " live by faith on the Son of God,"
and to feel the constraining influence of his love, whether one
hour of " fellowship with the Father and the Son " does not
outweigh whole years of fellowship with sin and sinners.]
2. Of future happiness
[" No favour can we find with God," till we are brought
to the possession of true wisdom c . But, instantly on our
embracing his dear Son as he is revealed in the Gospel, we
are numbered amongst " his peculiar people," whom " he has
set apart for himself," and esteems as " his jewels." Then there
is no favour that he will not shew them : he will come down
and " make his ahode with them, and sup with them." He will
a Prov. iii. 13 18. In this sense the term occurs elsewhere. See
Prov. xxii. 4. 1 Thess. iii. 8.
b Prov. xiv. 33. e Isai. xxvii. 11.
88 PROVERBS, VIII. 35, 36. [771.
" keep them with all the care and tenderness with which we
keep the apple of our eye :" and he will administer to them, in
every hour of trial, whatever shall be most suited to their
necessities d . In the hour of death especially, " when they are
going, as it were, through fire and water, he will be with
them : " and, on the instant of their release from this mortal
body, he will transport them on the wings of angels to his
blest abode, there to behold and participate his glory to all eter
nity. But who can form any idea of the blessings he will then
bestow. It is sufficient for us to know that his word is pledged,
and that what he hath promised, he is able also to perform.]
If such be the value of true wisdom, what must be,
II. The folly of neglecting it
Sin of every kind is an act of hostility against
sound wisdom : and, if the sin be wilful, it is an
evidence that our hostility proceeds from a rooted
hatred of vital godliness. There is the same mutual
opposition, and irreconcileable enmity, between sin
and holiness, as between darkness and light : they
cannot consist together, nor can the love of both find
room to dwell in one bosom. If then we allowedly
neglect true wisdom,
1. We " wrong our own souls "-
[The soul has strong and just claims, which every sinner
resists. As being of a higher nature, and endued with larger
capacities, than the body, it claims that the body should submit
to its authority. As being the only seat of intelligence, it claims
that the body folloiv its guidance. As being immortal, and
doomed to spend an eternity in inconceivable happiness or
misery, it claims that the body consult its interests. But when
the voice of wisdom is silenced, and sin is permitted to rule in
our mortal body, then is the soul wronged in every respect; its
authority is slighted ; its counsel rejected ; its interest sacrificed:
it is even made the drudge and slave of the body, to execute its
devices and to gratify its lusts. Who does not see, that if any
man, for the gratification of avarice, should resist the natural
claims of the body for food and raiment, he would be justly and
universally condemned ? And does he act less foolishly, who,
in the manner before mentioned, wrongs his soul ? Yea rather,
is not his folly greater in proportion as his soul is of greater
value ? Truly this is a just picture of one who sins against true
wisdom.]
2. We "love death"-
d Ps. v. 12.
771.] THE VALUE OF TRUE WISDOM. 89
[Can any one, it may be asked, love death ? We answer,
No; not for its own sake ; but, as connected tvith sin, he may.
There is an inseparable connexion between life and holiness
on the one hand, and sin and death on the other. Could sin
and heaven be allied, and enjoyed together, doubtless every
sinner would prefer it. But that is impossible. A specific and
unalterable option is given us : and every man is perfectly free
to choose the one and refuse the other, to adhere to the one
and renounce the other. The sinner determines for himself;
and by his determination declares his preference : he practically
says, " If I cannot have the gratifications of sin without death,
welcome death, welcome damnation ; for sin I will have, what
ever be the consequence 6 ." Now can one reflect a moment on
such a choice as this, and not stand amazed at the folly that
determines it ? Will it bear an argument ? Are not the excuses
with which it is veiled, mere vain and empty delusions? And
does not every one see the folly of them, the very moment he
sets himself to serious consideration ? Yet this is the conduct
which men call wisdom ; but which, if it obtained in relation
to worldly affairs, they would call downright madness.]
" Suffer now, Brethren, a word of EXHORTATION,"
while I address myself,
1. To the despisers of true wisdom
[Consider a little more attentively, what it is that you
despise. The thing to which you are exhorted is, to seek
acceptance with an offended God; to embrace the salvation
which he offers us in the Son of his love ; and to devote your
selves to him in a way of holy obedience Is there any
thing in this that merits hatred and contempt ? any thing that
should make a man choose damnation rather than submit to it?
What if an ungodly world has agreed to call it folly ; is it
therefore folly ? Has not God said, " The fear of the Lord, that
is ivisdom ?" Is there a saint in heaven, or on earth, that does
not account it wisdom ? Yea, is there a soul even in hell itself
that is not now of the same mind ? We go further still, and
ask, Whether they who most deride religion now, will not be
convinced of its excellence the very moment that their soul is
required of them ? " How long then, ye simple ones, will ye
love simplicity?" " Turn you at my reproof," says God:
" Oye simple, understand wisdom; and, ye fools, be of an under
standing heart f " Say not, " It is too soon for me to
seek the Lord." It is never too soon to be wise : and they who
seek the Lord in their youth, have peculiar encouragement from
e Mark strongly here God s own appeal, " Why will ye die ?
Ezek. xxxiii. 1 1. compared with Acts xiii. 46. and Prov. xv. 32.
f Prov. i. 22, 23. and viii. 5.
00 PROVERBS, IX. 1 G. [772.
him to do so : "I love them that love me ; and they that seek
me early, shall find me g ."]
2. To those who profess to have found it
[Men will judge of religion, not by what the Bible says
of it, but by what they see in those who profess it : and one
instance of folly in the Lord s people will do more to prejudice
them against religion, than a thousand good actions to recom
mend it. I would therefore strongly urge those who profess
godliness, to bear in mind how much the interests of religion
depend on them. Real piety consists not in talkativeness or
eccentricities of any kind, but in a devout regard to God s
honour and authority, and a wise, prudent, circumspect deport
ment before men. It does not countenance us in an officious
assumption of the duties of others, but in a punctual perform
ance of those which belong to our own place and station : " I,
Wisdom, dwell with Prudence 11 ." The not attending to this
declaration has caused much offence in the world : and it be
comes us to be very careful of casting stumbling-blocks before
men, or " causing the way of truth to be evil spoken of." Let
us then " walk in wisdom towards them that are without ;"
" giving no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully."
And while we adopt the resolution of David, " 1 will behave
myself wisely in a perfect way ," let us remember by whose
strength alone we can effect this; and pray with him, " O give
me understanding in the way of godliness ! "]
x ver. 17. h ver. 12. J Ps. ci. 2. <
DCCLXXII.
WISDOM S FEAST.
Prov. ix 1 G. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath heicn
out her seven pillars : she hath killed her beasts ; she hath
mingled her icine ; she hath also furnished her table : she
hath sent forth her maidens : she crieth upon the highest
places of the city, Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither :
as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have
mingled : forsake the foolish, and live ; and go in the icay
of understanding.
IN the New Testament, parables abound. In the
Old Testament, they are comparatively rare. But
this comes commended to us by peculiar authority,
in that our blessed Lord repeatedly borrowed it, if
1 may so speak, and adopted it on different occa
sions, for the elucidating of the truths which he
772. J WISDOM S FEAST. 91
wished to convey a . In order to unfold it to you, I
shall notice separately,
I. The feast prepared
In the Holy Scriptures, the term " Wisdom" is
generally used to signify true religion : but some
times it is a name given to the Lord Jesus Christ,
who is, with good reason, supposed to be charac
terized by it in the chapter that precedes my text b ,
and who, I think, is intended by it in the parable be
fore us. He is " the Wisdom of God c ;" and " in him
are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge 1 :"
and, beyond all doubt, he is the person who, in the
parables which he himself has founded on this, both
furnishes the feasts and sends forth the invitations 6 .
By Wisdom,
1. The banqueting-house is built
[Solomon elsewhere speaks of a " banqueting-house, "
where he had been wont to meet his Saviour f ; and such
buildings have been raised by the great and opulent in all ages,
for the entertainment of their guests. This edifice, which was
built by Wisdom, was supported by " seven pillars; " which 1
suppose to intimate, that it was constructed with perfect sta
bility, and adorned with the perfection of beauty. And what
is this banqueting-house, but the ordinances of divine grace,
which are appointed altogether for the setting forth of this
feast, and for the accommodation of all who attend upon it ?
In them there is room for all : and God will not fail, when
they are attended as they ought to be, to manifest himself in
the midst of them.]
2. The feast, too, is prepared
[" The beasts," the sacrifices, " are killed ;" and " the
wine," for the purpose of rendering its flavour more exquisite,
is " mingled." The entertainment is, in reality, a feast upon
a sacrifice. And what is that sacrifice on which the whole
world may feast, but the sacrifice of Christ, " the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world ? " Precisely such a feast
was the passover, which Hezekiah kept unto the Lord. He
kept it for the space of fourteen days ; during which time not
less than two thousand bullocks and seventeen thousand sheep
were sacrificed, and all Judah were feasted g . But the Lord
a See Matt. xxii. 1 4. Lukexiv. 10,17. b Prov. viii. 1,22 31.
c 1 Cor. i. 24. d Col. ii. 3. e See Note a .
f Cant. ii. 4. 62 Chron. xxx. 22 20.
92 PROVERBS, IX. 16. [772.
Jesus Christ, the true Passover, is sacrificed for all, and will
afford an ample feast for all, not for a limited time only, but
through the endless ages of eternity. As for the wine, which
is so essential to a feast, what is that but the consolations of
the Spirit, of which all shall partake who eat of this divine
repast? For " Christ s body is meat indeed, and his blood is
drink indeed h :" and in the ordinances of divine grace, both
the one and the other are offered to every child of man. In
fact, this is the very feast which the Prophet Isaiah spoke of
as to be established under the Christian dispensation : "In
this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a
feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things
full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined * :" and in the
ministration of the gospel is this now set forth more amply
than if " all the beasts upon the mountains were slain for us,
or the cattle upon a thousand hills."]
Let me, then, without further delay, announce to
you,
II. The invitation given
For the preserving of the propriety of the parable,,
Wisdom, as a Queen, is said to " send forth her
maidens." But Christ, whom wisdom represents,
sends forth his Ministers to call men to the feast.
The persons invited are, " the simple, and those
who want understanding "-
[This, I grant, is a humiliating description ; and it seems
to designate the poor only and the ignorant. But, permit
me to say, that it comprehends those also who stand the
highest in their own estimation for wisdom and prudence.
For who, in the whole universe, betray their folly more than
those who " seek to fill their belly with the husks that the
swine eat of, whilst in their Father s house they might find
bread enough and to spare ?" Yet this is the very state to
which the learned, no less than the illiterate, reduce themselves,
whilst seeking their happiness in the world rather than in God,
and in the perishing vanities of time and sense rather than in
the substantial blessings of eternity. I appeal to all of you,
whether this be not the conduct of all by nature, and whether
experience do not prove to all the folly of it ? This is well
represented in Scripture, as " filling our belly with the east
wind k :" and I ask of all, whether such conduct do not merit
the imputation cast upon it in my text ? I ask, too, whether,
to persons of this character, the invitation be not most fitly
sent? You cannot but confess, however successful you may
h John vi. 55. Isai. xxv. 6. k Job xv. 2.
772.] WISDOM S FEAST. 93
have been in your pursuit of earthly objects, " in the fulness of
your sufficiency you have been in straits ."]
To you, then, is the invitation given
[To you, says Wisdom, " Come and eat of my bread, and
drink of the wine which I have mingled." Your past conduct
has involved you in guilt and misery ; both of which shall be
removed by partaking of the feast provided for you. The
sacrifice of Christ was expressly offered as an atonement for
your sins ; and if you partake of it in faith, your iniquities
shall all be blotted out as a morning cloud. " Whoso eateth
my flesh and drinketh my blood," says our blessed Lord, "hath
eternal life m :" yes, he has both a title to it, and the very
beginning of it in his soul. As for " the wine that is mingled"
for you, not all " the wine in Lebanon " can afford you such
consolation and refreshment as the Holy Spirit will to those
who receive his gracious communications.
But, of course, you must forsake those habits which you
have hitherto indulged, and separate yourselves from those
associates who would divert you from Wisdom s ways. For,
" what fellowship can righteousness have with unrighteousness,
or what communion can light have with darkness ? There is
a necessity for you to come out from the ungodly and be sepa
rate, if you would have God for your father, and enjoy the
privilege of his sons and daughters n ." The whole course of
your life must be changed : you must not only " forsake the
foolish," but " go also in the way of understanding," approving
yourselves worthy disciples of our blessed Lord. In fact, your
whole taste must be changed : you cannot " savour the things
of the flesh and of the Spirit" too : "you cannot serve God
and Mammon* 1 too p ; or "be the friends of the world and of
Jehovah " too q . If you come to the Gospel-feast, you must
" affect only the things which are above r ," on which you shall
" feast in the presence of your God for ever and ever s ."]
APPLICATION
[Let me now address myself to you, my beloved Brethren.
I am sent as Wisdom s servant, as the minister of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ, with a message of mercy to every
one of you. And let it not be offensive to you to be addressed
under the character of those who are here invited. You
surely will not deny, that you have sought your happiness in
the world, rather than in God. Even though you were the
greatest philosophers in the universe, this charge would be as
1 Job xx. 22. m John vi. 54. " 2 Cor, vi. 14 18.
Rom. viii. 5. P Matt. vi. 24. n Jam. iv. 4.
r Col. iii. 1, 2. s Matt. xxvj. 29.
91- PROVERBS, IX. 1 6. [772.
applicable to you as to the meanest of mankind. And, if at
this present moment you feel averse to range yourselves under
the humiliating term here accorded to you, he assured the
time is not far distant when you will designate yourselves by
this name with bitter emphasis, and, contrasting yourselves
with the Lord s guests, will exclaim, " We fools, counted their
life madness, and their end to be without honour : but how
are they numbered with the children of God, and their lot is
among the saints ! Therefore have we erred from the way of
truth 1 ." Let me entreat you now to humble yourselves before
God, and to welcome, as especially suited to your state, the
invitation which I now bring you. But that I may be sure to
address you in Wisdom s own words, I will adopt the language
of an inspired prophet : " Ho, every one that thirsteth, come
ye to the waters, and he that hath no money ; come ye, buy,
and eat ; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and
without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is
not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? (Here
are proofs enough of your folly.) Hearken diligently unto me ;
and eat ye that which is good ; and let your soul delight itself
in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me : hear, and
your soul shall live u ." You will find, at the close of the
chapter from whence my text is taken, that folly also has her
messengers : A foolish and abandoned woman will cry,
" Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: for stolen waters
are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he
knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are
in the depths of hell V Yes, these invitations are soon and
widely followed ; whilst the invitations of Wisdom are scorn
fully rejected. Truly this is greatly to be lamented; and bitter
will be the consequences to those who persist in their folly.
Accept the invitations that are gratifying to flesh and blood,
and nothing but everlasting destruction awaits you: but accept
that which now in Wisdom s name I deliver, and you shall
" live ." " forsake the foolish, and live." Fain would I prevail
with you, my Brethren, ere it be too late, and the door of her
banqueting-house be shut against you. I have it in commission
to " compel you to come in y ." O, resist me not, but let me
by holy importunity prevail ; that so the blessings of salvation
may be yours, when the contemners of our message are wailing
in everlasting darkness and despair.]
4 Wisd. v. 4 G. u Isai. Iv. 13.
x ver. 13 18. y Luke xiv. 23.
773.]
GODS CARE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS.
DCCLXXIII.
GOD S CARE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS.
Prov. x. 3. The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous
to famish.
GOD, who is the author and giver of all good, dis
penses his blessings no less to the evil and unjust,
than to the good and just. But he promises to those
who seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, that
all other things shall be added unto them. To this
effect he speaks also in the passage before us. But
though this be the primary import of the text, we
must not exclude its relation also to the concerns of
the soul.
To elucidate this blessed promise, we shall shew,
I. What reasons the righteous have to apprehend
that their souls may famish
A sense of weakness and of guilt may greatly dis
courage them : for,
1. They cannot secure provisions for themselves
[The word of God, and Christ in the word, is the proper
food of the soul : and, if a person can read, he need not be
wholly destitute. But it is by the public ministration of the
word that God principally confirms the souls of his people.
Now in many places where Christ should be preached, his
name is scarcely heard ; and, instead of children s bread, little
is dispensed besides the husks of heathen morality. Even where
some attention is paid to Christian doctrines, there is often
much chaff mixed with the wheat ; and " the trumpet that is
blown, gives but an uncertain sound." Those therefore who
by reason of distance, or infirmity, or other insurmountable
obstacles, cannot have access to the purer fountains of truth,
have great reason to fear that their souls will famish.]
2. They cannot, of themselves, feed upon the pro
visions set before them
[Where all the treasures of the Gospel are fully opened,
it is God alone that can enrich any soul by means of them :
even " Paul may plant, or Apollos may water, but it is God
alone that can give the increase." The very same word is often
made a peculiar blessing to one, that was altogether useless to
another. God reserves the times and the seasons in his own
hands; and " gives to everyone severally as he will." When
therefore the righteous hear of the effects wrought on others,
06 PROVERBS, X. 3. [773.
and feel conscious that they themselves reaped no benefit from
the word, they are ready to fear that their souls will famish
even in the midst of plenty.]
3. They well know that they deserve to be utterly
abandoned by their God-
fit is not only for their sins in general, that the righteous
find occasion to humble themselves before God, but more
particularly for their misimprovement of divine ordinances.
Perhaps there is not any other more fruitful source of self-
condemnation to the godly than this. When therefore they
see how many opportunities of improvement they have lost,
and how much guilt they have contracted by their deadness and
formality in the worship of God, they are sensible that God
may justly " remove their candlestick," and leave them to
experience " a famine of the word."]
But lest a dread of famishing should oppress the
minds of the righteous, we shall proceed to shew,
II. What grounds they have to hope, that God will
never suffer such a melancholy event to happen-
However great the grounds of fear may be which
the righteous feel within themselves, they have abun
dant reason to " encourage themselves in the Lord
their God."
1. He has bountifully provided even for the un-
godly-
[The Gospel is " a feast of fat things full of marrow, and
of wines on the lees well refined;" and God has "sent out
into all the highways and hedges to invite the poor, the halt, the
lame, and the blind," and has commissioned his servants to
compel men, by dint of importunity, to accept his invitation.
Now has he shewn such concern for the wicked, and will he
disregard the righteous ? Will he not rather " cause the manna
to fall around their tents," and " the water to follow them"
through all this dreary wilderness ? Yes ; he would rather
send a raven to feed them, or sustain them by a continued
miracle a , than ever suffer their souls to famish.]
2. He is peculiarly interested in the welfare of the
righteous
[The righteous are God s " peculiar treasure above all
people;" they are even " his sons and daughters." If they
were left to perish, Jesus w r ould lose the purchase of his blood,
and the very members of his body. And can we imagine that
a 1 Kings xvii. G, 14.
773. J GOD s CARE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS. 97
God will be so unmindful of them as utterly to forsake them ?
Did he not on many occasions vouchsafe mercy to his chosen
people for his own name sake, when their backslidings had ren
dered them fit objects of his everlasting displeasure ? Thus
then will he still be actuated by a regard for his own honour,
and " not forsake his people, because it hath pleased him to
make them his people 15 ."]
3. He has pledged his word that they shall never
want any thing that is good
[" Exceeding numerous, great, and precious are the pro
mises which God has given to his people." He " will supply all
their wants, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus :
he will give them grace and glory ; and will withhold no good
thing:" their souls " shall be even as a well watered garden:"
" bread shall be given them ; and their water shall be sure."
And will he violate his word ? he may leave his people in straits,
as he did the Israelites of old : but it shall be only for the more
signal manifestation of his love and mercy towards them. Let
them only trust in him, and he " will never leave them, never,
never forsake them ."]
We shall CONCLUDE with a word
1. Of reproof-
fit is certain that many do not " make their profiting to
appear" as they ought. To such therefore we must say,
" Wherefore art thou, being a king s son, lean from day to
day d ?" Why art thou crying continually, " Woe is me! my
leanness! my leanness 6 ! " when thou shouldest be " growing up
as the calves of the stall f ?" Some part of the blame perhaps
may attach to him who dispenses the ordinances among you, as
wanting more life and spirituality in his ministrations ; yet even
this would be no excuse to you, since if your hearts were more
spiritual, God would render your mean fare as nutritious as
the richest dainties g . If God should even "give you your
desire, yet would he also send leanness into your souls h ," while
you continued to lothe the heavenly manna. Learn then to
come with more eager appetite Be more careful to digest
the word afterward by meditation and prayer And look,
not so much to the manner in which the word is preached, as
to Christ in the word ; since HE is that bread of life which alone
can nourish your souls ; and which, if eaten by faith, will
surely nourish them unto life eternal 1 ]
2. Of consolation
b 1 Sam. xii. 22. c Heb. xiii. 5. See the Greek.
d 2 Sam. xiii. 4. e Isai. xxiv. 10. f Mai. iv. 2.
K Dan. i. 1215. h Ps. cvi. 15. > John vi. 51.
VOL. VII. II
98 PROVERBS, X. 4. [774.
[Some may put away from them this promise, under the
idea that they are not of the character to whom it belongs.
Now, though we would by no means encourage any to apply
the promises to themselves in a presumptuous manner, and
thereby to deceive their own souls with ungrounded expecta
tions, yet we would not that any should refuse the consolation
that properly belongs to them. Suppose then that any cannot
absolutely number themselves among the righteous, yet, " if
they hunger and thirst after righteousness, they are blessed, and
shall be filledV This is the word of God to their souls ; and
we would have them expect assuredly its accomplishment in
due season - Let them " desire the sincere milk of the
word, and they shall grow thereby 1 "
k Matt. v. 6. i 1 Pet. ii. 2.
DCCLXXIV.
EFFECTS OF SLOTH AND DILIGENCE COMPARED.
Prov. x. 4. He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand ;
but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
IT is certainly true, that men s circumstances in
life depend on their own exertions, so far at least, as
to justify the declaration in the text. Sometimes
indeed God is pleased to raise men to opulence by
labours not their own ; and sometimes to withhold
success from the industrious. But though this ine
quality is sometimes found in the dispensations of his
Providence, we never see it in the dispensations of
his grace. After the first communications of grace
to the soul, men s progress or decay will always be
proportioned to their own care and vigilance : the
propositions in the text may be advanced without
any exception ;
I. Remissness will impoverish the soul-
Many there are who " deal with a slack hand"-
[This may be said of men when they improve not the means
of spiritual advancement. God has appointed reading a , and
meditation b , and prayer , and self-examination 1 , as means of
furthering the welfare of the soul - But, if we be remiss
in these, we resemble a man who neglects to cultivate his fields :
a Col. iii. 16. b Ps. i. 2. c i Thess. v. 17.
(1 Ps. iv. 4. and Ixxvii. ft. and 2 Cor. xiii. 5.
774.] EFFECTS OF SLOTH AND DILIGENCE. 99
nor can it be expected that we should ever prosper in our spi
ritual concerns.
It may also be said of them when they shun not the occasions
of spiritual decay. God has mercifully guarded us against
the cares 6 , the pleasures f , the company of the world g ; and
against the indulgence of any secret sin h And it is of
the utmost importance that we attend to these salutary cau
tions. But if we are unmindful of them, we certainly shew a
very culpable remissness, and give advantage to our enemies to
prevail against us.]
Under such circumstances they will infallibly " be
come poor"
[They will lose their joy and confidence. Persons living
in habitual watchfulness are often full of the most lively joy 1 ,
and can look up to God as their Father*, to Christ as their
Saviour 1 , and to heaven as their home m . But these divine
impressions are tender plants, which, if not duly watered, will
soon wither and decay" ]
2. They will also lose their health and strength
[There is a health of the soul, as well as of the body : and
as the one cannot be maintained in strength but by proper
food and exercise, so neither can the other. The graces of
the soul, if not duly cultivated, will soon languish. The faith
will become weak, the hope faint, the love cold and
whatever good " things remain in us, they will be ready to
die." So poor will every one become, who dealeth with a
slack hand.]
While the soul is exposed to such evils from re
missness, we are assured, on the contrary, that
II. Diligence will enrich it
Christian diligence comprehends far more than a
mere attention to outward forms, however regular-
fit imports a seasonable attention to all duties. There
are some duties which, in comparison of others, are easy : but
Christian diligence makes no distinction on this account ; nor
does it make the observance of some an excuse for neglecting
others ; but endeavours to do every work, whether public or
private, civil or religious, in its season .
e Matt. xiii. 22. and vi. 21. f 1 Tim. v. G. and 2 Tim. iii. 4.
e 2 Cor. vi. 1417.
h Prov. iv. 23. Heb. iii. 12. See the examples of Job, Job xxxi. 1.
David, Ps. cxli. 3. and cxxxix. 23, 24.
1 1 Pet. i. 8. k Rom. viii. 15. 1 Gal. ii. 20.
ni 2 Cor. v. 1. n Gal. iv. 15. Ps. i. 3.
Ho
/-
100 PROVERBS, X. 4. [774.
It includes also a conscientious improvement of all talents.
Various are the talents committed unto men. Time, money,
influence, together with every mental endowment, are among
those which a Christian will feel himself more especially bound
to improve. He considers them as given to him for the pur
pose of honouring God with them, and of rendering them
subservient to the good of men. He therefore will not wrap
any one of them in a napkin, but will so trade with them as
to deliver them up with interest whenever he may be called
to give up his account 1 .]
Such diligence will infallibly enrich the soul
[The exertion of our powers does not command success ;
but God invariably puts honour upon it, and makes it both the
occasion and the means of communicating his blessings. Our
diligence in cultivating the land cannot ensure the crop : yet it
is by that, for the most part, that God replenishes our barns,
and supplies our returning wants. Thus the diligent hand
makes us rich in grace, in peace, in holiness, and in glory.
" To him that hath (that hath improved his talent) shall be
given ; and he shall have abundance." Every grace is improved
by exercise q from that improvement arises a " peace which
passe th all understanding 1 " the whole man is thus progres
sively renewed after the divine image 8 and an increased
weight of glory is treasured up for the soul, when it shall re-
reive its full reward 1 ]
INFER
1. What a pitiable state are they in who never
labour at all for the salvation of their souls !
[If remissness only will prove fatal, and that to persons
who were once diligent, surely they must be poor indeed who
have never entered on their work at all ! Let the gay and
thoughtless well consider this : for every man shall receive
according to his own labour. Nor shall it be sufficient to say
at the last day, " I did no harm :" the question will be, " What
improvement didst thou make of thy talent ?" And if we have
buried it in the earth, we shall be condemned as wicked and
slothful servants.]
2. What reason have all for humiliation and con
trition !
[If we consider the greatness of our work, and how little
any of us have done in it, we shall find reason to blush and
be confounded before God. Yes ; while the world condemn
us as " righteous overmuch," we should be condemning, and
P Matt. xxv. 15 18. n Matt. xxv. 29. r Isai. xxxii. 17.
s 2 Cor. iii. 18. l 2 Cor. iv. 17. 2 John, vcr. 8.
775.] GOD S BLESSING, THE GREATEST RICHES. 101
even lotliing ourselves for doing so little. What might we
not have attained, if we had laboured from the beginning with
the same anxiety and diligence as others manifest in their tem
poral concerns ? How low are the attainments of the best of
us, not only in comparison of what they might have been, but
of what we once expected they would be ! Let us then trace
our poverty to its proper cause, our own remissness : and
" whatever our hand findeth to do, let us henceforth do it with
all our might."]
DCCLXXV.
GOD S BLESSING, THE GREATEST RICHES.
Prov. x. 22. The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich ; and he
addeth no sorrow with it.
AMIDST the lessons of practical wisdom which
we are taught in the Book of Proverbs, we find a
continual reference to God as the source and the end
of all. If we attempt to spiritualize the different moral
apophthegms, we in fact pervert them, and apply them
to a use for which they were never intended : if, on
the other hand, we regard them solely in a moral
view, without any relation to God, we fall exceed
ingly short of their true import. In explaining them,
therefore, a proper medium must be observed ; that
we neither strain their meaning, on the one hand ;
nor enervate it, on the other.
To unfold to you the passage before us, I will shew,
I. In what respects "the blessing of God" may be
said to " make us rich"-
This effect may well be ascribed to " the blessing
of God,"
1. Because it is in reality the only source of all
wealth
[Men are apt to ascribe their success in life to their own
industry, and to the wisdom which they have exercised in the
management of their affairs. But this is to rob God altogether
of the glory due to him. The people of Israel were guarded
against it by God, who particularly cautioned them not, when
they should be established in Canaan, to arrogate any thing
to themselves; or to " say in their heart, My power and the
might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth :" for that " it
was God alone who had given them power to get wealth 8 ."
3 Deut. viii. 17, 18.
102 PROVERBS, X. 22. [775.
Who sees not how often men fail even in their best-concerted
efforts ? Success depends, in fact, on so many contingencies,
which it is altogether beyond the power of man to control, that
the wisest and most industrious of men must of necessity rely
on God alone ; even as the husbandman, who, though he can
plough and sow his land, can command neither the clouds to water
it, nor the sun to fructify it with his invigorating rays. No man
therefore, however successful, should " sacrifice to his own net,
or offer incense to his own drag b ;" but all must give glory to
God alone, " who maketh poor, or maketh rich ; and bringeth
low, or liiteth up ; who raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and
lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among
princes, and to make them inherit a throne of glory c ."]
2. Because it is itself the greatest of all wealth
[What can be compared with the blessing of God upon
the soul ? If we succeed in life, it is that which constitutes our
chief joy ; or, if we fail in our earthly pursuits, it is that which
will compensate for the loss of all. The poorest man in the
universe is rich, if he have the presence of God with his soul :
and the richest man in the universe is poor, miserably poor, if
he be destitute of that great blessing. Behold Paul and Silas
in prison, their feet fast in the stocks, and their backs torn with
scourges ; and yet singing praises to God at midnight ! Were
they poor ? They were rich, truly rich ; as were the Hebrew
youths, when, in the fiery furnace, the Lord Jesus Christ came
and walked with them 1 . To the eye of faith Lazarus was rich,
though he subsisted only on the crumbs which fell from the rich
man s table. And had he been offered an exchange of condi
tion with his opulent benefactor, he would have disdained the
offer, and called himself incomparably the richer man. So, in
having God for our portion, we are truly rich. St. Paul, under
such circumstances, accounted himself the richest man in the
universe : and so he was; for, " though he had nothing, yet he
possessed all" things 6 ." And in like manner of us also, even
though we are at this moment destitute of bread for the morrow,
it may with truth be said, that " all things are ours, if we are
Christ s f ." Thus, if we can say, " The Lord is the portion of my
inheritance and my cup g ," we may account ourselves richer than
those who have crowns and kingdoms at their command.]
But we are especially informed by Solomon what is,
II. The peculiar happiness of the person so enriched
With all other riches there is a mixture of sorrow
to embitter them
[As for riches obtained by iniquity, the curse of God is
b Hub. i. 10. 1 Sam. ii. 7, 8. d Dan. iii. 25.
e 2 Cor. vi. 10. f 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. Ps. xvi. 5.
775.] GOD S BLESSING, THE GREATEST RICHES. 103
upon them h . But where there has been nothing of rapacity
or dishonesty in acquiring them, yet, if the blessing of God be
not upon the soul, there is much care in the preserving of them,
much grief if they be lost, and little but disappointment and
dissatisfaction in the use of them. In truth, they are entitled
to no better name than " vanity and vexation of spirit ." Let
the whole state of mankind be candidly surveyed, and it will
be acknowledged that the most wealthy are far from being the
happiest of men : for, partly from the tempers generated in their
own bosoms, and partly from the collision into which they are
continually brought with persons envious, or proud, or dishonest,
or in some way disobliging, it may well be doubted whether the
pain occasioned by their wealth do not far exceed any pleasure
which they derive from it. It was a wise petition which was
offered by Agur, " Give me neither poverty nor riches ; but
feed me with food convenient for me k ."
But there is another view, in which riches are far from
affording any solid satisfaction ; and that is, on account of the
responsibility attached to them. They are talents to be im
proved for God : and, whether wasted in extravagance, or hid
in a napkin, they will bring down nothing but a curse in the
day of judgment. " Go to now, ye rich men," says St. James,
" weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
To those who have amassed wealth, he says, " Your gold and
silver is cankered ; and the rust of them shall be a witness against
you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire : ye have heaped
treasure together for the last days." To those, on the other hand,
who have wasted their money on personal gratifications, he says,
" Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton ; ye
have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter 1 ."]
But where God gives his blessing with wealth, " he
addeth no sorrow with it."
[There is then no conscious guilt in the acquisition of it ;
no anxiety in the preservation; no disappointment in the use ;
no grief in the loss ; no dread of the responsibility attached to
it. On the contrary, " God has given to his people all things
richly to enjoy m :" and they have a rich enjoyment of every
thing, because they enjoy God in it. They receive it all as his
gift : they taste his love in it. They consider it, also, as a means
of honouring God, and of doing good to man. A benevolent
steward, who should be sent by his master to dispense his boun
ties to a famished multitude, would feel great delight in all the
comfort which he was thus empowered to bestow : he would
view his master as the author of the benefits, and himself only
as the instrument; but his pleasure would still be exquisite,
h Jer. xvii. 11. Hab. ii. 6 11. Eccl. ii. 26.
k Prov. xxx. 8. > Jam. v. 1 f>. 1 Tun. vi. 17.
104 PROVERBS, XL 18. [776.
yea, and the more exquisite because his master was honoured
in all the good that was done. Such a steward the true Chris
tian feels himself to be: and his final account, also, he con
templates with joy; assured that his stewardship shall be both
approved and rewarded in that day.]
From this subject I would take occasion to suggest
two important LESSONS
Learn,
1. In what spirit to address yourselves to every
duty in life
[Be not contented to perform a duty ; but look for the
blessing of God upon every thing you do. Without his blessing
you will have but little comfort in your own souls. I will not
hesitate to say, that in every line whatever, from the highest
to the lowest, the man who acts to God and for God will be
the happiest man. Others, it is true, may exceed him in
wealth ; but he will have no reason to envy them ; for they have
sorrows which will not come near him"; and he will have " a
joy with which the stranger intermeddleth not ."]
2. What to look for as your chief portion
[Earthly things are not to be neglected. Your worldly
calling, whatever it may be, should be diligently followed.
But the blessing of God should be the one object to which all
others should be subordinated. Nothing, either on earth or in
heaven, should, in your estimation, bear any comparison with
that p . If the question be put, " Who will shew us any good? "
your unvaried answer should be, " Lord, lift thou up the light
of thy countenance upon us q ." Then will you have " durable
riches r ." And whilst those who seek any other portion will,
"in the midst of their sufficiency, be in straits 5 ," you, in what
ever straits you are, will have a sufficiency for your support and
comfort both in time and in eternity.]
n Ps. xci. 7. Prov. xiv. 10. P Ps. Ixxiii. 25.
i Ps. iv. 6. r Prov. viii. 18. s Job xx. 22.
DCCLXXVI.
PORTION OF THE WICKED AND THE RIGHTEOUS CONTRASTED.
Prov. xi. 18. The wicked ivorJceth a deceitful work: but to him
that soiceth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
TO a superficial observer the wicked appear to
have a far better portion than the righteous : for
it is certain, that, in respect of earthly things, the
776. J PORTION OF THE WICKED AND RIGHTEOUS. 105
wicked have the larger share ; whilst the righteous,
whether poor or not in this world s goods, are objects
of general hatred and contempt. But, if we examine
more attentively, we shall find that the advantage is
decidedly and universally on the side of the righteous :
for the wicked man, how prosperous soever he may
be, " worketh a deceitful work," but to the righteous,
however depressed he may be for a season, shall be a
sure reward.
Let us notice the contrast which is here formed
between the righteous and the wicked ;
I. In their characters
Though " the wicked" are not distinguished in this
place by any appropriate description, yet they are
sufficiently marked by standing in contrast with the
righteous, whose characters are accurately defined.
The one " sow righteousness," which the other
neglect to sow.
1. Let us consider this distinction
[The sowing of righteousness imports, that the person so
engaged deliberately and with diligence endeavours to fulfil
the will of God ; and that he does so with a view to a future
harvest. The great "commandment" under the Gospel being,
" that we believe in the name of the only-begotten Son of
God a ," he makes that his first concern. He comes to Christ
daily as a self-ruined sinner, and looks to him as the appointed
Saviour of the world. He seeks to be washed in his blood
from all his sins, and to be renewed by his Spirit after the Divine
image. In a word, his daily consolation is, " In the Lord have
I righteousness and strength b ." The aim of his soul is also to
" walk in all things as Christ walked ;" to cultivate altogether
" the mind that was in him;" and so to approve himself to God
in the whole of his conduct, that in the last day that testimony
may be given him from the lips of his applauding Judge, " Well
done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy
Lord."
" The wicked," on the contrary, has no such thoughts, no such
desires. An interest in the Saviour is not of any great im
portance in his eyes, because he feels no need of it, and con
cludes of course that he possesses all that is requisite for his
acceptance with God. As for " mortifying his earthly mem
bers," and " crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts,"
that is a work to which he is utterly averse. He rather studies
* 1 John iii. 23. b Isai. xlv. 24.
106 PROVERBS, XL 18. [776.
to gratify himself, and to follow the bent of his own carnal
inclinations. He may not indulge in gross sins : but he is alto
gether earthly : and whatever he may have of religion, it is a
mere form, that engages not his heart, not is in any respect the
delight of his soul.
In a word, the one looks forward to a future harvest, and
sow r s with a view to that ; the other looks no further than to
this present world, and has all his desires bounded by the things
of time and sense.]
2. Let us see how far this distinction is confirmed
by the word of God
[This is the very distinction which St. Paul himself makes
between the carnal and the spiritual man ; " They that are
after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh ; and they that
are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit ." The one " seeks
his own things, and not the things that are Jesus Christ s*:"
the other "lives not unto himself, but unto Him who died for
him and rose again 6 ."
It is here particularly to be noticed, that the Scriptures do
not make the distinction to consist in outward acts, but in the
inward habit of the mind : the wicked is not necessarily dis
tinguished by open irregularities ; but he makes self the end,
and aim, and object of his life ; whilst " the righteous liveth
altogether for, and to, his God."]
A similar difference will be found between them,
II. In their end
The wicked follows a mere shadow, which eludes
his grasp
[He seeks for happiness, and hopes to find it in the path
which he has marked out for himself. But " he worketh a
deceitful work," which invariably disappoints his hopes. What
ever be the gratification afforded him, it is transient, and brings
no solid satisfaction with it. Whether his pursuit be more
sensual, or more refined, it still leaves in the bosom an aching
void, which the world can never fill. Solomon tried every
thing that was within the reach of mortal man, intellectual as
well as sensual ; and, after a full experience of it all, declared
it all to be " vanity and vexation of spirit." And, if there be
a man in the universe who is able from experience to give any
other testimony respecting it, we will be content that that man
shall walk in his own ways, and not in the ways of God. But
we have no fear that this concession will be productive of any
evil ; for there is not a man in the whole world that will presume
to avail himself of it, since there is no man whose conscience
docs not tell him that the creature altogether is a broken
c Rom. viii. 5. d Phi), ii. 21. - R O m. xiv. 7, 8.
776. J PORTION OF THE WICKED AND RIGHTEOUS. 107
cistern, and that no true happiness can be found, but in Christ
the fountain of living waters.]
The righteous, on the coutrary,have a sure reward
[The seed he sows may lie a long time under the clods,
and may seem as if it were buried for ever : but it shall spring
up in due season, and bring with it a harvest of solid joy. The
Scripture attests, that "the work of righteousness is peace f ,"
and that " in keeping of God s commandments there is great
reward g ." And so it is invariably found. This " reward is
sure" on two accounts : one is, that his success is independent
of all casualties : and the other is, that it is secured to him by
the promise of God himself. Happiness as arising from earthly
things may be altogether destroyed by disease or accident, or
pains either of body or mind: but spiritual happiness is inde
pendent of all these things, and often derives a zest from those
very things which seem most calculated to subvert it.
If we look to a future state, where the wicked, notwithstand
ing all their neglect of heavenly things, hope to have a portion
with the righteous, we shall see the text fulfilled in all its
extent. What surprise and anguish will seize hold upon the
wicked the very instant he opens his eyes in the eternal world !
Conceive of " the Rich Man" summoned from his carnal
indulgences into the presence of his God : how little did he
imagine but a few days before in what such a life would issue h !
How deceitful had his work been, and how delusive all his
hopes ! But the righteous is sure to find his hopes realized,
and his highest expectations infinitely exceeded ; for God s
express determination is, that " whatsoever any man soweth,
that shall he also reap : he that soweth to the flesh shall of
the flesh reap corruption ; and he who soweth to the Spirit
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting 1 ."]
SEE then,
1. The wisdom of true piety
[Wisdom consists in pursuing the best ends by the fittest
means. Now I would ask, What end is to be compared with
eternal life ? And by what other means can it be sought, than
by those mentioned in the text ? Let me then entreat you to
" walk, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time:" for now
is the seed time ; and you will to all eternity reap according to
what you sow: " if you sow iniquity, you will reap vanity k :"
" if you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind :" but if you
" plow up your fallow ground, and sow in righteousness, you
shall reap in mercy," both in this world and the world to come m .
f Isai. xxxii. 17. 8 Ps. xix. 11. h Luke xvi. 23.
Gal. vi. 7, 8. k Job iv. 8. Prov. xxii. 8.
1 Hos. viii. 7. m Hos. x. 12.
108 PROVERBS, XL 25. [777.
Let me however add, that you must not be sparing of your
seed: for, " if you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly ; but
if you sow bountifully, you shall reap also bountifully "."]
2. The folly of neglecting the immortal soul
[Men will deride piety, because it is cultivated by few ;
and applaud worldliness, because its advocates are many. But
the broad road is not at all the safer because it is trodden by
so many, nor the narrow way the less safe because it is trodden
by so few. Each path will have its proper termination, and
issue in the state that God has assigned to it . Can any thing
then be conceived more foolish than to put our eternal happiness
on such an issue, that it cannot possibly be attained but at the
expense of God s veracity ? Truly if such conduct were pursued
in reference to this world, it would be accounted not only folly,
but madness itself. It is represented by Solomon as a " laying
in wait for our own blood, and lurking privily for our own
lives p ," yea, and as a " being in love with death itself c) . Let
me then urge all of you now to seek " the one thing needful r"
and let me encourage you to it by this consideration, that, " if
you sow in tears, you shall reap in joy : and if you now go on
your way weeping, bearing precious seed, you shall doubtless
come again with rejoicing, bringing your sheaves with you r ."]
2 Cor. ix. 6. Matt. vii. 13, 14. P Prov. i. 18.
i Prov. viii. 36. r Ps. cxxvi. 5, G.
DCCLXXVII.
CHRISTIAN LIBERALITY ENCOURAGED.
Prov. xi. 25. The liberal soul shall be made fat : and he that
watereth shall be watered also himself.
IF only we be careful to divest our statements of
every thing which carries with it the idea of merit, it
is scarcely possible to speak too strongly in praise of
liberality, as lovely in itself, and as acceptable to God.
To speak of it as contributing in any degree to justify
the soul before God, would doubtless be a fatal error ;
but as rewardable, and certain to be rewarded both in
this life and the life to come, we ought to speak of it :
and the squeamish jealousy which is entertained on
this head, and which fears to declare all that God s
blessed word contains upon the subject, is, in my
apprehension, extremely erroneous and unbecoming.
The words which I have just read will lead me to
shew you,
777. ] CHRISTIAN LIBERALITY ENCOURAGED. 109
I. The spirit we should possess-
In my text we see a spirit of liberality, and a spirit
of benevolence ; the one constituting an internal prin
ciple in the soul, the other displaying itself in active
exertions towards all within our sphere. Let me call
your attention, then, to,
1 . A spirit of liberality
[The liberal hand is good ; but the liberal soul is far
better: and this it is which every Christian should possess.
We should consider all that we have as so many talents com
mitted to us by our heavenly Master, to be improved for him.
Our time, our property, our influence, should all be considered
his ; and nothing as really ours, but the honour and happi
ness of employing all for God. We can easily conceive
what the feelings of an angel would be, if he were sent from
heaven to dispense blessings of any kind : there would be
no grudging of his time and labour, nor would there be any
pride and self-complacency in his mind on account of his
fidelity in the execution of his office. He would consider
himself simply as God s servant ; and find all his delight in
doing the will of Him who sent him, and in being instrumental
to the welfare of mankind. If this appear too strong an
image, I must say, Instead of being too strong, it falls far
short of the example which our blessed Lord has set before us :
" Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, though lie
was rich, yet for your sakes became poor, that ye through
his poverty might be rich 3 ." This is the true standard at which
we should aim ; even such a delight in advancing the welfare
of others, as disposes us to encounter whatever self-denial may
be requisite for the attainment of our end. This may properly
be called " a liberal soul."]
2. A spirit of benevolence
[Principles in the heart must shew themselves by actions
in the life. To " water others" should be the employment
of us all. The whole world is the garden of the Lord. All
of us are his plants ; and all of us his husbandmen, that should
be occupied in watering the plants around us. Whether our
capacity for exertion be greater or less, we should endeavour
to improve it for God and man. If we have but one talent,
we should not hide it in a napkin, but employ it for the Lord.
We should consider what it is that every plant around us
wants, in order that we may minister, as far as we are able,
to its necessities. Does any need instruction, or comfort,
or temporal relief? We should adapt our labours to his
a 2 Cor. viii. 9.
110 PROVERBS, XL 25. [777.
necessities, and look to God for his blessing on our endeavours.
Day by day the earthly husbandman is so occupied ; and it is
an employment in which we should daily engage, and of which
we never should be weary. At the close of every day we
should have the same testimony from conscience as holy Job
enjoyed : " AVhen the ear heard me, then it blessed me ; and
when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me : because I de
livered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that
had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to
perish came upon me ; and I caused the widow s heart to sing
for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me : my judg
ment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind,
and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor ; and
the cause which I knew not, I searched out b ."]
Such being the proper spirit of a Christian, let us
consider,
II. The benefits that will accrue to the possessor of it
However great may be the good which a person
of this spirit may do, I hesitate not to say, that he
will receive far greater benefits than he imparts : he
will receive them,
1. From the very exercise of the principle itself
[The high-priest within the vail, whilst offering incense
before his God, was regaled with the odours of his own offer
ing ; a privilege which no other individual was permitted to
enjoy. So the person who exercises love will derive from that
very employment a blessedness of which no one else can form
any just conception. Well is it said, in a foregoing verse of
this chapter, " A merciful man doeth good to his oivn soul c "
The exercise of liberality and benevolence tends exceedingly
to the suppression of evil in the soul, and to the cultivation
and establishment of every holy disposition 1 And is it
not a sweet evidence to the soul, that God has wrought a good
work within it? No doubt it is: for if \vc " love, not in word
and in tongue, but in deed and in truth," we may, from that
very circumstance, " know that we are of the truth, and may
assure our hearts before God e ." Indeed this is no small part
of the recompence which God will bestow on those who serve
him with fidelity : he would even consider himself as unright
eous and unjust if he did not thus remember our work and
labour of love, which we have shewed toward his name in
ministering to his saints : " and on this very ground the Apostle
11 Job xxix. 11 16. c vcr. 17.
d Mark the contrast which is drawn, 1 Tim. vi. 10, 11.
e 1 John iii. 18, 19.
777.] CHRISTIAN LIBERALITY ENCOURAGED. Ill
says, " We desire that every one of you do shew the same
diligence unto the full assurance of hope unto the end f ."]
2. From the immediate agency of Almighty God
[God has said, that " what we give to the poor, we lend
unto him, and he will repay it again g ." And this he will do
both in this life and in the life to come. Very remarkable is
his promise in relation to the present life : " Give, and it shall
be given unto you : good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
For with what measure ye mete withal, it shall be measured to
you again h ." In a spiritual view, more especially, will God
recompense his faithful people. Hear the words of the Pro
phet Isaiah, which remarkably accord with the expressions of
our text : " If thou draw out thy soul (not thy purse, but thy
soul) to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy
light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon-day ;
and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and make fat thy
bones ; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a
spring of water, whose waters fail not 1 ." Nor shall our labours
of love be forgotten of Him in the eternal world. He holds
forth this as an encouragement to us to exert ourselves in all
the offices of love : " Charge them that are rich in this world,
that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foun
dation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on
eternal life k ." And that no doubt may remain on this head,
he tells us expressly, that such persons shall " be recompensed
at the resurrection of the just;" and that to those who have
administered to the relief of the poor and the distressed, he
will say, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Thus
freely and thus richly shah 1 " he who watereth be watered
also himself; " yea, as the prophet says, " with showers of
blessings shall he be blessed .]
We may clearly SEE from hence,
1. From whence proceeds that leanness, of which
so many complain
[Many complain, that, notwithstanding the Gospel is so
rich in its blessings, they are not happy. But I believe it will
be generally found, that they who complain thus live only for
themselves. I think it almost impossible that they who live
for God and for their fellow-creatures should not be happy.
Such circumstances as Job s may exist, but they are rare; and
f Heb. vi. 10, 11. e Prov. xix. 17. h Luke vi. 38.
5 Isai. Iviii. 10, 11. k 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19. Ezek. xxxiv. 26.
112 PROVERBS, XL 30. [778.
even be himself endured them but for a time. Examine, then,
your state as before God, and see whether you possess the dis
positions of which my text speaks : for, if you do not, how is
it possible that you should have any blessing from the Lord?
Hear what Job would have thought of such a state as yours :
" If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused
the eyes of the widow to fail ; or have eaten my morsel alone,
and the fatherless have not eaten thereof; if I have seen any
perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering ; if
liis loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with
the fleece of my sheep; then let mine arm fall from the shoulder-
blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone m ." What you sow,
you must expect to reap: and if you "sow but sparingly," in the
way of love and mercy, " you shall reap but sparingly" of those
blessings which the God of love and mercy will bestow.]
2. What encouragement we have to proceed in
the work before us
[The charity which I would propose to your support is
worthy of all the aid which you can afford to give it n
And for your encouragement, I will appeal to all : Who amongst
you ever abounded in liberality, without finding it a source of
joy? or who ever watered others, without being himself watered
of the Lord ? - If I considered only the charity before us,
I should urge you to be liberal : but I chiefly urge it because
" I desire fruit that may abound to your account ."]
m Job xxxi. 16 22.
n Here enter into a description of the particular charity : and if
it be a Benevolent Society, address separately the Contributors who
"give," and the Visitors who "water." Phil. iv. 17.
DCCLXXVIII.
THE WISDOM OF WINNING SOULS.
Prov. xi. 30. He that winneth souls, is unse.
REAL piety is operative, and influential on the
whole life ; and discovers itself very principally in
labours of love to those around us. "The fruit of the
righteous is" very fitly compared to " a tree of life,"
which administers to the welfare of all who come
under its benignant shade. True, indeed, such per
sons arc often regarded only as weak enthusiasts;
and are despised in proportion as they exert them
selves for the benefit of their fellow-creatures. But
778.] THE WISDOM OF WINNING SOULS. 113
they have a good report from God himself, who says
concerning them, " He that \vinneth souls, is wise."
This sentence it shall be my endeavour to confirm :
and confirmed it will be beyond all doubt, if we con
sider what may be justly said in vindication of every
one who engages in this good work.
I. The object he proposes to himself is most ex
cellent
[What in the universe is there worthy to be compared with
an immortal soul ? And what work can be compared
with that which is done for the soul, in its conversion to God?
Think of its being plucked as a brand out of the fire of
hell itself Think of its being restored to the favour of its
offended God Think of its being transformed into the
divine image -Think of its being exalted to a participation
of all the glory and felicity of heaven Is there any object
that can stand in competition with this? What is the acquisition
of crowns and kingdoms in comparison of this? ]
Further,
II. The labour he bestows upon it is most beneficial,
1. To the soul he wins
[Let the foregoing hints be duly contemplated ; and then
say what a benefactor he is, " who turns a man from the error
of his ways, and saves a soul alive 3 " ]
2. To the world around him
[Man, in his unconverted state, is a snare to all around
him. By his example at least, if not by any avowed declara
tions, he teaches men to think that the concerns of this world
are most worthy of their attention,, and that the concerns of the
soul are only of secondary importance But, when once
he is truly turned to God, the honour of God is dear unto him,
and the welfare of immortal souls lies near his heart
For the extension of the Redeemer s kingdom he prays in
secret, and labours according to his ability in the sphere wherein
he moves. "Thy kingdom come," is the language, not of his
lips only, but of his heart also. He now lives, not for himself,
as heretofore, but for God, for his Saviour, for his fellow-men ;
and whatever he possesses he considers as a talent to be im
proved for them - Now, therefore, he becomes " a light
in the world ; " and, from being an agent of Satan to advance
the kingdom of darkness, he is a favoured instrument of
Jehovah, to promote in every way the happiness and salvation
a Jam. v. 19, 20.
VOL. VII. I
114 PROVERBS, XL 30. [778.
of the human race Who can calculate the benefits
accruing from such a change ?]
3. To himself also
[Who ever laboured for God without receiving in his own
soul a rich reward b ? " " Who ever watered others, and was
not himself watered by the Lord c ?" The very graces which a
man exercises, in winning souls to God, diffuse a sweet serenity,
a holy joy, over the whole man, and assimilate him to his Lord
and Saviour, and render him meet for the inheritance that is
reserved for him. I may add also, his very labour augments for
him the weight of glory that is reserved for him in heaven : for
God has said, in reference to this very thing, that " every man
shall receive according to his own labour d ;" and that "they
who turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars, for
ever and ever e ."
Is not he " wise," then, who engages in such a work as this?]
In addition to all this I must say,
III. The end he accomplishes is most glorious
[This is the end which God the Father had in view, when
he delegated to his Son the office of redeeming man
This was the end for which our adorable Saviour " left the
bosom of the Father," and assumed into union with himself
our fallen nature, and led a life of sorrow upon earth, and at
last died for us upon the cross. To this he looked forward, as
" the joy that was set before him, for the which he endured the
cross and despised the shame f . " And when he beholds this
as the fruit of his sufferings, he is altogether " satisfied with
the travail of his soul g " The Holy Spirit also regards
this as the end for which he performs his part in the economy
of redemption. For what does he " strive with rebellious
man h ? " For what end does he enlighten, quicken, sanctify
the souls of men, or refresh and invigorate them with his
heavenly consolations ? All of this is to " glorify Christ V in
the salvation of man. In truth, it is in this work that every
person of the Godhead will be glorified to all eternity. What
is it that illustrates in harmonious union all the perfections of
the Deity? What is it that is the one subject of praise
and adoration amongst all the heavenly hosts ? Is not this the
song of all that have been redeemed? " To him that loved us,
and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us
kings and priests unto our God, to him be glory and dominion
for ever and ever V Even the angels, that never sinned, add
b Ps. xix. 11. c ver. 25. d 1 Cor. iii. 8.
e Dan. xii. 3. f Heb. xii. 2. * Isai. liii. 11.
h Gen. vi. 3. John xvi. 14. k Rev. i. 5, 6.
778.] THE WISDOM OF WINNING SOULS. 115
their "Amen to this ; and sing their praises unto God who sit-
teth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever 1 ."
Compare with this work, then, " all the labour that is done
under the sun," and it is no better than laborious folly. Not
he that accumulates to himself wealth or honour, but " he that
winneth souls, is wise."]
What, in CONCLUSION, shall I say ? What ?
1. Let every one seek the salvation of his own soul
[Is it wisdom to win the souls of others ? What folly, then,
must it be to lose our own ? In this labour we have
more abundant encouragement. We may seek to save others,
and fail in our attempt : but who ever failed, that sought sal
vation for his own soul ? Find, in the annals of the whole
world, one who ever looked to Christ in vain ? Who ever washed
in the fountain of his blood in vain? or for whom did the grace
of Christ ever prove inadequate and insufficient ? Let the world
deride this labour as folly, if they please : they will soon see
who it is that is really wise ; and will soon condemn themselves,
more bitterly than now the most envenomed amongst them
condemn the righteous : " WE fools accounted their life mad
ness, and their end to be without honour : but now we see how
greatly we have erred from the way of truth m ." Who
then is wise among you, let him " give himself wholly " to the
concerns of his soul ; for " the wise shall inherit glory ; but
shame shall be the promotion of fools n ."]
2. Let every one seek also the salvation of others
[There are many ways in which this may be done
In particular, let every one attend to his own household. For
these, in a more especial manner, is every one responsible
- But in whatever way our exertions are called forth,
let us remember that they must be used in a wise, discreet,
affectionate manner. We must doubtless declare the whole
counsel of God : but, if we would succeed in our labours, we
must endeavour to " win souls" by love, and not drive them
away by severity and terror ]
1 Rev. v. 1113. m Wisd. v. 46. n Prov. iii. 35.
Here any particular means may be insisted on, according as the
particular occasion may require : for instance, The Ministry The
Visiting of the Sick The Instructing of Children The Sending forth
of the Holy Scriptures The Support of Missions, &c. &c.
110 PROVERBS, XII. 26. [779.
DCCLXXIX.
THE EXCELLENCY OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
Prov. xii. 26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour.
MEN in their external appearance are alike ; so
far at least, that their moral character cannot with
any accuracy be determined by it. But God, who
searches the heart, sees an immense difference be
tween different men ; such a difference as suffices to
arrange them all under two great classes the right
eous and the wicked. In the righteous he finds an
excellency which he in vain looks for in others ; and
to point out this superior excellency is my object, in
this discourse. But here it is proper to observe, that
Solomon does not draw the comparison between a
righteous and a notoriously wicked man ; but between
a righteous man and "his neighbour," however excel
lent that neighbour may be : for, if there be in any
man a want of positive and inherent righteousness,
whatever else he may possess, he must be classed
with the wicked : and with such only will my present
comparison be instituted.
" The righteous man, then, is more excellent than
his neighbour ;"
I. In his connexions
A truly righteous man is born of God
[This is frequently and fully declared in the Holy Scrip
tures 3 and though he be the poorest man upon earth,
he is entitled to address his God under the endearing name of
Father.]
He is united to Christ
[He is united to him as a building to the foundation 1 *; as
a wife to her husband ; as a branch to the vine d ; as a member
to the body 6 . There is no other union so close and intimate,
except that which subsists between God the Father and the
Lord Jesus f : for he is not only one body with him, but one
spirit also s : for Christ lives in him h , and is his very life 1 .]
a John i. 12. and iii. 5. and 1 John iii. 1. b 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5.
c Eph. v. 32. Rev. xxi. 9. d John xv. 1.
c Epb. v. 30. f John xvii. 21, 23. e 1 Cor. vi. 17.
11 Gal. ii. 20. Col. iii. 4.
779.] THE EXCELLENCY OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 117
The Holy Ghost also dwells in him
[He is a temple of the Holy Ghost k , who abides in him
more manifestly and more effectually than in the whole universe
besides : and so desirable a residence is his heart accounted by
the Holy Spirit, that, in comparison of it, the temple of Solo
mon itself was held in utter contempt 1 .]
He is of the same family with all the glorified saints
and angels
[There is but one family, whether in heaven or earth, of
which Christ is the head m : and so far is he from being dis
owned by them, that there is not an angel before the throne
that does not account it an honour to wait upon him, and to
minister unto him 11 .]
What does any worldly man possess, that can be
compared with this?
[Whose child is he 9 . "A child of the wicked one :" as
our Lord has said, " Ye are of your father the devil p ." True
it is, that in the last day the holy angels will minister to them
also ; but it will only be to " gather them together" from every
part of the universe, and to " bind them up in bundles," and
to cast them headlong into the fire of hell q . Tell me, then, to
which of these the superior excellency belongs ?]
Let us trace this,
II. In his principles
The righteous man is altogether under the influ
ence of faith and love
[He looks for salvation solely through the blood and
righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has no hope
whatever, but in the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. As
for any righteousness of his own, he utterly disclaims it. He
knows, that if he were judged by the best act he ever per
formed, he must for ever perish. The way which God him
self has provided for the salvation of sinners is that which he
affects, and in which he glories : the language of his inmost
soul is this, " God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom (or by which) the world is
crucified unto me, and I unto the world 1 ."
At the same time that he looks thus to be saved as a sinner,
he labours to walk as a saint, and to " adorn the doctrine of
God his Saviour in all things." Nor is he impelled to this by
any slavish fear of punishment : no : " the love of Christ
k 1 Cor. vi. 19. J Isai. Ixvi. 1,2. m Eph. iii. 15.
n Heb. i. 14. Matt. xiii. 38. 1 John iii. 10.
P John viii. 44. 1 Matt. xiii. 30. r Gal. vi. 14.
118 PROVERBS, XII. 26. [779.
constrains him ; because he thus judges, that if one died for all,
then were all dead ; and that he died for all, that they who
live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him
who died for them and rose again 8 ." And as he serves his God
from love, so is he actuated by the same principle in all his
intercourse with men : " he walks in love, as Christ has loved
him*;" and he looks upon this as the best fruit of his faith u ,
and as the surest evidence of his acceptance with God x .]
How widely different from these are the principles
of the wicked !
[Let it be remembered, that I am not speaking of those
who indulge in gross wickedness, but of those only who are not
positively righteous. Whatever they may possess in respect
of outward morality, they are strangers to the true exercise
both of faith and love. They do not fully enter into the great
mystery of redemption : they feel not their need of such a
Saviour as God has provided for them. That God himself
should become a man, and die under the load of their sins,
and work out a righteousness wherein they may stand accepted
before him they see no occasion for all this : they think they
might be saved on easier terms, or, if I may so express it, at
a cheaper rate. They cannot see why they should have so
inestimable a price paid for them, when their own repentance
and reformation might have well sufficed for all the demands
which God had upon them. Nor do they feel their need of
the Holy Spirit to teach and sanctify them, when their own
wisdom and strength were, upon the whole, adequate to their
necessities. At all events, if they assent to the Gospel salvation
as true, they do not embrace it with their whole hearts, and
rejoice in it as that which alone could give them a hope before
God. So also in their obedience, all which they do is from
constraint, rather than from love: as clearly appears from hence,
that they are satisfied, upon the whole, with what they do ;
whereas, if they felt their obligations to God for the gift of
his only Son to die for them, and of his Holy Spirit to renew
them, they would feel nothing but dissatisfaction and grief on
account of their short-comings and defects. In fact, all their
works are done merely in conformity with the customs of the
world, and for the purpose of forming a ground for self-esti
mation, and for the estimation of those around them.
What comparison, then, will these bear with the characters
with which they are here contrasted ? They are as inferior to
the righteous " as dross is to the purest gold y ."]
Let us trace the comparison yet further,
8 2 Cor. v. 11, 15. t Eph. v. 2. u Gal. v. 6.
* 1 John iii. 14, 19. and iv. 7, 17. ? Jer. vi. 30.
779.] THE EXCELLENCY OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 119
III. In his habits
The righteous man lives altogether to his God
[See him from day to day : his whole soul is humbled before
God, under a sense of his own extreme unworthiness. Were
you to behold him in his secret chamber, you would behold
him more abased before his God for an evil thought or desire,
than an ungodly man would be for the actual commission of
the grossest sin. Oh ! the sighs and groans which he involun
tarily utters, under the load of that burthen, that body of sin
and death, from which he cannot get free ! and many are the
tears which he sheds in secret, because he cannot attain that
perfect holiness which his soul panteth after.
With his humiliation he breathes forth in devoutest accents
his prayers and praise. His prayers are no formal service, but
a holy wrestling with God ; and his praises resemble those of
heaven, that are accompanied with the devoutest prostration
of soul.
A life of self-denial) too, characterizes his daily walk. He
desires to " crucify the flesh, with its affections and lusts j" and
it is his incessant labour to " mortify the whole body of sin."
" Not a right hand, or right eye," would he willingly retain :
he would gladly part with every thing, however dear to him,
if only he may but enjoy the testimony of a good conscience,
and approve himself faithful to the heart-searching God.
To prepare for death and judgment is his one concern. He
lives as on the borders of eternity. He knows not at what
hour the bridegroom may arrive; and therefore he " keeps
his loins girt, and his lamp trimmed, that he may be ready to
enter into the bride-chamber" with his beloved Lord.]
But how is it with the wicked in these respects ?
[Are they from day to day humbling themselves in the
Divine presence? What cares and sorrows they have are
altogether of a worldly nature. To " abhor themselves," like
Job, and " to repent in dust and ashes," unless for some wick
edness that has exposed them to public hatred and contempt,
is no part of their experience before God.
And what are their prayers and thanksgivings ? Nothing but
a mere lip-service, in which their hearts are not at all engaged.
As for self-denial, they know little about it. Their whole
life is a system of self-indulgence. They may not run into
gross sins on account of their regard for their character amongst
men; but they pursue with unabated ardour those earthly
vanities on which their hearts are set. Pleasure, or riches,
or honour, occupy all their thoughts, and stimulate all their
exertions. They live altogether for themselves, and not for
God; for the body, and not for the soul; for time, and not
for eternity.
ISO PROVERBS, XII. 26. [779.
Surely the further we compare the characters, the more will
the superiority of the righteous appear.]
It remains that we yet further contemplate the
righteous,
IV. In his end-
How blessed this will be, no words can adequately
describe !
[Were you present with him in his dying hour, and God
were to open your eyes, you would see angels attendant on
him, to bear upon their wings his departing spirit into Abra
ham s bosom. Could you follow him, and witness his reception
by the Most High God, what plaudits would you hear ! " Well
done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy
Lord ! " How would you, then, behold him graced with a crown
of gold, seated upon a throne, invested with a kingdom, and
shining forth with a glory that would eclipse the noon-day sun !
To all eternity will he then live, in the immediate fruition of his
God, holy as God himself is holy ; and happy, according to his
capacity, as God himself is happy.]
Alas ! alas ! here all comparison must for ever
cease
[The wicked, unhappy creatures ! are dragged into the
presence of an angry God, in vain " calling upon rocks and
mountains to cover them from his wrath." From him they
hear that terrific sentence, " Depart accursed, into everlasting
fire, prepared for the devil and his angels ! " and into that fire
are they cast, even " that lake that burneth with fire and brim
stone," from whence " the smoke of their torment will ascend
for ever and ever." But this is too painful to reflect upon. O
that the very mention of it may suffice to confirm the assertion
in my text, and to convince you all wherein alone true excel
lency can be found !]
ADDRESS
1. Those whom God has classed with "the wicked"
[You will find, in the words following my text, that the
persons contrasted with the righteous are so designated : and
of them it is said, " The way of the wicked seduceth them."
Now, it must be granted, that " their way "is more easy, and to
flesh and blood more pleasant, and more approved by an ungodly
world; and, therefore they imagine it to be, on the whole,
preferable to the difficult and self-denying and despised path
of the righteous. But they are " seduced" by these specious
appearances ; and " a deceived heart has turned them aside ;
so that they cannot deliver their soul, or say, Is there not a
780.] THE CHARACTER AND END OF THE WICKED. 121
lie in my right hand 2 ?" But be dispassionate, and judge as
before the Lord. If you deceive yourselves, you cannot deceive
him : he will judge, not according to your own erroneous esti
mate of yourselves, but according to truth, and to the real
state of your souls. Yet methinks you cannot deceive even
yourselves, if you will but reflect with any degree of candour
upon the comparison that has been set before you. In truth,
you have in your own bosoms a witness for God : for, whether
your conduct be more or less moral, there is not one of you
that does not say in his heart, especially in his more thoughtful
moments, " Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my
last end be like his."]
2. Those who are disposed to number themselves
amongst "the righteous "-
[Many who claim this distinction prove themselves, by
their habits, most unworthy of it. It is a melancholy truth,
that many professors of religion, instead of being more excel
lent than their neighbour, are inferior to him in almost every
thing that is amiable and praiseworthy. Such self-deceivers
will have a fearful account to give at the last day. To every
one, then, amongst you I would say, If you profess yourselves
to be righteous, let it appear to all around that you are so
by the superior excellence of your lives. Our Lord says to
his disciples, " What do ye more than others?" More than
others ye ought to do; inasmuch as your obligations and assist
ances are more than others are acquainted with. You are to
" shine as lights in a dark world; " and in every relation of life
to approve yourselves more excellent than your neighbour.
Are you husbands or wives, parents or children, masters or
servants, you should fill up your station in life more to the
honour of God and the good of the community than any others
around you. I conclude, then, with that direction which our
blessed Lord has given you : " So let your light shine before
men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your
Father who is in heaven."]
z Isai. xliv. 20.
DCCLXXX.
THE CHARACTER AND END OF THE WICKED.
Prov. xiii. 5. A wicked man is lothesome, and cometh to
shame.
THE world in general uphold and countenance
one another in their evil ways ; some will even
" make a mock at sin," and glory in it. But God s
testimony respecting the wicked man is, that, whatever
122 PROVERBS, XIII. 5. [780.
be his rank, or talents, or estimation among men, he
is indeed "lothesome, and cometh to shame."
In these words we behold,
I. The character of the wicked
The wicked comprehend all who are not righteous
[There are but two classes of persons mentioned in the
Scriptures ; and to one or other of them we all belong. There
is no intermediate character. We indeed cannot always de
termine to which of these classes men belong, because we cannot
discern the heart ; but God, to whom all things are naked and
open, will distinguish them from each other as easily as we do
sheep from the goats.
It is of infinite importance that we should have this truth
impressed on our minds : for we are ready to rank among the
wicked those only who are guilty of great enormities : whereas
ah 1 are wicked who are not truly righteous ; all, who are not
converted to God, and renewed in the spirit of their minds.]
God s testimony respecting them is applicable to
them all, whether they be more or less wicked in
respect of gross sins
[The openly profane are doubtless exceeding lothesomein
the sight of God. Let any one but notice their conversation ;
how replete is it with lewdness and blasphemy ! Let their
tempers be marked ; what evil dispositions do they manifest on
all occasions ! Let their conduct be scrutinized, their drunken
ness, their whoredoms, and all their other abominations ; and
who must not confess the justice of that representation, which
compares them to swine wallowing in the mire, and dogs de
vouring their own vomit a ?
The more decent, it is true, are not so vile in the eyes of men,
(yea, perhaps they are honoured and esteemed) but they also
are lothesome in the sight of God. What monsters of ingrati
tude are the very best of unregenerate men ! What mercies
have they received from God ; what inconceivable love has been
shewn them by the Lord Jesus Christ ; and yet they have never
spent one hour in humble and grateful adorations. If they had
laboured thus to win the affections of some worthless wretch,
and after many years of unintermitted kindness were requited
by him as they requite their God, would they not consider him
as deserving of utter execration? How lothesome then must they
be, whose obligations are infinitely greater, and whose conduct
is inexpressibly more vile ! Their actions, it is confessed, may
have been fair and specious : but what have their hearts been ?
have they not been a very sink of iniquity b ? Yes ; so depraved
a 2 Pet. ii. 22. See also Job xv. 16. Ps. liii. 1 3.
t> Jer. xvii. 9. Gen. vi. 5.
780/j THE CHARACTER AND END OF THE WICKED. 123
are the very best of men, that there are few, if any, who would
not rather die, than have all the secrets of their hearts known
to men as they are known to God. What then are such per
sons, but whited sepulchres ? No wonder that, however they
be esteemed among men, both their persons and services are an
abomination to the Lord d .]
Conformable to their character must surely be,
II. Their end-
Sin is in itself inconceivably vile, and will bring its
votaries to shame,
1. In this world
[How often are the fairest characters blasted by detection,
and exposed to infamy! The deeds of darkness, when brought
to light, often reflect such dishonour upon men, as to make
them shun society, and put a period to their own existence.
And how many are brought to die by the hands of a public
executioner, and to entail disgrace on their latest posterity !
Little do men think, when first they yield to temptation,
whither sin will lead them. It is a principal device of Satan
to conceal the consequences of sin, and to make men believe
that they can recede from it whenever they please : but when
he has once entangled their feet, they find to their cost, that
they cannot escape from his net.]
2. In the world to come
[There are many who pass honourably through life, and,
for their conduct in society, deserve every t( ken of our respect.
But God will try the hearts of men in the last day ; and " will
bring to light every secret thing, whether it be good or evil."
Then what shame will overwhelm the most specious moralist,
whose heart was unrenewed by grace ! A want of love to Christ
now is thought but a light matter : but then it will appear in
its true colours, as deserving of God s heaviest indignation 6 .
Secret lusts too are overlooked, as though they did not at all
defile the soul: but they will then be found to have made us alto
gether lothesome and odious to God f . Then will Christ g with all
his saints h and angels 1 unite in expressing their abhorrence of
these whited sepulchres; so fully shall that declaration be veri
fied, They shall awake to shame and everlasting contempt k .]
We cannot IMPROVE this subject better than by point
ing out,
Matt, xxiii. 27. d Luke xv. 10. Prov. xv. 8, 26. and xxviii. 9.
e 1 Cor. xvi. 22. f Ezek. xiv. 4, 7. 8 Matt. vii. 22, 23.
h 1 Cor. vi. 2. Matt. xiii. 41, 42. k Dan. xii. 2.
PROVERBS, XIII. 15. [781.
1. What is that repentance which such persons
need
[It is by no means sufficient to confess that we are sinners:
we should feel that we are indeed lothesome 1 ; and should be
filled with shame on account of the extreme vileness of our
hearts. Nothing less than this will constitute that " repent
ance which is not to be repented of"."]
2. How their character and end may be completely
changed
[Lothesome as we are we may be purified by the blood of
Jesus, and be made without spot or blemish in the sight of God .
Our natures also may be changed by his Spirit, so that we shall
possess a beauty that God himself shall admire 1 . Yea, instead
of having shame for our portion, we shall be made to inherit
" glory and honour and immortality." We shall be sons of the
living God, and be seated with Christ on thrones of glory. Let
us then seek this change, and rely on God s promises, that by
means of them it may be accomplished in us q .]
I Isai. Ixiv. 6.
111 Ezek. xxx vi. 31. and xvi. 63. and Rom. vi. 21.
II See Ezra ix. 6. Job xl. 4. and xlii. 0.
Eph. v. 25 27. i 1 Pet. iii. 4. 1 2 Cor. vii. 1.
DCCLXXXI.
THE WAY OF TRANSGRESSORS HARD.
Prov. xiii. 15. The way of transgressors is hard.
THE Scriptures abound with weighty aphorisms,
which deserve the deepest consideration. For the
most part, they will be found directly opposed to the
general opinions of mankind. The maxims of men
are too often founded on the appearance of things,
and on the respect they bear to our temporal ad
vantage ; but the declarations of God exhibit things
as they really are, and as they will approve them
selves to be, if \ve take into consideration their
aspect on eternity. The transgressors of God s law
account themselves happy in having cast off his yoke,
and freed themselves from the restraints which his
law would impose upon them. But the truth is, that
he is under a most desperate delusion, and grievously
deceives his own soul. " A good understanding," re
gulating the conduct agreeably to God s commands,
781.1 THE WAY OF TRANSGRESSORS HARD. 123
"will ensure to a man favour" and comfort, both in
this world and the next :" " but the way of trans
gressors is hard." Their whole life is a state,
I. Of bondage
[Whatever be the besetting sin of the ungodly, it has
within them the force of a law, to which alas ! they yield a
willing obedience 3 ." As the ten tribes " ran willingly after
the commandment" of Jeroboam to the commission of idolatry,
to which they had ari inward and almost invincible propensity b ;
so do the worldling, the sensualist, the drunkard, follow but too
readily, the impulse of their own corrupt hearts. A spring
will not more naturally rise, when the power which compressed
it is removed, than their lusts will rise to demand their wonted
gratification, when an opportunity for indulgence is afforded
them. The poor infatuated agents will call this liberty ; but
the whole Scriptures designate it bondage : " Know ye not,
that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants
ye are to whom ye obey d ? " Yes, in yielding to temptation
we are " the servants of sin e ;" and the servants of Satan also:
for " he it is who worketh in all the children of disobedience f ,"
and leads them captive at his wills." I n fact, the whole Gospel
takes this for granted : for Christ was sent on purpose to re
deem us from this bondage 11 , and to " make us free indeed 1 ."
But, whilst thus enslaved, are we not in a most pitiable condi
tion? True, we may not be sensible of the bondage, because
the sendee of sin and Satan is in accordance with our own cor
rupt inclinations : but we are, in fact, the more to be pitied,
because of our insensibility : even as a maniac is, whose whole
life is occupied in things which tend to the destruction of his
own welfare. The transgressor s life is also a state,]
II. Of disquietude
[The ungodly man, whatever be his pursuit, finds nothing
in which his soul can rest. Possess what he may, " in the
midst of his sufficiency he is in straits k ." There is always a
secret something unpossessed ; some object which he thinks
would make him happy, but which, even when in appearance
almost attained, eludes his grasp : and after he has " hewn out
to himself a cistern with great labour, he finds it only a broken
cistern, that can hold no water 1 ." His continual disappoint
ments fill him with vexation ; so that he finds even the objects
of his fondest hope prove, in the issue, to be " vanity and
vexation of spirit." Not being devoted to his God, he wants
3 Rom. vii. 21. b Hos. v. 11. c 2 Pet. ii. 19.
d Rom. vi. 16. c Rom. vi. 17. f Eph. ii. 2.
e 2 Tim. ii. 26. h Luke iv. 18. John viii. 36.
k Job xx. 22. i Jer. ii. 13.
126 PROVERBS, XIII. 15. [781.
those enjoyments and those prospects which alone can afford
consolation to him under his trials To his other pains
are added those of a self-condemning conscience. He tries
indeed to stifle the voice of conscience ; and betakes himself to
business, and pleasures, and company, in order to get rid of its
remonstrances : but there are times when it will speak, espe
cially a time of sickness and approaching dissolution ; and at
those seasons he feels regret that he has so long and so entirely
disregarded his eternal interests. Gladly at such a season
would he consent to have his miserable life protracted to an
indefinite period, yea, or to suffer annihilation ; not because he
could contemplate either the one or the other with pleasure,
but because he dreads the judgment for which he has neglected
to prepare.
Say, Brethren, whether such a way be not hard and pain
ful ? Yet I appeal to the conscience of every man, whether
that declaration be not verified in his own experience ; " The
wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose
waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God,
to the wicked." Yes, verily, this testimony is incontrovertible ;
and it proves beyond all doubt the truth in my text, that "the
way of transgressors is hard."
But all this is heightened by the consideration of the trans
gressors way as a state,]
III. Of danger
[In some respect it may be said of every man, that he is
exposed to danger, and that " we know not what a day or an
hour may bring forth." But, if we be servants of Christ, we
have nothing to fear ; since He is pledged to preserve us from
every thing that shall be really evil, and to make " all things
work together for our good n ." Even death itself is a blessing
to the pious man, who is privileged to count it amongst his
richest treasures . Far different from this, however, is the
state of the ungodly man : he knows not but that the next
moment may precipitate him into the bottomless abyss of hell.
Death waits but for its commission from on high, and it will
in an instant transmit his soul to the bar of judgment, and to
the presence of his offended God. What a fearful thought !
With what terror would it inspire the unconverted man, if it
were contemplated aright ! Could we but conceive a trans
gressor hurried to the tribunal of his Judge, to give up his
great account, and to receive his final doom, what a view should
we have of the folly of his ways ! Oh ! the anguish to which
he is now subjected under the wrath of an avenging God ?
m Isai. Ivii. 20, 21. n Rom. viii. 28. 1 Cor. iii. 22.
781.] THE WAY OF TRANSGRESSORS HARD. 127
what "weeping" under the load of his misery ! what "wail
ing " on account of his folly, in having so wasted his day of
grace ! and what " gnashing of teeth," with unprofitable exe
crations against his avenging God ! Such is the danger to
which the unconverted man is every moment exposed. At his
most joyous feasts, this sword is suspended over him by a single
hair ; which cut or rent asunder, he is instantly consigned to
endless woe. Whether the transgressor think of it or not, this
is his state ; and a miserable state it is : and if he awake not
out of it before death shall seize him, it were better for him
that he had never been born.]
IMPROVEMENT
1. How desirable is the conversion of the soul to
God!
[Compare the state of a converted soul with that which
has been before described. The saint, doubtless, has his trials,
as well as the ungodly man : but in him, so far as it prevails,
religion makes a most essential difference : " it frees him from
the law of sin and death p ;" and he finds all its ways to be the
ways of pleasantness and peace q . " If men consulted only
their happiness in this life, they would devote themselves to
God, whose service is perfect freedom : but if they take eternity
into the account, they will confess him to be the only happy
man, who enjoys the Divine favour and looks forward with con
fidence to a participation of the Divine glory.]
2. How infatuated are they who delay to seek it !
[Truly, if men were conscious of their danger in an un
converted state, they could no more sleep than they could in
a ship that was on fire, or on a rafter on which they were
making their escape to land. I pray you, beloved, consider
the shortness and uncertainty of time ! Consider how every
day s continuance in sin operates to grieve the Holy Spirit of
God, to harden your own hearts, to confirm your evil habits,
to accumulate your load of guilt, and to augment the misery
that awaits you. O ! will you delay to turn unto your God ?
Will you delay one single hour ? What if your soul be required
of you this very night, and your doom be fixed without a hope
or possibility of change for ever ? I beseech you, to-day, while
it is called to-day, harden not your hearts ; but " repent, and
turn yourselves from all your transgressions ; so iniquity shall
not be your ruin."]
P Rom. viii. 2. i Prov. iii. 17.
128 PROVERBS, XIV. 9. [782.
DCCLXXXII.
THE FOLLY OF MAKING A MOCK AT SIN.
Prov. xiv. 9. Fooh make a mock at sin.
MAN in his first creation was formed after the
Divine image ; and there was not in his soul the least
inclination to evil of any kind. But since his fall, he
is become in love with sin : sin is the very element
in which he lives : and so unconscious is he of its
malignity,, that he makes a mock at it. Doubtless all
do not carry their impiety to the same extent. Some
are openly profane, and given up to all manner of
wickedness ; not only not being ashamed of their
ways, but actually " glorying in their shame."
We must not however restrict to persons of this
description the declaration in our text. The evil
that is there complained of is of far wider extent, it
more or less attaches to every unconverted man.
This will appear, whilst we open to you,
I. The conduct here reprobated
Let us remember what sin is : " it is the trans
gression of the law a ." Whichever table of the law
be broken, or whatever command be violated, the
violation of it is sin : and to make light of that trans
gression, whether it be more or less heinous in itself,
is to make a mock at sin. Bearing this in mind, we
say, that this evil is committed,
1. By those who live in sin themselves
[Passing over the drunkard, who says to his companions,
We will fill ourselves with strong drink ; and to-morrow
shall be as this clay and much more abundant 1 ;" and the rob
ber, who invites his fellows, " Come, let us lay wait for blood,
that we may fill our houses with spoil ;" and the unhappy
prostitute, who "impudently" assaults with importunity the
unwary youth d ; or a variety of other characters alike noto
rious and abandoned ; passing by these, I say, (whom to have
named is quite sufficient,) let us look to the worldling, who,
though walking in a more sober way, lives altogether for him
self; or look to the self-righteous, who though admired and
a 1 John iii. 4. b Isai. Ivi. 12.
c Prov. i. 11, 13. d Prov. vii. G IS.
782.] FOLLY OF MAKING A MOCK AT SIN V 129
applauded as characters of superior excellence, have no true
humiliation before God, no earnest desires after a Saviour, no
real delight in holy exercises, no fixedness of mind to glorify
their God. What shall I say of them all ? Have they any
just views of sin ? Have they any suitable apprehensions of the
state to which they have been brought by means of sin ? Do
not their whole spirit and temper shew, that they think light
of it ? and, if it were set before them in all its malignity and
ill desert, would they not say, that the representation was
exaggerated, and that the person who gave them the repre
sentation was deceived ? They need not utter any \vords, to
betray the thoughts of their hearts : these are sufficiently evi
dent by the absence of all those feelings which a just estimate
of sin would create : and exactly as those who imagine that
God will never punish sin, are said to " contemn God e ," so
may those, who think that sin will not involve us in misery, be
justly said to contemn sin, and, in heart at least, if not in act,
to " make a mock at it."]
2. By those who discountenance piety in others
[Though a form of godliness will gain us applause, no man
begins to experience the power of it without exposing himself
to the censure of an ungodly world. Let a person be really
broken-hearted and contrite, as every sinner ought to be; let
him be seeking the Lord Jesus Christ with his whole heart ;
let him turn his back upon the vanities of the world, and sepa
rate himself from the society of those who would ensnare his soul;
let him give himself to reading the holy Scriptures, to devout
meditation, to fervent prayer, to a diligent use of all the ap
pointed ordinances of religion ; let him join himself to the Lord s
people, and choose the excellent of the earth for his compa
nions ; let him, in a word, be in earnest in fleeing from the
wrath to come, and in laying hold on eternal life ; let him do
this, and his nearest friends will instantly dissuade him from
such a course : they will represent to him the inexpediency of
such extravagant measures ; they will complain of him as en
thusiastic and righteous over-much. They will impute the
change that has taken place in him to weakness, or vanity, or
perhaps to hypocrisy and a desire of human estimation. Now
then I ask, whence would such a disapprobation of his ways
arise ? Are they not such ways as are marked out by God?
Are they not the very footsteps of the flock who have gone
before him ? Is not this course precisely such as common sense
would dictate, and such as all mankind would approve, if the
bodily life were in danger ? Who would complain of earnest
ness in a shipwrecked mariner ? Who would deride the cries
and fears and efforts of a person endeavouring to escape from
e Ps. x. 13.
VOL. VII. K
130 PROVERBS, XIV. 9. [782.
a house on fire ? Yet in matters relating to the soul and to
eternity, no sooner is the importance of salvation felt, and ma
nifested, as it ought to be, than all who have any influence
endeavour to quiet the fears, and to discourage the exertions,
of the awakened soul. Could this be, if sin were viewed by
them as God views it? No : the persons who thus discoun
tenance fervent piety, declare, that they see no occasion for it;
that we may very well be saved without it ; and that sin has no
such terrors but that a moderate degree of attention will not
suffice to escape from its threatened dangers. What is this,
but to " make a mock at sin?"]
That such conduct may appear in its true light, I
proceed to shew,
II. The folly of it-
However much we make a mock at sin,
1. We cannot alter the nature of it
[Sin is "that abominable thing which God hates 1 :" he
cannot look upon it, or on those who commit it, without the
utmost abhorrence g . It is, whether we will believe it or not,
" exceeding sinful V Now we are told by the prophet, that
many will " call evil good, and good evil ; and will put dark
ness for light, and light for darkness ; bitter for sweet, and
sweet for bitter 1 ." But if the whole universe should do this,
would they alter the essential qualities of these things ? Would
darkness cease to be darkness, and serve all the purposes of
light ? or would bitter change its properties to sweetness ? So,
whatever construction men may put upon sin, and however they
may palliate its enormity, it will ever remain immutably the
same ; a defiling, debasing, damning evil ; more to be dreaded
than death itself. We may call it innocent ; but it will " bite
like a serpent, and sting like an adder k ." We may roll it as a
sweet morsel " under our tongue ; but it will be the gall of asps
within us 1 ."]
2. We cannot avert its consequences
[God has said, " The wicked shall be turned into hell,
and all the nations that forget God m ." Now we may say to
sinners, as the serpent did to Eve, " Ye shall not surely die 11 :"
but we can never separate the penalty from the offence. We
may represent the transgression, whatever it may be, as small ;
and may expatiate upon the goodness of God, and the impos
sibility of his visiting such an offence with such a tremendous
punishment : but we shall not prevail on him to rescind his
Jcr. iv. 44. g Hab. i. 13. Rom. vii. 13.
Isai. v. 20. k Prov. xxiii. 32. ] Job xx. 12 14.
111 Ps. ix. 17. " Gen. iii. 4.
782. J FOLLY OF MAKING A MOCK AT SIN. 131
decree, or to reverse his sentence. He lias said, " The soul
that sinneth, it shall die :" and die it shall, even " the second
death, in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone :" nor
if the whole universe should combine their efforts to avert the
sentence, should they ever prevail in any single instance p .
" The wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men q :" and sooner shall heaven and earth
pass away, than one impenitent transgressor escape. How
great then must be the folly of making a mock at sin ! If we
could prevail on God to accord with our views, and to concede
that sin should pass unpunished, we might have some plea for
our conduct : but if the effect of our representations be only
to deceive our own souls, and to rivet the chains with which
sin and Satan have already bound us, we must confess that
Solomon s views of such conduct are just, and that they are
" fools" who " make a mock at sin."]
To all of you then I would, in CONCLUSION, say,
1. Make not light of sin yourselves
[Your souls, your immortal souls, are at stake. Were
the consequences of your error only temporary, we might
leave you to enjoy your own delusions : but they are eternal.
There is no repentance in the grave. " As the tree falls, so
it will lie." If you die under the guilt of sin, your doom
is irreversible, your misery everlasting. How do millions that
are now in the eternal world curse their folly for making light
of sin, in direct opposition to all that God had spoken in his
word respecting it ! and in what accents would they speak, if
they could now have access to you to warn you ! I pray you
then be wise in time ; and seek without delay to obtain " the
forgiveness of your sins through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus r " ]
2. Regard not the scoffs of those who do
[Suppose it desirable to possess the good opinion of the
world : yet surely to purchase it at the expense of your im
mortal soul is to pay too high a price for it : it is but for a
moment at all events : and though it is valuable so far as it
may give you an influence over them for their good, yet it
cannot for one moment be put in competition with the testi
mony of a good conscience, and the approbation of your God.
You are taught to expect, that if you will not countenance
the world in their ways, they will do all they can to discoun
tenance you in yours. You see that this has been the case
from the beginning : from the time of Abel to this hour, " they
who have been born after the flesh have persecuted those who
Ezek. xviii. 20. i> Prov. xi. 21. i Rom. i. 18. r Col. i. 11.
K 2
132 PROVERBS, XIV. 9. [782.
are born of the Spirit s :" and not even the Lord Jesus Christ
himself could escape their reproaches. " If then they called
the Master of the house Beelzebub," wonder not if his servants
also be designated by reproachful names*. If these things
come upon you for righteousness sake, receive them as a token
for good u , and bless God that you are " counted worthy to
endure them*." God permits these things as trials of your
faith and love ; and if they at any time appear grievous to
you, then think of the plaudit of your Judge, and how speedily
the very people who now condemn you will themselves " awake
to shame and everlasting contempt y ," and will be among the
foremost to proclaim your praise 2 . " Be faithful unto death ;
and God will give you a crown of life."]
3. Endeavour so to walk, that those who mock at
sin may have no occasion given them to mock at
righteousness also
[Whilst you in departing from evil " condemn the world a ,"
you may be well assured that they will be glad enough to find
occasion against you, and to condemn religion on your account.
Endeavour then to " walk wisely before God in a perfect
way V Let the world " have no fault to find in you, except
concerning the law of your God c ." Let not your regard for
the duties of the first table lead you to neglect those of the
second ; but be careful to fulfil the duty of your place and
station towards man, as well as that which consists in the
more immediate service of your God : and be careful to avoid
all needless singularities, which in the sight of God make you
neither better nor worse. As for preventing the world from
taking offence, that is impossible. Darkness must of necessity
" hate the light:" but take care that the light be that which
proceeds from God, and not from any " sparks of your own
kindling." " Walk in wisdom towards them that are without d :"
" give them no occasion to speak reproachfully 6 :" but so cause
" your light to shine before them, that they may be led to glorify
your heavenly Father." Thus, though you should not " win
them by your good conversation," you may at least hope " to
put to silence the ignorance of foolish men f ;" and constrain
them, in spite of all their mocking, to confess, that " the
righteous is more excellent than his neighbour 8 ."]
s Gal iv. 29. t Matt. x. 25.
11 Luke xxi. 13. " Unto you : not against you."
x Acts v. 41. v Dan. xii. 2. Wisd. v. 16.
i Hcl). xi. 7. b Ps. ci. 2. c Dan. vi. 5.
11 Col. iv. .->. e i Tim. v. 14. t 1 Pet. ii. 15.
* Prov. xii. 26.
783.] MAN S EXPERIENCE KNOWN TO HIMSELF ALONE. 133
DCCLXXXIII.
MAN S EXPERIENCE KNOWN TO HIMSELF ALONE.
Prov. xiv. 10. The heart knoiveth his own bitterness,- and a
stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.
THE inward experience of men, any further than
it is discovered by acts or other outward signs, must
of necessity be known to themselves alone. St. Paul
puts the question to us, " Who knoweth the things of
a man, save the spirit of man which is in him a ?"
Whether a man be filled with sorrow or joy, he alone
can be sensible of the measure and extent of his own
feelings.
The assertions in my text will be found true,
I. In reference to the concerns of this world
[Great are the troubles of many, as arising from their
own unhappy tempers from their connexions in life
or from circumstances of embarrassment in their
affairs And who but themselves can fully appreciate
their sorrows ? On the other hand, the comforts of
many are considerable, as flowing from the exercise of bene
volence and love from the endearments of domestic
life and from that success in their affairs which enables
them to supply with ease the wants of themselves and families
And of the satisfaction which they feel, a stranger
would form a very inadequate conception ]
II. In reference to the concerns of the soul
[In matters relating to the soul, the feelings are still more
acute. None but the person feeling it can tell " the bitterness"
which is occasioned by a sense of sin, with all its aggravations
by the prospect of death and judgment, whilst the soul
is unprepared to meet its God and by temptations
to despondency, and perhaps to suicide itself - Job s
friends could not at all appreciate his sorrows, as depicted by
himself b - Nor can any, but the man whose " heart
is thus broken," conceive fully what " a broken and contrite
spirit is "
On the other hand, there are in the heart of a true Christian
" joys, with which a stranger intermeddleth not." The peace
that is experienced by him, when God speaks peace to his soul,
" passeth all understanding "- And " the joys" with
which he is transported, in the views of his Redeemer s glory, in
a 1 Cor. ii. 11. b Job vi. 24. c Phil. iv. 7.
PROVERBS, XIV. 12. [784.
the experience of God s love shed abroad in his heart, and in
the earnest and foretaste of his eternal inheritance, " are un
speakable and glorified 1 " - - These joys are, " the white
stone, with a new name written on it, which no man can read,
saving he who has received it "- Michal could not
understand the exercises of David s mind* -Nor can
any one fully estimate the blessedness of a soul, when thus ad
mitted to close communion with its God ]
LEARN from hence
[Contentment (the very persons whom you envy, are
perhaps even envying you ) charity (we can see the
outward act only, and can little tell what passes in the hearts
of men, whether in a way of humiliation or desire )
and earnestness in the ways of God ; that you may attain the
deepest measures of contrition, with the sublimcst experience
of joy. The lower we lay our foundation, the higher we may
hope our superstructure shall be raised ]
d 1 Pet. i. 8. See also Rom. viii. 15, 10. and Eph. i. 13, 14. and
iii. 18, 19. e Rev. ii. 17. f 2 Sam. vi. 10, 2022.
DCCLXXXIV.
MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE WAY OF SALVATION.
Prov. xiv. 12. There is a rvaij which seemeth right unto a man,
but the end thereof are the ivays of death*.
ON no topic do men express a greater confidence
than on the subject of religion ; whilst that, of all
subjects that can be offered to our consideration, re
quires most care in our inquiry, and most diffidence
in our decision. All other subjects, as far as they
can be determined at all, may be determined by
reason ; and in the investigation of them, reason is
to a certain degree free, both in its deliberations and
decisions. But spiritual things must be spiritually
discerned : they are out of the reach of reason.
Reason must judge whether the things which are
presented to it are revealed : but, when that point is
ascertained, they must be apprehended by faith alone.
Reason can tell us nothing about the mystery of
redemption : it is faith alone that can apprehend that,
a This was written a great many years after that on Prov. xvi. 25.
without any consciousness that the subject had been treated by the
author before : and, though it goes over some of the same ground,
yet as it contains much new matter, he has here inserted it.
784. J THE WAY OF SALVATION MISCONCEIVED. 135
or any of the other mysteries connected with it. More
over, whilst reason can do so little in favour of religion,
all the prejudices, and passions, and interests of man
kind are acting in full force against it. Faith and
sense are always at variance with each other, and
always striving for the mastery; and unless faith be in
lively exercise, sense is sure to triumph. Hence the
Church of God is inundated with errors of various
kinds : and hence we need to have frequently incul
cated upon our minds the truth contained in our text,
" There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,
but the end thereof are the ways of death."
In illustration of this truth, I will point out some
of those ways, which, though right in the estimation
of those who walk in them, will assuredly terminate in
death. No other issue will there be to the way,
I. Of sceptical indifference
[There is a great degree of scepticism prevailing, in refe
rence both to the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures, and
to all the principal doctrines contained in them : and men of
considerable ability have laboured much to invalidate the former,
and to explain away the latter. Hence many will say, How
can I ascertain what is true, amidst such a conflict of opinions ?
or, How can I depend on any thing, of which so many great
and learned men have doubted ? Is it reasonable to suppose
that God will call us to an account for not admitting what has
been so often controverted, and, in the opinion of some, so suc
cessfully refuted ? Let us rather hope that God, as a God of
mercy, will accept us all, though we do not all walk in that pre
cise way, which those who profess a greater reverence for the
Scriptures conceive to be right.
But these hopes will be found fallacious at the last : for there
is far more criminality in unbelief, than men in general are
aware of. It does not proceed from any want of evidence in
the Scriptures, but from an evil bias in the heart of man. There
is " an evil heart of unbelief," which causes us to depart from
the living God. Men will not submit to God, but will exalt
themselves against him ; and think themselves justified in reject
ing whatever they, with the short line of their reason, are unable
to fathom. What would a philosopher think of a peasant who
should argue thus in reference to sciences which he was unable
to comprehend ? and in what light must God view us, when we
presume to sit in judgment thus on the plainest declarations
of his word ?
156 PIIO VERBS, XIV. 12. [784.
But supposing that there were not so much criminality in
unbelief, should we be at all the more justified in neglecting
our eternal interests? Does not reason itself teach us, that we
are amenable to God for our conduct ; and that, whether our
views of revelation be more or less clear, we should labour
incessantly and with all our might to secure his favour ? and
should we not use all possible means, particularly such as he
himself has prescribed, for the attaining of an insight into his
revealed will?
However innocent we may imagine our scepticism to be, or
however justifiable the indifference connected with it, this way
will at last infallibly end in death. The Jews in the wilder
ness could not enter into the promised land because of their
unbelief: and the same cause will operate also to the exclusion
of our souls from heaven b . The people who denied the
Messiahship of Jesus doubtless thought that they were justi
fied in so doing by a want of evidence : but our Lord said to
them, " If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your
sins :" and in like manner he has commanded it to be pro
claimed to every child of man, " He that believeth and is bap
tized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be
damned 11 ."]
II. Of proud formality
[Multitudes there are, who, like the Pharisees of old, are
extremely attentive to the established forms of religion, and are
observant of morality also, as far as it is approved by the world.
In relation to these things they may be said to be blameless :
and so good is the opinion which they entertain of their own
state, that they would, without any fear of being confounded,
ask, "What lack I yet?" In this state they are approved and
admired of men ; and therefore they conclude, that they are
equally acceptable in the sight of God also. Persons of this
description scarcely ever entertain a doubt, or a fear, but that
all will issue well with them at the last. But they will find
themselves awfully mistaken as soon as ever they go hence.
They will then discover, that their obedience was infinitely
more defective than ever they conceived it to be : and that, if
it had been as blameless as they imagined, it would still have
afforded them no ground of hope before God. Had such attain
ments as these sufficed, St. Paul needed never to have embraced
the Gospel at all : or had they been capable of adding any
thing to the righteousness of Christ, he never would have
desired to be found in Christ, not having his own righteous
ness which was of the law ? How erroneous a way to life this
is, will be seen at once in the parable of the Pharisee and
the Publican. Few of the formalists of the present day can
1kb. iii. 19. and iv. 1,11. c John viii. 24. d Markxvi. 16.
784.] THE WAY OF SALVATION MISCONCEIVED. 131
say so much in their own favour as he could : he could appeal
to God that he was not guilty of such sins as were common in
the world, and that, on the contrary, he was observant of many
religious duties, "fasting twice every week, and giving tithes
of all that he possessed." Yet, because he viewed his state
with self-confidence and self-complacency, he was dismissed
without any blessing ; whilst the self-abasing Publican was par
doned and justified from all his sins e . But thus it ever will
be : " God will fill the hungry with good things, but the rich
he will send empty away f : "he will resist the proud, but give
grace unto the humble g ."]
III. Of intolerant bigotry
[There are not wanting those who imagine that all religion
consists in zeal for their own particular sect or party in the
Church. Amongst the papists, this error prevails to an awful
extent : and happy would it be if it were confined to them ;
but it is found in protestants also, who are as bitter in pro
scribing each other, as the papists are in anathematizing them.
At what a fearful distance are the churchmen and dissenters
separated from each other, from the mere circumstance of their
not adopting the same external form of Church government,
even whilst they are perfectly agreed in sentiment as to all the
fundamental doctrines of Christianity ! From the spirit with
which they view each other, one would be ready to think that
Christ did indeed come to introduce division, not accidentally,
but intentionally ; not by a separation of his people from the
world, but by an alienation of heart from each other. Who
has not seen and mourned over the mutual accusations of the
two parties, each rejoicing in any evil that can be found in the
other, and each wishing the conversion, perhaps I should rather
say, the extermination, of the other? And as men hate each
other on account of outward forms, so no less are they em
bittered against each other by a difference in their internal
principles ; the Arminian hating Calvinists ; and the Calvinist
despising Arminians ! Need I say how much some persons
value themselves on the opposition they give to what they call
enthusiasm, but what, in fact, is " pure and undefiled religion?"
Verily, in persecuting the truth, they think that they do God
service : and well pleased they are to render him a service so
congenial with the malignity of their own hearts. St. Paul
before his conversion was of this very spirit: and our Lord has
told us, that in every age such would prove the persecutors and
tormentors of his Church h . But whoever may be wrong, it is
not possible for persons of this description to be right: the
very spirit which they breathe shews " whose they are, and
e Luke xviii. 11 14. f Luke i. 53.
E 1 Pet. v. 5. & John xvi. 2.
138 PROVERBS, XIV. 12. [784.
whom they serve," even him " who was a murderer from the
beginning V and who has been the great instigator of persecu
tion from the time of Cain even to the present hour. Let such
persons only see St. Paul s review of his own conduct in rela
tion to this matter, and he cannot doubt one moment whither
this path must lead k . Or if this convince him not, let him
know, that if he possessed all the knowledge and faith and
zeal of angels themselves, he would be only as " sounding brass,
or a tinkling cymbal," because he is destitute of that prime
grace which is essential to the very existence of true religion
in the soul, the grace of love ! .]
IV. Of lukewarm attachment to the Gospel
[Where the Gospel is preached with fidelity, it commends
itself to many as true, whilst they yet experience not its saving
power on their souls. Yet the very circumstance of their dis
cerning and approving of it is to them in the place of vital
godliness, and an evidence that they are in the way to heaven.
But religion is not a mere matter of opinion : it is a principle
that pervades the soul, and operates upon all its faculties and
powers. See how it wrought in the converts on the day of
Pentecost ; Avhat new creatures they immediately became !
And such will all become, as soon as ever they receive the
grace of God in truth. The metaphors by which the Christian
life is designated in the Scriptures, sufficiently shew how mis
taken they are who rest in a mere approbation of the Gospel
without feeling its constraining influence upon their souls : if
the running of a race, or wrestling for the mastery, or fighting
for one s life, have any just signification as applied to the
Christian s state, it is impossible for those to be in the way of
life who bear no resemblance whatever to persons so engaged :
and the total want of anxiety and of exertion which they betray,
proves, beyond all doubt, that they are not in the narrow way
which leadeth unto life, but in the broad road that leadeth to
destruction.]
V. Of imsanctified profession
[Amongst the little company of the Apostles themselves,
there was a Judas: and in all the Apostolic Churches also there
were some who " professed that they knew God, but in works
denied him." It must not be wondered at therefore if such
exist in the Church at this present day. Indeed the parable
of the Sower, and that also of the Tares, teaches us to expect,
than Satan will sow tares amongst the wheat, and that it is
not possible for man to separate them the one from the other.
Unhappily, the persons themselves who are unsound at heart
1 John viii. 39 44. 1 John iii. 11, 12, 15.
* 1 Tim. i. 13. 1 Cor. xiii. 13.
784.^] THE WAY OF SALVATION MISCONCEIVED. 139
are not conscious of it. Satan so blinds their eyes, that they
cannot distinguish between the unallowed infirmities of their
nature, and the indulged corruptions of their hearts. Their
evil tempers which are unsubdued, are regarded as light and
venial frailties : their carefulness about the things of this world
is softened down to necessary prudence : and the reigning im
purity of their hearts is cloked under the veil of temptation.
Whatever be their besetting sins, they find some excuse for
them ; and, because they have a zeal for the Gospel and make
some sacrifices for it, they conclude that all is well with them.
Having " a name to live," they have no conception that they
can be really " dead." But such persons need to be reminded
of what our blessed Lord has so plainly and forcibly declared,
namely, that one single lust retained in the soul, though dear
as a right eye or necessary as a right hand, will infallibly plunge
the soul into that lake of fire that never shall be quenched" 1 .
Our blessed Lord has warned us, that the " saying, Lord! Lord !"
however confidently we may repeat it, will never avail us, whilst
we do not the things which he says : and, that though we may
have " cast out devils in his name," we shall find no acceptance
with him in the day of judgment, if we have not really, and
unreservedly, mortified the whole body of sin n . Let all pro
fessors of religion know assuredly, that " without holiness, real
and universal holiness, no man shall see the Lord ;" and that,
whatever estimate they may form of their own state, " not he
who commendeth himself shall be approved, but he whom the
Lord commendeth p ."]
Seeing then that so many mistake the way to heaven,
I will ADD a few words,
1. To guard you against all erroneous ways
[There is one great evil which more or less pervades all
descriptions of men, and that is, an undue confidence in their
own opinions. If they " think a thing to be right," they con
clude that it is right, and will take no pains to ascertain the
truth or falsehood of their judgment. They think not of the
deceitfulness of sin, or of the blindness of their own hearts, or
of the subtlety of Satan ; but go on confidently, as if they were
in no danger of self-deceit. But why has God so often repeated
that admonition, " Be not deceived," if we are not in danger of
being carried away by our own delusions ? We are told of many
whom a deceived heart hath turned aside, so that they cannot
deliver their souls, or say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?"
And why should not this be our state, as well as the state of
others ? We actually see it in others : why then should we not
m Mark xi. 43 48. n Matt. vii. 21 23. Luke xiii. 26, 27.
Heb. xii. 14. P 2 Cor. x. 18.
140 PROVERBS, XIV. 12. [784.
suspect it in ourselves? It is certain that a man may "seem to be
religious, and yet deceive his own soul, and have all his religion
vain," because of some one sin that is unsubdued, and unper-
ceived within him q ? I can never therefore too earnestly im
press upon your minds the necessity of diffidence in all that
relates to your souls. There is but one standard of truth: and
by that must every opinion be tried. If the way which you
think right will stand the trial of God s word, it is well : but,
if it accord not with that, it will prove delusive in the end, and
issue in the everlasting destruction of your souls. Be it ever
so specious, it cannot deceive God. To all then I would say,
Act in reference to your souls as the mariner does in navigating
a dangerous sea : he consults his chart and his compass con
tinually ; and, not contented with thinking himself right, he
puts his thoughts to the test, and seeks for evidence that he is
right. Then may you hope to avoid the rocks and quicksands
on which so many thousands perish ; and to reach in safety the
haven you desire.]
2. To point out the only true way
[There is a way, which seemeth indeed wrong to the greater
part of mankind, which, however, is surely right, and the end
thereof are the ways of life. This is the way of faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ; as Christ himself has told us; " I am the way,
and the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the Father but
by me r ." This indeed is not approved by the world at large :
" to the Jews it is a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolish
ness 8 :" but it is " the good old way, wherein whosoever walks
shall find rest unto his soul 1 ." Let it not be any matter of
astonishment that this way is not generally approved : for it is
too humiliating for our proud hearts, and too self-denying for
our low and grovelling spirits. Men do not love to renounce
all self-dependence, and to have all their wisdom, all their
righteousness, and all their strength treasured up in another
for their use, to be received daily out of his fulness in answer
to urgent and believing prayer. Nor do they like to have that
high standard of holiness, which he gives to his disciples as
the rule of their life, and the test of their attainments. But,
beloved, this is the only true way to heaven : we must believe
in Christ, and live altogether by faith in him, going fonvard
in his strength, and " growing up into him in all things as our
living head." Then, though regarded by men as self-deluding
enthusiasts, we shall be approved of our God, and receive at
last " the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls."]
( i Jam. i. 26. r John xiv. 6.
5 1 Cor. i. 23. Jcr. vi. 1C. Matt. xi. 28, 29.
785. J THE VANITY OF CARNAL MIRTH. 141
DCCLXXXV.
THE VANITY OF CARNAL MIRTH.
Prov. xiv. 13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful ; and the
end of that mirth is heaviness.
WE are apt to imagine, that whatever is sanctioned
by the approbation and practice of the world at large,
must be right : but we cannot have a more erroneous
standard than popular opinion. This is sufficiently evi
dent from the estimation in which mirth and laughter
are generally held : they are supposed to constitute
the chief happiness of man ; w r hereas they are far
from producing any solid happiness at all. To this
mistake Solomon refers, in the words preceding the
text ; and in the text itself he confirms the truth of
his own position.
We shall,
I. Demonstrate the vanity of carnal mirth
We mean not to condemn all kinds and degrees of
mirth : there certainly is a measure of it that is con
ducive to good, rather than to evil ; " A merry heart
maketh a cheerful countenance," and " doeth good
like a medicine." But carnal mirth is distinct from
cheerfulness of disposition ; inasmuch as it argues a
light frivolous state of mind, and indisposes us for
serious and heavenly contemplations. Of this mirth
we affirm, that it is,
1. Empty
[Let us examine the mirth which we have at any time
experienced ; let us weigh it in a balance ; let us compare it
with that sobriety of mind which results from scenes of woe,
and with that tenderness of spirit which is the offspring of
sympathy and compassion ; and we shall confess, with Solomon,
that " it is better to go to the house of mourning than to the
house of feasting a :" yea, the more we examine it, the more
shall we be constrained, like him, to " say of laughter, It is
mad ; and of mirth, What doeth it b ?" It may be justly called,
" a filling of our belly with the east wind ."]
2. Fictitious
[The gaiety which is exhibited in worldly company is
often assumed, for the purpose of concealing the real feelings
a Eccl. vii. 13. b Eccl. ii. 1,2. c Job xv. 2.
M2 PROVERBS, XIV. 13. [785.
of the heart. They who appear so delighted to see each
other, have frequently no mutual affection : even the nearest
relatives, who seem to participate each other s joys, have so
little real cordiality at home, that they can scarcely endure
eacli other s conversation ; and would be heartily glad, if the
knot which binds them together could be dissolved. Truly
" in their laughter their heart is sorrowful ;" their pride, their
envy, their jealousy, their private piques, their domestic
troubles, or their worldly cares, make them inwardly sigh, so
that they can with difficulty prevent the discovery of the im
posture which they arc practising. The very emptiness of
their pleasure fills them often with disgust ; and they are con
strained to acknowledge, that " they are feeding on ashes, and
that they have a lie in their right hand d ."]
3. Transient
[Suppose it to have been far more substantial than it has,
yet how speedily has it vanished away ! What trace of it remains?
It is like a dream when one awaketh : in our dream we thought
of satisfaction ; but when we awoke, we found ourselves as
unsatisfied as ever 6 . If we thought by repeated participation
to protract the pleasure, we weakened the zest with which we
had partaken of it; and thus diminished, rather than increased,
the sum of our enjoyment.]
4. Delusive
[We hoped that the ultimate effect of all our mirth would
be an easy comfortable frame : but has it always been so ? Has
not the very reverse been often experienced by us ? Has not
" the end of our mirth been heaviness?" An excessive eleva
tion of spirit is naturally calculated to produce depression.
Besides, we cannot always shake off reflection: and the thought
of having so foolishly wasted our time, instead of improving it
in preparation for eternity, will sometimes produce very uneasy
sensations. Such warnings as Solomon f , and our Lord g , have
given us, will frequently obtrude themselves upon us, and make
us almost weary of life, while at the same time we are afraid
of death : so justly is this mirth compared to " the crackling of
thorns under a pot 11 ;" the one, after an unprofitable blaze,
terminating in smoke and darkness, the other, after a senseless
noise, expiring in spleen and melancholy. In fact, there are
no people more subject to lowness of spirits, than they who
spend their time in vanity and dissipation.
What will be "the end of their mirth" when they come into
the eternal world, is inexpressibly awful to consider. Fearful
indeed will be the contrast between the festivities of their
d Isai. xliv. 20. e Isai. xxix. 8. f Eccl. xi. 9.
e Luke vi. 25. h Eccl. vii. 6.
785. J THE VANITY OF CARNAL MIRTH. 143
present, and the wailings of their eternal state 1 ! Would to
God that man would learn this from a parable k ! but, if they will
not, they must realize it in their own experience.]
That we may not appear as if we would deprive
you of all happiness, we shall
II. Shew how we may attain more solid mirth-
There is evidently a contrast intended in the text :
for when it is said that " the end of that mirth is
heaviness," it is implied, that there is another species
of mirth that shall end in a very different manner.
The Gospel is a source of mirth to all who em
brace it
[The Gospel is called " glad tidings of great joy to ail
people." It proclaims salvation to a ruined world ; nor can
it fail of creating the liveliest emotions of joy wherever it is
received 1 ]
And the mirth resulting from it, is the very reverse
of carnal mirth
[It is solid. Behold the change wrought in the first con
verts! see them turned from darkness to light, and from the
power of Satan unto God ! see them enjoying peace with God
and in their own consciences ! see them filled with love to each
other, and with admiring and adoring thoughts of their beloved
Saviour ! Can we wonder that they ate their bread with
gladness and singleness of heart, blessing and praising God?
Yet precisely the same grounds of joy has every one that truly
believes in Christ" 1 . The Prodigal fancied that he was in the
road to joy, when he was wasting his substance in riotous living:
but he never tasted real happiness till he returned to his father s
house : then " he began to eat, and drink, and be merry."
It impermanent. It will consist with trials and tribulations ;
yea, it will even arise out of them"; we may be "sorrowful,
yet alway rejoicing ." And, as it is not interrupted by the
occurrences of life, so neither will it be terminated by death :
it will then be augmented a thousand-fold : and continue with
out interruption to all eternity ]
ADDRESS
1. The young and gay
[Follow your career of pleasure as long as you will, you
will be constrained to say at last, with Solomon, not only that
! Amos vi. 1 6. k Luke xvi. 19, 24, 25.
1 Isai. li. 3, 11. and Ixv. 18. and Jer. xxxi. 4. withActsviii.8,39.
m Jer. xxxi. 1 1 14. n Rom. v. 3. Jam. i. 2. 2 Cor. vi. 10.
144 PROVERBS, XIV. Ik [786.
it was all " vanity," but also " vexation of spirit." Yet think
not, that in dissuading you from these lying vanities, we would
deprive you of all happiness: we wish only that you should
exchange that which is empty and delusive, for that which will
afford you present and eternal satisfaction p . Even your past
experience may suffice to shew you, that " in the fulness of
your sufficiency you have been in straits 1 :" try now what the
service and enjoyment of God can do for you ; and you shall
find that religion s " ways are indeed ways of pleasantness and
peace."]
2. Those who profess godliness-
fin avoiding carnal mirth, you must be careful not to give
occasion to the world to represent religion as sour and morose.
There is a cheerfulness which recommends religion, and which
it is both your duty and privilege to maintain. Yet, on the
other hand, beware of levity. Live nigh to God, and you will
easily find the proper medium. " God has certainly given you
all things richly to enjoy 1 :" yet it is in himself alone, and in
the light of his countenance, that you must seek your happiness.
There you are sure to iind it s ; and while you find it in him,
you will shine as lights in a dark world, and recommend the
Gospel to all around you.]
i> Isai. Iv. 2. a Job xx. 22. * i Tim. vi. 17. s Ps. iv. G, 7.
DCCLXXXVI.
THE DANGER OF BACKSLIDING.
Prov. xiv. 14. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his
own ways : and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
THOUGH God does not select those as objects of
his mercy,, who are most diligent in external duties,
yet he increases his favours to those whom he has
chosen, in proportion as they themselves are earnest
in improving what he has already bestowed upon them.
In the dispensations of his providence it is generally
found, that " the diligent hand maketh rich :" but in
the dispensations of his grace, this seems to be an
unalterable rule of his procedure : " his ways with
respect to these things are equal ; " " whatsoever a
man sows, that he may assuredly expect to reap ; "
" to him that hath, shall be given, and he shall have
abundance." To this effect are the declarations be
fore us ; in which we may observe,
786.] THE DANGER OF BACKSLIDING. 145
I. The danger of backsliding
Open apostasy is confessedly a certain road to
destruction : but we may also perish by indulging the
more specious and equally dangerous habit of secret
declension. Not that every variation in our frame
constitutes us backsliders in heart; (for who then
could be saved ?) but,
We come under this description,
1 . When we are habitually remiss in secret duties-
fit is possible we may once have run well, and enjoyed
much blessedness in the service of our God; and yet have been
so hindered in our course, as to have relapsed into a state of
coldness and formality*. The word, which was once precious,
may have lost its savour ; and prayer, which was once delight
ful, may have become an irksome task. Both public and pri
vate ordinances may have degenerated into an empty form, in
which God is not enjoyed, nor is any blessing received. Where
this is the case the person must surely be denominated a
" backslider in heart."]
2. When we habitually indulge any secret lusts
[Whatever attainments a man may have made in religion,
if his heart be not whole with God, he will sooner or later
decline ; and that which was his besetting sin in his state of
ignorance, will regain its ascendency, and (as far at least as
relates to its inward workings) recover its dominion over him.
He may still, for his profession sake, restrain sin, in a measure,
as to its outward exercise, while yet its inward power is un
subdued. Was he naturally addicted to pride, envy, malice,
covetousness, lewdness, or any other sin ? If he allozv it to
return upon him after he has been once purged from it b , if he
be averse to have the evil of it pointed out to him, if he justify
it, or cover his fault with excuses, instead of endeavouring
earnestly to amend it, he certainly is a backslider in heart ]
In either of these states we are exposed to the most
imminent danger
[There are a variety of ways in which God will punish sin,
but none so terrible as that specified in the words before us.
If God were to fill the backslider with acute and long-continued
pain, or visit him with some other temporal affliction, it might
work for good, and bring him to consideration and repentance:
but if he give him up to his own heart s lusts, and leave him
to be " filled with his own ways," nothing but a certain and
a Gal. i. 6. and v. 7. and iv. lo.
b 2 1 ct. i. 9. and ii. 20. Gal. iv. 16.
VOL. vir. L
146 PROVERBS, XIV. 14. [786.
aggravated condemnation can ensue. AVas he far from God?
he will be further still : was he addicted to any sin ? he will be
more and more enslaved by it : nor can there be a doubt, but
that God will give us up to this judgment, if we " leave off to
behave ourselves wisely," and return to the indulgence of wilful
neglects and secret sins c ]
But we shall see a strong additional motive to
persevere, if we consider,
II. The benefit of maintaining steadfastness in reli-
gion-
The " good man" is here put in contrast with the
backslider
[As every occasional declension does not denominate a man
a wilful backslider, so neither does every transient inclination
to virtue denominate a man good. To be truly good, he must
set out well, and " hold on his way," causing his " light to shine
more and more unto the perfect day d ."]
Such an one shall find much satisfaction both in
and from his way :
He shall have the comfort of seeing that he is
advancing in religion
[The testimony of a good conscience is one of the richest
comforts we can enjoy 6 . Hezekiah pleaded it before God in
a dying hour, not indeed as a ground of justification before him,
but as a ground whereon he might hope for some favourable
indulgence with respect to the continuance of this present life f .
And Paul, in the near prospect of the eternal world, found it a
source of unutterable joy g . Now this satisfaction every upright
soul shall enjoy. If he cannot distinctly see the progressive
steps of his advancement from day to day, he shall have a testi
mony in his own conscience that he is on the wliole advancing:
he shall feel himself more and more fixed in his " purpose to
cleave unto the Lord," and increasingly desirous of approving
himself faithful to his God and Saviour.]
He shall also enjoy more abundant manifestations
of God s love
[God will not leave his people without witness that he is
pleased with their endeavours to serve and honour him. " He
is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." If he behold
any persons striving to please him, " he will love them and
come unto them, and sup with them, and manifest himself to
c Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 12. Deut. xxxii. 15, 18, 19, 20. Prov. i. 30, 31.
d Prov. iv. IS. e 2 Cor. i. 12.
f 2 Kings xx. 2, 3. e 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8.
786. J THE DANGER OF BACKSLIDING. 147
them as he does not unto the world h :" and the more diligent
he sees them in doing his will, the more richly will he impart
to them the tokens of his love, and the more abundantly com
municate to them the blessings of grace and peace 1 .]
His prospects, moreover, of the eternal world shall
be more bright and glorious
[To many does God vouchsafe, as to Moses from Mount
Pisgah, delightful prospects of the heavenly Canaan. He draws
aside the veil, and suffers them to enter into the holy of holies,
that they may behold his glory, and receive a foretaste of the
blessedness which they shall one day enjoy in his presence.
But on whom are these special favours bestowed ? on the
slothful, the careless, the inconstant? No. It is " the faithful
man that shall abound with these blessings ;" it is " him that
rejoiceth in working righteousness, that the Lord will meet"
in this intimate and endearing manner k .]
INFER
1. How much more ready is God to shew mercy
than to execute his judgments !
[Had God been extreme to mark what is done amiss, who
is there amongst us, whom he would not often have abandoned
in an hour of secret declension? But he is full of compassion ;
and " judgment is his strange work," to which he is greatly
averse. At this very moment does he follow the backslider
with the most earnest invitations, and most gracious promises,
saying, " Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your
backslidings, and love you freely 1 ." Let us thankfully acknow
ledge his long-suffering and forbearance ; and seek that happi
ness in the service of our God, which we shall in vain look for
in any deviations from the path of duty.]
2. What need have we to watch over our own
hearts !
[We are bidden to " keep our hearts with all diligence,
because out of them are the issues of life and death 1 ":" and
indeed we have need to guard them well, because they are so
" bent to backslide from God." It will be rarely, if ever, found,
that the watchful Christian is left to fall into any gross sin.
Men decline from God in secret, before he withdraws from
them his restraining grace : they have chosen some evil " way
of their own," and deliberately followed it in their hearts, before
God leaves them to be " filled with it." If then we would not
be swept away with a deluge of iniquity, let us be careful to
h John xiv. 21 23. Rev. iii. 20. l Isai. xxxii. 17.
k Prov. xxviii. 20. Isai. xxxiii. 14 17. and Ixiv. 5.
1 Jer. iii. 22. Hos. xiv. 4. m Prov. iv. 23.
L 2
118 PROVERBS, XIV. 26. [787.
stop the breach at first ; for, if left a little time, it will widen,
till it defies our utmost exertions. The present satisfaction,
as well as the future salvation, of our souls depends on a stead
fast walk with God. Let us then " hold fast the profession of
our faith, and the practice of our duty, without wavering :" and
" let us look to ourselves that we lose not the things which we
have wrought, but that we receive a full reward 11 ."]
2 John, ver. 8.
DCCLXXXVII.
THE FEAR OF THE LORD A SOURCE OF MUCH GOOD.
Prov. xiv. 26. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence ; and
his children shall have a place of refuge.
IN the Holy Scriptures there is often much con
tained in a small space. Hence we read them fre
quently without discerning one half of their beauty
and importance - - In the passage before us, we
have in a concentrated form the benefits arising from
the fear of God. They are two :
I. Confidence
Before we speak of the benefit itself, we must en
deavour to attain accurate views of that from which
it flows. By " the fear of the Lord," I understand
such a fear as brings us to his footstool ; and such a
fear as stimulates us to an unreserved surrender of
ourselves to him. It is clear that it must compre
hend these, and cannot possibly exist without them a
- Now, wherever this is found, there is " a
strong confidence" of acceptance with God; a con
fidence founded,
1. On the general character of God
[There is, in the mind of every one who has the least
knowledge of God, a persuasion that "he delights in mercy:"
and though this of itself is not sufficient to warrant a confidence
of our acceptance with him, it is a strong confirmation of our
confidence, when we have really come to him with a humble
believing, and obediential fear ]
2. On the Scripture account of him, as revealed to
us in Christ Jesus
a Ps. cxii. 1 .
787.1 FEAR OF THE LORD A SOURCE OF MUCH GOOD. 149
[There we see his assumption of our nature, his death
upon the cross as an atonement for our sins, his ascension to
heaven, to govern all things for the good of his Church and
people. O ! what confidence must such wonders of love and
mercy inspire ! Can we turn to him in faith and fear, and doubt
his willingness to receive us? Impossible. It cannot be but that
our "confidence" in such a God must be " strong b "
3. On the express promises which he has given us
in his word
[These are " exceeding great and precious," and fully
commensurate with all our wants. There is no state in which
we can be, that has not a promise especially adapted to it.
Only let those be embraced, and the most desponding soul must
be comforted c
To them, under all circumstances, is afforded,
II. Safety-
They stand in the relation of " children" to God,
who " is not ashamed to be called their God" and
Father. And to them there is ever open " a place
of refuge,"
1. From the calamities of life
[True, the saints are exposed to calamities like other men ;
but they see that every thing, whoever be the instrument, pro
ceeds in reality from their Father s hand, who sends it only for
their good. Hence the very character of the visitation is
changed ; and instead of being an occasion for mourning, it is
welcomed as a blessing in disguise d ]
2. From the assaults of Satan
[Doubtless Satan will exert himself to the uttermost to
harass and destroy them e : but they are furnished with armour
to withstand his fiercest assaults f ; and they have an impreg
nable fortress ever open to them, even " the name of the Lord,
which is to them as a strong tower, wherein they are safe g ."
And, after maintaining their conflict the appointed time, they
are sure of beholding "him bruised under their feetV]
3. From the fears of death
[Death is still an enemy : but they triumph over him,
saying, " O death, where is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy
victory?" They are enabled to number him amongst their
friends and treasures 1 ; and to long for his arrival, to introduce
them into the more immediate presence of their God k
2Tim. i. 12. c Heb.vi. 17, 18. 2Cor.i.20.
< ! Prov. xix. 23. Ps. xci. 912. c 1 Pet. v. 8.
f Eph. vi. 12, 13. z Prov. xviii. 10.
i Rom. xvi. 20. 1 Cor. iii. 23. k Phil. i. 23.
150 PROVERBS, XV. 3. [788.
4. From all the penal consequences of sin
[At the very bar of judgment itself they stand with great
boldness. The curses of the Law infuse no terror into their
minds ; because they can point to " Him who has redeemed
them from its curse, having himself become a curse for them 1 ."
" To them there is no condemnation m : " to them remains
nothing but unbounded, everlasting bliss
ADDRESS
1. Those who have confidence without fear
[This is the state of the world at large But such
confidence is presumption n : it is " the broken and contrite
soul, and that alone, which God will not despise ;" To
them, therefore, would I say, " Awake, and arise ; and Christ
will give you light ."]
2. Those who have fear without confidence
[Brethren, you should not so dishonour your Lord and
Saviour. If only you have such a fear of God as humbles you
before him, and makes you desire truly and unfeignedly to
serve him, what reason have you to entertain any doubt of his
willingness to save you ? Has God become a man for you, and
died upon the cross for you ; and is he ordering every thing
for you, both in heaven and earth ; and should you not trust
in him ? Be ashamed of entertaining such unworthy thoughts
of him, and cast yourselves altogether upon him both for time
and for eternity
3. Those who have the happiness of uniting both
[This is the state in which you should both live and die.
It is the due mixture of fear and confidence which will bring
you to that holy frame in which God most delights 1 . He
would have you ever to " rejoice with trembling," and to
tremble with rejoicing ]
I Gal. iii. 13. m Rom. viii. 1.
II Deut. xxix. 19, 20. and 1 Thcss. v. 3. Eph. v. 14.
P Actsix. 31. and Ps. cxv. 13.
DCCLXXXVIII.
THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD.
Prov. xv. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding
the evil and the good.
THE omnipresence of the Deity is plain and obvious
to all, who have learned to acknowledge the unity of
God. The heathens indeed, who worshipped a mul
titude of gods, assigned to each his proper limits,
788.] THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD. 151
conceiving that they who could exert their power in
the hills, were destitute of power in the neighbouring
valleys. But this absurd idea arose from their poly
theism ; and vanishes the very instant we confess the
true God. The Scriptures place this matter beyond a
doubt : every page of the inspired volume either ex
pressly asserts the omnipresence of God, or takes it
for granted as an unquestionable truth. In the words
before us, Solomon not only affirms it, but declares,
that God is actively employed throughout the whole
universe in inspecting the ways of men.
In discoursing on his words we shall shew,
I. The truth of his assertion
[One would suppose that reason itself might discern the
point in question : for, if God be not every where present,
how can he either govern, or judge, the world ? His crea
tures, if removed from the sphere of his observation, would be
independent of him; and, if withdrawn from his sight, would
cease to feel any responsibility for their actions ; since, being
ignorant of what they did, he would be altogether unqualified
to pass upon them any sentence of condemnation or acquittal.
But, to proceed on surer ground, let us notice the declara
tions of holy men, and especially of God himself, respecting
this point.
If we look into the Old Testament, we shall find, that the
testimony of all the prophets is in perfect correspondence with
those words of David, " The Lord searcheth all hearts, and
understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts 3 ." Some
times they assert this matter as a thing they knoiv, and are
assured of; " I knotv," says Job, " that no thought can be
withholden from theeV Sometimes, with yet greater energy,
they make it a subject of appeal to the whole universe, defying
any one to gainsay, or even to doubt, it ; " Doth lie not see
my ways, and count all my steps ?" Sometimes they labour
to convey this truth under the most impressive images ; " His
eyes behold, his eye-lids try, the children of men d ."
In the New Testament, the same important truth is incul
cated in terms equally clear and energetic. Not to mention
mere assertions 6 , or acknowledgments , that " God knoweth
all things," the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews repre
sents the perfect insight of the Deity into the hearts of men
under the image of the sacrifices, which, when flayed and cut
down the back-bone, were open to the minutest inspection of
a 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. b Job xlii. 2. c Job xxxi. 4.
d Ps. xi. 4. e i John jii. 20. f John xxi. 17.
lo<2 PROVERBS, XV. 3. [788.
the priests : " AM things are naked and opened unto the eyes
of Him with whom we have to do g ."
But let us now turn our attention to God s own declarations.
He is peculiarly jealous with respect to this attribute. In re
ference to "places" and "persons," he says, " Am I a God
at hand, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in
secret places that I shall not see him ? saith the Lord : do not
I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord h ." Again, in refer
ence to things that might be supposed most beyond his reach,
he says, " 1 know the things that come into your mind, every
one of them 1 ." And when an atheistical world have enter
tained doubts respecting this, and said, " Thick clouds are a
covering to him k ;" "he cannot see, he will not regard us;"
lie has risen with utter indignation to vindicate his injured
honour; " Understand ye brutish among the people; and, ye
fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall
he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see 1 ?"]
To multiply proofs of so plain a point is needless.
We shall therefore pass on to shew,
II. The concern we have in it
[Here the text directs and limits our views. " The evil
and the good" are objects of his unwearied attention; and
consequently, both the one and the other are equally interested
in the subject before us.
Let " the evil" then consider their concern in this momentous
truth. God views them all, at all times, in all places, under
all circumstances. If they come up to worship in his sanctuary,
he sees their impious mockery, while " they draw nigh to him
with their lips, but are far from him in their hearts." He
follows them to their families, and observes all their tempers,
dispositions, and conduct. He enters with them into their
shops: he inspects their weights and measures; he examines
their commodities ; he hears their bargains : he marks their
deviations from truth and honesty". He retires with them to
their chambers, and " compasseth about their beds," (for " the
darkness and light to him are both alike") and notices their
every thought . If they were to go up to heaven, or down to
hell, they could not for one moment escape his all-seeing eye p .
But for what end docs he thus "behold" them? Is he a
mere curious or unconcerned spectator ? no : " he pondereth
all their goings V in order to restrain that excess of wicked
ness which would militate against his sovereign appointments 1 ;
8 Heb. iv. 13. Jer. xxiii. 23, 24.
Ezek. xi. 5. Deut. xxxi. 21. k Job xxii. 13, 14.
1 Ps. xciv. 7 9. m Matt. xv. 7, 8. n Mic. vi. 2,10, 11, 12.
Ps. cxxxix. 1 o. i Ps. cxxxix. 7 12.
1 Prov. v. 21. r Gen. xx. 6. and xxxi. 24.
788.] THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD. 153
to confound their daring attempts against his church and
people s ; to over-rule for the accomplishment of his own pur
poses the voluntary exercise of their own inveterate corrup
tions 1 ; and finally to justify himself in the eternal judgments,
which he will hereafter inflict upon them".
that the wicked would consider these things, and lay them
to heart, while yet they might obtain mercy !
Next let " the good" consider their concern also in this
truth. " God s eye is on them also ; and his ear is open to
their prayers*." He meets them in his house of prayer 5 : if
there were but one broken-hearted sinner in the midst of a
whole congregation, God would fix his eye in a more especial
manner upon him z . When they go forth into the world, he
follows them as closely as their shadow 3 . When they retire
to their secret chamber, he " draws nigh to them b ," and
"manifests himself to them as he does not unto the world ."
And wherefore is all this solicitude about such unworthy
creatures ? wherefore is all this attention to their concerns ?
" Hear, O heavens ; and be astonished, O earth." God has
deigned to inform us on this subject, and to declare, that he
"beholds the good," to protect them in danger*] to comfort
them in trouble e ; to supply their tvants*; to over-rule for
good their multiplied afflictions* \ lastly, he notices them, to
observe the workings of his grace in them*, in order that he
may proclaim before the assembled universe the secret exercises
of piety in their hearts 1 , and give a lively demonstration to all,
that in exalting them to a participation of his glory, he acts
agreeably to the immutable dictates of justice and equity*.
Let the righteous then " set the Lord always before them 1 ."
Let them " walk circumspectly ," that they may not grieve
him m ; and actively, that they may please him well in all
things" : and, whatever difficulties they may have to contend
with, let them proceed boldly, and " endure, as seeing him that
is invisible ."]
8 Exod. xiv. 24, 25. " looked" and Isai. xxxvii. 28, 29.
* Ps. ii. 1 G. u Jer. xvii. 10. and xvi. 17, 18. and Ps. li. 4.
x Ps. xxxiv. 15. > Isai. Ixiv. 5. Matt, xviii. 20.
z Isai. Ixvi. 2. a Josh. i. 9. with Heb. xiii. 5, G.
b Jam. iv. 8. c John xiv. 22.
d 2 Chron. xvi. 9. Ps. cxxi. 5 7. e Ps. xli. 1, 3.
f Ps. xxxiii. 18, 19. and xxxiv. 9, 10.
e Mai. iii. 3. " as a refiner." Job xxiii. 10. with John xv. 2.
h Hos. xiv. 8. Jer. xxxi. 18, 20. Matt. vi. 4, 6, 18.
k Rom. ii. 5 7. " righteous judgment."
1 Ps. xvi. 8. See also Matt. xxv. 35, 3G, 4G.
m Exod. xxiii. 20, 21. " Col. i. 10.
Isai. xli. 10, 13, 14. Heb. xi. 27.
154 PROVERBS, XV. 8. [789.
DCCLXXXIX.
THE UPRIGHT ALONE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD.
Prov. xv. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto
the Lord : but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
THE language of Scripture is often extraordinarily
emphatic. This not unfrequently arises from the
strength of the metaphors that are used to express
the mind of the writer : and frequently from his
speaking of God in terms, which, in their strict sense,
are applicable only to men. Of course, we are not
to conceive of God as possessing either parts or
passions ; and when either the one or the other are
ascribed to him, we must regard it only as a conde
scension to our weakness, which is incapable of
comprehending any thing respecting God, except by
a sort of comparison of him with man. Of all his
natural perfections, such as immensity and eternity,
we know nothing at all : that is to say, our knowledge
is merely negative. And respecting his moral per
fections, as justice, mercy, truth, we know as little,
except as we transfer to him the notions which we
have formed of such perfections as exist in the human
mind. We associate very distinct ideas with those
attributes as applied to man : and by the help of
those terms we express what we conceive to regulate
the actions of God in the moral government of the
universe. In like manner, when we speak of any
thing being " an abomination" or " a delight" to God,
we mean only, that he will act in reference to that
thing as we should towards any thing which excited
such feelings in our minds. This is clearly understood
by all. No man needs to be informed, that God is
not susceptible of such feelings, or capable of those
emotions which such feelings import : we therefore,
in conformity with Scripture, shall proceed to speak
of God in the same figurative language : and we pray
God that your minds may be suitably impressed by
it, whilst we consider,
I. The truths here asserted
789.] THE UPRIGHT ALONE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD. 155
1. " The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination
to the Lord"-
[Where so strong an assertion is used in reference to any
character, it is obvious, that we ought to understand, very
clearly and distinctly, who they are that are designated by that
character. For instance, suppose that under this general term,
" the wicked," we were to comprehend those only who are
grossly and openly immoral, we should release all others from
any participation in the feelings which the assertion respecting
them is intended to create. But this we cannot do : for Solo
mon himself has accurately defined the character which he is
here speaking of; and after defining it, has annexed to that
very definition the same declaration as occurs in my text :
" He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even ins
prayer shall be abomination 3 ." You will observe then, that
the wicked is one who is inattentive to the commands of God
in his word, and averse to comply with the requisitions of his
Law and of his Gospel^
Now such an one, even though he be guilty of no flagrant
sins, is an abomination to the Lord. The rebellious state of his
mind is most offensive to God : and therefore every thing that
he does is hateful to him : " A high look, and a proud heart,
and even the ploughing of the wicked, is sin c ." No act can
be more innocent than that of ploughing : but the most innocent
acts of such a person participate in the guilt of his general
state and habit of mind.
His most religious acts too are hateful to God : his very
" sacrifices" are an abomination. In the first chapter of Isaiah s
prophecies, the Jews are represented as bringing the offerings
appointed by the Law, as bringing the best too, and in great
number, and at the seasons ordained by God himself; and as
accompanying those sacrifices with fervent prayer ; and yet as
being, at the same time, objects of God s utter abhorrence,
because their conduct was altogether at variance with their
professions 1 . In another chapter he speaks of them as " taking
delight in approaching to God," and as abounding in the
self-denying exercises of fasting and prayer ; and yet as
altogether hateful in his sight . The prophet Amos speaks
strongly to the same effect f . To what an extent the services of
such persons are abhorred, God himself has told us: "He
that killeth an ox, is as if he slew a man : he that sacrificeth a
a Prov. xxviii. 9.
b This distinction should be more fully opened, in order that all
may know how deeply they are interested in what follows.
c Prov. xxi. 4. d Isai. i. 11 13. e Isai. Iviii. 2.
f Amos. v. 21 23. This and the two preceding quotations should
be recited at full length, and with the emphasis due to them.
156 PROVERBS, XV. 8. [789.
lamb, as if he cut off a clog s neck : he that offered! an obla
tion, as if he offered swine s blood : he that burneth incense,
as if he blessed an idol." I pray you, Brethren, to mark these
expressions, and to apply them to yourselves whilst living in
an unhumbled and unconverted state: for, "whilst you regard
any iniquity in your heart, the Lord will not hear you s :" your
very prayers are turned into sin.]
2. " But the prayer of the upright is God s delight "-
["The upright" is he who truly and unfeignedly gives
himself up to God, to be saved in his appointed way,
and to serve him with a pure heart and mind Of such
an one God approves : and both his person and his services are
accepted of him : " The prayer of such an one is God s delight"
In itself it may be no more than a few broken accents, or a
desire expressed only in sighs and groans : but it enters into
the ears of the Lord of Hosts, and shall be answered by him
to the full extent of its import. It is, in reality, the voice of
his own Spirit in the suppliant: and as "he knows the mind
of the Spirit," so he cannot but delight in every petition that
is dictated by him h . Besides, in the prayer of the upright
there are dispositions exercised, which are "in the sight of
God of great price { " The suppliant himself perhaps is mourn
ing as though he could never hope for acceptance: but God
listens to him witli unspeakable delight: he loves "the prayer
that goeth not out of feigned lips k :" above all, he delights in
the prayer of the upright, because it gives scope for the exer
cise of love and mercy towards the poor suppliant, and for a
rich communication of all spiritual blessings to his soul. God
" will he inquired of by his people 1 ," before he will impart to
them his promised blessings : and the moment they do pray to
him, he is like a mother that hears the cry of her beloved
infant, whom she instantly presses to her bosom, and in adminis
tering to whose necessities she finds relief, as it were, to her
own soul. See this exemplified in his dealings with repenting
Ephraim : " Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself
thus : Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock
unaccustomed to the yoke : turn thou me and I shall be turned;
for thou art the Lord my God." " Is not Ephraim my dear
son ? is he not a pleasant child ? for since I spake against him,
I do earnestly remember him still: yea, my bowels are troubled
for him ; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord m ."
Here we see a true picture of what every upright soul shall
experience. Let us only be " Israelites indeed, and without
guile, and our blessed Saviour will see us under the fig-
R Ps. Ixvi. 18. h Rom. viii. 20, 27. 1 Pet. iii. 4.
k Ps. xvii. 1. Ezek. xxxvi. 37. m Jer. xxxi. 18, 20.
789.] THE UPRIGHT ALONE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD. 157
tree," or in our most secret retirements, and visit us in due
season with the most endearing expressions of his love. ".]
Such are the truths asserted in our text. We now
proceed to suggest,
II. Some obvious deductions from them
From these truths it is evident,
1. That God s views of sin are widely different from
those of men
[Men, if free from gross sin, imagine, that they have little
cause for self-reproach. They see no evil in the general course
of this world : the pleasures, the gaieties, the amusements of
it, are all accounted innocent ; and if a man perform res
pectably the different offices of social life, they think he has
nothing to apprehend in the eternal world. But "God s thoughts
are widely different from theirs. " We will suppose, for argu
ment sake, that there is nothing flagrantly sinful in convivi
ality, and a round of pleasurable amusements ; yet inasmuch
as such a state argues a departure of the soul from God, and
strengthens its habit of rebellion against him, it is highly sin
ful ; and should be so esteemed by all who would not deceive
their own souls. For, if the very best actions of such persons
are hateful to God, if the very sacrifices with which they
attempt to honour him are an abomination in his sight, what
must those actions be which have no respect to him, but which
tend to banish him from their thoughts, and from the world ?
I tell you, Brethren, that " to walk according to the course of
this world, is to walk according to the prince of the power of
the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobe
dience ." You cannot be of the world and of Jesus Christ at
the same time p : " you cannot serve God and Mammon too q ."
You may as well imagine light can have communion with
darkness, and Christ with Belial, as that a person truly "up
right " and believing, can find pleasure in the society of " the
wicked " and unbelieving r . " The friendship of the world is "
essentially, as well as constructively, a state of enmity against
God s ." Whatever therefore may be pleaded in extenuation
of those habits in which the more respectable part of the
world are living, they are all, whether social or personal, civil
or religious, one continued act of sin, as long as the soul con
tinues alienated from God, and not altogether devoted to his
fear : and the man who thinks himself safe because he is in
a path frequented by the great mass of his fellow-creatures,
" John i. 4751. Eph. ii. 2. P John xvii. 14, 1C.
i Matt. vi. 24. r 2 Cor. vi. 14 16.
8 Jam. iv. 4.
158 PROVERBS, XV. 8. [739.
will find himself fearfully mistaken the moment he comes to
the termination of it 1 .]
2. That the provisions of the Gospel are admirably
suited to our necessities
[Here is " a wicked man:" he offers " a sacrifice" to his
offended God : that very sacrifice is " an abomination to the
Lord. Must the man then be left to perish ? No : the Gospel
reveals to him a sacrifice which is pleasing and acceptable to
God, and which shall avail for the salvation of all who trust in
it, even the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus, who " presented him
self an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling
savour u ." Again ; Man, though originally made upright, has
fallen x , and become utterly averse to God and his law y . As
for creating himself anew, he can no more do it than he could
create himself at first. Shall he then perish? No: the Gospel
proclaims to him a promise from almighty God, that " he will
give him a new heart, and renew a right spirit within him 2 ;"
so that, as the most guilty may be forgiven through the atone
ment that has been offered for him, so the most polluted may be
" transformed into the very image of his God in righteousness
and true holiness a ." Thus may those who were odious as the
fallen angels, become as accepted and as happy as the angels
that have never sinned. O ! Brethren, when will you study
this blessed Gospel ? when will you search into it, to find a
remedy for your diseases, and a supply for your wants ? Be
hold it is " a fountain opened," and ever flowing for the relief
of sinful man : and every sinner in the universe is invited to
" come and drink of it without money and without price 1 ."
I would that you should no longer be " an abomination" to
your God ! I would that he should look upon you with " de
light," yea, that he should " rejoice over you with joy, and
rest in his love, and joy over you with singing !"]
3. That by the heart, and not by the mere acts,
will God form his estimate of us in the last day
[I know that our actions will be brought into judgment,
and be adduced as evidences of our state before God, and as
grounds of the sentence that shall be passed upon us. But it is
not merely as acts that they will be either rewarded or pu
nished ; but as evidences of the real state of our souls. Even
in human judicatories the object inquired into is, the intent
of the mind. It is malice prepense that constitutes murder :
where that did not exist, the act of killing is not accounted
murder : but where that manifestly did exist, there the attempt
* Matt. vii. 13, 14. u Eph. v. 2. * Eccl. vii. 29.
y Rom. viii. 7. z Ezek. xxxvi. 20,27- a Eph. iv. 24.
b Isai. Iv. 13. John vii. 3739. c Zeph. iii. 17.
790.] INSTRUCTION TO BE OBEYED. 159
to kill, though unsuccessful, has the penalty of murder at
tached to it. Thus at the bar of judgment, the sacrifices of
a wicked man, how numerous or costly soever they were, will
be regarded as of no value : whilst the mere sighing of an
upright soul shall not lose its reward. Let that then which
is chiefly marked by God, be chiefly attended to by us. Let
us endeavour to get our " hearts right before God." Let us
remember, that, whether evidenced by overt acts or not, he can
discern its real state : for " he searcheth the heart and trieth
the reins d ." " To him all things are naked and opened 6 ;" as
the sacrifices of old, when flayed and cut open, were to the
eye of the priest who inspected them. " Hell and destruction
are before him : how much more then the hearts of the children
of men f !" " He weigheth the spirits g ," and discerns exactly
how much there is of every different motive that may operate
to the production of every act. Watch, therefore, and examine
carefully the state of your own hearts : and as " he requireth
truth in the inward parts h ," cease not to pray day and night,
that, being " perfect and upright before him," you may have
light in darkness 1 , peace in death k , and glory in eternity 1 .]
d Jer. xvii. 10.
e Prov. xvi. 2.
k Ps. xxxvii. 37.
e Heb. iv. 13.
h Ps. li. 6.
1 Ps. cxl. 13.
* ver. 11.
1 Ps. cxii. 4.
DCCXC.
INSTRUCTION TO BE OBEYED.
Prov. xv. 32. He that refuseth instruction, despiseth his own soul.
THE Scriptures speak plainly, and represent things
as they really are. Perhaps there is no man that
would acknowledge he despised God : yet does God
lay that sin to the charge of all who question his
retributive justice : " Wherefore doth the wicked
contemn God, while he doth say in his heart, Thou
wilt not require it a ?" So none would confess that
they " despise their own souls :" yet is that the real
character of all who refuse the instruction which God
sends to them by his written word, and by the minis
tration of his faithful servants. And this will appear,
if we consider,
I. The need that every man has of divine instruction-
Much may be known to man from sensation and
reflection : he may gather much from observation
* Ps. x. 13.
1GO PROVERBS, XV. 3;?. [790.
and experience, and the mere force of reasoning,
without any revelation from heaven: but without
divine instruction,
1. He can never know the extent of his wants
[He cannot know his fall in Adam, or the depravity of his
fallen nature, or his utter incapacity to restore himself to God s
favour. If told that " his carnal mind is enmity against God,"
and that "without Christ he can do nothing," and that God alone
can give him cither to will or to do any thing agreeable to the
divine command, he would think it all a libel upon human
nature. It is revelation alone that can give him any just views
on these subjects ]
2. He can still less know how those wants are to
be supplied
[Who could ever have thought that God himself should
become incarnate, and live and die for the express purpose of
supplying the necessities of his fallen creatures? Who could
ever have imagined that God s righteousness should be imputed
to man ? and that the Spirit of the living God should ever
dwell in man, for the purpose of revealing the Saviour to him,
and of imparting to him the divine image ? A man not in
structed in these things can know nothing about them. They
are all matters of pure revelation, and directly contrary to those
methods of salvation which uninstructed man would have adopted
for himself
3. He can never avail himself of those offers which
God has made to him in the Gospel-
fin the Holy Scriptures are contained " exceeding great
and precious promises," yea, promises confirmed by an oath,
and ratified by an everlasting covenant. These promises relate
to every want of fallen man, and make over to him a supply of
every want by the simple exercise of faith on the part of man.
How can the unenlightened man obtain an interest in these ?
How is it possible for him to lay hold of them, and rest upon
them, and plead them before God, when he has never been in
structed in relation to them ? It is obvious, that without
divine instruction he must for ever lie under the guilt and power
of his sins, and endure the punishment due to his unrepented
and unpardoned transgressions.]
What then must be,
II. The light in which he must be viewed, who re
fuses instruction ?
We use by no means too strong an expression, if
we say, " He despises his own soul." For,
1. He grievously underrates its value
790.] INSTRUCTION TO BE OBEYED. 101
[Who can estimate the value of an immortal soul, a soul
capable of knowing, honouring, and enjoying, the Most High
God ; and actually assured of that honour, if only it obtain the
knowledge of Christ, and repose all its confidence in him ? But,
to judge of its value aright, we must take into account the love
that God has borne towards it, and the price which our adorable
Lord and Saviour has paid for its redemption. Contemplate
its nature and its capacity, its estimation by God, and its eternal
destinies ; and then say, Whether the man who refuses the in
struction whereby he is to be made happy, does not altogether
betray an ignorance of its true value ? ]
2. He shamefully disregards its interests
[Without an attention to the concerns of the soul, it is in
vain to hope that it can ever be happy in the eternal world.
The man that refuses divine instruction, does in reality inflict
upon his soul the heaviest judgment that it can sustain in this
life : he says, in fact, Let me alone, that I may go on to in
crease my guilt, and " treasure up for myself wrath against the
day of wrath." What would be thought of a man who should
so trifle with his temporal interests ? Would there be any term
of reproach too harsh or too contemptuous whereby to designate
so foolish a character ? What, then, must we say of a man who
so neglects the interests of his soul ? ]
3. He casts it away for a thing of nought
[Give to sensual gratifications all the importance you will,
they are only as the small dust upon the balance when weighed
against the soul. Yet for these does the man who refuses in
struction sell his soul. Truly, if Esau " despised his birthright,"
when he " sold it for a mess of pottage b ," much more do they
pour contempt upon their own souls, who, for any considera
tion whatever, abandon all reasonable hopes of heaven, and
subject themselves to the infliction of everlasting misery in
hell ]
ADDRESS
1. Avail yourselves now of the opportunities that
are afforded you
[There has been declared unto you from time to time, so
far as I have been enabled to declare it, " the whole counsel of
God." Think what improvement you have made of these
instructions and what will be your reflections in the
eternal world, if you reject them c - Indeed, whilst dis
regarding the instructions given you, you greatly " wrong your
own souls," and act as persons that are " in love with death d ."
O that ye may be wise ere it be too late ! For, " if they
b Gen. xxv. 34. c Prov. v. 12, 13. d Prov. viii. 36.
VOL. VII. M
162 PROVERBS, XVI. 2. [791.
escaped not, who refused Moses who spake on earth, much
more shall not ye escape, if ye turn away from him, even the
Lord Jesus, who now speaketh to you from heaven ."]
2. " Be doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves f "-
[Instruction, if it abide in the understanding only, will be
of no profit. To be really useful, it must descend into your
hearts, and operate in your lives. Our blessed Lord s warning
upon this subject deserves your deepest attention. I would
have you not only wise, but " wise unto salvation." I would
not that you should erect a house upon the sand ; and that,
after all your labour, it should fall upon your heads, and crush
you ; but rather, that you should build your house upon a rock,
and find it able to shelter you from all the storms and tempests
that ever can assault it g . This will shew that " you have real
love to your soul h ;" and richly shall you " be recompensed at
the resurrection of the just 1 ."]
e Heb. xii. 25. f Jam. i. 22. s Matt. vii. 24 27.
h Prov. xix. 8. i Prov. viii. 33 35.
DCCXCI.
MAN S ESTIMATE OF HIMSELF AND GOD*S CONTRASTED.
Prov. xvi. 2. All the ways of a man are clean in Ms own eyes ;
but the Lord weigheth the spirits.
AMONGST the purest joys of a Christian is " the
testimony of a good conscience ; " and all the labour
that can possibly be bestowed on the attainment of it
will be well repaid by the acquisition. But we must
not forget, that man is a fallen creature, and that his
mind and conscience partake of the defilement which
sin has brought upon all the faculties of his soul a .
Hence it is necessary to try even the verdict of con
science itself, and not to trust too implicitly to its
representations. To " put evil for good, and good for
evil ; bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter ; darkness
for light, and light for darkness ; " is, alas ! but too
common, and more especially in forming an estimate
of our own character and conduct. So has Solomon
informed us in the words which we have just read :
from which we shall take occasion to shew,
a Tit. i. 15.
791.] MAN, AND GOD S, ESTIMATE OF MAN. 1 G3
I. Whence it is that men have such an over-weening
confidence respecting the rectitude of their own
ways
We can know little of mankind, if we do not know
that men of every character and every class go for
ward in their respective ways with a considerable
measure of self-confidence, and self-approbation ; and,
as Solomon elsewhere observes, that " every way of a
man is right in his own eyes b ." Now whence does this
arise ? How is it that all, notwithstanding the vast
difference there is in their habits and conduct, yet
think themselves right ? We apprehend that it arises
from hence :
1. They judge themselves by a wrong standard
[Every man has a standard of his own, suited to the views
and habits of the class among whom he moves. Some allow
themselves in a very great latitude, both of principle and prac
tice ; and never condemn themselves, unless they grossly violate
the code that is established amongst their own particular asso
ciates : they are " clean in their own eyes," as long as they keep
within the bounds of purity which their own friends prescribe.
Others are far more strict, as Paul in his unconverted state
was. " As touching the righteousness of the law, he was, in
his own estimation, blameless :" so blameless, as to be quite
sure of his acceptance before God : " I was alive without the
law once." His very zeal, which was so hateful in the sight
of God, and so directly pointed against the Lord Jesus Christ
himself, furnished him with an occasion for nothing but self-
applause. Though he did not altogether lay aside the law of
God in forming his estimate, he used it only to confirm his own
delusions, limiting its injunctions to the mere letter, instead of
entering into its spiritual import. None but the truly en
lightened Christian brings himself fairly to the test of God s
holy law : all others have a defective standard ; a standard of
their own, fitted for their own ways : and this is the first great
source of the delusion specified in our text.]
2. They turn their eyes from things that have a
doubtful aspect
[Men, if they suspect that all is not right, are very averse
to a strict examination of their case : they content themselves
with looking at one side of the question only. Whatever tends
to justify their conduct, is dwelt upon with pleasure ; but what
ever tends to cast a shade upon it, is passed over in silence :
b Prov. xxi. 2.
M2
PROVERBS, XVI. 2. [791.
" they hate the light, and will not come fairly to it, lest their
deeds should be reproved." This is very observable in the con
duct of the Apostles, when our Lord touched upon their mutual
contentions about worldly preference and distinction : they in
stantly shifted off the blame, by turning the discourse to another
subject . A true picture this of the generality of men, not
excepting those of whom better things might be hoped !]
3. They use all possible artifices to obtain a favour
able testimony from their own conscience
[Many are not ashamed to justify what yet they know in
their consciences to be wrony : " It was expedient : it was even
necessary under existing circumstances : they were constrained
to it, and could not do otherwise." It was in this way that Saul
justified his impious intrusion into the priestly office. He cast
the blame on Samuel, for not coming so early as he had expected ;
and affirmed, that, however contrary to the divine law r his con
duct had been, it was expedient, and necessary, and good ;
since the Philistines would otherwise have come upon him,
before he had sought by proper offerings the protection of
Heaven 1 . But notwithstanding all his specious arguments,
Samuel told him plainly, that he had " done foolishly," and
grievously provoked the Lord to anger 6 .
If they proceed not in their self-vindication to this extent,
yet they will excuse ivJiat they cannot justify. True, it was
not altogether right; but they were compelled to do it; and
the fault was rather in others than in them. It was done in
haste, and without due consideration. It was a mistake ; or
was done to prevent a greater evil ; or to answer some valuable
end. Here again \ve may see in the same unhappy monarch
the evil we are speaking of. He had spared Agag, and the best
of the flocks and herds, which he should have utterly destroyed :
yet, when he saw Samuel, he boasted that " he had fulfilled
the commandment of the Lord." But, on Samuel s inquiry
into the reasons of the flocks and herds being spared, he
excused himself by saying, that he had reserved them for
sacrifices : and, when further reproved, he cast the blame on
the people, asserting, that they had taken of the spoil without
his consent or privity f .
When their conduct is too plainly reprehensible to admit of
such replies, they will then palliate what they cannot excuse.
Satan will never leave them at a loss for something whereby to
extenuate their faults, and to silence the reproaches of a guilty
conscience. It was not so bad as is represented : the intention
was good : it was done only once, and that under circumstances
that might well account for it. But there is no end to the
c Luke ix. 46 49. (1 1 Sam. xiii. 8 12.
e 1 Sam. xiii. 13, 14. f 1 Sam. xv. 1321.
791. J MAN, AND GOD S, ESTIMATE OF MAN. 165
suggestions of self-love. There is not a man under heaven,
except the broken-hearted penitent, that will acknowledge his
faults in all their real malignity, and with all their attendant
aggravations. All will cast some veil over their ways, to hide
their deformity, and to make them appear " clean ;" and will
put such a colour even on their basest actions, as to leave in
them scarcely any criminality at all.]
But, whilst we thus varnish over our own ways, so
as to make them clean in our own eyes, it is of infi
nite importance for us to know,
II. How God will form his estimate of them
Certainly he will not judge as we do : he will
scrutinize our actions more narrowly, and will weigh
as in a balance every thing that pertains to them.
He will weigh,
1. Our actions themselves
[Every thing we do is put, as it were, into a balance, even
" the balance of the sanctuary." God will examine with infalli
ble accuracy what the motives were, and the principles by which
we were actuated ; for by these, and not by the mere external
appearance, must the quality of our actions be determined. He
will examine how much there was of love to his name : how
much of gratitude to the Lord Jesus Christ ; how much of
humility, of self-denial, of love to our fellow-creatures ; and
how much of zeal for the honour and glory of our God. Pre
cisely according to the measure of these things will be his estimate
of our actions : all else will be only as dross that is blended
with the gold, and which the fire will consume.]
2. Our excuses
[These, for the most part, when put into his scales are
found lighter than the dust upon the balance. By means of
them we impose upon ourselves, and upon our fellow-creatures;
but we cannot impose on him ; " he cannot be deceived :" and
the very excuses which we urge with such confidence, will be
rejected by him with scorn. See how strongly he has cautioned
us on this head. He supposes us to have made some rash vow,
and then to excuse ourselves from performing it, by saying that
we were under a mistake : " Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy
flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it teas an
error : wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy
the work of thine hands 5 ?" It is on this account that we so
often meet with this warning ; " Let no man deceive you with
vain words;" "Be not deceived; God is not mocked." In
B Eccl. v. 6.
106 PROVERBS, XVI. 2. [791.
truth, so far are we from satisfying him by our vain pleas, that
the more confident we are of the validity of our own excuses,
the more we provoke his wrath and indignation : " Thou sayest,
Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me :
behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not
sinned V]
3. The disposition and habit of our minds
[It is not so much the transient act that determines our
character, as the rooted habit of the mind. This we are apt
to overlook : and if we see not any glaring faults in our con
duct, we think that all is well with us. But God views us as
creatures, who by the very law of our creation are bound
not to live to ourselves, but unto him. He views us too as
redeemed creatures, who, having been bought with the pre
cious blood of his dear Son, are bound by this further tie to
" glorify him with our bodies and our spirits which are his."
By this test will he try us : and according to the result of this
scrutiny will he determine our eternal state. In particular, he
will mark, What degree of candour there is in us whilst ex
amining our own ways ; and, Which is our predominant feeling,
a partial desire to think our " ways clean," or an impartial
desire to find out every atom of uncleanness that adheres to
them. He will further notice what means we are using to
ascertain the truth, and to escape from all kinds of self-delu
sion ; whether we candidly consult others who are more im
partial than we can be supposed to be ; and whether we are
crying mightily to Him to search and try us. Both these are
necessary; because, whilst, on the one hand, we may too easily
rest in the favourable opinion of friends, we may, on the other
hand, be determinately holding fast our confidence against the
judgment of friends, even whilst we are pretending to ask
counsel of our God. Truly " the heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked ;" and one of the principal dis
positions that God will expect to see in us is, a holy jealousy
over ourselves, and a willingness rather to die than be left under
a mistaken confidence of our own purity. Where this is want
ing, there is a radical defect in the character; a defect which,
if not rectified, will exclude us from the number of true Is
raelites, whose character is, that " they are without guile."]
ADDRESS
1. The careless worldling
[You will not believe that you are wrong. But consult
the Scriptures, and see. Find, if you can, one single word
that sanctions a life of carelessness and indifference. To what
purpose is it to be saying, " Peace, peace ! when there is no
h Jer. ii. 35.
791. J MAN, AND GOD S, ESTIMATE OF MAN. 167
peace?" Did you never hear what God replies to those who
say, " I shall have peace, though I walk after the imaginations
of my heart?" " The Lord, it is said, will not spare that man ;
but the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against
him; and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie
upon him ; and the Lord shall blot out his name from under
heaven 1 ." Go on, if you are determined so to do; but know,
that " whatsoever a 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 V]
2. The self-righteous moralist
[Solomon justly observes, " There is a generation that
are pure in their own eyes, but are not washed from their
filthiness 1 ." And such is the character of those whom we
are now addressing. They are ready to say, " I have kept all
the commandments from my youth up : and what lack 1 yet?"
But, like that deluded Youth, they lack the one thing needful,
namely, " to forsake all, and follow Christ." This they do not :
this they will not do : they hold fast their own righteousness,
and will not renounce it for an interest in his. Such was Paul
in his unconverted state : but when his eyes were opened to see
the plan of Salvation revealed in the Gospel, then " he counted
all things but dung and dross that he might win Christ, and be
found in him, not having his own righteousness, but Christ s."
Know then, Brethren, that, if you trust in the law, you shall
be tried by the law, and suffer all its penalties for your infrac
tions of it : but if you will embrace the Gospel, and seek for
acceptance solely through the Lord Jesus Christ, you shall find
that " in him you shall be justified, and in him shall you glory."]
3. The professed believer
[Much blindness yet remains within us after we have be
lieved in Christ : and the most eminent believer still needs to
maintain a godly jealousy over his own deceitful heart. The
Apostles themselves at one time " knew not what manner of
spirit they were of." But where shall we find any amongst
ourselves that suspect this to be their own case ? Alas ! we all
are more or less blinded by self-love : and, when most confident
of our own integrity, we still need to say with Paul, " I know
nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified ; but he that
judgeth me is the Lord" 1 ." We entreat you to guard with all
possible care against the delusions of your own hearts ; for
they will assuredly, if persisted in, betray you to your ever
lasting ruin. The express declaration of God on this subject
is, " If thou sayest, (in reference to any duty neglected, or sin
* Dent. xxix. 19, 20. k Gal. vi. 7, 8.
1 Prov. xxx. 12. m 1 Cor iv. 4.
168 PROVERBS, XVI. 3. [792.
committed,) Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pon-
dereth the heart consider it ? and He that keepeth thy soul,
doth not he know it ? and shall not he render to every man
according to his works 11 ?" Yes : His estimate will not be re
gulated by your opinion of yourselves, but by his perfect know
ledge of your real character. May God enable us so to lay these
things to heart, and so to act upon them, that " we may be
found of him in that day without spot and blameless!"]
" Prov. xxiv. 11, 12.
DCCXCII.
TRUSTING IN GOD.
Prov. xvi. 3. Commit thy tvorks unto the Lord, and thy thoughts
shall be established.
WE all believe in the existence of a Supreme
Being, and in a general way acknowledge his agency
in the government of the world : but his particular
care of us individually we find it extremely difficult
to imagine. This, however, is most clearly revealed
in the Holy Scriptures ; and our duty is so to realize
it, as, under all circumstances of trial and of difficulty,
to look to him for his gracious interposition, and to
expect from his hands whatever shall most conduce
to our real benefit.
In the words before us we see,
1. A state supposed-
fit is here supposed that we may be in a state of great
perplexity, so as not to know what to do for the best. This
is often the case with nations, especially when menaced by a
potent enemy a Nor is there scarcely an individual to
be found, who does not, at some time or other, experience an
oppression of mind, arising out of difficulties with which he
has to contend, and troubles which he knows not how to avert
Even in relation to men s spiritual concerns, the same
trials are felt. Many, in a season of deep conviction, have
poured out their complaints like Israel of old b And
many, under grievous temptation, have been reduced to the
desponding frame of David c At such times their
thoughts are altogether distracted ; and they are, like the per
sons so beautifully described in the 107th Psalm, brought, as it
were, " to their wit s end."]
a Isai. vii. 2. and Joel ii. 6, 10.
* Isai. lix. from the middle of ver. 9. to 12. e Ps. Ixxvii. 69.
792.] TRUSTING IN GOD. 169
But in all such cases there is abundant consolation,
if only we use,
II. The remedy prescribed
The remedy is both simple in itself, and invari
ably efficacious : " Commit your works unto the
Lord"-
[Believing that God both knows your trials, and is willing
to afford you the help you need, carry them to him, and spread
them before him, as Hezekiah did the letter of blaspheming
Rabshakeh d . Then plead his promises, which are so " ex
ceeding great and precious ;" and " roll on him 6 " your entire
burthen, assured that " he will sustain you f ," and accomplish
your most enlarged desires g . This is the direction given to
every living man h : and,]
In the performance of this duty you will find effec
tual relief
[Nothing can be more fluctuating than the thoughts of
men, especially in seasons of great embarrassment. But the
very instant we commit our works to God, "our thoughts"
become composed, and peaceful, and " established." God has
taught us to expect this ! : and to what an extent he fulfils his
word, we may see in Hezekiah ; who, from a state of the most
extreme distress, was filled in an instant with the liveliest joy
and most confident exultation k ]
OBSERVE, then, with humble and adoring gratitude,
1. How exalted are the privileges of the true Chris
tian !
[It is your privilege, Brethren, to be " without careful
ness 1 ," both in relation to your temporal concerns" 1 , and even
in respect to your immortal souls". All your care, whether
for the one and the other, should " be cast on God, who careth
for you ." Then, though you will have many trials to bear, you
shall be able to say with Paul, " We are troubled on every
side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but not destroyed 1 *."
Be your trials what they may, " you shall be more than con
querors over all."]
d Isai. xxxvii. 14. e See the marginal reading. f Ps. Iv. 22.
s Ps. Ixxxi. 10. h Ps. xxxvii. 5. and the margin there.
1 Phil. iv. 6, 7. and Isai. xxvi. 3.
k Isai. xxxvii. 3, 22, 33. See also Ps. xl. 1 3.
1 1 Cor. vii. 32. ra Matt. vi. 2.534. n 2 Tim. i. 12.
1 Pet. v. 7. i 2 Cor. iv. 8, 9.
170 PROVERBS, XVI. 23. [793.
2. How marvellous is the condescension of our God!
[From low thoughts of God, we are apt to fear that he will
not exert himself for us. But he will attend to us, if we trust
in him, as much as if there were not another creature in heaven
or on earth to attract his notice. Nor is it in great things only
that he will interpose for us, but in the smallest that can pos
sibly be imagined. In fact, there is nothing great or small with
him; nor indeed is there any thing small as it respects us. Let
any one see in Scripture what good arose from the accidental
opening of some national records by King Ahasuerus, or what
evil arose from David s accidental glance at Bathshcba, and we
shall see that we need the divine care in every thing : and in
every thing it shall be afforded us, if only we commit our ways
to God, and place all our confidence in him. Not so much as a
hair shall fall from the head of any of his saints, but according
to his all-wise appointment ; nor any circumstance occur which
shall not be overruled for their everlasting good q .]
i Rom. viii. 28.
DCCXCIII.
THE BENEFIT OF EXPERIMENTAL RELIGION.
Prov. xvi. 23. The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and
addeth learning to his lips.
THE depths of human science can be explored by
few, because few have either leisure or ability for
learned investigations. The same observation is true
with respect to theology also, considered as a science :
a very considerable knowledge both of history and
ancient languages is required, in order to a full under
standing of the various branches of sacred literature.
But the spiritual and most essential parts of divine
knowledge are totally distinct from these subjects ;
nor is that species of erudition, which the learned
only can possess, at all necessary for the obtaining of
a clear and accurate acquaintance with them. There
are two books, if we may so speak, and two alone,
which we need to know ; and they are, the Bible and
our own hearts. Till the latter be opened to our view,
the former will be only "a sealed book:" but a discovery
of our own hearts will throw an astonishing light upon
the sacred oracles ; and make innumerable passages,
which once seemed obscure and inexplicable, so plain,
793.] THE BENEFIT OF EXPERIMENTAL RELIGION. 171
that " he who runs may read" and understand them.
To this effect Solomon speaks in the words before us;
in elucidating which we shall inquire,
I. Who are here meant by " the wise ?"
Solomon certainly did not intend to limit his assertion
to those who were possessed of literary attainments
[Human knowledge, when sanctified by grace, is a valu
able instrument in the hands of its possessor, inasmuch as it will
qualify him for discharging many duties, which, without it, he
would not be able to fulfil. Moses, by being " learned in all
the wisdom of the Egyptians," was better fitted to stand forth
as the deliverer of Israel : and Paul, notwithstanding he
declined using " the words of man s wisdom," was the better
furnished for his work by his learned education, and his uncom
mon proficiency in the studies of his age and nation. Never
theless it is not such learning that will form our minds to true
wisdom. On the contrary, if unsanctified, it will be as inimical
to religion as even the most inveterate lusts would be. The more
we have of it, the more will " the things of the spirit appear
foolishness unto us ;" and the greater will be our backwardness
to seek that spiritual " discernment" which alone can qualify us
to judge of them aright 3 ; and it is on this very account that
God so often pours contempt upon it and confounds it b .]
Nor was it of persons eminent for worldly prudence
that Solomon spake
[There can be no doubt but that true wisdom will make
us prudent, for the voice of inspiration says, " I, Wisdom,
dwell with Prudence ." But there are many who are " pru
dent in their own sight," and in the eyes of the world, who
are considered by God as altogether destitute of wisdom d .
The Rich Man, who had so judiciously cultivated his grounds
as to obtain large crops, and who, to preserve the produce,
enlarged his storehouses, would have been accounted prudent
by the world ; but God gave him most deservedly the appel
lation of a fool ; " Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be re
quired of thee e ."]
The persons characterized in the text as wise, are
they who are endued with heavenly wisdom
[Some there are, whose " eyes have been enlightened" by
the Spirit of God, and whose hearts are regulated by his lively
oracles. They have been taught of God to know their own
state, and have been formed to a disposition and temper suited
a 1 Cor. ii. 14. b 1 Cor. i. 19,20. c Prov. viii. 12.
d Isai. v. 21. e Luke xii. 20.
172 PROVERBS, XVI. 23. [793.
to their real character f . These are the wise, the only wise in the
sight of God. And they are truly wise, even though they
should be the most illiterate upon earth. We do not hesitate
to say that the fishermen of Galilee possessed more true wis
dom than all the heathen philosophers that ever existed.]
Their superiority to others will soon appear, if we
inquire,
II. What are those subjects of which they are so well
able to speak ?
Their spiritual views do not at all qualify them to
speak on matters of science and philosophy. But
there are many things relating to Christian doctrine
and experience, of which they can speak more truly, and
more accurately, than any other people upon earth :
1 . On the deceitfulness and depravity of the heart
[This is a subject with which they are well acquainted;
nor are they afraid of declaring it in its full extent. They
have found on ten thousand occasions how fatally their heart
has deceived them, what false glosses it puts upon any thing
which it is desirous to retain, and what specious pretexts it
will suggest for rejecting any thing that is distasteful to flesh
and blood. They have seen the deep-rooted enmity of their
hearts against God, their aversion to all holy exercises, and
their proneness to do every thing that was evil. In speaking
on these points, they speak not by hearsay, or according to a
received system, but according to the word of God, confirmed
as it has been by their own experience 8 .]
2. On the suitableness and excellency of the salva
tion provided for us
[They no more doubt that they need a Saviour, or that the
Saviour provided for them is exactly such a one as they want,
than they doubt their own existence. They know full well
that they could not fulfil the law ; they know also that Christ
has satisfied all its demands by his obedience unto death ; and
that by believing in him they shall be interested in all that he
has done and suffered. They perceive that in this way of sal
vation God gives all, and we receive all : and though the pride
of their hearts formerly revolted at this, they are now disposed,
not only to acquiesce in it, but to thank and adore God for so
gracious a dispensation ]
3. On the way in which sinners are brought to the
knowledge of Christ
f Eph. i. 17, 8. s Jer. xvii. 9.
793.] TII E BENEFIT OF EXPERIMENTAL RELIGION. 173
[Here they can point out, as in a map, the country which
they themselves have travelled over. They have been con
vinced of sin ; they have seen the refuges of lies which they
fled to in succession, one after another, till God sent home the
law in all its spirituality to their hearts. They have thus been
made to despair of saving themselves, and have, like the
wounded Israelites, looked simply to him that was lifted up
upon the cross. And though there is a great variety in the
experience of different persons with respect to these things, yet
these are the general outlines in which all true Christians are
agreed ; and therefore they can speak of them with truth and
certainty.]
4. On the nature of the spiritual warfare
[They are daily engaged in maintaining a conflict with sin
and Satan. They have within them the two principles of flesh
and spirit, which are continually struggling, as fire and water,
to subdue each other 1 . They know the discouragements and
fears with which the Christian is assailed, and the consolations
and joys with which he is revived. Nor are they " ignorant
of Satan s devices," having often " withstood his wiles," and
" repelled his fiery darts." On these subjects their mouth is
taught, and learning is added to their lips.]
The world are often struck with this fact, and ask
with amazement,
III. Whence it is that they have attained this know
ledge ?
Experience, under God, is the best teacher; and it
is from experience that they know these things
[They derive not their knowledge from books : for many
either cannot read, or never have studied the writings of men
upon those subjects. Nor have they received their instructions
from man : for though God taught them by man, yet God
alone made the word effectual to open their eyes ; and the
very truths, perhaps, which they had heard frequently before
without any profit, are suddenly applied to their souls, and
made the power of God to their conviction and salvation. In
short, it is not merely in their heads, but in their hearts that
they know these things : and in speaking of them they can say
with the apostle, " What our eyes have seen, and our ears have
heard, and our hands have handled of the word of life, the
same declare we unto you. "]
Hence it is that their knowledge of these things is
so superior to that of others
n Gal. v. 17.
174 PROVERBS, XVI. 23. [793.
[Others cannot comprehend any one of the foregoing
truths. If they should attempt to speak of them, they would
only expose their own ignorance. Yea, though they may write
well on the theory of religion, they are totally in the dark with
respect to the nature of Christian experience. The poorest and
meanest of God s people have incomparably greater penetration
in these things than the wisest philosopher. This is plainly
declared by the Apostle, " He that is spiritual judge th all
things; yet he himself is judged of no man 1 ". It is confirmed
also by that expression of Solomon, " The rich man is wise in
his own conceit; but the poor man that hath understanding
searcheth him out k ; " that is, discovers his ignorance, and is
able to rectify his errors. As a man who has experienced any
great pleasure or pain has a juster idea of what he has felt,
than another has who only speaks of such things by hearsay ;
so, in a far higher degree, has the experienced Christian a
clearer insight than others into divine truths, because he has
the archetype and image of them in his own heart.]
APPLICATION
1. Let none attempt to excuse their ignorance by
saying that they are no scholars
[Nothing is more common among the lower classes of
mankind than to offer this as an excuse for their ignorance.
But such excuses are vain : God has told us that he has chosen
them in preference to the rich and learned , and that he has
revealed to them what he has hid from the wise and prudent m .
Let the blind then pray that they may receive their sight ; so
shall they " understand all things "," and be made " wise unto
salvation ."]
2. Let us improve our conversation with each
other for the purpose of spiritual edification
[Too apt are we to trifle away our precious hours. But
the tongue of the wise is justly compared to choice silver that
enriches, and to a tree of life that nourishes us with its pre
cious fruits p . Our words, if rightly ordered, might " administer
grace " to each other. Let us then endeavour to obtain " the
tongue of the learned, that can speak a word in season unto
him that is weary q ." Thus, we may " speak profitably out of
the abundance of our hearts," and approve ourselves truly "wise
by winning souls " to God r .]
5 1 Cor. ii. 15. k Prov. xxviii. 11. 1 Cor. i. 2628.
m Matt. xi. 25. " Prov. xxviii. 5. 2 Tim. iii. 15.
v Prov. x. 20. ( i Isai. 1. !. r Prov. xi. 30.
794.] ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF RELIGION REFUTED. 175
DCCXCIV.
ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF RELIGION REFUTED.
Prov. xvi. 25. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man ;
but the end thereof are the ways of death.
THE testimony of an inspired prophet respecting
the human heart is, that it " is deceitful above all
things and desperately wicked." This testimony, as
far as it respects the world at large, we all are ready
to confirm. We see that in the great mass of mankind
there is a propensity to deceive, not others only, but
themselves also. They are often unconscious of prin
ciples by which they are manifestly actuated ; and
as often take credit to themselves for virtues which
they do not really possess. Persons who have made
considerable attainments in self-knowledge, are yet
by no means free from this infirmity : the Apostles
themselves, on more occasions than one, betrayed by
their conduct, that " they knew not what spirit they
were of." Nor does this proneness to self-deceit dis
cover itself only in relation to individual acts, wherein
men may be supposed to be biassed either by their
interests or passions : it extends itself to men s whole
character, and leads them to form a most erroneous
judgment of their state : it leads them to " call evil
good, and good evil ; to put darkness for light, and
light for darkness ; to put bitter for sweet, and sweet
for bitter." But it may be thought, that, if a man be
deceived by his own heart, a less degree of criminality
will attach to his actions, and he will have less reason
to apprehend the displeasure of God. This however
is not true : for we are responsible to God for the
judgment we form of good and evil ; and if we err,
after all the means of information he has given us,
we must be willingly deceived, and abide the conse
quences of our folly. To this effect Solomon speaks
in the words before us : he concedes that " a way may
appear right to a man ; " but he tells us, nevertheless,
that " the end thereof will be death."
This assertion of his is not to be understood of one
particular way only : it is a general assertion, that
176 PROVERBS, XVI. 25. [794.
is applicable to a great variety of cases, or rather, I
should say, to every kind of way that is followed by
man and condemned by God. Of course we cannot
enter into all the cases which might be specified : it
will be sufficient to notice two or three ways, which
are the most commonly followed, and most fatal
in their issue.
I. The first way to which we would call your
attention is that of gay licentiousness.
We cannot suppose any person so ignorant as really
to think that licentious gaiety is right : but there are
millions who do not think it materially wrong. Cri
minal excesses and indulgences are palliated by the
mild appellations of conviviality and youthful indis
cretion : and they are deemed necessary to the well-
being of society. They are even made subjects of
boasting ; and persons who through age and infirmity
are disabled from pursuing their former courses, will
yet repeat them in effect, by glorying in the remem
brance of them, and encouraging others in the same
career. So far from condemning these things in their
minds, the generality will laugh at those who are
scrupulous enough to doubt the lawfulness of such
courses : and if any one were bold enough to bear a
decisive testimony against them, he would instantly
be characterized by some opprobrious name. To
suppose that such indulgences, if restrained within
moderate bounds, would subject a man to the wrath
of Almighty God, would be considered as bordering on
insanity : and every one is encouraged to regard such
innocent liberties (as they are called) as perfectly
compatible with a well-grounded hope of salvation.
Let us then inquire what foundation there is for
such a confidence. Does God say nothing in his word
respecting the issue of such ways ? or does he speak
of them in the same gentle terms ? No : not a syllable
of this kind is to be found in all the sacred records.
A general caution is given us by Solomon in reference
to carnal indulgences of every kind : " Rejoice, O
young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer
794.1 ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF RELIGION REFUTED. 177
thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways
of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes : but
know thou, that for all these things God will bring
thee into judgment*." The general warning given by
St. Paul is plainer still ; " If ye live after the flesh,
ye shall die 1 ." Lest we should mistake his meaning,
he frequently enumerates the works of the flesh :
" Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, envyings, mur
ders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like ; these,"
says he, " are the sins, of the which I tell you before,
that they who do such things shall not inherit the
kingdom of God c ." But because men are ready to
offer vain pleas and excuses for such things, he parti
cularly guards us against laying the smallest stress
on any surmises of our own, or any suggestions of
others : " Let no man," says he, " deceive you with
vain words : for because of these things cometh the
wrath of God upon the children of disobedience 1 ."
But Moses, and after him the Prophet Jeremiah,
meet the case in the most pointed terms : " It shall
come to pass," says Moses, " when a man shall hear
the words of this curse, and shall bless himself in his
heart, saying, I shall have peace though I walk in the
imagination of my heart ; the Lord will not spare
him ; but the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall
smoke against that man ; and all the curses that are
written in this book shall come upon him, and the
Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven 6 ."
Now permit me to ask, For what end are these
things written ? is it merely to alarm and terrify us ?
Can we conceive that God would falsify, in order to
keep us within some decent bounds ? Is there any
necessity for him to resort to such an expedient ; or
could he do it in consistency with his own perfections?
Here then we are reduced to this dilemma; either
to believe that the word of God is full of the most
palpable falsehoods from one end to the other, or to
acknowledge that the confidence of ungodly men is
a Eccl. xi. 9. t> Rom. viii. 13. c Gal. v. 1921.
d Eph. v. G. e Dcut. xxix. 19.
VOL. VII. N
178 PROVERBS, XVI. 25. [794.
unfounded, and their hope delusive. Choose ye the
former alternative if ye please : but you must excuse
me if I embrace the latter. Believing as I do the word
of God to be true, I must believe, and must exhort
you also to believe, that they who make light of sin
"shall not inherit the kingdom of God." The drunkard,
the swearer, the whoremonger, in short the careless
sinner, may " think his ways right;" but, if there be
any truth in the word of God, they shall end in death.
The express declaration of God concerning them is,
" The end of those things is death f ."
II. The next way to which I would call your atten
tion, is that of proud unbelief.
Associated with loose morality will be found, for
the most part, a contemptuous disregard of the Gospel.
Ungodly men feel no need of it ; they see no excel
lency in it ; they consider it as unworthy of their
attention ; and they leave it as a proper field for the
discussion of angry disputants, or the contemplation
of wild enthusiasts.
If any urge the necessity of faith in Christ, they
either contend, that, having been educated in the
belief of Christianity, they have all the faith that is
necessary ; or they cut the matter short, and tell us in
a word, " His faith cannot be wrong, whose life is in
the right." As to the idea of their salvation depending
on the exercise of faith, they cannot for one moment
endure it : nothing is too bad to be spoken of so
preposterous an opinion : and all who maintain such
a sentiment are set down as designing hypocrites, or
as gloomy fanatics.
Thus confident are they that their way is right.
But what saith the Scripture to these things ? Does
God himself lay no stress on the exercise of faith ?
Does he leave us at liberty to embrace or reject
his Gospel as we please ? Having given us his only-
begotten Son to die for us, and set him forth to be a
propitiation for sin through faith in his blood, does he
attach no guilt to unbelief? Does he represent the
f Rom. vi. 21.
794.1 ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF RELIGION REFUTED. 179
contemners of his Son as in the same predicament
with those who receive him ? Nothing of this kind can
be found in all the book of God. It may be called
candour ; but there is no such candour in the inspired
volume. That calls every thing by its proper name,
and assigns to every thing its proper character : and
the unbelief which is thought a matter of so much
indifference by the world at large, is declared to be
the infallible source of ruin to all who indulge it. But
let the Scriptures speak for themselves : " He that
believeth on Christ is not condemned ; but he that
believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath
not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of
God:" and again, " He that believeth on the Son,
hath everlasting life : but he that believeth not the
Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth
on him." In conformity with these declarations is
the whole tenour of sacred writ : " I am the way, the
truth, and the life," says our Lord ; " no man cometh
unto the Father but by me." " Come unto me, all ye
that labour and are heavy laden ! and I will give you
rest." " Ye will not come unto me, that ye might
have life." To the same effect is the testimony of
his Apostles ; " Other foundation can no man lay
than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." " There is
not salvation in any other : there is no other name
under heaven given among men whereby we can be
saved, but the name of Jesus Christ."
What now shall we say to these things ? Is there
any difficulty in understanding these passages? I
know, it is fashionable with many to represent the
doctrines of the Gospel as so abstruse and intricate
that no one of common discernment can understand
them. But what intricacy is there here which the
most unlettered man in the universe may not under
stand ? Men may invent subtleties on any subject ;
and on this among the rest : but there is nothing here
which is not plain and easy to the most common
apprehension. Christ has made an atonement for our
sins : and he calls us to seek salvation through his
blood and righteousness. He tells us, that " having
180 PROVERBS, XVI. 25. [794.
no sin of his own, he was made sin for us, that we
might be made the righteousness of God in him."
And when he sent his disciples to go and preach this
Gospel to every creature, he added, " He that be-
lieveth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that
believeth not shall be damned."
What shall we say then ? Shall we believe what
the Lord Jesus Christ has so strongly affirmed ? or
shall we believe the surmises of ungodly men, and,
as St. John expresses it, " make God a liar?" Even
if there were no such strong assertions to guide us,
our own reason might tell us, that God, after having
given his only dear Son to die for us, would never
leave it a matter of indifference whether we believed
in him or not : but when we find the testimonies of
Scripture so plain and so express on the subject,
\ve must conclude, that the unbelief which men so
proudly and impiously justify, will issue in the ever
lasting confusion of those who indulge it.
III. The last way to which w r e shall direct your atten
tion, is that of cold formality.
Many \vlio have respect for the Gospel as a system,
content themselves with yielding to it a bare assent ;
and persuade themselves that they receive it aright,
even though they never are stimulated by it to any
extraordinary exertions. As for all that zeal and love
and diligence in the service of the Lord Jesus which
they behold in some few around them, they account
it all a needless preciseness; and they impute it, for
the most part, to ostentation or vanity in those who
dare to maintain it. To be regular in their attendance
on public worship, to fulfil the duties of their station,
and to do unto others as they would be done unto,
this is enough for them, and more than this they
utterly despise. Speak not to them of loving God,
of living by faith on the Lord Jesus, of maintaining
fellowship with him in the exercise of prayer and
praise : speak not to them of walking as Christ walked,
of bearing the cross after him, and of rejoicing that
they are counted worthy to suffer for him : speak
794.] ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF RELIGION REFUTED. 181
not to them of receiving out of his fulness, of living
to his glory, or of growing up into his image : such
ideas are quite foreign to their minds : they sound
only as the reveries of an over-heated imagination :
to aspire after such things would be to be righteous
over-much : if such exertions were necessary for the
attainment of heaven, what must become of all the
world ? Their religion lies in a much narrower space ;
they do as they would be done unto, and they mind
their proper business in life : if this will not save them,
nothing will : and they have no fear but that, when
they shall have finished their course, God will say to
them, " Well done, good and faithful servants ; enter
ye into the joy of your Lord."
But if these views of a Christian s duty be right,
whence is it that the Christian course is represented
in Scripture as so arduous, that the most " righteous
persons are scarcely saved," and with great difficulty ?
How comes it, that the divine life is compared to a
race, that calls for such exertion ; a wrestling, that
requires such skill ; a warfare, that is attended with
such labour and danger ? What is there, in the kind
of life which has been described, that at all corre
sponds with such images as these ? If the way to
heaven be so easy that people can walk in it without
any material difficulty, how comes it that our Lord
has represented the path of religion as strait and
unfrequented, and has bidden us to strive to enter in
at the strait gate, because many seek to enter in, and
are not able ? St. Paul, when enumerating many
classes of ungodly persons who should arise in the
latter days, mentions those who have " a form of
godliness without the power ; " and in those very
words describes the characters which we are now
considering. The persons of whom we are speaking,
particularly value themselves upon their moderation
in religion ; as though it were a virtue to love God
moderately ; to serve our Lord and Saviour mode
rately ; and to seek the salvation of our souls mode
rately. This was the religion of the Laodicean Church :
they determined to guard against all extremes : they
18:2 PROVERBS, XVI. 25. [794.
would not neglect the service of God altogether ; nor
would they, on the other hand, engage in it with all
their might. And what says God unto them ? Does
he commend this boasted moderation ? No : he says,
" I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor
hot : I would thou wert cold or hot ! So then because
thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will
spue thee out of my mouth."
Let me not be understood as though I would vin
dicate any thing that was really enthusiastic : God
forbid ! The only thing for which I am contending
is, that God is to be served, not in a cold, lifeless,
formal manner, but with unfeigned delight, and with
all the powers and faculties of our souls. We must
" yield ourselves living sacrifices to him:" we must
endeavour to " walk worthy of him ; " and strive to
the uttermost to " glorify him with our bodies and
our spirits, which are his." This is the holiness to
which we are to attain ; and " without this holiness
no man shall see the Lord."
Having specified some of those ways which seem
right to the generality of men, but will assuredly end
in death, namely, the ways of gay licentiousness, proud
unbelief, and cold formality, we would entreat you to
contemplate the state of those who walk in them, at
that period when they are about to be undeceived.
Whilst they are in health, and the world smiles
upon them, their religion, such as it is, will suffice ;
and their confidence will bear them up. But when
sickness comes, and they draw near to the chambers
of death, a doubt will not unfrequently arise in their
minds, whether they are prepared to meet their God.
To dispel these thoughts, they betake themselves to
business or pleasure or company, or perhaps to strong
drink : but in spite of all the means used to allay their
fears, their suspicions will recur with greater force,
and excite a wish to know the opinion of some one
better informed than themselves : but they are afraid
to suggest their doubts, lest they should create an
alarm in the minds of others, and impress them with
an unfavourable apprehension of their state. The
794. ~] ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF RELIGION REFUTED. 183
recurrence of these thoughts makes them cling to
life : not that life is pleasant to them ; but they are
afraid to die. Compelled at last by inward uneasiness,
they perhaps put to some friend a question respecting
the evidences of our acceptance with God. They are
then answered in the most confident manner, that, as
they have done no harm, and have been very attentive
to their duties in life, they have no cause of fear.
The satisfaction founded on such an answer as this,
soon passes away ; and their former fears return.
Now perhaps they would be glad to see some person,
whose piety they have heretofore ridiculed as needless
preciseness : but they are afraid, lest a conversation
with him should confirm, rather than remove, their
doubts and fears. They wish, but cannot make up
their minds, to send for him. Perhaps they suggest
the idea to their attendant, but are dissuaded from
encouraging it : they are told with increasing con
fidence, that all is well with them. Perhaps they
persevere in their wishes, and a faithful monitor is
sent for. The servant of God deals tenderly with
them, but at the same time points out the errors they
have fallen into, and the importance of seeking salva
tion in another way. This disquiets them for a time,
and makes them doubly earnest about their souls.
The faithful monitor repeats his visit: but the officious
friends have barred the door against him ; or perhaps
have over-persuaded the dying man to decline all
further interviews, and to venture his soul upon his
own delusions. Any excuse is offered : the dying
man is asleep, or too ill to see any one ; and thus
the only remaining hope for the poor man is banished.
Such consolations as are founded on error and pre
sumption are administered to the last : and at length
the disembodied spirit rushes unprepared into the
presence of its God.
But who can conceive the surprise and horror of the
soul at the instant of its separation from the body ?
Methinks it shrinks back, wishing if possible to hide
itself in its former tenement of clay. But the time is
come for it to be undeceived. Now it sees the weakness
184 PROVERBS, XVI. 25. [794.
and futility of all its former hopes. Now it sees how
erroneous were its views of sin, and its conceptions of
true religion. Now it sees that the representations
which God had given in his word were true. The
self-deceiver now can no longer doubt to what an end
his former ways were leading, or whither they will
come who follow the paths he trod. To indulge a
wish for another period of probation, or even for
the smallest mitigation of his misery, now were vain.
Gladly would he go back for a moment to the world
he has left, to warn his surviving friends, lest they
also come into the same place of torment : but that
cannot be admitted. The sacred volume is given
them for their guide ; and if they will follow their
own delusions in preference to it, they must abide the
consequences. Now despair and anguish seize hold
upon him ; and he is delivered up a prey to all those
horrors, which once he ridiculed as idle tales.
Would we avoid this awful end, let us turn from
the paths that lead to it. Let us remember, that the
assertions of men, however confident, are of no value,
any further than they are founded on the word of
God. Let not their light thoughts of sin lead us to
tamper with it, or to doubt its issue. Let not their
excuses for rejecting Christ prevail on us to neglect
his great salvation. Rather, let us embrace him, and
glory in him, and cleave to him with full purpose of
heart. Let not their standard of religion be ours :
let us go " unto the word and to the testimony : " let
us see how Christ and his Apostles walked : and though
we be ridiculed as precise and righteous over-much,
let us persevere in following the path of duty. Let
us " stand," as the prophet speaks, " and ask for the
good old way, and walk therein." Let us seek instruc
tion wherever we can find it: and let us remember,
that the broad and frequented path is, according to
our Lord s express declaration, a way that leadeth to
destruction ; but that the path to life is narrow, dif
ficult, and unfrequented ; for " few there be that find
it." In short, let us look forward to the end of our
journey. At that we shall soon arrive ; and then it
795.] GOD IS THE DISPOSER OF ALL EVENTS. 185
will be of no consequence whether we have been
honoured for keeping- the world in countenance, or
despised for putting them to shame. The only thing
that will then be of any consequence, will be, whether
we be approved of our God. Let this end then be
kept in view : let us regulate our ways in reference to
it : and let us both by precept and example endea
vour to undeceive the world around us. Then shall
we be blessings to the generation in which we live,
and shall attain that glory which ought to be the one
object of our constant pursuit.
DCCXCV.
GOD IS THE DISPOSER OF ALL EVENTS.
Prov. xvi. 33. The lot is cast into the lap ; but the whole dis
posing thereof is of the Lord.
THOUGH we would not be unnecessarily fasti
dious in condemning the use of any particular term,
where we knew that in its popular sense it was not
very exceptionable, yet we cannot altogether approve
the use of such terms as * luck, and * chance, and
* fortune : for though we know, that the persons who
adopt those kind of expressions do not intend to deny
the doctrine of a superintending Divine Providence,
yet we cannot but think that such language tends
exceedingly to weaken a sense of God s Providence
upon the soul, inasmuch as it excludes his agency
from the affairs of men, and regards them as left to
mere and absolute contingency. With the Scriptures
in our hands, we are perfectly assured, that all things,
however casual or contingent with respect to man, are
under the controul of a Superintending Providence ;
or, as it is said in our text, that, " when a lot is cast
into the lap, the whole disposal thereof is of the Lord."
In confirmation of this truth, we shall shew,
I. That God is the disposer of all events
Events, of whatever kind they be, are equally
under the direction of Almighty God. He disposes of,
1. The things which are most dependent on human
agency
186 PROVERBS, XVI. 33. [795.
[In the government of kingdoms all the powers of the
human mind are called forth and concentrated : but the time
for their commencement and continuance is altogether under
the direction of a superior power a . The success of all human
plans, whether relating to military enterprises 1 *, or commercial
speculations , or agricultural pursuits d , or matters of inferior
moment and of daily occurrence 6 , depends entirely on him
- It was he who directed to Ahab s heart the bow drawn
at a venture, and to Goliath s forehead the stone out of David s
sling. In a word, he " worketh all things after the counsel of
his own will f ;" and " his counsel shall stand, and he will do
all his pleasure 8 ."
2. The things that are most independent of human
agency
[Nothing has less dependence on human skill or foresight
than a lot. As far as respects the determining of that, an idiot
is on a par with the wisest man in the universe. But it is en
tirely at God s disposal ; as all who acknowledge the existence
of a Deity have confessed, by resorting to it on emergencies
which nothing else could determine. Saul, and all the people
of Israel, resorted to it, in order to learn from God who it
was that had displeased him ; and again, to determine the same
matter between Saul and Jonathan his son h . In like manner
the Apostles had recourse to it, in order to know whom God
willed to be the successor of Judas in the Apostolic office 1 .
Even the heathens themselves had a persuasion, that, when
matters were solemnly referred to Him in a way of lot, he
would make known to them the point which they wished to
ascertain k . But as in these instances the event, though sup
posed to have been directed of God, might have been casual,
since the chances against it were not very great, we will adduce
one, which marks beyond all possibility of doubt the Divine
interposition ; since, in the language of chances, it was above a
million to one that the lot did not fall on the person to whom
God infallibly directed it 1 . Here is a striking illustration of
that passage, " Evil shall hunt the wicked man to overthrow
him m ." The hounds see not their prey in the first instance,
but trace it by its scent, and follow it with certainty in all its
turnings, till at last they come in sight of it, and overtake it,
a Dan. iv. 17, 35. b 1 Sam. xvii. 45 47. 2 Chron. xx. 17.
c Deut viii. 17, 18. d Hagg. i. G 11.
e Prov. xix. 21. 1 Sam. ii. G 9. f Eph. i. 11.
g Isai. xlvi, 10. h 1 Sam. xiv. 4042.
1 Acts i. 2326. k Jonah i. 7.
1 Josh. vii. 14 18. There were two millions of people : but in
the last lot the men only were concerned. m Ps. cxl. 1 1 .
GOD IS THE DISPOSER OF ALL EVENTS. 187
and destroy it. So it was in regard to this pursuit of the man
who had troubled the camp of Israel : the lot fell on the right
tribe, then on the right family of that tribe, then on the right
household, and lastly on the right individual in that house
hold : and to every human being it speaks in this awful lan
guage, " Be sure your sin will find you out."]
That we may see how important a truth this is in
a practical view, we shall proceed to shew,
II. That in this character he is constantly to be re
garded by us
His hand and his will we should trace,
1. In every thing that is past
[Have we been loaded with benefits ? they must be re
ceived as from Him, " from whom cometh every good and per
fect gift." It matters nothing whether our blessings came to
us by inheritance, or were the fruit of our own industry : to
God, and to God alone, must they be referred, as their proper
source n . Have we, on the other hand, been visited with afflic
tions? We should know, that " they did not spring out of the
ground," but proceeded from his gracious hand ; since " there
is no evil in the city, but the Lord himself hath done it." Thus
Job viewed all his diversified trials : he overlooked the second
causes, and fixed his eyes on God alone: "The Lord gave,
and the Lord hath taken away."
Now in all this we see the great importance of tracing every
thing to the Lord ; for by our blessings we are inflamed to gra
titude, and by our troubles are softened to submission.]
2. In every thing that is future
[If nothing can occur without his special appointment,
how safely may we commit to him our every concern ; and how
confidently may we expect a happy issue of every occurrence !
Can we do better than leave ourselves at his disposal ? Were
it possible that he should err, or that, having devised any
thing, he should be unable to accomplish it ; or that, having
begun to accomplish it, he should, through versatility, change
his purpose, and alter his dispensations; we might then not feel
so well satisfied with having every thing subject to his disposal :
but when infinite wisdom and goodness concur to direct all our
concerns, and infinite power also engages to overrule every
thing for our good, we may well dismiss every fear, saying with
the Apostle, " I know whom I have believed, and that he is
able to keep that which I have committed to him." We may
be as composed as Hezekiah was when surrounded by Senna-
11 1 Chron. xxix. 14.
188 PROVERBS, XVIII. 10. [796.
cherib s army , or as Elisha, when surrounded by the army of
the king of Syria p . " Having God for us," we may rest
assured, that " none can effectually be against us."]
Let us SEE from hence,
1. The excellency of faith
[This is the principle which, far beyond any other, ho
nours and glorifies God. By faith we are prepared to receive
every thing as from him, and to say, " It is the Lord ; let him
do what seemeth him good." Mere reason, though it may
acknowledge these truths, can never enable us to realize them :
but " by faith we see Him that is invisible ;" and learn to
acknowledge him, as much " in the falling of a sparrow," as
in the ruin of an empire. Seek then this blessed principle;
yea, seek it in its highest and noblest exercises, that " being
strong in faith, you may give glory to God."]
2. The blessedness of the true Believer
[Whatever confederacies may be against you, it is your
privilege to know, that " no weapon that has been formed
against you can prosper." God has said, that " all things shall
work together for your good :" and they shall do so, however
much you may be at a loss to conceive in what way the good
shall be elicited. Only take care that " Christ is yours ;" and
then you may be sure that all things else are yours 1 . If Christ
is yours, all the perfections of God are so far yours, that they
shall all be exercised for your good. Having " Christ for your
sanctuary," you shall be inaccessible to the fiery darts of
Satan : and having " your life hid with Christ in God, you shall,
at his second coming, assuredly appear with him in glory r ."]
2 Chron. xxxii. 7,8. P 2 Kings vi. 16, 17.
1 1 Cor. iii. 2123. r Col. iii. 3, 4.
DCCXCVI.
THE NAME OF THE LORD A STRONG TOWER.
Prov. xviii. 10. The name of the Lord is a strong totver : the
righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
IN the Proverbs of Solomon we must not expect
to find long and accurate statements of Divine truth,
nor elevated strains of devotion founded upon it :
the scope of the book is rather by brief sentences to
fix upon the mind truths already acknowledged, and
to shew the excellency of them in their effects. The
passage before us is very instructive in this view,
namely, as illustrating the blessedness attendant on
796.] THE NAME OF THE LORD A STRONG TOWER. 189
true piety. But it commends itself to us yet more
forcibly, by exhibiting a contrast between the dispo
sitions and habits which religion inspires, and those
which are indulged by the whole ungodly world.
The text informs us what " the righteous man" does :
the verse following our text informs us what the
worldling does : the one makes God his refuge ; the
other trusts in his wealth, or some other idol equally
vain : the one founds all his hopes on God, as made
known to us in the Scriptures of Truth ; the other,
on some vanity, that has no title to confidence but
"in his own conceit."
It was to mark this contrast that the blessedness
mentioned in our text was confined to " the righteous."
Solomon did not mean to intimate, that an unrighteous
man, if he would flee to this tower, should be shut
out : for the most unrighteous man in the universe is
invited to come to it ; and, like the cities of refuge,
its gates stand open day and night for the admission
of all who desire to flee to it for refuge. But the
truth is, that none but the righteous will run to it :
none but they who are sensible of their guilt and
danger, and are fleeing in earnest from the wrath to
come, will enter in. All others deny the necessity of
submitting to so humiliating a measure : they think
they are safe enough without it. The believing pe
nitent, on the contrary, is thankful for such a refuge,
and is in the habit of running to it on every occa
sion : and therefore to him, and to him alone, is the
security confined.
To elucidate the passage, we will endeavour to
unfold,
I. The character of God
By "the name of the Lord" we are not to under
stand the mere word, Jehovah, as though that would
afford us any security. This is a vain and foolish
superstition, that has no foundation whatever in the
Oracles of God. But, by " the name of the Lord"
we must understand his character; as we learn from
that expression of David, " They that know thy
190 PROVERBS, XVIII. 10. [796.
name," i. e. thy character, " will put their trust in
thee a ." Consider then the character of Jehovah,
1. As described by himself
[God, in infinite condescension, was pleased to make
himself known to Moses, and by an audible voice to " proclaim
liis nameV " The Lord passed by and proclaimed, The Lord,
the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering-, and abun
dant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands,
forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and that will by no
means clear the guilty c ." Now we would ask the trembling sin
ner, What character he would wish Jehovah to bear ? Would
he wish God in no instance to testify his displeasure against
sin, but to treat all men alike, putting no difference between
" the guilty" who are going on in all manner of wickedness,
and the penitent, who are turning from all iniquity? No:
there is not a penitent in the universe that would wish God to
act in a way so unworthy of his Divine Majesty. But if he
desire to be assured of mercy to returning penitents, it is not
possible that any words he could devise could more richly
portray this attribute, than those which God himself has used.
Consider them distinctly and separately, and see how
constantly they have been verified towards you hitherto, and
how abundantly they contain all that you can desire.]
2. As revealed to us in Christ Jesus
[The Lord Jesus Christ is " Emmanuel, God with us ;"
and he is particularly called, " The image of the invisible God."
because in him the whole character of the Deity is made, as it
were, visible to mortal men. He is " the brightness of his
Father s glory, and the express image of his person ;" and his
whole character is marked in the name given him before he
was conceived in the wo nib d . The name " Jesus" is the same
with Joshua, or " Jehoshua," that is, Jah Hosea, Divine Sa
viour. What a glorious and comprehensive name is this ! All
that he has done and suffered for us, and all that he has pro
mised to us, is contained in it ; together with his perfect suffi
ciency for all that he has undertaken to effect. The trembling
sinner finds in the very name of Jesus a pledge of all that he
wants. Besides, whilst we contemplate him in the whole of
his work and offices, we are expressly authorized to apply to
ourselves the benefit of them all, and to call him, " The Lord
our Righteousness 6 ." Follow this idea in all its bearings, and
what unsearchable mysteries of love and mercy will it unfold
to our view !]
a Ps. ix. 10. b Exod. xxxiv. 5. c Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.
d Matt. i. 21,23. e Jer. xxiii. 6.
796.] THE NAME OF THE LOUD A STRONG TOWER. 191
Such being the name and character of God, let us
contemplate,
II. The interest we have in it-
It is indeed " a strong tower "-
[Consider every perfection of the Deity : there is not one
which is not " a chamber where we may hide ourselves till every
calamity be overpast f ." The wisdom, the goodness, the love,
the power, the faithfulness of Jehovah who that is encom
passed by them does not feel himself in an impregnable fortress?
Truly they are not merely a wall, but " a wall of fire" round
about the righteous ; of fire, which whilst it protects the fugi
tive, will devour the assailant. What a tower too is the
Lord Jesus Christ in the whole of his work and offices ! Well
is he said to be " a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy
in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the
heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against
the wall g ." Yes, " the man" Christ Jesus, in his Mediatorial
character, is such " a hiding-place 11 ," where no adversary shall
" ever penetrate."]
All who run to it shall " be safe"-
[Who shall ever approach " to harm" those who are thus
protected 1 ? Surely " they shall be kept in perfect peace."
They are " safe:" safe from the curses of the broken law ; for
" there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus*-"
They are safe too from the assaults of Satan ; for
" their lives are hid with Christ in God," where Satan can never
come In a word, they are safe from every kind of evil ;
for God has said of those who make the Most High their habi
tation, that "no evil shall befall them"- The perse
cutor may touch their body, but cannot reach their soul n : they
shall sooner be fed with ravens, than be suffered to " want any
manner of thing that is good ." And if any thing occur that
has the semblance of evil, they may be assured that it shall
work for their present and eternal good p . Like Elisha, they
are surrounded with horses of fire and chariots of fire q ; and
any assaults made upon them shall only terminate as in Elijah s
case, with the confusion and ruin of their enemies 1 ".]
" Suffer now a word of EXHORTATION"
1. Study much the character of God
f Isai. xxvi. 20. 8 Isai. xxvi. 4. h Isai. xxxii. 2.
1 1 Pet. iii. 13. k Rom. viii. 1. Col. iii. 3, 4.
m Ps. xci. 9, 10. " Luke xii. 4, 5. Ps. xxxiv.9, 10.
P Rom. viii. 28. 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18.
i 2 Kings vi. 14 17. r 2 Kings i. 9 14.
192 PROVERBS, XVIII. 11. [797.
[" To know God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, is,"
as our Lord informs us, " eternal life." All other knowledge
is mere vanity in comparison of this. Without this we have
nothing to warrant our hopes, or to dissipate our fears
" Acquaint then yourselves with God, and be at peace"- ]
2. Maintain constant and intimate communion with
him
[You know how a child runs to his parent on every occa
sion : do ye in like manner run unto your God. This is the
very character of the true Christian ; " The righteous runneth
unto God as his strong tower." Get to him under every fear,
and every want, and every distress : an-d " cast your care on
Him who careth for you" ]
3. Assure yourselves of the safety which you are
privileged to enjoy
[Well may you say, " If God be for me, who can be
against me ?" See how David exulted in his security 8 !
and learn like him to glory in your God : for it is God s desire
that you should enjoy all possible consolation 1 . Your Saviour
has assured you, that " none shall pluck you out of his hands : "
lie there then in peace and safety, " knowing in whom you have
believed, and that he is able to keep that which you have
committed to him " When he has lost his power to save,
then, and not till then, shall any enemy prevail against you.]
s Ps. xviii. 1, 2. and xxvii. 1. * Heb. vi. 18.
DCCXCVII.
A WOUNDED SPIRIT.
Prov. xviii. 14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity :
but a wounded spirit who can bear ?
MAN being placed in a world where troubles of
various kinds continually await him, he is endued
with a firmness of mind suited to the occasion, so
that he is enabled to bear them with a considerable
measure of composure and ease. Previously to the
arrival of afflictions, they appear more formidable
than they really are. We should suppose that poverty,
and sickness, and pain, and losses of friends and rela
tives, would produce a permanent depressure of mind:
but this is not found to be the case : time soon heals
the wounds that are inflicted by them ; and habit
soon reconciles men to the burthens which they are
797.] A WOUNDED SPIRIT. 193
called to sustain. Where piety is superadded to
natural fortitude, and the grace of God is in full
activity, a man can support any load, however heavy.
What an accumulated weight of afflictions came on
Job ! yet he not only blessed God for them, but,
when his wife urged him to renounce his allegiance
to God on account of these visitations, he, with won
derful composure, answered, " Shall we receive good
at the Lord s hands, and shall we not receive evil ?"
Yet there are bounds beyond which a man cannot
go, without almost miraculous assistance. The spirit,
like the body, may be borne down by a weight be
yond its strength : and when the spirit, which ought
to support a man under all his other trials, is itself
broken, he must fall of course.
Now there are many things which inflict so deep a
wound upon the spirit, as to destroy all its energy,
and incapacitate it for its proper office : and that we
may provide an antidote against them, and afford
some consolation under them, we will,
I. Consider the case of a wounded spirit
A spirit may be deeply wounded,
1. By nervous disorders
[The mind may be disordered, as well as the body, and
indeed through the medium of the body : and it is certain that
there are disorders which so operate upon the nerves as to
weaken and depress the animal spirits, and to sink a man into
the very depths of despondency. This is often mistaken for
religious melancholy: but it frequently has nothing to do with
religion : it is found in persons who never turned their minds
at all to the subject of religion : and, as it comes with, and by,
a bodily disease, so it ceases with the removal of that disease.
But in its effect it is inexpressibly painful, unfitting persons
for every duty, indisposing them for all the proper means of
relief, and leading them to put away from themselves all man
ner of consolation. They constrain their kindest friends to
apply to themselves that proverb, " As vinegar upon nitre, so
is he that singe th songs to a heavy heart 3 ."]
2. By great and long-continued afflictions
[Job himself, who had so nobly sustained all his compli
cated afflictions, sank at last, and cursed the day of his birth.
a Prov. xxv. 20.
VOL. VII. O
194 PROVERBS, XVIII. 14. [797.
Nor is it at all uncommon for men of the greatest fortitude thus
to sink. To produce this, is the tendency of calamities of any
kind, personal, domestic, or public. See the Apostle s caution
to the Church of Corinth respecting their conduct towards a
member whom they had excommunicated from among them.
As they had been formerly too backward to punish his offence,
so now they were too backward to restore him ; on which oc
casion St. Paul says to them, " Ye ought rather to forgive him,
and to comfort him, lest perhaps such an one should be swal
lowed up with over-much sorrow 1 ." Here the grief was purely
personal: but in Jacob it was of a domestic nature. He had,
in his own apprehension, lost his favourite son, Joseph ; and now
he was afraid of losing Benjamin also: that, he said, would fill
up the number of his sorrows, and " bring down his grey hairs
with sorrow to the grave c ." How many at this day have ground
to adopt this complaint, in reference to their children ! Public
calamities, it is true, do not so often press with an unsupport-
ablc weight upon the mind : yet have we several instances of
their depressing, almost to the lowest ebb of sorrow, persons of
the strongest and the holiest minds. How were Moses and Joshua
discouraged, when unexpected circumstances arose to render
doubtful the ultimate success of their mission d ! Nor was it a
love of life, or a fear of death, that made Hezekiah so extremely
dejected at the prospect of his approaching dissolution, but an
apprehension of the evils that \vould accrue to his country in
the event of his removal ; and that one consideration reduced
him to such a state of grief as would in any other view have
been utterly unworthy of him as a saint of God 6 .]
3. By guilt upon the conscience
[What terrible effects did this produce on the mind of the
traitor Judas ! He could not retain the wages of his iniquity,
nor bear his own existence ; but sought in suicide a termination
of the sorrows he could no longer endure f . Nor is it at all un
common for persons who once " made a mock of sin," to feel
so bitterly the torments of an accusing conscience, as to be
driven by them to habits of intoxication, and even to death
itself, as a refuge. Even good men, previous to their having
received a renewed sense of God s pardoning love upon their
souls, have been brought to such terrors and despondency, as to
find within their own souls a foretaste of hell itself. David s
experience in this particular is a just, but lamentable, exhi
bition of this painful truth e ]
4. By violent temptations
b 2 Cor. ii. 7. c Gen. xlii. 38. and xliv. 31.
d Exod. v. 22,23. Josh. vii. 7, 8. e Isai. xxxviii. 13, 14.
f Matt, xx vii. 3 5.
e Ps. xxxi. 9, 10. and xxxviii. 1 8. and xl. 12.
797. J A WOUNDED SPIRIT. 195
[Satan, though he can no longer possess the bodies of men
as formerly he did, has yet great power over their souls. " His
fiery darts " can inflict the deadliest wound. Paul himself was
not able to endure " the bufFetings " of that malignant enemy,
till, by repeated cries to his Divine Master, he had obtained
from him augmented supplies of grace and strength 11 . As for
Job, though he was a perfect man, yet he sank entirely under
the assaults of this great adversary Even the Lord of
Glory himself, when he had assumed our feeble nature, was so
exhausted in his first conflicts with Satan, that he needed to
have " angels sent from heaven to strengthen him k ." And in
his last hours, when all the powers of darkness made their united
assault upon him, he was constrained to say, " My soul is ex
ceeding sorrowful, even unto death." What wonder then if
Christians of ordinary stature be on some occasions unable to
bear up under the wounds which he inflicts upon them ?]
5. By spiritual desertion
[This, after all, is the most overwhelming to a pious soul.
With the presence of his God a man may bear any thing : but
when " God hides his face from him, he must of necessity be
troubled 1 ." In this respect also David shews us what an in
supportable affliction this is, and how impossible it is for the
strongest or most pious mind to endure it m But in our
blessed Lord himself we see the most awful exemplification of
this truth : for when all his other afflictions together had not
been able to extort from him one complaint, this forced from
him that heart-rending cry, " My God ! my God ! why hast
thou forsaken me n ?]
Seeing then that many may be fainting under the
agonies of " a wounded spirit/ we will,
II. Administer some balm for its relief-
There is no wound that can be inflicted on the
soul in this life, which may not, by an application of
the proper remedies, be healed. Consider then,
1. There is no affliction which is not sent by God
for our good
[Afflictions, of whatever kind they be, " spring not out of
the ground:" they are all appointed by God, in number, weight,
and measure, and duration. If it be disease of body, it is he
that inflicts the wound : if the trial come from any other quarter,
h 2 Cor. xii. 7, 9. * Job vi. 2 4. and vii. 24, 13 1C.
k Matt. iv. 11. Ps. xxx. 6, 7.
m Ps. Ixxvii. 2 4. and Ixxxviii. 3 7, 14 16.
11 Matt, xxvii. 46.
196 PROVERBS, XVIII. 14. [797.
it still is his chastening rod that strikes us, with a view to our
spiritual good, " that we may be made partakers of his holiness."
Convictions of sin are the work of his Spirit, to prepare us for the
final restoration of his favour : and Satan himself, as in the case
of Job and of Peter, is restrained by God, so as ultimately to
display the triumphs of divine grace, and to benefit the souls
which he endeavours to destroy : and God himself, in the
ladings of his face, seeks only so to humble and purify our
souls as to prepare us for the fuller manifestations of his love
and mercy
Now it must be granted, " that afflictions are not for the
present joyous, but grievous : nevertheless, afterwards they
work the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them that are
exercised thereby." " If we be in heaviness through manifold
temptations," God sees that there is " a needs be" for them p ;
and that by putting us into the furnace, we shall be purged
from our dross, and come out of it as vessels better fitted for
his service" 1 . Well therefore may the consideration of the end
for which they are sent, and of the benefit to be derived from
them, reconcile us to the pressure of them, and dispose us
patiently to wait for the removal of them. Could Job have
foreseen the issue of his troubles, they would have been de
prived of more than half their weight.]
2. Our afflictions, of whatever kind they be, will
endure but a little time
[The Apostle speaks of all, even the heaviest afflictions,
as light and momentary r . Even life itself is but as a shadow
that declineth ; or a weaver s shuttle, which soon finishes the
piece that is to be severed from the loom. And when once this
frail life is ended, there is an everlasting termination of all our
sorrows. If only we have believed in Christ, and sought an
interest in him, we enter immediately into " his presence,
where is fulness of joy for evermore." Into that blissful world
nothing that is afflictive can ever enter to disturb their peace :
" all tears are wiped away from their eyes ; and there shall be
no more death, neither SOITOW, nor crying, neither shall there
be any more pain : for the former things are passed away s ."
And, as no created evil can then impair their bliss, so no created
good can add to it : " The city has no need of the sun, neither
of the moon to lighten it ; for the glory of God does lighten it,
and the Lamb is the light thereof 1 ." How little will the
transient clouds that once occasioned a momentary gloom be
remembered, when our dwelling is for ever fixed in the full
splendour of the Sun of Righteousness. Surely we need not
Isai. liv. 7, 8. i 1 1 Pet. i. 0. 1 Mai. lit. 2, 3.
r 2 Cor. iv. 17. s Rev. xxi. 4. l Rev. xxii. 23.
798. J DIVINE KNOWLEDGE MOST DESIRABLE. 197
be much cast down at trials, however painful to flesh and blood,
when we consider that their duration is but as the twinkling of
an eye, and that they will so soon terminate in inconceivable
and everlasting felicity.]
3. There is in Christ a full sufficiency for every
wound
[We need not go to the eternal world for consolation ; for
we may find it here. What says the Prophet Jeremiah ? "Is
there no balm in Gilead ? Is there no Physician there ? Why
then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered"?"
Did we but cry to Jesus, as Paul did, we should find " his grace
abundantly sufficient for us." " If we cast our burthen upon
him, he would sustain us." See the experiment tried by David,
and the account which he gives of the result : how soon was he
" taken out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and a new
song was put into his mouth, even praise unto our God x !"
The very office which our blessed Lord undertook, was that,
not of a Redeemer only, but of a Comforter ; " to comfort them
that mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of
joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness? " Let all then look unto him, whatever their afflic
tion now be : even though, like David, they were under the
depths of dereliction, they shall soon, with him, have occasion
to say, " Thou hast turned my mourning into dancing ; thou
hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness 2 ."
The Lord Jesus " will not break a bruised reed, or quench
the smoking flax, but will bring forth judgment unto victory:"
and, if we confide in him, " our heaviness may indeed continue
for a night, but joy shall come in the morning."]
u Jer. viii. 22. x Ps. xl. 2, 3. > Isai. Ixi. 2, 3. z Ps. xxx. 1 1 .
DCCXCVIII.
DIVINE KNOWLEDGE MOST DESIRABLE.
Prov. xix.2. That the soul be without knowledge, it is not good.
THERE is nothing so highly prized as knowledge.
No pains are deemed too great for the acquirement
of it; no expense too large - It is that which,
more than any thing else, raises a man in public estima
tion, and gives him influence in the world a -
There is, however, a knowledge which is far from
a If this were a subject for a COMMEMORATION SERMON, before a
Learned Body, the use and excellency of Learning should be largely
opened, and form the first head of the Discourse. The second head
would be, The superior importance of divine knowledge.
198 PROVERBS, XIX. 2. [798.
being duly appreciated ; I mean, that which relates
to the concerns of the soul. Yet is this, beyond all
comparison, more important than the other. For this,
St. Paul counted all things but as dross and dung.
Without the attainment of human sciences, a man
may be both holy and happy ; but without divine
knowledge he can have,
I. No directory for his ways
[Reason is very inadequate to guide our steps. We know
not of ourselves how to walk and to please God. The wisest
of heathen philosophers were but blind conductors in the paths
of real holiness : they understood not what holiness was. Of
humility, which is the very foundation of holiness, they had no
just ideas. So it is with unenlightened Christians. They see
little beyond forms and external duties. The exercise of
spiritual affections is beyond their attainment or their aim.
Of an entire superiority to the world, and a total surrender of
themselves to God, they have no conception ; unless, indeed,
it be in a way of monastic institutions, where the duties of
social life are overlooked, and form is substituted in the place
of vital power. Of a life of faith in particular, a person, unin-
structed in the Gospel can have no proper views. Being
ignorant of Christ, he cannot see what a fulness there is in him
of wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification and redemp
tion ; or what necessity there is for the sinner to receive sup
plies from it, by the daily exercises of faith and prayer. In a
word, from a man ignorant of the Gospel, every thing that
constitutes vital godliness is concealed. He has no higher
principle than that of fear ; no better standard than that of
heathen morals ; no nobler end than that of saving his own
soul. As for being constrained by the love of God, or aspiring
to a full conformity to the divine image, or living altogether for
the glory of God s name, he knows it not ; yea, he regards it
rather as fanciful, enthusiastic, impracticable, and absurd. Not
feeling his obligations to his Redeemer, he wants the entire
spring of vital godliness, and can rise no higher than to the
low attainment of heathen morals. Tell me then whether he
be not in a truly pitiable state.]
II. No remedy for his sins
[Every man feels himself to be a sinner, and to stand in
need of forgiveness with God. But a man ignorant of the
Gospel, seeks remission only in a round of duties, or in mor
tifications of human origin. He sees not his need of a Media
tor, through whose obedience unto death he is to obtain
acceptance with God. He knows not of " the fountain which
798. J DIVINE KNOWLEDGE MOST DESIRABLE. 199
was opened for sin " upon the cross ; and therefore he cannot
wash in it. He knows not of a righteousness wrought out for
him ; and therefore he cannot clothe himself with it. The
great and precious promises which God has given us in his
word, have, in his mind, but little weight, little reality. His
repentances, his reformations, his alms-deeds and works of
charity, these form his chief dependence, and these administer
to him his principal consolation. Hence he never acquires any
solid peace. He always has a secret misgiving that he has not
obtained peace with God ; and he has no conception of what
is meant by " the joy of faith." The true Believer " rejoices
in the Lord with joy unspeakable and full of glory." But to
this the poor blind moralist can never attain ; and therefore he
can never enter into " the glorious liberty of the children of
God." In what a lamentable condition then is he !]
III. No support in his troubles
["Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward." But
to those who have received the Gospel, there are consolations
that bear them up above all their afflictions. They know from
whence all their trials spring, even from the hand of God him
self. They see them to be the fruit of a Father s love, sent for
the production of the most gracious ends. They feel within
themselves their humbling, sanctifying efficacy. They perceive
that they are instrumental to the carrying on of God s work
within them, and to the augmenting of that weight of glory
which shall be accorded to them at the last day. But of all this
the man who is uninstructed in the Gospel is altogether igno
rant. He has little except the principles of philosophy for his
support. He feels that he cannot ward off affliction ; and that
to repine under it, is only to augment its pressure : and that,
consequently, patience is his truest wisdom. But to " glory in
tribulation," and be thankful for it, and " take pleasure in it,"
are attainments of which he has no conception. Truly " to be
thus ignorant, it is not good."]
IV. No strength for his duties
[An unenlightened man, of necessity, engages in duty
depending only on his own strength. He knows not what
union with Christ is ; or what is that vital energy which is
derived from him, as from a vine to its branches, or from the
head to the members of a body. Nor is he acquainted with
the operations of the Holy Spirit, so as to be " strengthened
with all might by the Spirit in his inward man." In conse
quence of this, if he go forth to mortify sin, or conflict with
Satan, or engage in any spiritual duty, he fails, and is ready to
consider success as utterly unattainable. Being a stranger to
" the mighty working of God s power, which wrought in Christ
200 PROVERBS, XIX. 2. [798.
to raise him from the dead, and to set him above all the princi
palities and powers whether of heaven or hell," he conceives
that similar conquests are not to be expected by mortal man ;
and that to rise thus superior to sin and Satan, is an object to
be desired rather than attained. Hence he satisfies himself
with the poor performances of outward duty ; and never dreams
of being " changed into the image of the Lord Jesus, from
glory to glory, by the Spirit of his God." " Through the
strength of Christ he might do all things :" but, being ignorant
of Christ, he is left to his own resources, and " can do nothing."
Say, Brethren, whether in this view also he does not fear
fully illustrate the truth contained in my text.]
V. No hope in his end
[At the approach of death, an unenlightened man is in a
truly pitiable state. He has no other hope but what is founded
on the uncovenanted mercies of his God, and a persuasion that
he has done his duty to the utmost of his power. As for an
assurance of faith, or a spirit of adoption enabling him to cry
Abba, Father, he knows not of it ; nor can imagine how it is
that some attain such joy in the prospect of eternity. Of the
covenant of grace, and of all its blessed provisions, he, alas !
is ignorant. He cannot take hold of the promises of the Gos
pel, or rely on the faithfulness of God. He sees not how a title
to heaven may be attained, or with what confidence it may be
pleaded at the throne of grace. He sees not Christ as his fore
runner, that is gone to prepare a place for him, and has engaged
to come and take him to himself. Hence he clings to life even
to the last ; and never reckons death amongst his treasures, or
accounts it gain to die. St. Paul well describes the state of such
an one ; that being ignorant of God s righteousness, and going
about to establish his own righteousness, and not submitting
himself to the righteousness of God, he perishes at last under
the guilt of all his sins. Whatever his exertions be in the pur
suit of righteousness, he fails, " because he seeks it by works,
and not by faith only ; for he stumbles at that stumbling-
stone b ;" and thus, as God has said, " he is destroyed for lack
of knowledge c ." The unhappy man living all his days " without
Christ," dies at last "without hope d ." Who will doubt now
the truth of Solomon s assertion, that for the soul to be with
out knowledge is the greatest calamity that can befall a man on
this side the grave ?]
And now, Brethren, what shall I say unto you ? O,
LEARN,
1. To pity those who are in ignorance of the truth
of Christ
b Rom. ix. 30 33. and x. 2, 3. c Hos. iv. 6. d Eph. ii. 12.
798. J DIVINE KNOWLEDGE MOST DESIRABLE. 201
[You would surely pity your friends and relatives, if you
saw them destitute of the common faculties of men: but,
believe me, they are still greater objects of pity, if, possessing
all the faculties of men, they are ignorant of the Gospel. In
what an awful state are they who have no directory for their
ways, no remedy for their sins, no support in their troubles,
no strength for their duties, and no hope in their end ! Yet
is this, indeed, the condition of all who are ignorant of Christ.
They may be endued with human wisdom, and may be placed
on the highest pinnacle of human glory ; but yet a poor Lazarus,
that is destitute of all that man values, is happier than they.
Consider this, I pray you, and exert yourselves to the utmost
of your power for the bringing of their souls to God
arid pity the heathen world, who are yet sitting in darkness and
in the shadow of death. Pity also God s ancient people, who
have yet a veil upon their hearts, and who still reject that
Saviour whom their fathers crucified. Concur in all the
methods that are used for the enlightening of this benighted
world : and if you see, indeed, that " for immortal souls to be
without knowledge is not good," address yourselves with all
energy to the dispelling of the darkness that reigns throughout
the world, and to the "turning of men universally from dark
ness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God."]
2. To improve the means of grace which are af
forded you
[Permit me to say, that you have the light set before you,
.and " the whole counsel of God faithfully declared unto you."
Do not then trifle with the opportunities which you enjoy.
They are sent of God to " make you wise unto salvation ;" and,
if they be disregarded, they will greatly augment both your
guilt and condemnation. In truth, if you had not such in
structions, your guilt would be comparatively light, and your
condemnation tolerable : but, with your advantages, your state
will be worse than that of Sodom and Gomorrha, if you make
not a suitable improvement of them. In attending on divine
ordinances, learn to regard them as Bethesda s Pool, where,
unless the waters be stirred, you will attend in vain ; and beg
of God to accompany them with power from on high, and to
give them a saving efficacy to your souls.]
3. To make a good use of the knowledge which
you possess
[Be careful that you do not " hold the truth in unright
eousness." The servant who knew his Lord s will, and did it
not, was beaten with more and heavier stripes than he who
erred through ignorance. And you may be sure, that if the
Lord Jesus Christ will be revealed at last in flaming fire, to
PROVERBS, XIX. 3. [799.
take vengeance on them that knew not God, and obeyed not
the Gospel ; much more will he take vengeance on those who
have trodden under foot his blood, and done despite to his
Spirit of grace. If God have shined into your hearts, to give
you the light of his Gospel, you must walk as children of the
light and of the day. It is in this way only that you can shew
the excellency of the Gospel, or convince the world that the
knowledge you possess is of any real value. But, to make
this improvement of the Gospel, much consideration will be
necessary. The word of Christ must be treasured up in your
minds, and must "dwell in you richly in all wisdom." A mariner
who will not consult his compass will derive no benefit from it :
nor will you, if you do not take " the word as a light unto your
feet and a lantern to your paths." Solomon, in the words
following my text, justly says, " He that haste th with his feet,
sinneth :" and so I say to you ; If you will have your way ac
ceptable unto God, you must apply to him constantly for fresh
supplies of his grace, and must " take heed unto your ways
according to his word."]
DCCXCIX.
THE SINFULNESS OF MURMURING AGAINST GOD.
Prov. xix. 3. The foolishness of man perverteth his way, and
his heart fretteth against the Lord.
THE wickedness of the heart is deep and un
searchable. They who do not watch its motions,
have no idea of its depravity ; but they who dili
gently examine it may discover many evils, and by
the light of God s word attain considerable know
ledge. The disposition mentioned in the text de
serves special attention. We will,
I. Illustrate the disposition here spoken of
The careless and ungodly world are ever ready to
cast blame on God,
1. On account of their sins
[They give the rein to every evil thought and desire ; they
expose themselves to every kind of temptation ; they lay innu
merable stumbling-blocks in their own way ; and thus become
enslaved by vicious lusts and appetites : against these iniquities
God denounces his judgment : but the slaves of sin continue
hardened in their evil ways ; they condemn even God himself
as the author of their sins. This was the conduct of Adam
THE SINFULNESS OF MURMURING AGAINST GOD. 203
immediately after the fall a , and is it too often imitated by his
guilty descendants ]
2. On account of their sorrows
[Sorrow is entailed on all as the punishment of the first
transgression : but most of the afflictions which men suffer are
brought on them by their own folly. Some involve themselves
in distress through sloth or intemperance ; others ruin them
selves by imprudence and extravagance. Others bring them
selves into difficulties by the tempers which they exercise, and
the habits which they form: but all under their calamities
" fret against the Lord." They are full of invectives against
those that have been the more immediate occasions of their
trouble 15 ; they consider their lot as hard and severe; and thus
do they reflect on Providence rather than on themselves.
Cain, the first-born of Adam, indulged this malignant spirit ;
nor are there any sons of sorrow who do not more or less follow
his example.]
Nor are believers themselves wholly free from this
disposition
[They watch and pray against their besetting sin, yet are
sometimes brought under the power of it. On these occasions
they are tempted to fret against the Lord ; they are ready to
expostulate with him like those of old d ; they forget how justly
they might have been eternally forsaken ; and that the remain
ing power of their sins is the consequence both of former habits,
and of present neglects. Under afflictions also they feel too much
proneness to murmur. What sinful impatience did the holy
Elijah manifest 6 ! Even Job himself preserved not wholly a
becoming temper f .]
This disposition however is most hateful in the
sight of God.
II. Point out the evil of it-
It betrays the most deplorable ignorance
[God is not, nor can be, the author of sin. He maintains
in all things the character given of him g : hence St. James
shews the folly of casting blame on God h ; nor can God punish
any of us more than our iniquities deserve : hence the expos
tulation of the prophet is unanswerable 1 . Besides, to fret
against God is not the way to interest him in our behalf, nor
a Gen. iii. 12. He obliquely condemns God for giving the woman
to him.
b Numb. xvi. 11, 41. c Gen. iv. 13, 14. d Isai. Iviii. 3.
1 Kings xix. 4. f Job vii. 15, 10. e Deut. xxxii. 4.
11 Jam. i. 13, 14. 4 Lam. iii. 39.
201. PROVERBS, XIX. 3. [799.
\vill it tend to the peace and composure of our own spirits. It
is as unprofitable to us as it is unjust towards him. True wis
dom would teach us to humble ourselves in his presence, and
to renew our supplications with greater earnestness. This
conduct is as sure to succeed, as the other is to fail of success k .]
It manifests the most obstinate impenitence
[Both sins and sorrows ought to produce humility. When
they increase our rebellion, our state is almost desperate 1 .
How awfully does such a temper characterize God s enemies 1 "!
and make us resemble those that are consigned over to per
dition " ! Surely nothing more heinous can be laid to our
charge, nor any thing more speedily fit us for destruction.]
It evinces the most consummate arrogance
[To fret and murmur is, in fact, to reprove God. God
himself considers it as a direct attack upon him ; and can any
thing be more presumptuous in such worms as we? St. Paul
reprobates this impiety with holy indignation 1 , and every one
who allows himself in it, must answer it at his peril q .]
We conclude with suitable ADVICE
1. Let us search into the occasions of our sins and
sorrows
[We may be surprised into sin by a sudden temptation,
but may trace our fall to preceding unwatchfulness ; nor can
we expect God to keep us, if we neglect to keep ourselves.
We are rarely earnest enough in using the means of safety.
We are too backward to meditation, prayer, and fasting. Our
afflictions also may have come without any misconduct on our
part : but who has not merited them by his sins ? Men should
only be considered as instruments in God s hands r : and the
consideration of his will should silence every murmur 5 .]
2. Let us always be careful to justify God
[We may not always be able to account for his dispensa
tions, but we should not on that account doubt the equity of
them: whatever we suffer, we should not " charge God fool
ishly." Under the darkest dispensations we should say as the
Psalmist 1 . If we wait we shall see the wisdom of many things
which now seem utterly inexplicable ; we may rest assured that
David s assertion shall be verified 11 .]
3. Let us see what improvement may be made of
our troubles
k Prov. xxviii. 13. l Isai. i. 5. m Rev. xvi. 9.
Matt. viii. 12. Mai. iii. 13, 14. P Rom. ix. 20.
i Job xl. 2. r Ps. xvii. 13, 11. s 2 Sam. xvi. 10.
1 Ps. xxii. 2, 3. u Ps. li. 4.
800.] THE CONSEQUENCE OF SLOTH. 205
[There is no rod which has not a voice to us. Our very
sins may be permitted, in order to humble us, and to make us
more thankfully cleave to the Saviour. Our trials, of whatever
kind, are to purge away our dross, and to fit us for our eternal
rest. To view them in this light will greatly compose our
minds ; instead of fretting against the Lord, we shall be thank
ful to him ; and instead of increasing our misery, we shall make
it a source of joy.]
DCCC.
THE CONSEQUENCE OF SLOTH.
Prov. xx. 4. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold;
therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
ARGUMENTS from analogy, when the analogy
itself is just, are easy of apprehension, and well cal
culated to convince the mind : and one distinguished
excellence of the Book of Proverbs is, that it abounds
with such arguments ; and without any formal state
ment of premises and conclusions, presents the truth
to us in short, sententious aphorisms, that are plain,
obvious, incontrovertible. Whoever has made the
least observation on human affairs, must have seen
the evil consequences of neglecting our proper busi
ness in life, whether in husbandry, or trade, or any
other line : and it is easy to infer from thence, that
similar consequences must attend a neglect of our
Christian duties. Nor is it necessary that this ana
logy should be always pointed out to us : the whole
scope of that divinely inspired book naturally leads us
to make a spiritual improvement of the hints, which, in
their literal sense, apply only to the things of this life.
Let us then in this view consider,
I. The sluggard s conduct
The duties both of the husbandman and the Chris
tian require industry-
fit was a part of the curse introduced by sin, that man
should obtain his bread by the sweat of his brow : nor will the
earth yield us any thing but briers and thorns, unless we bestow
much pains in the cultivation of it. Our attention to it must
be unremitted : it is not the labour of a month or a year that
will suffice : we must repeat again and again the same processes,
in order to guard against the noxious weeds that would overrun
206 PROVERBS, XX. 4. [800.
it, and cherish the good seed, which we want it to produce.
Thus also must the Christian exert liimself in order to bring
forth the fruits of righteousness. His heart is prolific in what
is evil, but barren in what is good : he must therefore daily
counteract its natural propensities, and foster the holy desires
that have been sown in it. The same work of repentance and
faith must be continually renewed, till the Lord himself shall
come to gather in his harvest.]
Yet are we ever ready to neglect our work on fri
volous pretences
[A regard to temporal interest will often overcome men s
natural sloth, and excite them to diligence in their several voca
tions. Yet are there many instances, where the indulgence
of sloth makes men blind to their own happiness, and deaf to
the cries of their distressed families. With respect to spiritual
concerns, an indisposition to labour universally prevails. The
work of the soul is irksome and difficult ; and every one either
deems it altogether unnecessary, or desires to defer it as long
as possible. But it is observable that the sluggard does not
absolutely say, " I hate my work, and therefore will not do
it ;" much less does he say, " I am determined never to plough
at all :" but he finds some excuse for neglecting what he is
averse to perform ; and fixes on some plea, which, in certain
circumstances and to a certain extent, might be sufficient.
Thus the Christian does not say, " I hate repentance and faith
in Christ ; much less does he resolve never to repent and be
lieve : but he always has some reason at hand for deferring
this unpleasant work, and promises himself a more convenient
season, before the time for ploughing be entirely passed away.
He has the cares of a family, or a pressure of business, or some
thing that serves him for an excuse : but, upon examination, it
will either be found a mere excuse, or a reason, on which he
lays a very improper stress ; making use of it to justify a total
and habitual neglect, when, at the most, it would only account
for a partial and occasional omission. But as a husbandman
who should yield to such a disposition, is denominated by God
himself, " a sluggard," so we are sure, that he, who on such
frivolous pretexts intermits his Christian duties, will receive
no better appellation at the day of judgment than that of a
" wicked and slothful servant."]
But in whomsoever such conduct is found, he will
at last have reason to deplore,
II. The consequences of it
As industry and wealth, so idleness and want, are
very closely connected
800.] THE CONSEQUENCE OF SLOTH. 207
[Circumstances occur in this world to interrupt the na
tural operation of causes and effects : but in general, where any
man s subsistence depends upon his labour, the consequences
of sloth or activity will be such as might be expected. In
spiritual things the rule is absolute and invariable. Every
man s progress will be according to his labour. Some indeed
may enjoy more of comfort than others, from other causes
than their own diligence : but every person s real proficiency
in grace will be proportioned to the improvement he makes of
the talents committed to him : without detracting at all from
the grace of God, we may safely affirm, that the difference
between one Christian and another in respect of victory over
sin, and happiness in the divine life, must be traced in a very
great measure to their different degrees of watchfulness in
secret duties.]
This truth however will not appear in its full extent
till the day of judgment
[At the time of harvest the care or negligence of the hus
bandman will very clearly appear ; and, if we should suppose a
man to have wholly neglected the cultivation of his fields, he
would find himself destitute, while others were satiated with
abundance ; nor, if he were reduced to beggary, would he find
any one to pity his forlorn condition. But his situation,
deplorable as it would be, is not to be compared with that of a
negligent Christian in the day of judgment. He will see others
reaping a glorious harvest, while he is not permitted even to
glean an ear : he will behold others " crowned with glory and
honour and immortality," while nothing remains for him but
" indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish." The foolish
virgins, who slept while they should have been procuring oil for
their lamps, came and pleaded in vain for admittance, when the
door was once shut against them : none but the wise virgins
were suffered to participate the nuptial feast. In the same
manner, the Rich Man, who lived only to the flesh, sought in
vain for one drop of water to mitigate his anguish, while Lazarus,
who had lived to nobler purposes, had a fulness of joy in Abra
ham s bosom. Thus also will it be with all, when the great
harvest shall arrive : they, who had improved their season of
grace, will be partakers of glory ; while they, who had wasted
it in sloth and self-indulgence, will reap the fruits of their folly,
in deserved shame, in perpetual want, in unalleviated, unpitied,
everlasting misery.]
APPLICATION
1 . Let us, in the view of this subject, take shame
to ourselves
[How long has our season of grace been protracted ; and
208 PROVERBS, XX. G. [801.
what little improvement have we made of it ! How apt are
we to yield to sloth, and to defer the most important of all
duties on slight and frivolous pretences, which we know before
hand will never satisfy our Judge ! But what can ever equal
this folly ? A sluggard in temporal things may find some one
to pity his distress ; and may learn from his experience to
amend. But who will ever pity the self-ruined sinner ? Or
what further opportunity for amendment will be afforded him?
Let us then begin, and prosecute without remission, the work
of our souls. Let vis " plow up the fallow ground, and sow in
righteousness," knowing assuredly, that " the diligent hand
shall make us rich," and that, "if we sow in tears we shall
reap in joy."]
2. Let us look forward with earnestness to the
future harvest
[The husbandman waits with patience, in expectation that
the harvest will compensate his labours. And will not our
harvest repay all the exertions we can use, and all the self-denial
we can exercise ? Let us then put forth all the energies of our
souls in preparing for that day. Let us not suffer any difficul
ties or discouragements to abate our ardour ; but " whatever our
our hand findeth to do, let us do it with our might," "and so
much the more as we see the day approaching."]
DCCCI.
TRUE PIETY IS RARE.
Prov. xx. 6. Most men will proclaim every one his own good
ness ; but a faithful man ivho can find?
IF we were to apply to every individual of man
kind for his own character, and to form our estimate
of the world from the aggregate report, we should
soon find, that self-knowledge is a rare attainment,
and that men are but partial judges in their own
cause. Hence it is, that the more intercourse we
have with the world, the more we learn to distrust
the professions of men, and to suspend our judgment
of them, till we have more substantial ground whereon
to form it. Some indeed, from seeing unsuspecting
youth so often become a prey to designing men,
and frankness and candour so often fall a sacrifice to
deceit and treachery, have been led almost to expel
charity from their hearts, and practically to reverse
its most established laws. Charity would require that
801.] TRUE PIETY IS RARE. 209
we believe every man honest, till we have evidence
to the contrary : but they exempt no man from their
suspicions, till a full experience of his integrity has
constrained them to revere his character. But be
tween the extremes of blind confidence and unchari
table suspicion, there is a medium, a cautious reserve,
which prudence dictates, and religion approves. Such
a reserve seems naturally, and as it were necessarily,
to result from the observation in our text ; an obser
vation humiliating indeed to our proud nature, but
justified by the actual state of mankind in all ages ;
and fitly calculated to guard us against an undue
confidence either in ourselves or others.
This observation we shall confirm, by shewing,
I. That a profession of goodness is common
The virtues of truth, honour, integrity, benevo
lence, friendship, liberality, are claimed by every one
as the inherent and characteristic qualities of his
heart : and even piety itself is, if men s opinions
of themselves be true, an inmate of every bosom.
" Goodness" is not only approved by all, but claimed
as the property of all :
1. Of the profane
[They do not indeed boast of their goodness ; they will
say, as hypocrites do, that they are as good as their neigh
bours. It is true, they are not always quite so correct in their
conduct as they might be ; yea, they are sometimes betrayed
into follies which they cannot justify ; but they mean no harm;
they injure nobody ; they have good intentions, good disposi
tions, good hearts - - The fruit is bad, they acknowledge :
but they will have it, that the tree is good.]
2. Of the moral
[These have some more pretensions to goodness, it may be
thought : but their estimate of their own character is scarcely
less erroneous than the judgment of the profane. They are
observant of many duties ; and oftentimes are really eminent
for honour and integrity in their dealings. But they omit from
their catalogue of duties all that pertains to the spiritual life,
and content themselves with a system of heathen ethics. Hu
mility and contrition, faith and love, heavenly-mindedness, and
communion with God, are scarcely considered by them as
forming any part of true goodness : on the contrary, they allow
VOL. vii. r
210 PROVERBS, XX. 6. [801.
themselves in self-esteem, self-preference, self-righteousness,
and self-dependence ; and, when full of these hateful disposi
tions, they will be " thanking God (with the Pharisee) that they
are not as other men 8 ," and will, in the habit of their minds at
least, say to a repenting publican, " Stand off; come not near
to me; I am holier than thouV Of these St. Paul says, that
" they have the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof c . "]
3. Of the unsound professor
[No one stands higher in his own conceit, than the person
who has learned to talk about the Gospel, but not to practise
its precepts. Because he has a zeal for some religious tenets,
or for his own particular party in the Church, he is ready to
conclude himself a true, perhaps an eminent, Christian ; though
his religion is seated altogether in his head, and has never
descended to his heart. He never stops to inquire into his
spirit and conduct, or to examine whether his tempers and
dispositions accord with those of Christ. It is highly probable
that he is guilty of very shameful neglect in many of his social
and domestic duties : as a master he is proud and imperious ;
as a servant, inattentive and impatient of rebuke ; as a parent,
remiss in the instruction of his family ; as a child, wilful and
disobedient to his parents ; in conversation, censorious ; in
dealings, unfaithful ; and in the whole of his demeanor, con
ceited, forward, petulant, morose. Yet behold, this man,
because he can talk about religion, arrogates to himself the
title of good. Truly this man, whatever he may think of him
self, belongs to " the generation that are pure in their own
eyes, but are not washed from their filthiness V He " pro
fesses to know God; but in works denies him 6 ."]
But however common a profession of goodness
may be, it must be confessed,
II. That a life suited to this profession is very rare
We have seen what opinion we should form of the
world, if we implicitly received men s record of them
selves. But, if we apply to those who have been
most conversant with the world, what shall we think
of it then ? Will they not tell us, that scarce any
man is at all to be trusted, where his own interests
are at stake : that it is scarcely possible to have
dealings in any branch of commerce without meeting
with numberless frauds and impositions : and that, if
you rely on men s professions of disinterestedness
a Luke xviii. 11. t> Isai. Ixv. 5. c 2 Tim. ii. 5.
d Prov. xxx. 12. e Tit. i. 1C.
801.] TRUE PIETY IS RARE. 211
and friendship, you will, as soon as you come into
any great trouble, find yourself in the predicament
of one, " who has a broken tooth, or a foot out of
joint f ;" being not only deceived in your expectations
of succour, but deriving great pain from your endea
vours to obtain it ?
Even in reference to these virtues to which all lay
claim, and to be destitute of which they would ac
count it the greatest disgrace, we may apply that
humiliating question, " A faithful man who can find ?"
We must not indeed understand this question as im
porting that no such person can be found ; but only,
that there are very few. But we must not limit the
question to mere heathen virtues : we must extend
it to all the obligations, which, as Christians, we
acknowledge. Who then is faithful,
1. To his principles ?
[As Christians, we profess to lie low before God, to live
by faith on his dear Son, to devote ourselves unreservedly to
his service, and to seek our happiness in communion with God.
But where are they whose lives correspond with these profes
sions? Are they not so few, that they are even " signs and
wonders upon earth ?" As for the generality, they will
commend departed saints, but revile and persecute the living
ones : they will applaud goodness in general, but decry and
discourage it in its most exalted particulars.]
2. To his promises ?
[In our baptism we all promised to " renounce the devil
and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world,
and all the sinful lusts of the flesh." When we were confirmed,
we renewed these promises, and confirmed, by our own personal
consent, the engagements that had been before made in our
behalf. If we have attended at the Lord s Supper, we there
also solemnly dedicated unto God ourselves, our souls and
bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice to him ; to
be employed in his service, and, if he see fit, to be consumed
for his glory. Arid how have we fulfilled these promises? Has
the world been under our feet ? Have all the desires of the
flesh been mortified ? Have the service and enjoyment of God
been the one business of our lives? ]
3. To his convictions ?
[There is no one so thoughtless or obdurate, but he has
at some times a conviction arising in his mind, that he ought
f Prov. xxv. 19.
212 PROVERBS, XX. G. [801.
to repent, and turn to God, and to stand ready for death and
judgment. Even the most advanced Christians feel many
secret reproofs in their consciences, and are constrained to
acknowledge, that they should be more meek and humble,
more earnest and vigilant, more pure and spiritual. But who
is faithful to his convictions? Who makes the advances that
he ought, or the advances that he might ?
Let us LEARN then from this subject,
1. To be jealous over ourselves
[If there be so much self-deceit in the world, who are
<?, that we should be altogether free from it ? Have not we
a great measure of self-love within us, as well as others ? Are
not we liable to be biassed in our judgment by passion and
interest ? and is not our heart, no less than the hearts of others,
"deceitful above all things and desperately wicked?" Surely
we have need to tremble, when we hear God saying to us,
" There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, and the end
thereof are the ways of death 8 :" and again, "That which is
highly esteemed among men, is an abomination in the sight of
God 11 ." Let us then be on our guard against the overweening
conceit of our own goodness : let us bring ourselves to the
touchstone of God s word : and let us beg of God to " search
and try us, to see if there be any wicked way in us ; and to
lead us in the way everlasting 1 ." " Not he that commendeth
himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth V]
2. To seek the influences of God s grace
[It is no easy matter to be a Christian indeed, " an Israelite
without guile." We may be free from gross sin, and yet far
enough from that state in which we ought to be. Our own
efforts (so to speak) may suffice to " keep the outside clean ;"
but who, except God, can cleanse the heart? None, but he
who formed the universe at first, can create our souls anew:
nor unless " chosen and called by him," shall we ever be
found "faithful" in the last day 1 . Let us, under a full con
viction of our own insufficiency, cry mightily unto him ; that he
would " put a new spirit within us, and cause us to keep his
statutes and his commandments, to do them m ." It is " he who
must work all our works in us ;" it is he alone that can make
us " sincere and without offence until the day of Christ ! "]
3. To value and trust in the righteousness of
Christ
[Who amongst us would dare to found his hopes of sal
vation on his own faithfulness ? Who is not sensible that he
6 Prov. xiv. 12. >> Luke xvi. 15. Ps. cxxxix. 23, 21.
k 2 Cor. x. 18. ! Rev. xvii. 14. m Ezek. xxxvi. 2G, 27
802.1 No ABSOLUTE PERFECTION HERE BELOW. 213
has, in instances without number, been unfaithful to his prin
ciples, his promises, and his convictions ? If we presumed to
stand on that ground, God would say, " Out of thine own
mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant." But, if we
were not conscious of any unfaithfulness, we still could not
venture to make that the foundation of our hopes ; because
we are so ignorant of ourselves, and so prone to self-deceit.
We could even then only say with the Apostle, " I know no
thing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified : but he that
judge th me is the Lord :" yes, we must then cast ourselves
altogether on the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. Let this then
be done by every one of us : and, instead of proclaiming every
one his own goodness, let us all humble ourselves before God
in dust and ashes, and say with the Church of old, " In the
Lord alone have I righteousness and strength ."]
n Isai. xlv. 24.
DCCCII.
NO ABSOLUTE PERFECTION HERE BELOW.
Prov. xx. 9. Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am
pure from my sin ?
THE great characteristic of the Proverbs is wis
dom ; as that of the Psalms is piety. They were
the result of much thought and observation : and the
instructions contained in them were such as a father
might be supposed to give to his children. Occa
sionally, however, according as his mind had been
occupied, the tenour of his observations was varied ;
and they assumed, what may be rather called, a vein
of piety. We suppose, that, when he penned the
passage before us, he had been led into some unex
pected discovery of the corruptions of his own heart;
and from thence had been drawn to contemplate in a
more extended view the general depravity of human
nature, not merely as evinced by the ungodly, but
as manifested by the remains of sin in the most emi
nent saints. However this may be, his observation
is deep, and of singular importance. It is a challenge
to the whole world, to find, if they can, a perfect
man. Let us consider,
I. The truth that is here intimated
214 PROVERBS, XX. 9. [802.
There have been, and yet are, persons in the
Church of Christ who boast of sinless perfection.
But they are awfully deluded. In order to maintain
their favourite system, they reduce exceedingly the
requirements of God s law ; they deny many things to
be sin, which most assuredly are sin ; and, after all,
they shut their eyes against many things which they
know to be sinful in their own hearts and lives, but
which they will not acknowledge to be sinful, lest
they should overturn the system which they are
anxious to defend. But it is a certain truth, that no
man is sinless in this world. And this appears,
1. From express declarations of Holy Writ
[Both the Old Testament and the New concur to establish
this truth. Solomon, at his dedication of the temple, expressly
asserted, that " there was no man that lived and sinned not a :"
and more strongly does he elsewhere affirm, that " there is not
a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not b ."
To this agree also the testimonies of the inspired Apostles :
St. John says, that "if we say we have no sin, we deceive our
selves, and the truth is not in us c :" and St. James says, that
"in many things we offend all d ." The whole Scripture uni
formly attests this awful truth.]
2. From such instances as are undeniable
[Among the most distinguished of God s people, were
Abraham, and Moses, and Hezekiah, and Paul : yet all of
these, even when they had arrived at the summit of human
excellence, fell into sin. Abraham, purely through fear, twice
denied his own wife, and thereby subjected her and others to
temptations, which might have issued in the everlasting destruc
tion of their souls. Moses, the meekest man upon the face of
the earth, gave way to wrath, whereby he provoked God to
exclude him from the earthly Canaan. Hezekiah, than whom
no man upon the whole ever more honoured God, yet yielded
to pride and creature-confidence, when he shewed all his trea
sures to the ambassadors of the king of Babylon. And Paul,
after he had preached for twenty years, and attained an emi
nence in the divine life, not inferior to that of any of the children
of men, was so carried away by his own spirit under a sudden
trial and temptation, that he reviled God s High Priest, which
he himself acknowledged to be a violation of an express com
mand. Who then, after viewing these, will " say, that he is
pure from sin ? "]
a 1 Kings viii. 40. b Eccl. vii. 20.
c 1 John i. 810. Jam. iii. 2.
802. J NO ABSOLUTE PERFECTION HERE BELOW. 215
3. From the confessions of God s most eminent
saints
[Job, previous to his trials, was pronounced by God " a
perfect man ;" yet, after his trials, confessed, " Behold, I am
vile ! " Paul occupies a whole chapter in his epistle to the
Romans in describing the internal conflicts of his mind ; sin
and grace mutually striving to overpower each other, and
disabling him from fully vanquishing the one, or carrying into
effect the dictates of the other. " In his flesh," he says, " dwelt
no good thing :" but there was, notwithstanding all the attain
ments of his renewed mind, " a law in his members warring
against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to
the law of sin which was in his members." Will any other then
of the children of men say, " I am pure from all sin?" From
the dominion of sin every saint may affirm that he is freed ; yea,
and from the wilful and allowed indulgence of any. David
justly appeals to God respecting his perfect freedom from sin,
as to any intention and purpose to commit it e ; as Job also does
respecting the extinction of its reigning power : "Thou knowest,
that I am not wicked f ." But, if any man should go farther,
and say, that sin was not still living within him, and operating
occasionally to the polluting of his soul, he must stand self-
convicted, and self-condemned ; just as Job has said, " If I
justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me : if I say,
I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse 5 ."]
Such being the state of our fallen nature, it be
comes us to consider,
II. The improvement we should make of it
This truth should never be lost sight of for one mo
ment : it should regulate every feeling of the heart :
it should never cease to call forth and to augment,
1. Our humiliation
[We are sinful creatures at the best ; and are in the situa
tion of wretched captives, who, having a dead body fastened
to them, were compelled to drag it about, till they themselves
were destroyed by its pestilential vapours 1 This, it
must be acknowledged, is a most humiliating truth, and not
unfitly expressed in the general Confession of our Liturgy,
" There is no health in us." Hence, when we are taught to
" lothe ourselves for our iniquities and our abominations," we
must remember that it is not for the actions only that are long
e Ps. xvii. 3. f Job x. 7. * Job ix. 20, 30, 31.
ll See what is said of Mezentius in Virgil ; JEn. lib. viii. 1. 485
488.
216 PROVERBS, XX. 9. [802.
since past, but for the taint also which they have left behind
them, that this self-abasement is necessary. So Job thought 1 ,
and so Isaiah k , and so Paul 1 : and, if we know ourselves aright,
we shall find no terms more suited to express our real state,
than those in which the prophet Isaiah described the Jews of
his day ; " The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint :
from the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness
in us, but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores" 1 ."]
2. Our watchfulness
[A magazine wherein there was a large store of combustible
matter that might produce extensive injury by an explosion,
would be guarded with all possible care: and can any care be
too great, when w r e consider how many thousand things there
are on every side ready to kindle a destructive flame in our
hearts, and how incessantly our great adversary is striving to
make use of them for our destruction ? We know not what a
day or an hour may bring forth. We may be as far from think
ing of evil as at any moment of our lives, and yet evil may arise
from some unexpected quarter, and produce upon us the most
painful consequences. We are never safe for one moment, but
whilst we are upheld in the arms of our Almighty Friend. We
should therefore be continually crying to him, " Hold up my
goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not!" at the same
time that we should be striving continually to " put off the old
man, and to put on the new." This is the advice given us by
our Lord himself; " Watch, and pray, that ye enter not into
temptation:" for however "willing the spirit be" to approve
itself to God, " the flesh is weak."]
3. Our gratitude
[What a miracle of mercy is it, that, with so much cor
ruption about us, we are preserved in any measure from dis
honouring our holy profession ! The wonder is not that any
fall, but that any are " kept from falling." And to whom is it
owing that any of us are enabled to maintain our steadfastness
in the divine life ? is it to ourselves ? No : Peter shews us,
what we should soon be, if left to ourselves : Satan would soon
" sift us all as wheat," if our blessed Saviour did not intercede
for us, and give us fresh supplies of grace and strength". Let
us then be sensible of our great and unbounded obligations to
Him, who has said, that " he keepeth the feet of his saints."
Let us bear in mind to whom it is owing, that, notwithstanding
the bush is ever burning, it is yet unconsumed : and let us give
all the glory of our stability to God, saying with David, " My
foot standeth in an even place ; in the congregations will I bless
the Lord ."]
1 Job xlii. C. k Isai. vi. 5. ] Rom. vii. 24.
m Isai. i. 5, 6. n Luke xxii. 31, 32. Ps. xxvi. 12.
803.] DESIRE IS NOTHING WITHOUT LABOUR. 217
4. Our love to Christ
[Notwithstanding in ourselves we are so corrupt, in Christ
we are accepted, and beloved of the Lord. Washed in his
blood, and clothed in his righteousness, we are presented unto
the Father " without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing ; yea,
holy, and without blemish." O! how " precious" ought this
Saviour to be to all our souls ! How continually should we go
to him, and plunge beneath " the fountain of his blood, which
was opened for sin and for uncleanness," and which is able to
" cleanse us from all sin!" How should we delight ourselves
in him, and " cleave to him," and " glory in him," and devote
ourselves to him! Yes, Brethren, this is the tribute which we
owe to our blessed Lord. We must " not continue in sin,
that grace may abound," but turn from sin because grace has
abounded; and, " because He has bought us with the in
estimable price of his own blood, we should strive to glorify
him with our bodies and our spirits, which are his p ."]
P 1 Cor. vi. 20.
DCCCIII.
DESIRE IS NOTHING WITHOUT LABOUR.
Prov. xxi. 25. The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his
hands refuse to labour.
IT is the duty of a minister to " comfort the Lord s
people," and on no account to " make the heart of
the righteous sad." Our blessed Lord " brake not
the bruised reed, nor quenched the smoking flax :"
and in this respect all who minister in his name must
follow his example, never " despising the day of
small things," but " carrying the lambs in their bo
som, and gently leading them that are with young."
But there are occasions whereon they " must change
their voice, especially when they stand in doubt of
any," or judge it necessary to give a salutary warning
to their flocks. Now there is an error against which
I would wish affectionately to guard you, and that is,
the laying of an undue stress upon good desires with
out pressing forward for the attainment of the object
desired. To this line of instruction I am led by the
passage before us ; from which I will take occasion,
I. To shew you the influence of good desires.
218 PROVERBS, XXI. 25. [803.
It is plain that, in Solomon s opinion, good desires,
which when duly cherished and improved, will be
productive of the happiest effects, may through sloth
and indolence issue in self-deception and ruin. That
we may have a just view of this important subject, I
will mark the influence of good desires,
1. In the bosoms of the diligent
[This, though not expressly mentioned, is evidently im
plied, since it is in the slothful only that good desires can have
a fatal issue.
Now we need only see how desire operates in diligent men,
whatever their vocation be, whether in trade, or agriculture, or
science ; and that will shew us how it will operate in reference
to religion : it will stimulate men to such exertions as are
necessary to the acquisition of the object desired a For
the attainment of heaven, we must exert ourselves in a way of
" repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ:"
and, if our desires after heaven be sincere, they will render us
earnest and laborious in the pursuit of these, and never suffer
us to pause till we have actually attained them - Thus
accompanied with diligence, they will bring us to the enjoy
ment of peace and holiness and glory ]
2. In the bosoms of the slothful
[In them good desires may justly be said to occasion
death. They do so indirectly, because they are not produc
tive of suitable exertions. It is said, " The slothful man
roasteth not that which he took in hunting V And this is
precisely the case with those whose conduct we are considering.
They have, in consequence of their good desires, pursued and
obtained the knowledge of religious truth ; but in consequence
of their sloth they have neglected to. follow their advantages,
and to improve their attainments for the benefit of their souls.
Hence " their vineyard is overgrown with thorns, and the stone
wall thereof is fallen down ; yea, and poverty comes upon them
(gradually) like one that travelleth, and want (irresistibly)
like an armed man c :" so true is that declaration of Solomon,
" He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a
great waster d ."
But this is by no means the full sense of our text. It is not
in an indirect way only that in the slothful man good desires
operate to the production of death : no ; they have a direct
influence towards the destruction of his soul. The man in
whose bosom good desires arise, is conscious of them ; and
a Point out this in reference to the fore-mentioned pursuits.
b Prov. xii. 27. c Prov. xxiv. 30 34. d Prov. xviii. 9.
803. J DESIRE IS NOTHING WITHOUT LABOUR. 219
takes occasion from them to entertain a good opinion of his
state before God. He puts them in the place of good attain
ments ; and, because he hopes that they shall at some future
period accomplish their proper work, he overlooks the neces
sity of immediately experiencing that work, and conceives, that
God will, if I may so speak, accept the will for the deed. To
countenance this delusion, he applies to himself such promises
as these ; " The Lord will fulfil the desire of them that fear
him 6 :" "The desire of the righteous shall be granted f ." He
forgets that the end is connected with the means ; and that,
however we may acknowledge our obligations to God for abi
lity to will what is good, we can have no hope of acceptance
with him, unless we exert ourselves with all diligence to do it,
and to " work out our salvation with fear and trembling 8 ."
Hence he is a living witness of that melancholy fact, " The
soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing, whilst the soul
of the diligent is made fat h ." Yes, to all eternity will he be
a monument of that mysterious truth. " The desire of the
slothful killeth him."]
Having marked the operation of good desires, I
now proceed,
II. To offer some salutary counsel in relation to them
Doubtless good desires must take the lead, yea,
and must move us, in the whole of our Christian
course : but, as " faith itself is dead without works,"
so are good desires of no value any farther than they
are productive of holy lives. I say then, if God have
given to any of you good desires, see to it that those
desires be,
1. Abiding
[There are few persons so depraved but they have felt on
some particular occasion the risings of good desire. But to
what purpose are such emotions in the soul, if they " pass
away like the morning cloud, or as the early dew 1 ?" To know
what is good, and not to do it, involves us in the heavier guilt k ,
and will prove a ground of heavier condemnation to the soul ;
as God has said, " This is the condemnation, that light is come
into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds are evil V If then you would derive real
benefit from the desires which God has mercifully implanted in
you, see that they take root within you, and become living and
active principles in your souls.]
e Ps. cxlv. 19. f Prov. x. 24. B Phil. ii. 12, 13.
h Prov. xiii. 4. Hos. vi. 4. k Jam. iv. 17.
1 John iii. 19.
220 PROVERBS, XXL 25. [803.
2. Operative
[You desire to obtain salvation. It is well : but to what
purpose will this desire be, if it do not stimulate you to action ?
Will a desire of knowledge render any one a philosopher, if he
neglect his studies ? Will a desire of a harvest enrich a man,
if he neglect to cultivate his land? How then can you hope
that a desire of heaven will ever bring you thither, if you
neglect the concerns of your souls ? You must read the Holy
Scriptures with meditation and prayer : you must search out
your sins, and mourn over them before God : you must get
views of Christ as the only Saviour of the world, and must go
to him continually that you may receive out of his fulness the
grace that shall be sufficient for you. You must be gaining
an increasing victory over the world, and the flesh, and the
devil, and be growing more and more like unto your God and
Saviour in righteousness and true holiness. You must be
living more for God in the midst of this corrupt world, and be
bringing glory to his name by your exertions in his sacred
cause. It is in this way that your good desires must work, if
you would have them productive of any saving benefit to your
souls. The stony-ground hearers, whose desires were only
temporary, perished, notwithstanding the fair appearances
which for a season they assumed ; as did the thorny-ground
hearers also, because they " brought forth no fruit to perfec
tion." And you also must not only begin well, but " endure
unto the end," and " be faithful unto death," if ever you would
be saved in the great day of the Lord Jesus. The " slothful,"
be they who they may, shall be condemned in that day as
"wicked" 1 ."]
3. Supreme
[" You cannot serve God and mammon." The world may
have your hands ; but God must have your heart, your whole
heart". He will not accept a divided heart". " The world
must become crucified to you, and you unto the world 11 ."
" Your affections must be set on things above, and not on
things below q :" and "your conversation must be altogether in
heaven r ." " There must be nothing either in heaven or earth
that you desire besides God 8 ."
You must resemble David, who says, " This one thing have
I desired*" and St. Paul, who says, " This one thing I do 11 ."
Then shall God fully answer you in the desires of your heart,
and your efforts be crowned with glorious success.]
m Matt. xxv. 26. n Prov. xxiii. 26. Hos. x. 2.
P Gal. vi. 14. 1 Col. iii. 1 . r Phil. iii. 20.
8 Ps. Ixxiii. 25. * Ps. xxvii. 4. Phil. iii. 13.
804.] THE FEAR OF GOD ALL THE DAY. 221
DCCCIV.
THE FEAR OF GOD ALL THE DAY.
Prov. xxiii. 17, 18. Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the
day long : for surely there is an end; and thine expectation
shall not be cut off.
THE men of this world, feeling but little restraint
from the voice of conscience or the fear of God, gra
tify, each in his own way, their natural inclinations ;
and therefore they appear happy : and the people of
God, especially under troubles and persecutions for
righteousness sake, are almost ready to look upon
them with an eye of envy : and, if this world only
were considered, and temporal enjoyments were the
proper standard of happiness, perhaps they might on
the whole be congratulated as possessing a happy and
an enviable lot a . But the righteous, under whatever
disadvantages they may lie, have no just cause to
"envy sinners;" seeing that nothing but disappoint
ment awaits the children of this world ; whilst the
servants of God, who look forward to heavenly bliss,
can never be disappointed of their hope. On this
assurance the exhortation in my text is founded ; and
for the fuller elucidation of the subject, I will set
before you,
I. The duty inculcated
" The fear of the Lord" is, especially in the Old
Testament, a common expression, comprehending in
its import the whole of practical religion. And when
we are bidden to live under its influence " all the
day long," we must understand the precept as en
joining us to maintain, throughout the whole course
of our lives,
1. A sense of love to God, as our Father
[Jehovah, as reconciled to us through the Son of his love,
stands in the relation of a Father to us ; for all, the very instant
they believe in Christ, have " the privilege of becoming the
Sons of GodV Till we come to God by Christ, we have no
filial fear of him in our hearts. A slavish fear of him we may
a Ps. Ixxiii. 35. b John i. 12.
PROVERBS, XXIII. 17, 18. [804.
have ; but we neither have, nor can have, " a Spirit of adop
tion, emboldening us to call him Father :" for "the Holy Spirit
can never bear witness with our spirit, that we are the Lord s ,"
till we are made his by faith in Christ Jesus d . But when we
are become his children, then we must go in and out before
him with holy confidence, exactly as duteous children before
a loving parent - To walk thus before him was the
perfection of Abraham s attainments 6 ; and it is that which is
held forth to us also as the summit of a Christian s duty and
privilege f ]
2. A sense of duty to him, as our Master
[This is united with the former by God himself: " A son
honoureth his father, and a servant his master : if, then, I be a
father, where is mine honour ? and if I be a master, where is
my fear g ?" Now, what is the conduct of a good servant?
When he rises in the morning, he asks himself, What have I
to do for my master ? and through every part of the day, even
to the close of it, the same question recurs to his mind, and
calls forth suitable exertions for the discharge of the duties
required of him. And if, when engaged in executing his mas
ter s commands, he were solicited by any one to embark in
some other pursuit, he would immediately reply, as our blessed
Saviour did, " I must be about my Father s business :" nor
could any consideration tempt him to neglect his duty. He
would, under all circumstances, regard his master s work as
claiming a just preference at his hands, and his master s appro
bation as that which, above all, he was anxious to obtain. Let
it be thus, then, with you in every situation of life; and make
it your one business to approve yourselves good servants of
Jesus Christ.]
3. A sense of responsibility to him as our Judge
[Never are you to lose a sense of this. It is quite a mis
take to call this legal. St. Paul, and all the Apostles, acted
with a direct reference to the future judgment; and sought so
to demean themselves that they might welcome the second
coming of their Lord, and stand with boldness before him at
that awful day h . This will secure the obedience of the heart:
for in that day shall " the secrets of men s hearts be disclosed,"
and, " their inmost counsels be made manifest :" and, to secure
his approbation then, you must be upright, and without any
allowed guile. Let every place then bear, as it were, this in
scription, "Thou, God, seest me;" and take heed to your
c Rom. viii. 15, 10. d Gal. iii. 26. e Gen. xvii. 1.
f Eph. v. 1. s Mai. i. 0.
11 1 Cor. ix. 20, 27. 2 Cor. v. 9, 10. Jam. v. 8, 9. 1 Pet. v. 14.
804.] THE FEAR OF GOD ALL THE DAY. 223
thoughts, no less than to your actions, that so you may be found
"sincere and without offence until the day of Christ 1 ."]
And, lest such a constant attention to duty should
appear irksome to you, let me shew you,
II. The encouragement given us to the performance
of it-
The whole Scripture declares, that, " verily, there
is a reward for the righteous k ;" and this, I conceive,
is the true import of my text 1 . The ungodly expect
to find happiness in their ways of sin ; but they pur
sue a phantom, and embrace a shadow. But not so
they who fear the Lord : they shall " have a sure re
ward ;" as God hath said, " The hope of the right
eous shall be gladness ; but the expectation of the
wicked shall perish" 1 ." What, then, my Brethren, do
ye expect ? Do you expect pardon of sin ?
[This shall surely be accorded to you : for " in the fear
of the Lord there is strong confidence ; and his children shall
have a place of refuge n ." Yes, verily, however numerous
your sins may have been, " they shall all be blotted out, even
as a morning cloud." Will God cast out one who comes to
him in his Son s name? Will he spurn from his footstool one
humble suppliant? No: " to this man will he look, even to
him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth
at his word ;" and " to him will he give beauty for ashes, the
oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the
spirit of heaviness p ."]
Peace of conscience ?
[This also shall you possess. Hear what David says:
" What man is he that feareth the Lord ? Him shall the Lord
teach in the way that he shall choose ; and his soul shall dwell
at ease q ." Peace is the legacy which Jesus has bequeathed
to all his redeemed people, saying, " Peace I leave with you ;
my peace I give unto you 1 ." "To the wicked there is no
peace s : " but for you is there " a peace that passeth all
understanding."]
Strength for duty ?
[Doubtless you may have many difficulties to encounter :
i Phil. i. 10. k Ps. Iviii. 11.
1 See the marginal reading, and compare it with ch. xxiv. 14.
m Prov. x. 28. with xi. 18. > Prov. xiv. 26.
Isai. Ixvi. 2. P Ps. Ixi. 1 3. 1 Ps. xxv. 12, 13.
r John xiv. 27. s Isai. Ivii. 21.
PROVERBS, XXIII. 17, 18. [804.
but God himself promises that "your strength shall be accord
ing to your day." His very covenant with his people is, " He
will put his fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart
from him *." This is a principle which cannot but operate,
and cannot but be eifectual for the mortification of all sin, and
for the performance of all duty. See its operation in the
Apostle Paul. Under trials as severe as man could well be
called to endure, he said, " I know that this shall turn to my
salvation, through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of
Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope,
that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness,
as always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body,
whether it be by life or by death u ." Thus you may encounter
all difficulties without fear; and, knowing in whom you have
believed, may assure yourselves that no enemy whatever shall
be able to prevail against you x .]
Comfort in death ?
[This also is secured to you : " Mark the perfect man,
and behold the upright ; for the end of that man is peace y . "
I say not that you shall have joy : for there may be in the very
nature of your disorder much to prevent that buoyancy of mind
which is a necessary attendant on joy : but peace shall assuredly
be your portion, if only you trust in God : for God has said,
" I will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on me,
because he trusteth in me z ."]
Glory in eternity ?
[This also shall be yours. Your expectations cannot be
too enlarged, if you walk in the fear of God as you are here
enjoined : " I know the thoughts that I think towards you,
saith the Lord; thoughts of good, and not of evil, to give you
an expected end a . " And in this you differ widely from the
sinner, who casts off the fear of God. To persons of this latter
description God says, " What fruit had ye then of those things
whereof ye are now ashamed ? for the end of those things is
death. But now, being made free from sin, and become ser
vants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness and your end
everlasting life V
Tell me now, Brethren, whether ye have not encourage
ment to fear the Lord ? and whether there be any
sinner in the universe whose portion can be compared with
yours ? ]
APPLICATION
1 Jer. xxxii. 40. Phil. i. 19, 20. x Rom. viii. 3.139.
> Ps. xxxvii. 37. z Isai. xxvi. 3. a Jer. xxix. 11.
b Rom. vi. 21. 22.
805. J BUYING THE TRUTH. 225
[As for you who fear not God, whatever ye may possess of
this world, or whatever gratifications ye may enjoy, ye have a
miserable portion indeed : and though ye abounded with every
thing, like the Rich Man in the Gospel, yet were a pious
Lazarus, that was destitute of all things, or even a martyr at
the stake, in a preferable state to yours : and well may ye envy
the poorest, the meanest saint on earth. Where will ye look
for pardon, for peace, for strength, for comfort in a dying hour,
and for glory in eternity ? Think ye of your misery ere it be
too late ; and beg of God to implant in your hearts that fear
of his name, which is the certain and the only prelude to his
final approbation.]
DCCCV.
BUYING THE TRUTH.
Prov. xxiii. 23. Buy the truth ; and sell it not,
THE rich variety of metaphors contained in the
Holy Scriptures gives an endless diversity to the
most simple truths : and the commonness of those
metaphors brings home to our minds the deepest
truths, with a clearness that cannot be misinterpreted,
and a force that cannot be withstood. The idea of
buying and selling is familiar to every mind ; so fami
liar, that many would be offended at the application
of it to the "concerns of the soul. But we should not
affect a squeamishness which the Inspired Writers
did not feel ; except, indeed, in reference to subjects
which, though not offensive to Jewish ears, the re
finement of modern ages has justly deemed indelicate.
Permit me then, without offence, to shew you,
I. What it is that is here commended to us
Truth, abstractedly considered, is of great value ;
and the acquisition of it in science and philosophy is
counted worthy of the most laborious researches.
In astronomy, for instance, the ascertaining of the
motion and mutual relation of the heavenly bodies is
justly regarded as a rich recompence for a whole life
of labour. But this is not the truth of which my
text speaks : for that, once gained, remains with us :
whereas the truth which is here commended to us
may be sold as well as bought.
" The truth" here referred to is the Gospel
VOL. VII. Q
226 PROVERBS, XXIII. 23. [ 805.
[The Gospel was revealed to Abraham, as well as unto
us: and it was made yet more fully known to Moses and the
Israelites ; though, from their " not mixing faith with it, it did
not profit them." On us it shines in its meridian splendour :
it exhibits to us a Saviour, even our incarnate God, living
and dying for sinful men ; and marks our path to heaven so
plainly, that " a way -faring man, though a fool, cannot err
therein "-
This truth is of incalculable importance to every
child of man
[There is much truth which the philosopher alone can
appreciate or understand. But " the truth, as it is in Jesus,"
may be understood by all. It is not by strength of intellect
that its wonders are discerned, but by a spiritual perception,
which God alone can impart a ; and which he often does impart
to " babes and sucklings, whilst he withholds it from the wise
and prudent V And to every human being it is of equal im
portance : none can be saved without it, and by it every crea
ture in the universe may be saved. Our blessed Lord has
assured us of this: "Ye shall know the truth; and the truth
shall make you free c ." Nothing but that will impart freedom:
but that will make us free indeed ; delivering us from all the
guilt we have ever contracted, and from all the bondage under
which we have groaned. Let us only " receive the truth in
the love of it," and we shall be brought by it into the " glorious
liberty of the children of God."]
This view of the truth may prepare us for,,
II. The advice given us in relation to it
"Buy the truth"
[It must be purchased : freely as it is given, I say again,
it must be purchased : it must be bought with labour, and with
the sacrifice of every thing that can stand in competition with
it. The fruits of the earth, though given us entirely by God
through the genial influence of the heavens, must be sought
and laboured for : nor can we hope to obtain " the fruits of the
Spirit" without similar exertions. Solomon tells us, that, not
withstanding it is " the Lord who giveth knowledge," " we must
cry after it, and lift up our voice for it, and seek it as silver,
and search for it as for hid treasures : and that then only can we
understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God d ."
Nor is it less necessary that we be ready to part with all
earthly interests in order to secure it. Our Lord compares the
Gospel salvation to " a treasure hid in a field," and to " a pearl
a 1 Cor. ii. 14. b Matt. xi. 25, 26. c John viii. 32.
d Prov. ii. 3 (i.
805. J BUYING THE TRUTH. 227
of preat price : which whosoever finds, should go and sell all
that he has and purchase it e ." If, like the Rich Youth in the
Gospel, we refuse to part with all, we never can possess the
salvation of God. St. Paul is our pattern in this respect. He
possessed more of what was really valuable than any uncon
verted man ever did before him : but " what things were gain
to me," says he, " those I counted loss for Christ : yea, doubt
less, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." Nor does he give this
as a sentiment which he was ready to maintain, but as one
which he had already carried into effect: " for whom," adds
he, " I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them
but dung that I may win Christ f ." And it is worthy of ob
servation, that amongst the things which he despised thus, are
to be reckoned, not his temporal interests only, but his own
carnal wisdom and his legal righteousness 8 ; which, to a man of
Pharisaic habits, are far more dear than all the world besides.
After his example, then, we must renounce all that is pleasing to
flesh and blood, and take " Christ for our Wisdom, our Right
eousness, our Sanctification, and our complete Redemption."]
2. "Sell it not"
[We shall be continually tempted to part with it : but we
must " hold fast what we have, that no man may take our
crown." We must " never, after having once put our hand
to the plough, look back again." In seasons of prosperity we
may be lulled asleep; and Satan may rob us of our prize.
And in times of persecution we may be intimidated, and draw
back through fear. But " nothing," however terrible, " should
move us." We should " be ready, not only to be bound, but
also to die, at any time, and in any manner, for the name of
the Lord Jesus." If called to suffer for his sake, we must
" rejoice that we are counted worthy" of so high an honour:
yea, we must even " leap for joy," because we are thereby
rendered conformable to Christ, and because " God is glorified
in us." We must " be faithful unto death, if ever we would
obtain a crown of life."]
ADDRESS
1. Examine whether you have " the truth" set
before you
[In purchasing any commodity, you endeavour to ascertain
that it is good and genuine. And so must you do in relation
to the Gospel. You must not take any thing for granted.
You have a touchstone, by which you must try whatever is
offered to you for sale. St. Paul speaks of a false Gospel, as
finding an extensive currency in the Galatian Church h ; and
e Matt. xiii. 4446. f Phil. iii. 7, 8. s Phil. iii. 9. h Gal. i. G, 7.
2J>8 PROVERBS, XXIII. 23. ^805.
such a Gospel is but too often commended to us at this day.
Examine, then, what ye hear ; and bring it all to the test of
God s blessed word. The salvation which we offer you, is that
which Christ purchased for us on the cross ; a salvation alto
gether by grace and through faith in Christ. It is that, and
that only, that we call on you to buy. And our counsel is that
which is given to every one of you by our Lord himself: " I
counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest
be rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and
that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear ; and anoint
thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see 1 ." Ascertain,
I say, that this is the very truth of God ; and then hesitate not
to buy it, though at the price of all that you possess.]
2. Inquire whether any who have bought it ever
repented of their purchase
[I know, indeed, that you may find stony-ground hearers
in every place where the Gospel is preached ; yea, and many
a Demas too. But the former are persons who never had the
root of grace within them ; and the latter carry back with them
into the world a self-condemning conscience, that will embitter
their whole lives. Could you ask of Moses, whether he now
regrets, or ever did regret, the having sacrificed all the treasures
of Egypt for that apparently worthless portion, the reproach
of Christ ; or, could you consult the myriads who " came out
of great tribulation," and who " loved not their lives unto death;"
would you find one amongst them all that thought he had ever
paid too dear for this heavenly prize ? No : there is no such
thought in heaven ; nor is there any such feeling upon earth
amongst the faithful followers of the Lamb. Be not ye afraid,
then, to pay the price demanded of you : for, as " the gain of
the whole world would be a poor matter in exchange for the
soul ;" so the sacrifice of life itself will be found to have been
unworthy of a thought, when the glory purchased by it shall
have been accorded to you.]
3. Lose not the opportunity that is now afforded
you
[What would millions that are now in the eternal world
give, if they could have but one more offer of that salvation
which they once despised ? And soon you yourselves also will
be filled with bitter regret, if you close not with the offer now
made to you Say not that you are poor, and cannot
pay the price : for you are invited " to buy it without money
and without price*." O that I might but prevail upon you,
ere it be too late! Refuse not, with Herod, to give up your
1 Rev. iii. 18. k Isai. lv. 1.
806.] THE DUTY OF GIVING THE HEART TO GOD. 229
Herodias ; nor, with Agrippa, to become altogether Christians:
but now forsake all for Christ ; and expect, both in this world
and the next, a rich and glorious equivalent 1 .]
1 Luke xviii. 2830.
DCCCVI.
THE DUTY OF GIVING THE HEART TO GOD.
Prov. xxiii. 26. My Son, give me thy heart.
THIS address, however it may be considered in
some respect as delivered by Solomon to his son,
must certainly be understood as proceeding from Him
who is Wisdom in the abstract, Wisdom personified,
even from the Lord Jesus Christ a ; and as directed
generally to all the children of men, but especially to
those who regard him as their Sovereign Lord. And
though the more immediate object of the address
may seem scarcely suited to this view of it, (because
those who are possessed even of incipient piety may
seem less likely to fall into the snare which is there
spoken of,) yet the caution is necessary for youth of
all descriptions ; and, as a general lesson, it teaches
us, that there is no snare whatever into which we
may not fall, if our hearts be not given up to God ;
and that the only sure way of being kept from sin of
every kind, is, to give the heart to God.
Taking the words then as addressed by the Lord
Jesus Christ to all who acknowledge his paternal
authority, we will proceed to mark the extent and
reasonableness of this command.
I. The extent of it
To give our heart to God, implies that we give him,
1. The affections of the soul
[These should all center in him, and in him alone. Him
we should desire as our supreme good, and in him should we
delight as our chief joy -We should be able to say with
David, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is
none upon earth that I desire besides theeV]
2. The confidence of the mind
a Prov. viii. 1,2232. b Ps. Ixxiii. 25.
230 PROVERBS, XXIII. 2G. [800.
[If there be any thing besides God in the whole universe,
on which we rely, we do not really give our heart to him. To
trust, though in ever so small a degree, in an arm of flesh,
argues a departure of heart from God c . We should confide
altogether in his wisdom to guide, and his power to uphold us,
in his goodness to supply our wants, and his truth to fulfil to
us the promises of his word. We should " trust in him with
all our heart, and not lean either to our own understanding"
or strength : we should consider him as alone able to help us,
and as all-sufficient for our utmost necessities.]
3. The service of the life
[Without this, all else is vain. Obedience is the certain
fruit of love to God d ; yea, it is altogether identified with it:
" This is the love of God, that ye keep his commandments e ."
To the man that has given his heart to God, no commandment
can be grievous f .]
The extent of the command being ascertained, we
proceed to shew,
II. The reasonableness of it
To surrender up our whole selves to God, is called
by St. Paul, "a reasonable service 5 ." And reasonable
indeed it is ;
1. Because of his right over us as our Creator
[God " made all things for himself: all that we are, and
all that we have, was given us by him, to be improved for his
glory. How then can we with propriety alienate any thing
from him ? A potter feels himself entitled to the use of the
vessel which his own hands have made : and has not God a right
to all the services that we can render him ? Of all that have
truly given their hearts to God, it may be said, " No man
liveth to himself; and no man die th unto himself: but whether
we live, we live unto the Lord ; and whether we die, we die
unto the Lord : whether we live therefore or die, we are the
Lord s 11 ."]
2. Because of his mercies towards us, as our
Redeemer
[The Lord Jesus Christ has " redeemed us to God by his
own blood ;" and by this has acquired a new right over us.
To this effect the Apostle says, "Ye are not your own; ye are
bought with a price : therefore glorify God with your bodies
and your spirits, which are his 1 ." And in another place he
c Jer. xvii. 5. d John xiv. 1 ">, 21. e 1 John ii. 3 5.
f 1 John v. 3. e Rom. xii. 1. h Rom. xiv. 7,8.
1 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.
806.] THE DUTY OF GIVING THE HEART TO GOD. 231
gives this as the duty of every man according to the dictates of
his most deliberate judgment : " The love of Christ constrain-
eth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then
were all dead ; and that he died for all, that they who live
should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who
died for them, and rose again k ." Was he mistaken in his
judgment? and are we at liberty to alienate from him what he
lias purchased at so great a price ?]
3. Because of his relation to us, as our Father
[If we profess to have been born again, and begotten to
God by his word and Spirit, then are we yet further bound to
him by the relation he sustains towards us : " What manner of
love is this, wherewith the Father hath loved us, that we should
be called the sons of God ! " Can we have learned to cry,
" Abba, Father!" and doubt whether the giving of our hearts
to him be a reasonable service? The utmost then we can do
to serve and honour him is no more than our bounden duty.]
4. Because of the utter worthlessness of all his
competitors
[What is there worthy to be compared with him ? The
whole creation is but as " a broken cistern that can hold no
water." Shall we then, " for any thing that is in it, forsake
the Fountain of living waters ?" Survey the choicest blessings
that the world affords ; and they are all " vanity and vexation
of spirit." Are these then to stand in competition with him
who is the unfailing and only source of all blessedness ? The
more we see the vanity of all created good, the more we shall
see the reasonableness of giving our hearts to God alone. We
must not only not love our father or mother more than him,
but must " hate every earthly relative, yea, and our own lives
also, in comparison of him 1 ."]
ADDRESS
1. In a way of affectionate invitation-
fin this view we may take the words of our text, even as
an invitation to us from the Lord Jesus Christ to set our affec
tions on him alone. And how astonishing is it that he will
accept such hearts as ours ! If we of ourselves had presumed
to offer them to him, how justly might he have rejected and
despised the offering ! Yet behold, he solicits it at our hands !
And what can such an offering add to him ? Does he need
any thing from us ? or can we add any thing to him ? O then
admire and adore this astonishing condescension ; and let him
not woo your souls in vain.]
2. In a way of authoritative injunction
k 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. Luke xiv. 26.
PROVERBS, XXIV. 11, 12. [807.
[This command of Almighty God is not to be trifled with.
Let none presume to withstand it, or to delay their obedience
to it : for if we obey it not, we never can behold his face in
peace. Attend to it then; and see that ye obey it in truth.
Give not to your God and Saviour a divided heart ; for such
an offering he will not accept : but give yourselves wholly to
him ; and so shall that promise be fulfilled to you ; " I will be
a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty."]
m 1 Cor. xvi. 22.
DCCCVII.
THE FOLLY OF VAIN EXCUSES.
Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. If thou forbear to deliver (hem that are
drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain ; if
thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not ; doth not he that pon-
dereth the heart consider it ? and he that keepeth thy soul,
doth not he know it ? And shall not he render to every man
according to his works ?
OFFICIAL influence is a valuable talent : but to
use it aright is often very difficult, and painful to the
feelings. Hence those who are possessed of it, are
apt to shrink back, when the exercise of it is likely to
involve them in much trouble ; and they will connive
at abuses, which they cannot easily prevent. For
such connivance they have excuses ever ready at
hand ; " They were not aware of the circumstances ;"
or, " They thought their interposition would be to
no purpose." But power and responsibility are inse
parable : and the magistrate who neglects his duty,
must give an account of such neglect to God, and
have his excuses weighed in the balance of the sanc
tuary. To succour the needy, and to relieve the
oppressed, is a sacred duty, which no man can
neglect, but at the peril of his soul : and to deceive
ourselves with vain excuses is folly in the extreme.
We shall not however limit our views of this sub
ject to magistrates, but shall extend them generally to
all those excuses which men make for their neglect of
acknowledged duties ; and shall consider,
I. The excuses by which men deceive their own souls
807. J THE FOLLY OF VAIN EXCUSES. 233
None are so hardy as to deny their obligation to
serve God : yet the great mass of mankind will plead
excuses for their neglect,
1 . Of religious duties
[" They have not time to attend to their spiritual con
cerns." Not time ? For what then is their time given them?
and what other business have they in comparison of this? But,
if they would speak the truth, is not their disregard of religion
to be traced rather to their want of inclination to spiritual
things their want of faith in the divine records
their want of all fear of God, and all concern about their souls?
- How vain then their plea of want of time, when their
neglect arises from a total alienation of their hearts from God!]
2. Of moral duties
[The duties of sympathy, of compassion, of activity in suc
couring the distressed, are mentioned in our text. Now for
the neglect of these duties, such as the visiting of the sick,
the instructing of the ignorant, the relieving of the needy,
and the comforting of the afflicted, men will plead ignorance,
inadvertence, forgetfulness, inability. But is there not a great
degree of criminality attaching to us, if we do not search out
the poor and afflicted, on purpose to alleviate their distresses?
and is not the true cause of our supineness, that we
have no love to our fellow-creatures, no zeal for God, no gra
titude for redeeming love ? It is in vain to think that
our neglects are venial under any circumstances, and more
especially when they originate in cowardice, and sloth, and
selfishness.]
Seeing then that such excuses are vain, let us mark,
II. The folly of resting in them
Were there no God to call us into judgment, our
delusions would be of less consequence : but there
is a God by whom all our excuses will be weighed ;
and he,
1. Will judge with truth
[He looketh not at the outward appearance ; " He
searcheth the heart and tries the reins," and is privy to the
most secret workings of our minds. We may easily deceive
ourselves ; but him we cannot deceive. See how forcible is
the appeal made to us in our text. Can we have any doubt
whether he sees our conduct, or forms a correct estimate of it?
Let us remember, that " he will bring to light the hidden things
of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart;" and
that, whatever our judgment be, his will be according to truth.]
234 PROVERBS, XXIV. 3031. [808.
2. Will award with equity
[Here again the appeal is strong, and carries conviction
with it. We are sure that " God will judge the world in
righteousness," and " give to every man according to his works."
Whatsoever we have sowed, that shall we also reap : if we
have sowed to the flesh, we shall of the flesh reap corruption ;
but if we have sowed to the Spirit, we shall of the Spirit reap
life everlasting."]
Let this subject TEACH us,
1. To be jealous over ourselves with a godly jea
lousy
[We are apt to think that conscience is a safe guide, and
that we may rest satisfied with its testimony. But conscience
is corrupted by the Fall, as well as all the other faculties of the
soul. It is blinded, bribed, partial, and in many instances
" seared as with an hot iron." Hence it is that " every man s
way is right in his own eyes." Paul thought he ought to do
many things contrary to the name of Jesus ; and was applauded
by his own conscience, whilst he was sinning against God with
all his might. Be not therefore satisfied merely because you feel
no condemnation in your own minds ; but beg of God to en
lighten your conscience, that it may guide you aright, and
keep you from those delusions which would involve you in
everlasting ruin.]
2. To live in daily expectation of the future judg
ment
[Ask yourselves, not merely, What do / think of this or
that conduct? but, What would God say to it, if I were in
stantly summoned to his tribunal? Such a question as this
would often lead you to a very different estimate of yourselves
from that which you have formed ; and the consideration of his
recording every thing in order to a future judgment would tend
to keep you vigilant in all your conduct. Walk then as in his
sight, and be satisfied with nothing which you are not well
assured will satisfy him.]
DCCCVIII.
THE SLUGGARD S VINEYARD.
Prov. xxiv. 30 34. / went by the field of the slothful, and by
the vineyard of the man void of understanding : and, to, it
^vas all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the
face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
Then I saw, and considered it well : I looked upon it, and
received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a
808.] THE SLUGGARD S VINEYARD. 235
little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come
as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
IF we have an observant eye, and a mind open to
receive instruction, there is not any thing in the
creation which may not afford us some useful les
sons. We may learn as much from what we see, as
what we hear ; and as much from what is evil, as from
what is good. Indeed it is a mark of true wisdom to
exact a tribute, as it were, from every thing which
comes within our reach, and to suffer nothing to pass
without contributing its quota to our stock of useful
knowledge. Solomon has set us a good example in
this respect : he saw a vineyard that had been shame
fully neglected : and instead of turning away from it,
as incapable of affording either pleasure or profit to
his mind, he set himself to " consider it well, and to
derive instruction from it." Surely then we cannot
be unprofitably employed while we consider,
I. The sight which he observed-
It is not uncommon to see ground ill cultivated, or
business neglected ; but as persons reprehensible for
inattention to their worldly concerns are compara
tively few, we apprehend that the remedying of the
evils arising from it comes rather within the province
of private admonition than of public discussion. We
shall therefore take occasion from the text to speak
of a vineyard which all ought to cultivate, but which
all are too prone to neglect. This vineyard is the
soul ; which, with the generality, lies,
1. Uncultivated
[A man possessed of a common vineyard, ought to procure
good plants for it, and to water it regularly, and to weed it
carefully, in order that it may yield him its fruits of increase 3 .
And we have the same labour to perform for our souls. We
ought to get it filled with the choicest graces from heaven.
We should water it with prayers and tears, and seek to have it
nourished with the influences of the Holy Ghost, which when
duly sought, will descend on it as the dew, and distil upon it
as rain upon the new-mown grass. We should be daily occu
pied in pulling up the thorns and nettles that spontaneously
a Matt. xxi. 33.
23(J PROVERBS, XXIV. 3034. [808.
rise, and which, if suffered to remain, will materially impede
the growth of every good plant. But is there not reason to
fear that the greater part of us have shewn ourselves " slothful,
and void of understanding? Have we not been shamefully
remiss in our attention to these great concerns ? Have not the
fruits produced by us, been " grapes of Sodom, and clusters of
Gomorrha?" Have not unbelief and impenitence, pride and
anger, envy and malice, covetousness and impurity, with ten
thousand other noxious weeds, been suffered to spring up and
grow within us, till they have even " covered the face of the
ground?" Alas! the proofs of spiritual sloth are but too
evident in us all.]
2. Unprotected
[Whatever care a man should take of his vineyard, he
would lose his labour, if he should forget to fence it in ; " the
wild beast of the field would soon root it up and devour it."
What then can be expected to spring up in our souls, when
they are left at the mercy of every enemy that chooses to tread
them down ? We should long since have fortified them with
holy purposes and resolutions. These, it is true, can avail
nothing, if made in our own strength ; but, if made in reliance
upon God, they will be no slight barrier against the invading
foe. Joshua b , David c , Nehemiah d , Paul 6 , found them useful
and effectual for their preservation. We should also have had
our souls strengthened by the grace of Christ. That would
have proved " sufficient for us:" it would have been even as a
wall, yea, " as a wall of fire, round about us." Above all, we
should have taken care to have them encompassed by God s holy
covenant, " which is ordered in all things and sure." Inclosed
by that, we might defy all the assaults of earth and hell.
But have we been careful thus to protect our souls ? Have
we not rather left them open to the incursion of our enemies,
the sport of every temptation, the prey of every lust ?]
Such a melancholy sight should make us doubly
attentive to,
II. His reflections upon it-
Solomon was more desirous to benefit himself,
than to criminate others, even though their conduct
was justly reprehensible. His reflections therefore
on the sight which he beheld, were of a general na
ture respecting the evil and danger of sloth. The
state of our souls may well lead us to similar reflec
tions, and convince us that sloth is,
b Josh. xxiv. 15. c Ps. cxix. 100.
d Neh. vi. 11. e Acts xxi. 13.
808. J THE SLUGGARD S VINEYARD. 237
1. Deceitful
[The slothful man does not intend to involve himself in
ruin : he only pleads for a little more indulgence of his indo
lent habits : but, alas! His " little slumber" insensibly becomes
a great deal : his time passes away, and his work is left undone.
The rest which he takes, instead of refreshing him, enfeebles all
his powers, and indisposes him for action ; so that, though he
never intends to plunge himself into difficulties, he does it most
effectually. And how lamentably does an indisposition to spi
ritual labour deceive us ! No man intends to destroy his own
soul : he only pleads for a little more delay, a little more
slumber : he thinks he shall awake time enough to do all that
is necessary. Thus, while he sleeps, the thorns and nettles
grow, and seed, and multiply, and take such deep root, that
they can scarcely ever be eradicated : in the mean time, every
good desire that may at any time have sprung up within him,
is choked ; and the decaying wall that should protect him falls
to the ground. Ah ! how many thousands have perished, like
Felix, while they were waiting for "a more convenient season!"
There has always been some " lion in the way f ," whenever the
time came for labour and exertion ; and thus they have lost the
only season which the great Husbandman had allotted for the
performance of their work.]
2. Ruinous
[The ruin of a man who neglects his farm or merchandize
is gradual and irresistible : his circumstances become more and
more embarrassed ; and at last he is apprehended for debt,
immured in a prison, and reduced to utter "poverty and want."
What a picture does this exhibit of a man who neglects his
soul ! He does not feel the consequences all at once ; but "his
poverty comes as one that travelleth :" it proceeds gradually
step by step : it is not one hour, or day, that makes a very
great difference to a man that is travelling many hundred miles
on foot ; but every step in reality brings him nearer to his
journey s end : and so it is with the man that indulges spiritual
sloth ; his ruin approaches, though imperceptibly, every day
and hour : but though it comes insensibly, yet it will seize
upon him irresistibly, even " as an armed man." How glad
would many be in their dying hours, if a portion of the time
which they have wasted, could be restored to them ! How glad
would they be if they could recover the seasons they have lost !
But death waits not their leisure : when sent, he executes his
office, and transmits them, however reluctant, to the tribunal
of their Judge. O that we would endeavour to realize these
reflections in our minds, that we may not learn the truth and
awfulness of them by bitter experience !]
f Prov. xxvi. 1315.
PROVERBS, XXV. 21, 22. [809.
By way of IMPROVING this subject, we will entreat you
all,
1. To inquire into the state of your vineyard
[Look well, and compare your ground with that of others ;
not of sluggards like yourselves, but of the Apostles and primi
tive Christians. And do not mistake, as, alas! too many do,
weeds for plants (worldliness for prudence, levity for cheerful
ness, formality for devotion, or pride and hypocrisy for zeal
and piety ;) but consult those who are able to instruct you, and
be willing to have your vineyard weeded, your plants pruned,
your wall reared, and your habits of indolence subdued and
rectified.]
2. To cultivate it with speed and diligence
[Had we improved our past time with diligence, how
different would have been the state of our souls ! O think of
the time that is irretrievably lost ; and the probable shortness
of that which remains ! Let not sloth deceive you any more.
There is not one amongst us who may not see in his own soul
what advances it has made, and what an increase of work it has
occasioned. Let us be thankful that the period for cultivation
is not yet ended : and let us henceforth "walk, not as fools, but
as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."]
DCCCIX.
RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL.
Prov. xxv. 21, 22. If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread
to eat ; and if he be thirsty, give him tvater to drink : for
thou shall heap coals of fire upon his head; and the Lord
shall reward thee.
THE morality both of the Old and New Testament
is the same. Some have imagined, that, because our
blessed Lord said, " A new Commandment give I
unto you," he has in his Gospel enlarged the duties
of his followers beyond what was required by the
moral law. But no command of his was new In itself,
but only in its circumstances ; as being enjoined from
new principles, and illustrated by new examples.
Morality does not depend on any arbitrary appoint
ment : it arises out of the relation which we bear to
God as our common Parent, and to each other as
Brethren : and, irrespective of any express revela
tion of it, " To love God with all our heart and mind
809.] RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL. 239
and soul and strength, and our neighbour as our
selves," must of necessity be the duty of every child
of man. Had our blessed Lord increased the de
mands of the moral law, either the Law must have
demanded too little of us, or the Gospel must de
mand too much. But neither of these is the case :
the requirements both of the one and of the other are
the same, as far as morals are concerned. Love is
acknowledged to be the fulfilling of the Law, and the
great commandment of the Gospel also. But to love
our enemies is the utmost extent to which this duty
is carried, either in the Law or Gospel : yet is this
enjoined, as we see, under the Mosaic dispensation ;
which is a clear proof, that it is not, as many erro
neously suppose, a requirement peculiar to the
Christian code. The very words of our text are
cited by the Apostle Paul, as inculcating all that
Christianity itself requires on this head a : only there
is one point in our text which adds greatly to its
interest, and which has determined us to select the
original words for our consideration, rather than the
Apostle s citation of them.
From the words before us we shall be led to con
sider,
I. The duty inculcated
Certainly the love of enemies was never regarded
as a duty by any of the heathen philosophers. What
ever might be occasionally spoken by them in praise
of magnanimity, the love of enemies, and the render
ing of good for evil under all circumstances, was
never admitted by them as a proper principle and
rule of conduct. Such a principle is directly con
trary to all our natural sentiments and feelings.
By nature we all are inclined to render evil for evil
[There is not a child that does not manifest this disposi
tion, as soon as it begins to act : nor is there any one whose
own experience will not furnish him with unnumbered proofs,
that this is the natural bent of his own heart. Circumstances
may indeed prevent us from retaliating injuries in an open
way : the person that has inflicted the injuries may be out of
a Rom. xii. 19, 20.
240 PROVERBS, XXV. 21, 22. [809.
our reach ; or be too powerful for us to contend with ; or be
so low, as to be deemed unworthy of our notice. But in our
hearts we shall find the vindictive principle strongly operative,
disposing us to take pleasure in any evil that may have befallen
our enemy, and to decline yielding him any service, which,
under the influence of a better principle, we might have ren
dered him. The man under the workings of hatred scarcely
thinks of his enemy but with pain, and with a direct reference
to the injuries received from him : and though from want of
opportunity he may not retaliate, he has in him the spark,
which might soon, by a concurrence of circumstances, break
forth into a flame. In proof of this we need only see how this
spirit has operated in others ; sometimes rankling for years, till
an opportunity to gratify itself should offer ; and sometimes
bursting forth at once into furious resentment. The sons of
Jacob, Simeon, and Levi, full of indignation against Shechem
for defiling their sister Dinah, formed a plan to murder, not
Shechem only, but every male of the city in which he dwelt :
and, to put them off their guard, and disable them for resist
ance, they devised a scheme the most hypocritical, and most
infernal that could enter into the heart of man ; having suc
ceeded in which, they executed their bloody purpose without
pity and without remorse b . In Absalom s bosom the deter
mination to avenge the wrongs which his sister Tamar had
sustained, and to expiate them by the blood of Amnon, her
offending brother, rankled two full years ; till by artifice he was
enabled to effect his murderous design c . More rapid, but not
less cruel, was the vindictive wrath of David, when Nabal had
refused to recompense his services in the way he desired : he
instantly hasted with an. armed force to cut off Nabal, and
every male belonging to his numerous household* 1 . Alas! alas!
what is man, when left to the workings of his own corrupt
nature ? His every thought accords with that Pharisaic prin
ciple, " Thou shalt love thy friend and hate thine enemy."]
But religion requires us to render good for evil
[Every species of revenge it absolutely forbids, even in
thought. " Say not, I will do so to him, as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work e ." To this
effect were those ordinances of Moses: "Thou shalt not avenge,
nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people : but
thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself f ." And, " If thou
meet thine enemy s ox or his ass going astray, thou must surely
bring it back again to him : and if thou seest his ass lying under
his burthen, and wouldst forbear to help him, thou shalt surely
b Gen. xxxiv. 131."), 2,"). c 2 Sam. xiii. 13, 28.
d 1 Sam. xxv. 21, 2 J. e Prov. xxiv. 29.
f Lev. xix. 18.
809.] RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL.
help him g ." Thus by the law of Moses the secret alienation
of heart was to be counteracted by the exercise of actual kind
ness and benevolence. But the words of our text are stronger
still, and especially as they are cited by the Apostle Paul. The
idea conveyed by him is, that we must not merely give our
enemy bread and water when he needs it, but must feed him
with the tenderness of a mother towards her little infant^. O
what a victory does this suppose over all the vindictive feelings
of our hearts !
We have a beautiful instance of this recorded in the history
of Elisha. The prophet was surrounded by an army of
Syrians, determined to apprehend and destroy him. By a
power communicated to him from above, he smote them all
with blindness, and then conducted them into the heart of
Samaria. The king of Israel having gained this advantage
over them, would have slain them : but the prophet said,
"Thou shalt not smite them ; but shalt set bread and water
before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their
master ." Such is the disposition which we also are called to
exercise towards our most inveterate enemies. We must
" bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and
pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us k ." If
they should have offended against us ever so often, even
seventy times seven, we are still to retain the same disposition
towards them, and to manifest it the very instant they express
regret for the unkindness they have shewn us 1 . Nor are
there to be any other bounds to our forgiveness, than those
which the Lord Jesus Christ has affixed to his : we are to
forgive others " even as Christ has forgiven us m :" and, if we
refuse to do so, our doom is sealed: " So also shall the Lord
do unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his
brother their trespasses"."]
Such is the duty which we are called to perform :
but, that we may not be deterred by the arduousness
of it, let us consider,
II. The encouragement given us to perform it
If we act thus, we have reason to hope,
1. That we shall overcome the hatred of our
enemy
[Certain it is, that no enemy was ever yet won by a vin
dictive conduct. We may, it is true, silence him by power ;
but we never can gain his affections by any thing but love.
And this will, if not always, yet sometimes, prevail; as St. Paul
B Exod. xxiii. 4, 5. h ^u^tfc avrm>. Rom. xii. 20.
i 2 Kings vi. 21, 22. k Matt. v. 44. Matt, xviii. 22.
m Eph. iv. 32. n Matt, xviii. 35.
VOL. VII. II
242 PROVERBS, XXV. 21, 22. [809.
intimates, when he says, " Be not overcome of evil ; but over
come evil with good ." Indeed, where there is a spark of in
genuousness left, we cannot but hope that such benevolence as
this will at last prevail. We have some remarkable instances
of this in the life of David. Saul had persecuted him with
most relentless and bitter animosity : yet, when David twice
had him in his power, and could easily have destroyed him, he
spared his life ; and by this generosity constrained his perse
cutor to confess his own extreme injustice, and to take shame
to himself for his own malignant and cruel proceedings p
Such effects we also may hope to see produced on our enemies.
It is well known that metals are fused, not by putting fire
under them, but by heaping also coals of fire upon them : and
thus shall the hard hearts of our enemies be melted by accu
mulated instances of undeserved love. True, we cannot convert
their souls by this ; for nothing but omnipotence can effect so
great a work as the conversion of a soul : but we may reason
ably expect to appease their wrath, perhaps also to slay their
enmity against us : and one such victory will be a rich recom-
pence for all the forbearance we have ever exercised, and all
the love we have ever displayed.]
2. That we shall be rewarded by our God
[This is plainly asserted in our text ; and to all who con
form themselves to the direction before us shall the promise be
assuredly fulfilled.
It shall be fulfilled here : for such conduct will bring un
speakable peace into the soul. It is said, that revenge is sweet :
but with infinitely greater propriety may it be said, that the
returning of good for evil is sweet. The one is a malignant
pleasure, such as we may suppose Satan himself felt, when he
had prevailed, as he thought, against the Lord of life and glory :
but the other is such a sacred pleasure as Christ himself felt,
when he prayed, " Father, forgive them ; for they know not
what they do." What satisfaction did David experience, when,
in consequence of Abigail s interposition, he had changed his
mind in relation to Nabal, and sacrificed his resentment to a
sense of duty ! Again and again did he bless her for diverting
him from his purpose q . And we also, whenever love rises su
perior to resentment, and enables us to render good for evil,
shall find unspeakable comfort springing up in our souls.
But the promise shall be yet more fully accomplished here
after. Every act of patient self-denial and of generous love
will be noticed by God with special approbation; and, if a cup
of cold water given to a disciple for Christ s sake shall in no
Rom. xii. 21.
P 1 Sam. xxiv. 4, 11, 1619. and xxvi. 12, 21, 25.
<i 1 Sam. xxv. 32, 33.
810.] THE DANGER OF CONCEIT. 24-3
wise lose its reward, much less shall services rendered to an enemy
for his sake pass unnoticed. St. Peter tells us, that we are
called to such trials, and carried through them in a triumphant
manner, on purpose " that we may inherit a blessing 1 "." But the
point is repeatedly asserted by our Lord himself: "Blessed
are the merciful ; for they shall obtain mercy :" " Forgive, and
ye shall be forgiven 8 ." Let this thought occupy the mind;
and the performance of the duty will be a delightful task.]
ADDRESS
1. Guard against those reasonings which favour
the indulgence of a vindictive spirit
[You will be sometimes inclined to think that the exercise
of resentment is necessary ; and that if some displeasure be
not manifested, your enemies will be emboldened to proceed
to still further outrages. But look at the command of God ;
and, if this be clearly on the side of forbearance and love, say
to every contrary suggestion, " Get thee behind me, Satan ;
thou art an offence unto me."]
2. Set the Lord Jesus Christ before you as your
example
[There are many passages in the Psalms which seem to
breathe a spirit of revenge 1 : but these are frequently only
prophecies, which might properly have been translated in the
future tense ; and when they are clearly imprecations, as some
times they doubtless are, they are spoken in the person of the
Messiah, who had a right either to denounce or imprecate judg
ments on those who obstinately rejected all the offers of his
grace. David, when speaking in his own person, manifested
the same spirit that becomes us u . But David was a fallible
man, like unto us ; as we have seen in the case of Nabal.
Look therefore to the Lord Jesus Christ himself, in whom was
no sin. When you were enemies, He left the bosom of his
Father for you : yea, " when you were yet enemies, he died for
you"- - I need say no more. Set him before you, and
your way will be clear : and, if you look to him for all needful
succour, his " grace shall be sufficient for you," and you shall
be able to do all things through the strength he will impart.]
r 1 Pet. iii. 9. 8 Luke vi. 37.
1 Particularly Ps. cix. throughout. u Ps. xxxv. 13, 14.
DCCCX.
THE DANGER OF CONCEIT.
Prov. xxvi. 12. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit ? there
is more hope of a fool, than of him.
214 PROVERBS, XXVI. 12. [810.
THE Scripture seeks not to please the fastidious
ear of man, but calls both persons and things by their
appropriate names. Sin is declared to be the ex-
tremest folly ; and those who commit it, are pro
claimed fools. In the eleven verses preceding our
text, the folly of fools is mentioned no less than ten
times : and from this humiliating picture our text de
rives a force and emphasis which no single expression
could give. The import of the text, as connected with
the context, is this: The condition of a fool is, as you
have seen, aw r ful in the extreme : but " seest thou a
man wise in his own conceit ? there is more hope of a
fool than of him." This is a solemn delaration, and
worthy of the deepest attention. Let us consider it,
I. As a general truth-
Here we may distinctly notice,
1. The character described
[There is in man a strange conceit, and a proneness to take
very undue credit to himself for his abilities and attainments.
Some are so confident in their own wisdom, that they seem to
think they cannot err ; and they would have it supposed that
they possess, almost by intuition, what others have attained
only by laborious investigation. Persons of this description
will not condescend to examine their sentiments by any test ;
nor will they listen to any statements that are opposed to them.
Confidence is to them in the place of proof; and any attempt
to controvert their opinions excites only their indignation or
contempt.]
2. His hopeless condition
[Truly pitiable is the condition of " a fool." He is ignorant
of all that constitutes true wisdom : he is also, in a great measure,
incapable of receiving instruction ; and the instruction he does
receive, he is incapable of turning to a good account, or of
making a suitable improvement of it. Of such a one there
certainly is but little hope : yet is the conceited person in a
more hopeless state than he. If in respect of capacity he have
the advantage, he labours under a tenfold disadvantage, by
reason of his precipitancy, his confidence, his pertinacity. The
endeavours used to convince him of his errors do but rivet him
the more firmly in them ; and opposition to him serves but to
increase his obstinacy. Thus, whilst the conceit of his mind
indisposes him for the proper exercise of his judgment in rela
tion to truth, it unfits him for the reception of any benefit from
810. J THE DANGER OF CONCEIT. 245
the wisdom of others : so that to bring him to sound wisdom
and discretion is indeed a hopeless task. If he will not deli
berate and weigh matters for himself, or listen to instruction
and advice from others ; and if the means used to rectify his
views do but confirm him the more in his delusions, there is
indeed no hope of him : and " you may even bray him in a
mortar, and he will remain the same ; his conceit and folly will
not depart from him a ."]
The declaration in our text will be found still more
weighty, if considered,
II. With a more especial reference to religion
A man that carries his conceit into religion is in
deed in a most deplorable state
[Truth, in general, is too pure and refined to obtain ready
admittance into such a mind as his ; but religious truth is alto
gether folly in his eyes. " The natural man," even though not
blinded by that measure of conceit of which we have been
speaking, " receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for
they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, be
cause they are spiritually discernedV But where, in addition
to the natural blindness of the human mind, there is a large
measure of overweening conceit, the state of that man is bad
indeed; because every truth of the Gospel not only offends him,
but offends him in proportion to its sublimity and importance.
The total corruption of our nature, the necessity of a new birth
by the operation of the Spirit of God, justification by faith in
the Lord Jesus, and an entire dedication of the soul to God,
all appear to him extravagant and absurd : he sees no occasion
for such humiliating and self-denying doctrines ; nor will he
believe them, whatever testimony be adduced from the Holy
Scriptures in support of them. In vain are God s express
declarations brought before him : he believes his own conceits
in preference to them : and every person that would persuade
him to examine with candour, he regards as a weak visionary,
and a deluded fanatic. Such a person, therefore, is never likely
to come to the knowledge of the truth.
But, besides the obstacles which he meets with from the
sublimity of the truths, and the blindness of his own mind, he
has another source of blindness peculiar to himself: for God is
particularly offended by such conduct, in reference to his revealed
will ; and he will " give such an one up to his own delusions,
to believe a lie c ," and to harden himself in his impenitence and
unbelief: and if once a man have provoked God so to withdraw
his Holy Spirit from him, and to surrender him up to the power
a Prov. xxvii. 22. b 1 Cor. ii. 14. l 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12.
216 PROVERBS, XXVI. 12. [810.
of sin and Satan, he will never be undeceived, till he shall open
his eyes in the eternal world.]
The fool then, I say, is in a more hopeful state
than he
[The fool, notwithstanding his ignorance, may learn : and
if he will only submit himself to divine teaching, he shall learn ;
nor shall his weakness be any bar to his instruction : for God
has said, that " What he has hid from the wise and prudent, he
has, of his own good pleasure, revealed unto babes d :" and so
plain shall his ways be made to them, that " a wayfaring man,
though a fool, shall not err therein 6 ." Of him, then, we may
have a hope, because he will use the appointed means of in
struction, and will embrace truth as far as he discerns it ; whilst
the conceited man will not condescend to be " taught of God,"
and therefore must continue ignorant even to the end, and
" perish at last for lack of knowledge."]
On this subject I would found A GENERAL EX
HORTATION
[Conceit, when strongly manifested in relation to earthly
things, generally excites pity and contempt ; but when exer
cised in reference to spiritual things, is deemed oracular and
wise. But I entreat all to be on their guard against it. It is
most dangerous, and fatal to the soul. Humility is at the very
root of divine knowledge ; nor can any saving acquaintance
witli the Gospel spring up without it. This, then, I say to all :
Be sensible, that, instead of being " rich and increased with
goods, and in need of nothing," as too many suppose them
selves to be, you are in yourselves wretched, and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked f "-
Bear in mind, that the Scriptures alone are the fountain and
standard of truth. Every thing must be brought " to the Law
and to the testimony :" and " whoever speaks not according to
the written word, he has no light in him g "-
Remember, too, that it is by divine teaching only that we
can understand the Scriptures. If the eyes of our understand
ing be not enlightened by the Spirit of God, notwithstanding
the light that shines around us, we shall go on still in darkness,
even as Paul did, in his unconverted state; and as the twelve
Apostles did, in the midst of all their Master s instructions, till
after the resurrection of their Lord h
And forget not, that this instruction must be sought by ear
nest prayer. God alone can give it ; and it is only in answer
to prayer that he will impart it to us 1
Moreover, after you have been guided into truth, you must
d Matt. xi. 2."), 26. e Isai. xxxv. 8. f Rev. iii. 17.
e Isai. viii. 20. h Eph.i. 18. Lukexxiv.45. Prov. ii. 1 6.
811.] AGAINST DEPENDING UPON FUTURE TIME. 24<7
still be on your guard against the same propensity which acts
so powerfully in the unconverted mind. Many, after all their
partial illumination, are drawn aside after " philosophy and
vain deceit k ." If you would be preserved in the right way, you
must not only " be converted, and become as little children,"
but retain a childlike simplicity even to the end. To your
latest hour you need to be reminded of that counsel given to
the Christians at Rome, "Be not wise in your own conceits 1 ."
You need to be guarded against " thinking that you know any
thing "perfectly; for, whilst you are under such an impression,
"you knownothing yet as you ought to know m ." " If you will be
truly wise, it is by becoming fools in your own estimation, that
you are to be made wise n ." If you will not follow this
counsel, " God will take you in your own craftiness "
I must then, as God s ambassador to you, call your attention
to the warning which he has given you by the prophet Isaiah :
" Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent
in their own sight 1 !" And to all I must recommend those
petitions of God s most favoured saints, " Open thou mine
eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law q :"
and, " What I see not, Teach thou me r ."]
k Col. ii. 8. i Rom. xii. 16. m 1 Cor. viii. 2.
II 1 Cor. iii. 18. 1 Cor. iii. 19, 20. P Isai. v. 21.
i Ps. cxix. 18. r Job xxxiv. 32.
DCCCXI.
A CAUTION AGAINST DEPENDING UPON FUTURE TIME.
Prov. xxvii. 1. Boast not thyself of to-morroiv : for tliou
knowest not what a day may bring forth.
THE opinions of men are not less opposite to the
mind of God in what relates to practice, than in the
most mysterious doctrines of our holy religion. We
are told, that " the things of the Spirit are esteemed as
foolishness by the natural man:" and to what an ex
tent they are so, is visible in the commendation uni
versally given to a worldly spirit, and in the contempt
poured upon heavenly-mindedness, as though it were
the offspring of folly and enthusiasm. But in the
judgment of God there is no truer mark of wisdom
than to consider earthly things as transient and worth
less, and to place one s-self continually as on the brink
and precipice of eternity. To this effect Solomon
speaks in the passage before us : in discoursing on
which, we shall,
2J8 PROVERBS, XXVII. 1. [811.
I. Explain the caution here given-
It is of great importance to distinguish between
providing for to-morrow, and presuming upon to
morrow: the former is necessary for our very exist
ence, since without it, the whole world would he in a
state of stagnation : hut the acting as if we were cer
tain of another day, is the error against which we are
cautioned. Now we do this,
1. When our affections are inordinately moved by
present things
[If we feel eager desires after any earthly thing, so as to
envy the possessors of it, and account the attainment of it
necessary to our happiness; or, if we take such delight in what
we do possess, as to forget that this world is not our rest, and
that infinitely higher joys are prepared for us above ; or if we
grieve exceedingly on account of some loss we have sustained;
we manifest that we have been promising ourselves many days,
and even years to come : for, would a person be very solicitous
about a vanity that he thought might very probably last but
a day ? Or would he so congratulate himself on a possession
which he apprehended to be of such short continuance? or
would he lay so much to heart the loss of any thing which he
had expected to enjoy but a little time? We cannot but see
that in proportion as he was impressed with a sense of the
shortness and uncertainty of time, and its nothingness in com
parison of eternity, his affections would be moderated towards
every object of time and sense : he would " rejoice as though
he rejoiced not, and weep as though he wept not, and use every
thing as not abusing it."]
2. When we are hut little interested about eternal
things
[Every one knows that sin must be repented of; and that,
if the guilt of it be imputed to us, we must perish. But this
is not all ; we must be born again and be made new creatures
in Christ Jesus : and though this be not generally understood,
every one has an idea that he must become religious before he
die, if he would find acceptance with God in the world to come.
Now if persons be deferring the great work of religion, whence
can that delay arise but from their expectation of some more
convenient season, when they shall execute their purposes of
reformation and amendment ? Or if they commit sin, whence
can they be emboldened to do so, but from a secret confidence
that they shall live to repent of it ; and to rectify what they
know to be amiss ? Would any man deliberately do what he
knows vntst be undone, or leave undone what he knows he must
811.] AGAINST DEPENDING UPON FUTURE TIME. 249
do in order to his eternal salvation, if he were assured that he
had not one day more to live ? And would not the probable
nearness of death influence him in like manner in proportion
as it was felt ?~\
The whole world standing greatly in need of this
caution, we proceed to,
IT. Enforce it
The reason urged by Solomon commends itself im
mediately to our hearts and consciences :
1. We know not what shall be on the morrow
[We are to-day perhaps enjoying all that our hearts can
wish ; our bodies are vigorous, our spirits gay, our friends nu
merous, our means of gratification greatly diversified, and acces
sible at all times. To-morrow we may be cast down from our
pinnacle of happiness; our honour maybe laid in the dust; we
may be languishing on a bed of sickness ; and deprived of all
the comforts of life ; and our reverse of fortune may be yet fur
ther aggravated by the loss of all our friends. The case of Job,
if more recent instances were wanting, would sufficiently shew
what may happen to us all a . Shall we then be promising our
selves years of happiness in the enjoyment of earthly things,
when we consider how unstable they are ? Again : to-day we
are sinning in expectation that we shall, at some future period,
repent. To-morrow possibly we may, like Nebuchadnezzar,
be deprived of reason ; or, like Pharaoh, be sealed up by God
under final impenitence. Now is it not madness to risk the
salvation of our souls upon the hope of having every thing that
can conduce to our eternal welfare continued to us to the latest
period of our lives ? Should we not rather set ourselves to re
deem the present time, and to " work while it is day, lest the
night should come wherein no man can work b ?"]
2. We know not whether we shall even live to see
the morrow
[What man is there that has " made a covenant with
death, and an agreement with the grave " so as to be assured
he shall live another day ? Has he this assurance from within
himself, or from those around him, or from God? Not from
within himself, since neither youth nor health is any security
against the stroke of death : not from others, since physicians,
however useful in their place, can afford us no help, when God
shall call away our souls : not from God ; for though he pro
mised to protract Hezekiah s life for fifteen years, he has not
engaged to preserve ours so many minutes. If, with the Rich
a Job i. See, in spiritual concerns, the case of David, Ps.xxx.6, 7.
b Eph. v. 16. John ix. 4.
250 PROVERBS, XXVII. 4. [812.
Man in the Gospel we are saying, " Soul, thou hast much
goods laid up for many years," God may say to us, "Thou
fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee c ." Who then,
that knows the uncertainty of life, will presume upon its con
tinuance? Let us look at the many thousands who, though
but lately they seemed as likely to live as ourselves, are gone
into eternity, gone too, before they had prepared to give up
their account to God; and surely we shall cry with the Psalmist,
11 Lord, so teach us to number our days, that we may instantly
apply our hearts unto wisdom 4 ?"]
This subject naturally leads us to ADDRESS,
1. The careless
[Is it not sufficient that God has exercised such long-
suffering towards you, but will you still continue to provoke
him e ? " O be wise, and consider your latter end." " To-day,
while it is called to-day, harden not your hearts;" lest while
you are saying, Peace and safety, sudden destruction come
upon you f .]
2. The lukewarm
[Lukewarmness in religion is as odious to God as an utter
neglect of it g . It is not by a round of formal duties, but a
strenuous exertion of all your powers that you are to obtain
the prize : for though heaven is the gift of God through Christ,
it is bestowed on those only who labour for it h . Whatever
then your hand findeth to do, do it with all your might 1 .]
3. The zealous
[Endeavour to realize more and more the uncertainty of
life, that, like the Apostle, you may " die daily." And, as you
know not but that on the morrow you may be numbered with
the saints in glory, let nothing be deferred till to-morrow,
which you can do for God to-day. Thus will death, however
sudden, be welcome to you.]
c Lukexii. 19, 20. d Ps. xc. 12.
e Jam. iv. 13 16.
f Heb. iii. 7, 8, 13. 1 Thess. v. 3.
% Rev. iii. 15, 16.
h John vi. 27.
1 Eccl. ix. 10.
DCCCXII.
ENVY.
Prov. xxvii. 4. Who is able to stand before envy ?
MAN is an enemy to his fellow man : nor is there
any one who does not on some occasion experience
reason for this complaint. But, if some find means of
aggression, others obtain means of defence ; some in
812.] ENVY. 251
their own powers ; others in the assistance of friends ;
others in the arm of the law : others, where all these
powers fail them, derive a measure of consolation
from submission or flight. The most " cruel wrath,
and most outrageous anger," may, by one or other
of these means, be withstood, or tolerated, or escaped.
But there is one weapon from which there is no flight,
and against which there is no protection ; and that
is, envy : " Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous ;
but who can stand before envy ?"
In order to bring the subject of envy fully before
you, I will shew,
I. What an odious principle it is
1. Consider what envy is
[Envy, as existing in the soul, is a sense of pain arising
from the real or supposed excellence of another, accompanied
with a desire to deprive him of it, and to possess it ourselves. The
excellence may be either natural or acquired. Any faculty of
body or mind which renders a man estimable in the world is a
proper object for envy to fix upon, and against which to direct
its shafts. So, in like manner, any attainment of wealth or
honour will call forth its malignant efforts against the person
in whom such a distinction has been found, especially if the
distinction so obtained has been an object of desire to the per
son beholding it, and apparently within his reach : for envy
finds scope for operation only between persons amongst whom
some kind of rivalry exists. A peasant does not envy either a
king or a philosopher ; because the dignity of the one, and the
wisdom of the other, are altogether beyond a hope, I had
almost said a possibility, of his attainment. Envy includes in
it a desire of the distinction that calls it forth, and a pain of
seeing it possessed by another, when by possibility it might
have been possessed by one s-self.]
2. Next mark its odiousness
[Nothing excites it but what is either really, or in the
person s estimation, good : nor does it ever exert itself, but for
the destruction of the happiness of him in whom that good is
found. It is the happiness of another that gives pain to the
envious man ; and the destruction of that happiness is the
great object that would afford him pleasure. Its actings, indeed,
are not open, like those of wrath and anger: on the contrary,
they are as secret as possible ; and they put on, as far as possi
ble, a specious garb, a garb of candour and of equity. But its
252 PROVERBS, XXVII. 4. [812.
inseparable attendants are of the same odious character with
itself: namely, " debates, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisper
ings, swellings, tumults 1 ." Indeed, it is very nearly allied to
murder : for, as it is invariably connected with anger, it is
murder in embryo 1 : and hence in the Scriptures it is generally
associated with murder: "The works of the flesh," says the
Apostle, are hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedi
tions, heresies, envyings, murders* " and in another place he
says of unconverted men, that they are "full of envy, murder,
debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters," and so on d .
It indeed may appear harsh to load this principle with such horrid
accusations ; but they are true, and all verified by experience.
Wherefore did Cain slay his brother? it was because he saw
his brother receiving from God tokens of approbation which
were denied to him 6 . And whence was it that Joseph s
brethren took counsel to slay him ? it was on account of his
enjoying higher favour with his father than they, and his re
ceiving more remarkable communications from God f . But,
in truth, we do not view this principle aright, unless we see in
it the very image of the devil himself. No other principle in
the heart of man bears so strong a resemblance of the devil as
this. See our first parents in Paradise, as happy as it was
possible for creatures in a state of probation to be. The devil
saw and envied them their bliss, and never rested till he had
robbed them of it 51 . Nor does he behold one of their descend
ants turning to the Lord, without using every effort in his power
to divert them from their purpose, and to destroy their souls h .
And what does he gain by this ? Is he himself rendered hap
pier by depriving others of their bliss ? No : he only augments
his own guilt and misery ; and yet such is the malignity of his
disposition, that he can find no employment to his mind but
this : and, so far as he is capable of a momentary mitigation of
his pains, he finds it only in robbing man of his happiness,
and God of his glory. This is the very character of the envious
man, whose " wisdom," as St. James says, " is not from above,
but is earthly, sensual, devilish 1 "
The fact is, that so odious is this principle in the estimation of
the whole world, that there is not to be found on earth a person
who will acknowledge himself to be actuated by it : though the
real truth is, that there is not an unconverted man in the whole
universe who is not, as I shall have presently to shew 7 , under its
baneful influence. But the very circumstance of all persons
disavowing it, whilst they will readily acknowledge that they
are led captive by pride, or anger, or impurity, is sufficient to
a 2 Cor. xii. 20. b 1 John iii. 15. <- Gal. v. 20, 21.
11 Rom. i. 29,30. e Gal. iv. T>, 8. f Gen.xxxvii. 1 1, 18 20.
2 Cor. xi. 3. h 1 Pet. v. 8. Jam. iii. 11 10.
812.] ENVY. 253
shew how odious it is in itself, and how despicable in the eyes
of every living man.]
The evil of envy will yet more strongly appear,
whilst I shew,
II. What a destructive principle it is
There is not a person in the universe able to stand
before it. Its workings are inconceivably subtle
[Persons are not always aware what principle it is which
stirs within them, when they are under its influence. Joshua
conceived that he was only shewing a commendable regard for
the honour of Moses, when he desired that Eldad and Medad,
who were prophesying in the camp, should be silenced. But
Moses reproved him, saying, " Enviest thou for my sake ?
Would to God that all the Lord s people were prophetsM"
And doubtless those who, in order to grieve the Apostle Paul,
preached Christ of envy and strife 1 , gave themselves credit for
a purer motive in their performance of that duty. There are
a variety of ways by which men contrive to hide it from them
selves. They see some evil in the conduct which they blame :
or, if it was not evil in itself, it was faulty in the time, or man
ner, or measure, in which it was done : or, if no fault attach to
it in any of those respects, it was from an improper motive.
In short, some thine/ shall be found in every thing that a person
does, either to make it appear blame-worthy, or, at all events,
to abate its excellence : and the person judging of these things
will not openly condemn them, butonly utter praise in a fainter
tone, and in more qualified terms, that so the measure of praise
accorded to the agent may be diminished, and his merits be
comparatively obscured. This, to the person forming the
judgment, shall appear only strict justice : but God, who sees
the heart, will designate it envy.]
It finds an advocate in every bosom
[There is in all a wish to be exalted among their equals :
and if there be any who have raised themselves by their own
merits above the common standard, every mind will be gratified
with hearing of something which shall divest them of their im
puted excellence, and reduce them to their former level. Hence
the envious man finds an ally in every bosom, and a readiness
in all around him to listen to any representation that is of an
unfavourable nature ; because every one seems to himself
elevated in proportion as others are depressed. The means of
misrepresentation are infinite in number : and if every state
ment were carefully investigated before it was received, a man
k Numb. xi. 29. l Phil. i. 15.
254 PROVERBS, XXVII. 4. [812.
of wisdom and discretion might defy them all : but when every
misrepresentation that envy can suggest is listened to with plea
sure, and received without inquiry, who must not fall before it?]
The more excellent any conduct is, the more ob
noxious it is to its assaults
[Even piety itself is not beyond its reach : for Solomon
speaks of it as a peculiar vanity and source of vexation, that
" for every right work a man is envied of his neighbour" 1 ." To
say the truth, piety is more the object of envy than any thing
else ; not because others affect it for themselves, but because,
in the common sentiments of mankind, it gives to its possessor
a transcendent excellence, and raises him almost into a higher
order of beings. This was a peculiar source of Cain s resent
ment against his brother Abel"; as it was of Saul s against
David ; and of the Jews against Christ himself P. Take an act
of Christ s, the restoring of Lazarus from the grave ; a more
benevolent act could not be conceived, nor one which more
strongly carried its evidence of a divine mission along with it.
Was it possible for envy or enmity to be provoked by that ?
Yes : the very act instantly produced a conspiracy against the
life of Jesus ; against the life, too, of the man who had been
raised by him q . Was it so, then, that all the wisdom, or piety,
or benevolence of our blessed Saviour himself could not elude
this detestable enemy of God and man? No : not even he
could stand before it; but, as the Evangelist informs us, he fell
a prey to its insatiate rage r . Against all his disciples, too, it
raged in like manner 8 : and it is in vain for any one, who will
serve God with fidelity, to hope for an escape from its virulent
assaults 1 .]
Methinks you are now prepared to hear,
III. What a damning principle it is
God has marked his indignation against it even
here
[Greatly does this principle embitter the life of him in
whom it dwells. Its operation is not momentary, like that of
anger : it lurks in the bosom ; it corrodes the mind ; it makes
a man completely miserable. We may see its operation in
Saul. Saul heard the women, out of all the cities of Israel,
celebrating the praises of himself and of David ; saying, " Saul
has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And
Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him ; and he
m Eccl. iv. 4. n 1 John iii. 12. Ps. xxxviii. 20.
P Johnviii.45 48. 1 John ix. 45 48,53. and xii. 10, 11.
r Matt. xxvii. 18,20. s Acts xiii. 44, 45. and xvii. 4,5,10 14.
t 2 Tim. iii. 12.
812.] ENVY.
said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me
they have ascribed but thousands : and what can he have more,
but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and
forward. And on the very next day did Saul cast his javelin
at David twice, in order to kill him ; " and throughout all the
remainder of his life used every possible effort to destroy him".
This may enable us to understand what Solomon meant, when
he called " envy, the rottenness of the bones*." For as the
corporeal system must be altogether enfeebled and destroyed
when the bones are rotten ; so the moral constitution of the
soul is rendered one entire mass of corruption, when a man lies
under the dominion of this hateful principle. He is, in fact, as
near to the consummation of his misery in hell as the other is
to the termination of his life on earth.]
But who can tell with what judgments it shall he
visited in the eternal world ?
[It is not possible that a person under the dominion of it
should ever behold the face of God in peace. " God is love:"
love is his very nature and essence : but envy is hatred in its
most hateful form, as terminating upon an object, not for any
evil that is in him, but for the good which he manifests, and
for the success he meets with in the exercise of what is good.
How can two such opposites meet together? As well might
light and darkness coalesce, as God and an envious man de
light in each other in heaven. It is said in God s blessed word,
that " without charity, whatever we possess, or do, or suffer for
God, we are only as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal y ."
But in that very place we are told, that " charity envieth not z ."
What, then, are we to infer from this, but that, as envy proves
an entire want of charity, so it proves, equally and unquestion
ably, a state of mind that is wholly incompatible with the
favour of God and the felicity of heaven. But, that we may
be assured of God s indignation against it, let us see what God
said to Edom by the Prophet Ezekiel : " As I live, saith the
Lord God, I will even do according to thine anger, and accord
ing to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred
against them : I will make myself known amongst them, when
I have judged thee a ." True indeed it is, that in this passage
God is only denouncing temporal judgments ; but it amply
shews what are his sentiments respecting the principle which
we are speaking of, and what will be his judgment upon it in
the day that he shall judge the world.]
Having thus exposed, in some measure, the true
u 1 Sam. xviii. 7 12. x Prov. xiv. 30. y 1 Cor. xiii. 1 3.
z 1 Cor. xiii. 4. * Ezek. xxxv 11
256 PROVERBS, XXVII. 4. [812.
character of envy, I beg leave to suggest to you some
cautions in relation to it. Be careful,,
1. Not needlessly to excite it
[Knowing, as you do, how common an evil it is, and how
deeply rooted in the heart of man, you should guard against
every thing which may call it into action. Whatever you
possess, either of natural or acquired excellence, make not an
ostentatious display of it ; but rather put a veil over it, as it
were, that its radiance may not offend the eyes of those who
behold you. The less value you appear to put upon your
attainments, and the less you arrogate to yourselves on account
of them, the less will others be disposed to grudge you the
enjoyment of them, and to despoil you of the honour due to
them. It was unwise in Jacob to mark his partiality towards
his son Joseph, by "a coat of many colours ;" and he paid
dearly for it by the sufferings it entailed. For your own
sakes therefore, as well as for the sake of others, it will be wise
in you to bear your honours meekly, and to shew that you are
"little in your own eyes."]
2. Not wickedly to indulge it
[Envy is a principle in our fallen nature far more power
ful than men in general are apt to imagine. " Do you think
that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us
lusteth to envy b ?" If you will watch the motions of your own
hearts, you will find a sad propensity to it, whenever a power
ful occasion arises to call it forth. Suppose a person, whom
you have regarded as inferior to yourself in industry and
talent, has got before you, and attained a higher eminence
than you in your oivn peculiar line ; are you not ready to
ascribe his success to chance, or to the partiality of friends,
rather than to his own intrinsic merit ? and would it not be
gratifying to you to hear a similar judgment passed on him by
others? Suppose he were by any means to fall from his emi
nence; would not his degradation give you pleasure? If you
praise him, is it with the same decisive tone as you would have
wished for, if the praise had been conferred on you ? It is
when your own honour or interest comes in competition with
that of another, that envy betrays its pow r er over you : and if
you have been observant of the workings of your own mind,
you will be no strangers to the operation of this principle
within you. But remember what has been said of its odious-
ness and enormity ; and cry mightily to God to deliver you
from its baneful influence. Remember how transitory is all
distinction here ; and content yourselves with the honour
which cometh from God, and will endure for ever.]
b Jam. iv. 5. See also Tit. iii. . 5.
813.] THE HEARTS OF MEN ALIKE. 257
3. Not basely to fear it
[Though you are not to make an ostentatious display of
any excellence you may possess, and especially of piety, you
are not to put your light under a bushel, through the fear of
any hostility which a discovery of it may provoke. Whatsoever
your duty is, whether to God or man, that you are to do ; and
to leave all consequences to the disposal of an all-wise Pro
vidence. It should be in your mind " a very small matter to
be judged of man s judgment ." If you have " the testimony
of your own conscience that you are serving God in simplicity
and godly sincerity," that should bear you up against all the
obloquy that the envy or malignity of others can heap upon
you. You must expect that " they who render evil for good
will be against you, if you follow the thing that is good ;" and
you must commit yourself to Him who judge th right, and who
will, in due season, both vindicate your character, and make
your righteousness to shine forth as the noon-day.]
4. Not angrily to resent it
[Supposing you to be traduced and injured in a variety
of ways ; " what temptation has befallen you but that which is
common to men ? " Instead of grieving that you are per
secuted for righteousness sake, you should rather regard the
hatred of men as a homage paid to your virtue ; and should
" rejoice that you are counted worthy to suffer shame for
Christ s sake." You will remember the prayer of our blessed
Lord for his murderers : " Father, forgive them ; for they know
not what they do." This is the pattern which it becomes you
to follow. Your envious neighbours really do not know what
they do : they are not aware by what spirit they are actuated,
or what evil they commit. Instead, therefore, of being angry
with them for the evil they do you, you should rather pity them
for the evil they do to themselves. This was the way in which
David requited Saul, sparing him when he had him in his power,
and mourning for him when he was removed to another world d .
Your rule, under all circumstances, must be this ; " Not to be
overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good."]
c 1 Cor. iv. 3.
d 1 Sam. xxiv. 911. 1618. and 2 Sam. i. 17, 2427.
DCCCXIII.
THE HEARTS OF MEN ALIKE.
Prov. xxvii. 19. As in water face ansicereth to face, so the
heart of man to man.
THERE are many things which are justly con
sidered as axioms, of the truth of which we are fully
VOL. VII. S
258 PROVERBS, XXVII. 19. [813.
convinced, because they are the result of observation
and experience : yet, being declared also by the voice
of inspiration, they come to our minds with authority,
and demand from us an unhesitating acquiescence.
Such is the truth which we have just read from the
Book of Proverbs. Any man conversant with the
world, knows that human nature is, to a certain
degree, the same in every age and in every place.
But there are, amongst men, so many discrepancies
arising out of incidental circumstances, and so many
changes too in the same persons, that if the heart-
searching God himself had not determined the point,
we should scarcely have ventured to speak respecting
it in terms so strong and unqualified as Solomon has
used in the passage before us. His words, beyond all
doubt, are true : but yet, if not well understood, they
are capable of much misapprehension and perversion.
In discoursing upon them, I will,
I. Explain his assertion-
It needs explanation : for if we were to take it as
importing that all men in all circumstances manifest
the same dispositions and desires, it would be the very
reverse of what we see and know to be true. It is
evident, that, though Solomon does not make any
distinction, he does not intend to confound all persons
in one common mass, and to affirm that, under all
their diversified conditions, they are all alike : he sup
poses, that, amongst the persons so compared, there
exists a parity, which may render them proper objects
of comparison. He takes for granted, that there is
in them a parity,
1. Of age-
[If we take men in the various stages of human existence,
from infancy to old age, we know that there exists in them a
vast diversity of sentiment. To imagine that amongst them all
there should be found the same views, desires, and pursuits,
would be to betray an ignorance and folly bordering on fatuity.
Old men and children can no more be supposed to accord with
each other in such respects, than light and darkness. Children
must be compared with children ; young men with youths ;
and old men with those that are advanced in years.]
813. J THE HEARTS OF MEN ALIKE. 259
2. In character
[There is in the natural constitution of men a great differ
ence. Infants at their mother s breast display an astonishing
variety of character ; some being mild, gentle, placid ; others,
on the contrary, being filled with the most violent and hateful
dispositions. Education, too, will operate very forcibly on men,
and lead them to habits widely different from each other. One
who is brought up in the unrestrained indulgence of every
vicious appetite, cannot be supposed to resemble one who has
been well instructed in all virtuous principles, and subjected to
all salutary restraints. Still less can the godly and the ungodly
be supposed to agree. Divine grace puts men far asunder, and
induces sentiments and conduct widely different from any that
are found in unconverted men. In comparing these different
persons, a due respect must be had to their several characters ;
or else our judgment concerning them will be extremely erro
neous.]
3. In condition
[What community of sentiment, generally speaking, can
there be between a prince and a peasant? or what between
an unlettered countryman and a sage philosopher ? Take a
man under the pressure of disease, poverty, disgrace ; and
what will you expect to find in him that accords with the
feelings of one who is living in the fullest enjoyment of ease, and
opulence, and honour? Look at even the same person, when,
either in a way of elevation or depression, he is changed from
the one condition to the other ; and you will find in him, for
the most part, a corresponding change of views and habits.
I say then, that, to apprehend our text aright, we must con
sider it as declaring, not that all persons, whatever their circum
stances may be, are alike ; but that all persons under the same
circumstances, due allowance being made for any difference
existing from constitution, age, education, habit and grace, will
be found to bear a very strong resemblance to each other.]
Taking the assertion of Solomon in this qualified
sense, I proceed to,
II. Confirm it
The reflection of a countenance from water will
bear a strict resemblance to him whose countenance
it is. And a similar correspondence will be found
between the hearts of men, who, according to the
foregoing limitations, are fit objects of comparison.
It will be found in all,
1. Whilst in an unenlightened state
260 PROVERBS, XXVII. 19. [813.
[All unenlightened men agree in this; they affect supremely
the things of time and sense. In this also they agree ; they dis-
affect things spiritual and eternal. Here we may range through
all the gradations of men, from the prince to the peasant; and
through all their ages, from infancy to old age ; yea, and through
all the different periods of time, from the beginning of the world
to the present hour ; and we shall not find so much as one differ
ing from the rest, unless indeed a very few, who have been sanc
tified from the womb. The testimony of Almighty God is this :
" They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh ;
and they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. The
carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the
Law of God, neither indeed can be a ." Here both of these
points are asserted, with equal clearness, and with unquestion
able authority. If the point be doubted, look for a person who,
from his youth up, has shewn a superiority to the pleasures,
honours, interests of this world, and sought his happiness in
communion with God, and in the exercises of prayer and praise.
Alas ! not one such person will you find : the hearts of all have
been in perfect agreement with each other, even as the face that
is reflected, with the face that inspects the mirror.]
2. When awakened to a sense of their perishing
condition
[Let but the eyes of any one be opened to see his real
state, and he will begin immediately to tremble before God.
No sense of earthly dignity will uphold a man at that hour.
Felix on the throne of judgment, and Belshazzar in his drunken
carousals, become weak as other men ; and betray the convic
tions of their mind, that " it is a fearful thing to fall into the
hands of the living God." Not the most obdurate sinners in
the universe can any longer defy the arm of justice : the very
instant they see themselves obnoxious to its stroke, their spirits
sink within them. Even the murderers of our blessed Lord,
whilst yet their hands were reeking with his blood, cry out in
agony of mind, " Men and brethren, what shall we do b ?"
In another thing, too, they all agree : they all, without ex
ception, seek, in the first instance, to conciliate God s favour
by some works of their own. They will repent ; they will reform
their lives ; they will perform the duties which they have hitherto
neglected ; they will exercise benevolence to the utmost of their
power : they will do any thing, if by any means they may re
commend themselves to God as objects of his mercy. Those
amongst them who have been somewhat better instructed will
allow to Jesus Christ the honour of saving them ; but still they
must do something to entitle them to come to him, and to
a Rom. viii. 5, 7. b Acts ii. 37.
813.] THE HEARTS OF MEN ALIKE.
warrant their hope in him. None, in the first instance, see, nor,
if they were instructed, would they approve, the Gospel method
of salvation, simply by faith in Christ. To renounce every kind
and degree of hope in themselves is, to their proud hearts, an
act of humiliation, to which they cannot submit. They think,
so entirely to set aside good works, is to disparage them, and
to countenance a neglect of them; and therefore they cannot
cast themselves wholly and entirely on the merits of a crucified
Redeemer. This reluctance to glorify Christ is, indeed, over
come sooner in some than in others : and in this respect " the
publicans and harlots for the most part enter into the kingdom
sooner than the Scribes and Pharisees ," because they are sooner
convinced that they have nothing of their own to rely upon :
but in all is there the same tendency to establish a righteousness
of their own, and a difficulty in being brought to " submit to
the righteousness of Christ 4 ."]
3. When truly converted to the faith of Christ
[To every one, without exception, " is Christ precious,"
even preciousness itself 6 . Find one to whom he is not " fairer
than ten thousand, and altogether lovely f ." You might as well
look for one in heaven itself, as on earth. It is not possible to
have " tasted how gracious He is," and not love him, and serve
him, and glory in him. Equally characteristic also of the be
liever is the love of holiness. Sin is no longer that pleasant
morsel which they would roll under their tongue : it is hateful
and abominable in their eyes ; and they would gladly have it
crucified within them. The divine image is that which they
now affect ; and after which they pant, as the hart after the
water-brooks. In all, indeed, these marks are not alike visible,
because all are not alike gracious ; but in all, according to their
measure of the gift of Christ, is this grace found : and if there
be a professor of religion in whom it is not found, I hesitate
not to say, that he belongs not to the class of whom I am
speaking, but must take both his name and portion with the
hypocrites. Of course, when I speak of the love of holiness, I
comprehend it in all its parts, and consider it as extending
equally to both the tables of the Law. The man who has a
scriptural hope in the Lord Jesus Christ will not fail to " purify
himself, even as Christ is pure g ."]
Now this subject is not one of curious speculation ;
but of real use, of most important USE,
1. For our humiliation
[See the portrait of human nature as drawn in the first
chapter of the Epistle to the Romans. See it as again
c Matt. xxi. 31. d Rom. ix. 30 33. and x. 13.
e 1 Pet. ii. 7. rtprj. f Cant. v. 10, 16. s I John iii. 3.
2G2 PROVERBS, XXVII. 19. [813.
exhibited in the third chapter : " There is none righteous, no,
not one : there is none that understandeth, there is none that
seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way ; they
are together become unprofitable : there is none that doeth
good ; no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre ; with
their tongues they have used deceit ; the poison of asps is
under their lips : whose mouth is full of cursing and bitter
ness : their feet are swift to shed blood : destruction and misery
are in their ways : and the way of peace have they not known :
there is no fear of God before their eyes." But it may be
asked, What can these passages have to do with the more moral
part of the community ? I answer, that " whatsoever things
the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law; (as
every child of man is;) that every mouth may be stopped, and
all the world become guilty before God h ." Take this glass
then, Brethren, and behold your own faces in it ; and say,
whether you have any reason for self-admiration and self-com
placency ? The true character of your hearts is this : " They
are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked ! :" and,
if there be any superiority in the conduct of any, you owe it,
not to the superior quality of your hearts, but to the preventing
and assisting grace of God. And the best amongst you may
look upon the vilest of the human race and say, Such an one
might I have been, but for the grace of God ! ]
2. For our consolation
[When under peculiar temptations, we are ready to think
that there is no one like us, and that no one was ever tempted
as we are. But "there has no temptation taken any one of us,
but what is common to man V And when we know this, it is
a rich source of consolation to us. Not that the trials of others
can do us any good : every man must bear his own burthen,
whether it be greater or less : but, when a man supposes that
he alone is subjected to any peculiar trouble, he is ready to
imagine that he is an outcast from the Lord, and that there is
no hope for him in God. The removal of this painful appre
hension, however, raises him from his dejection, and emboldens
him to maintain the conflict with all the enemies of his salva
tion. He will then chide himself, and say, "Why art thou cast
down, O my soul ? and why art thou disquieted within me ?
Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the
health of my countenance, and my God V]
3. For our encouragement
[If in the Scriptures we see what human nature is, we see
also what divine grace is, and what it can effect in the heart of
h Rom. iii. 1019. J Jer. xvii. 9.
k 1 Cor. x. 13. > Ps. xlii. 11.
814.] EFFECTS OF PIETY AND IMPIETY IN THE WORLD. 263
man. After a most horrible description given by the Apostle,
of persons who were to be excluded from the kingdom of
heaven, he says to the Corinthians, " And such were some of
you : but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are jus
tified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our
God m ." And the change wrought, on the day of Pentecost,
on the murderers of our Lord, abundantly shews what may be
expected by all who believe on him. The same holy joy shall
animate their souls ; and the same Almighty power renovate
them after the divine image. It was to Christians scattered
throughout the world that Peter said, " Through believing in
Christ, they rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory ;
receiving even now the end of their faith, even the salvation
of their souls n ." What, then, may not we also expect, if we
truly believe in Christ ? Verily, as in water face answereth to
face, so shall our hearts respond to the hearts of the primitive
saints, in all that is good and great. Our victories shall be the
same as theirs, as shall also be our triumphs and our joys.
Let this encourage us to go forward in our heavenly way,
expecting assuredly that we in due time shall " see the good of
God s chosen, and rejoice in the gladness of his nation, and
glory with his inheritance ."]
m 1 Cor. vi. 10, 11. n 1 Pet. i. 8, 9. Ps. cvi. 5.
DCCCXIV.
THE EFFECTS OF PIETY AND IMPIETY IN THE WORLD.
Prov. xxviii. 4. They that forsake the Law, praise the ivicked;
but such as keep the Law, contend rvith them.
MAN, as a social being, has an influence on those
around him : and his actions should be considered,
not merely as they affect himself, but, in their social
aspect, as tending to make an impression upon the
minds of others. In this point of view, a great mea
sure of responsibility attaches to us, far beyond what,
at first sight, we should be ready to imagine. Our
good or evil conduct operates as an example, and
countenances a similar conduct in others : so that, in
our daily actions, we, though unconscious of it, are
doing good or evil to an unknown extent. This is
proclaimed in the words before us : " They that for
sake the Law, praise the wicked ; but such as keep
the Law, contend with them."
264 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 4. [814.
From these words I shall be led to shew the effects
of piety and impiety on the surrounding world. And,
I. Of impiety-
Whatever be men s line of conduct, they must, of
necessity, " have pleasure in those who pursue the
same a ." Those they will of course choose for their
companions ; and if for no other reason, yet in their
own vindication they will approve of and applaud their
ways. The proud will commend the proud, and " call
them happy b ;" as will the worldling also " bless the
covetous, whom God abhorreth c ." Indeed, it may be
laid down as a general rule, that if only you " do well
to yourself," by studying your own ease, interest, and
honour, " all men will praise you," as men that are
wise, and worthy of imitation* 1 . It is a matter of
course that " the world will love its own e ." This,
however, is a very partial view of our text ; the true
sense of which lies much deeper. The praise which
an ungodly man will give to those who are like him
self, is bestowed not only occasionally with the lips,
but uniformly and without intermission in the life. A
man who refuses submission to the will of God, and
" forsakes his Law," does by that very act tacitly,
though most intelligibly, declare to all around him,
1 . That obedience to God s Law is unnecessary
[He will acknowledge the Scriptures to be a revelation
from God ; and would be greatly offended, if his belief in that
revelation were questioned. But his faith in it is nothing more
than a speculative assent : he regards not the authority of God
in it ; and by his contempt of that authority he says, in fact,
that a submission to it is unnecessary. The language of the
heart and of the life is interpreted in this way by God him
self: " Ye have said, It is vain to serve God : and what profit
is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked
mournfully before the Lord of Hosts f ?" And this construction
is just; for what a man avows to be unnecessary for himself,
he must be understood as maintaining to be unnecessary for
others.]
2. That not even the Gospel itself entails any obli
gation upon us
a Rom. i. 32. b Mai. iii. 15. c Ps. x. 3.
d Ps. xlix. 18. <- John xv. 19. f Mai. iii. 14.
814.1 EFFECTS OF PIETY AND IMPIETY IN THE WORLD. 265
[Many who profess to believe the Gospel, and to make it
the ground of their hope towards God, yet feel no constraining
influence from all its wonders of love and mercy. They prac
tically say, True, the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world,
and " died the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to
God g ." But what has this to do with the regulation of our
lives? We need not be " brought to God" in this world : it
will be quite sufficient to be brought to him in the world to
come : and we may be sure, even from this very mercy vouch
safed unto us, that God will accept us, even though no change
shall have taken place in our hearts and lives. He has sent
his Son indeed, as we are told, " to bless us, in turning every
one of us from our iniquities 11 :" but we need not be anxious
about experiencing any such effect of the Redeemer s mission :
we may live to ourselves, and obtain his favour, as effectually
and as certainly as if we lived to him. ]
3. That the way of wickedness is preferable as it
respects this present world
[Finding pleasure only in the things of time and sense
himself, he encourages the same taste in others. For, for what
end " has God given us all things richly to enjoy," if we are
not to enjoy them ? As for a compliance with the precepts of
the Law, it is obvious that it must require continual self-denial:
and what happiness can there be in that? It must detach us,
also, from those who are most able and willing to administer to our
happiness : and how can that operate, but to our disadvantage?
As for repentance, and holy exercises of every kind, they may
be very good in a dying hour ; but to a person in health they
can be a source of nothing but gloom and melancholy. Thus
he sanctions the ungodly in the whole of their conduct, and en
courages them in all the delusions by which they are misled.]
4. That no evil is to be apprehended from it in the
world to come
[This necessarily follows from all the rest : for, if he really
thought that God would execute his threatenings against the
violators of the Law, he would be more attentive to his own
ways. But he persuades himself, that God is too merciful to
punish any one in the eternal world, or, at all events, for such
slight offences as he commits : and, by his open contempt of
God s threatened judgments, he says to all around him, that
they have nothing to fear, since " the Lord will do neither
good nor evil 1 ." The exact description of these persons is
given by the Psalmist, when he says, " The wicked, through
the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God : God is
not in all his thoughts. His ways are always grievous: thy
I Pet. iii. 18. h Acts iii. 26. ! Zeph. i. 12.
266 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 4. [814.
judgments are far above out of his sight : and as for all his
enemies, lie puff eth at them^?~\
The very reverse of this is the influence,,
II. Ofpiety-
The man who forsakes the Law, praises the wicked;
but the man who keeps the Law, contends with them.
He does this,
1. By the silent testimony of his life -
[A godly man is like " a light shining in a dark place."
However unobtrusive his conduct may be, it forms a contrast
with that of all around him, and especially with that of those
who move in his sphere of life. If he be young, his sobriety
is a reproach to all the giddiness and folly of his youthful ac
quaintance. If he be of a more advanced age, his zeal for God
reproves the worldliness and indifference even of his most re
spected neighbours. Whether we view his abstinence from
sin, or his practice of holiness, he equally casts reflections on
the great mass of mankind. " They are of the world, and speak
of the world : he is of God, and both speaks and acts for God 1 ."
" He is not conformed to the world " in any of its vanities :
" he comes out from the world, and is separate ; and will not
so much as touch the unclean thing 11 ." He endeavours so to
walk in the world, as to " keep his garments clean ," and un-
defiled with any of its abominations. He is even " crucified to
the world, and regards it as a man would who was suspended
on a cross, and looking for a speedy dissolution p ." At the same
time he gives himself to holy exercises ; and determines, with
God s help, to fulfil every duty, as in the presence of his God.
He shews that he has other views, other desires, other pursuits,
than the world has any conception of; that he belongs to
another world ; that his conversation is in heaven q ;" and that,
"though in the world, he is not of the world, even as the Lord
Jesus Christ was not of the world 1 ."
Now all this, of necessity, attracts notice, and constrains all
who behold him to say, " If he is right, we must be wrong."
The effect of his conduct is precisely like that of Noah s, when
he built the ark. It is said of Noah, that " being moved with
fear, he prepared an ark to the saving of his house ; by the which
he condemned the tvorld s ." How did this act of his condemn
the world? He was, it is true, " a preacher of righteousness ;"
but it was not so much his preaching, as his practice, which
was here said to condemn the world. His faith condemned
k Ps. x. 4, 5. J 1 Johniv. 5, G. m Rom. xii. 2.
2 Cor. vi. 17. Rev. xvi. 1.5. P Gal. vi. 14.
i Phil. iii. 20. r John xvii. 10. s Heb. xi. 7.
814.]] EFFECTS OF PIETY AND IMPIETY IN THE WORLD. 267
their unbelief; his fear, their security ; his obedience, their
disobedience. He needed not to say any thing : his conduct
spake sufficiently ; and the consciences of the beholders made
the application. Thus it is, in a measure, with every godly
man ; he is " an epistle of Christ, known and read of all men 1 ."
The ungodly world may shut their eyes against the light of
God s written word ; but him they are forced to see, whether
they will or not : and in him they see what is the line of con
duct which God requires, and how far they are from walking
according to it.
That the world consider themselves as condemned by the
godly, is evident, from the indignation which they manifest
when the light of God s truth is made to shine before them.
They instantly endeavour, by every possible means, to extin
guish the light, or at all events to induce the godly to put their
light under a bushel, and to hide it from their eyes u . They
will profess to reprobate the sentiments of the godly: but they
would never concern themselves about the sentiments of the
godly, if they could but induce them to alter their conduct. It
is their conduct that reproaches them, and that forms the real
ground of their indignation against them. " If ye were of
the world," says our Lord, " the world (whatever your senti
ments might be) 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 x ." Let piety enter into any family
amongst us, and we shall see a fulfilment of that word, " Think
you that I came to send peace on earth ? I came not to send
peace, but a sword y ."]
2. By the open avowal of his sentiments
[A faithful servant of God, in whatever line he move, will
not be ashamed of Christ, but will " confess him openly before
men 2 ." This he feels to be a bounden duty. He does not wish
to make a parade of his religion : but he is commanded to
" let his light shine before men 3 ;" and not only " not to have
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but, when
opportunity occurs, to reprove themV Hence, though he is
cautious, " not to cast pearls before swine, who would only
trample them under their feet c ," he is " ready to give to every
inquirer a reason of the hope that is in him with meekness and
fear d ." Nor will he be afraid to reprove sin, where he has any
hope that his admonitions will be well received. If he be a
minister, he will be " bold in the Lord to speak the Gospel of
God with much contention 6 ;" not fearing the face of man, but
4 2 Cor. iii. 3. John iii. 19, 20. x John xv. 19.
y Matt. x. 34 36. z Matt. x. 32. a Matt. v. 16.
b Eph. v. 11. c Matt. vii. 6. d 1 Pet. iii. 15.
e 1 Thcss. ii. 2.
268 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 4. [814.
declaring, before all, and without reserve, " the whole counsel
of God ." Nor, though he move in a private sphere, will he
be backward to exert his influence, so far as it extends, for the
suppression of evil, and for the diffusion of piety through the
world. This indeed will raise up enemies against him : for
men will " hate him that reproveth in the gate g ." They hated
our blessed Lord principally on this account ; as he himself
told them : " You, (who countenance its proceedings,) the
world cannot hate ; but me it hateth, because I testify of it
that the works thereof are evil 1 ." It was this that incensed
Ahab against Micaiah : " I hate Micaiah because he doth not
speak good concerning me, but evil . And it was the faithful
ness of John, in reproving Herod s unlawful commerce with his
brother Philip s wife, that brought down the vengeance of that
prince upon him k . But, notwithstanding all the odium that
such fidelity will bring upon him, the true Christian will exer
cise it as occasion serves, declaring candidly his conviction, that
" the broad road of the world leadeth to destruction, and that
the narrow way alone will issue in eternal life 1 ."]
From this subject we may clearly SEE,
1. How much guilt attaches to us all
[I will not now speak of those who have lived in open and
flagrant sin ; though, of course, all that I shall say will apply
with double force to them ; but I will speak of those who,
though moral and discreet, have not given up themselves un-
feignedly to God ; or who grew up to maturity before they
fully embraced the Gospel. Look back to your early child
hood : your example even at that time had an influence on
your youthful companions ; and said to them, in language
which they clearly understood, that there was no occasion for
them to seek after God. As you grew up towards manhood,
your influence became proportionably extended, and propor-
tionably more injurious also. Go now to your different com
panions, and to the thousands who, unknown to you, derived
from your example encouragement in sin : go, tell them how
you regret the injuries you have done, and how anxious you
are to repair the evil, by making known to them the way of
life and salvation. Thousands, alas ! are gone beyond the
reach of any effort, and are already enduring in hell the
miseries which you contributed to heap upon them. But of
those to whom you may gain access, how many, do you sup
pose, would listen to your advice ? there would scarcely be
found one amongst them all that would not laugh in your face,
and account you either a fool or mad. King Manasseh, by his
f Acts xx. 27. g Isai. xxix. 21. h John vii. 7.
1 1 Kinss xxii. 8. k Mark vi. 25 27. Matt. vii. 13, 11.
814.1 EFFECTS OF PIETY AND IMPIETY IN THE WORLD. 269
influence and example, did evil to as great an extent as any
creature that ever lived : but when he exerted his royal influ
ence to reclaim the persons he had seduced to sin, he could
not prevail : they would still, notwithstanding all his edicts,
and all his example too, continue to " offer sacrifices on their
high-places," instead of conforming themselves to the com
mandments of their God ni . Thus, even supposing that we are
now walking in the ways of God, the influence of our former
lives will continue to operate to the ruin of many souls, and to
the unspeakable augmentation of our own guilt. Contemplate
this, I pray you, my Brethren ; and remember, that though
you may never have committed one single sin that should
expose you to shame before men, you are guilty in the sight
of God, to an extent that no language can paint, no imagi
nation can conceive. Nay, strange as it may seem, the very
blamelessness of your conduct before men, inasmuch as it has
attracted a greater measure of their admiration, has unhappily
contributed, even beyond the example of the generality, to
deceive their minds, and to ruin their souls. I must then say
to every one amongst you, that the injury which in your days
of thoughtlessness you have unconsciously done to the souls of
men, should be a ground of the deepest humiliation to you, to
the latest hour of your lives.]
2. What a pre-eminent measure of guilt is con
tracted by the backsliding professor
[Whilst others, by their ungodly lives, encourage sin in
all around them, you do it with far greater effect. For you
are understood as speaking from experience ; whilst others de
liver only, as it were, a hasty and ill-formed opinion. You are
considered as proclaiming that there is no excellency, no reality,
in religion ; that the ways of the world, from which for a season
you had departed, are not either so dangerous or so sinful as
you had ignorantly supposed ; that, in fact, there is no since
rity in those who profess godliness ; and that, if all were as
honest as you, they would, like you, throw off the mask at
once. Ah ! think what a stumbling-block you lay in the way
of others; how you " crucify the Son of God afresh;" and
what cause multitudes will have to curse your very name for
ever, whilst they call for vengeance on your souls for contri
buting so largely to their ruin !
And here let me speak to those who do not indeed draw
back to open sin, but only so far as to conceal their principles
in compliment to the world. You may account this prudence :
but God will account it treason ; and the Saviour, whom " you
thus refuse to confess, will refuse to acknowledge you in the
presence of his Father"." Consider this ; and know assuredly
m 2 Chron. xxxiii. 15 17. n Matt. x. 32, 33.
270 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 5. [815.
on what terms your sentence shall be passed in the last day :
" If you suffer with Christ, you shall also reign with him; but
if you deny him, he will deny you. If ye believe not his tes
timony, yet he abideth faithful ; he cannot deny himself ; "
but will assuredly execute judgment, in perfect conformity to
this rule.]
3. What an incentive we have to cultivate piety in
the highest possible degree
[The more our light shines before men, the more shall we
put to shame the wickedness of the ungodly, and encourage the
exercise of all that is good in the world. And who can tell
how far our influence may extend? If we be the means of
leading one sinner to repentance, " we save a soul from death,
and hide a multitude of sins p ." And what may be the ulti
mate effects on that person s family, or even on his remotest
posterity, who can tell? Let this then operate as an induce
ment with us to " shine as lights in the world 1 ." I say not but
that the saving of our own souls should be our first motive :
nevertheless, a strong additional motive we may find in the
subject before us. Nor ought it to have light weight on our
minds : for, whilst we benefit the world, we greatly honour our
God ; who is most glorified in those who most reflect his image,
and most advance his kingdom in the world.]
2 Tim. ii. 12, 13. P Jam. v. 19, 20. 1 Phil. ii. 15, 16.
DCCCXV.
THE LIGHT ENJOYED BY THE GODLY.
Prov. xxviii. 5. They that seek the Lord understand all things.
THERE are,- in the Holy Scriptures, broad, and, if
I may so call them, sweeping expressions, which, if
taken in their strict and literal sense, have not so
much as even the semblance of truth. Yet are they
not liable to be misunderstood, because every candid
reader will of necessity supply the restrictions which
are necessary for a just interpretation of them. For
instance : no one who should read the words which
we have just heard, would suppose that Solomon ever
intended to assert that all who sought the Lord were
at once brought to the knowledge of all arts and
sciences, and to an acquaintance with all the languages
of the earth. Every expression must of necessity be
restricted either by the subject of which it treats, or
815.] THE LIGHT ENJOYED BY THE GODLY. 271
by the context in which it stands. The words before
us are used in a way of contrast with those which
precede them. The writer has just said, that " evil
men understand not judgment;" that is, they under
stand not what they are doing, or what they ought to
do, or the true end and scope of God s dealings with
them. But they who seek the Lord are well instructed
in these things : they may be as ignorant of worldly
things as any other people ; but of things relating to
their spiritual and eternal welfare they have a discern
ment which no ungodly man either does, or can, pos
sess. Taking the words with this restriction, I shall,
I. Confirm the sentiment-
Here I might enumerate a great variety of parti
culars, such as the evil of sin, the beauty of holiness,
the glory of Christ, which a spiritual man alone can
truly apprehend : but, as the expression is broad and
comprehensive, so shall my illustration of it be ; that
so the contrast between the spiritual and carnal man
may more forcibly appear. Of those, therefore, who
seek the Lord, I will say, they understand,
1. The true state and character of the world around
them
[That every thing bears the appearance of some great
change that has been wrought upon it, is obvious to all. The
very elements bear this stamp upon them; as does also the
whole creation, animate and inanimate, rational and irrational.
No one can conceive of the world, or any thing in it, as
having preserved that degree of perfection in which it was
originally created. The ungodly therefore, as well as others, are
sensible that there is a great deal of disorder in the world.
But the godly man alone sees this in any degree according to
its real extent. He sees that the whole universe is up in arms
against Almighty God, under the command of that wicked
fiend, who, having himself rebelled against his Maker, is la
bouring to bring every creature into a participation of his
crime ; and who, having succeeded in this enterprise, is justly
called, " the god of this world." He sees that this contest is
carried on, not by those only who are sunk in open profligacy,
but by the most moral and sober of mankind ; who, in fact, are
as much " alienated from the life of God" as others, and have
their own " minds as much at enmity with him" as any other
people upon earth. He sees, in a measure, what men ought
PROVERBS, XXVIII. 5. [815.
to be, and what they are ; and that all, without exception, are
" living to themselves, and not unto their God." The different
orders of men are, in his eyes, only like different parts of one
great army; differently habited indeed, and differently em
ployed ; some under the very garb of friends, whilst others are
arrayed as open and determined foes : but all are acting, in
their respective places, for the establishment of Satan s king
dom, rather than of Christ s. This, I say, the godly man sees,
in perfect correspondence with what St. Paul has declared:
" There is none righteous, no, not one ; there is none that
understandeth ; there is none that seeketh after God : they are
all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable :
there is none that doeth good, no, not one a ."]
2. The real happiness of man
[The world at large conceive of this as consisting in tem
poral enjoyment. Pleasure, riches, honour, are looked upon
as the great sources from whence happiness must flow : and
where these are not eagerly coveted, there is something of a
temporal nature substituted in their place : some fond conceit,
or a mere state of carnal ease, devoid either of any strong
emotions, whether of pain or pleasure. But the godly man
knows that there is no happiness but in God in a sense of his
favour, in a performance of his will, in a prospect of his glory.
There is in his views, and those of an ungodly man, a most
perfect contrast with respect to this matter; each coveting what
the other despises, and each regarding as contemptible what
the other desires. Our blessed Lord s words will put this
matter in the clearest light 11 -The rich, the gay, the
honoured, are by the one regarded with admiration and envy ;
by the other, with pity and compassion. The poor weeping
and persecuted saint, on the contrary, is by the one despised ;
whilst the other affects the experience of such an one with the
fondest delight. In a word, whilst to the inquiry, " Who will
shew us any good?" the ungodly man says, Give me a sup
ply of corn, and wine, and oil; the godly man pours out his
soul in that petition of the Psalmist, " Lord, lift thou up the
light of thy countenance upon me c ."]
3. The proper tendency of all that God is doing in
the world
[God is seen both in his word and works ; and both in
the one and in the other does he appear, to an ungodly world,
to obstruct, rather than to advance, the happiness of his crea
tures. The word is too strict in its requirements to suit our
fallen state ; and the dispensations of his Providence are
calculated only to embitter life by continual troubles or
a Rom. iii. 1012. b See Luke vi. 20 26. c Ps. iv. 6.
815.] TIIE LIGHT ENJOYED BY THE GODLY.
bereavements. Far different from these, however, are the senti
ments of a godly man. The whole inspired volume, whether it
promise or threaten, prohibit or enjoin, is in his eyes a fountain
of good, springing up to everlasting life And all the
diversified afflictions which arise, are regarded by him as
blessings in disguise ; as messengers sent to " humble us, and
to do us good at our latter end," by weaning us from things
visible and temporal, and stimulating us to lay hold on those
which are invisible and eternal.
An ignorant novice may dread a cross wind, as calculated
only to retard the vessel in which he is embarked : but the
experienced mariner will welcome it, as filling all his sails
better than a wind that is the most direct ; and thus, whilst
the ungodly man views afflictions only as calamities which he
would most avoid, the godly man welcomes them from God s
hands, in the assured hope that " his light and momentary
afflictions will work out for him a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory d ."]
Thus, to go no further, it sufficiently appears how
much clearer insight the godly man has into God s
word and works, than the ungodly man can pretend
to. And now let us,
II. Account for the fact
I readily concede, that, in point of natural talent or
acquired learning, the godly man may be inferior to
others ; but in spiritual discernment he is superior to
the wisest philosopher on earth. Does any one inquire
how this should be ? I answer,
1. He has God himself for his teacher
[All God s people " are taught of him ;" and it is in conse
quence of their " having heard and learned of the Father," that
they attain to a knowledge which no other person can possess 6 .
Were I to say that " the Spirit of God opens the eyes of their
understanding," and " brings them out of darkness into mar
vellous light," I should say enough to justify all the assertions
which I have made : nor would any one have a right to ask from
me an explanation of the process by which this mysterious work
is accomplished. Yet I think that the mode of divine teaching
may be in some little measure comprehended by means of a
suitable and familiar illustration. There are different ways in
which an object which is obscure may be rendered visible : one
way is, by bringing it nearer to us ; another is, by removing
intervening obstacles ; another, by reflecting stronger light upon
d 2 Cor. iv. 17. e John vi. 45.
VOL. VII. T
274 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 5. [815.
it ; and another, by strengthening the organs of vision to behold
it. Now, without entering into a minute consideration of all
these particulars, we may observe, in general, that God s methods
of instructing us by his Spirit are somewhat analogous to these;
in that he brings home with power to our souls the truths which
we hear, and inclines our hearts to embrace them. The tele
scope, which brings distant objects to our view, and the micro
scope, which enables us to discern things which are too small
to be seen by the naked eye, make no difference whatever either
in the objects themselves or in the organs whereby we perceive
them: the things themselves, and our faculties also, all remain
the same, whether the instruments be used by us or not. So
there is no difference in the truths which are heard by different
persons, or in the capacity of those by whom they are perceived:
the difference is in the manner in which the truths are presented
to the mind : and if we, by instruments of human contrivance,
are able thus to bring to the sight of men things that are in
visible to the naked eye, we may well suppose that God is able
to bring home to the souls of men truths which the unassisted
mind is unable to apprehend. But I think we may get a juster
view of this, by considering how it is that the imperfections of
our sight are remedied in common life. When we have an in
distinct vision of objects before us, it is for the most part owing
to this : through an excess or defect of convexity in our eye,
the object before us either falls short of the retina, or goes
beyond it : and the use of glasses is, by a suitable medium to
bring the object on the retina, that so it may be distinctly
impressed thereon, in all its just symmetry and proportions.
Now the Spirit of God, by giving to us " an honest and a good
heart," imprints upon the tablet of our souls the truths, of
which, without his aid, we could have no just perception: and
thus \ve are enabled to understand what others are not able to
discern. And thus is fulfilled what St. John has said: " The
spiritual man judgeth all things ; yet he himself is judged of no
man : for who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may
instruct him ? But we have the mind of Christ," and therefore
are qualified to judge both ourselves and others f . Now, I the
rather dwell on this, in order to remove from the minds of
objectors the idea that we lay claim to any thing like miracu
lous inspiration. We do indeed say, that God alone can
enable us to discern the things of the Spirit 5 ; but we say,
also, that he does this through the use of our own faculties,
under the direction and influence of his good Spirit : and thus
" he reveals to babes and sucklings the things which he has
hid from the wise and prudent 11 ."]
f 1 Cor. ii. 15, IG. e I Cor. ii. 12.
11 Matt. xi. 25.
815.] THE LIGHT ENJOYED BY THE GODLY. 275
2. He has an inward experience of the things which
he knows
[St. John affirms this very thing : " He that believeth on
the Son of God hath the witness in himself 1 ;" that is, he has
in his soul a distinct perception of those truths which he has
received through the medium of his understanding. And this
also, I think, may, through a familiar illustration, be made
perfectly intelligible to our minds. We know that our senses
are given us for the purpose of discerning the distinctive ex
cellencies of every thing around us. It is not sufficient that
one faculty alone be brought to bear upon the object that is
set before us : we must exercise upon every thing that very
faculty which is pre-eminently formed to discover and appre
ciate its excellence. Suppose we see, for instance, the sun,
withoutfeeKng its beams ; or a flower, without having our smell
regaled by its odours ; or honey, without tasting its sweetness ;
or a singing bird, without hearing his melodious notes ; it is
obvious that we can form but a very inadequate notion of these
things, for want of an acquaintance with their chief excellencies :
and, in like manner, we can ill judge of a diamond by the touch,
when its brilliancy has never been submitted to our sight. It is
through the apprehending of every thing by its appropriate sense,
that we attain just and adequate perceptions of it. Now the
Apostle tells us, that the godly man " has all his senses exer
cised to discern good and evil k :" and hence it is, that having
within himself a perception of them which no other man can
enjoy, he possesses also an evidence which no other man can
attain. Now this test may be applied to every thing that is of
a spiritual nature ; and the perception arising from it is fitly
called "a spiritual discernment 1 :" and by this, I say again,
" we understand all things ;" as St. John also has told us ; " Ye
have an unction of the Holy One, and ye know all things" 1 ."
Here is contained all that I have spoken ; namely, the extent
of the knowledge possessed by God s people, and the means by
which they are enabled to attain it : " We know all things,"
because God himself is our teacher ; and by the unction poured
out, that is, by the " eye-salve which he puts upon our eyes," he
gives us the actual perception of ever} 7 thing in our own souls",
and, consequently, the clear and proper understanding of it.]
Methinks you are now ready to INQUIRE,
1. How shall I attain this understanding?
[I answer, Not by mere study, even of the Scriptures them
selves; but rather by " seeking after God" in spirit and in
truth. This is the particular point suggested in my text :
i 1 John v. 10. k Heb. v. 14. ] 1 Cor. ii. 14.
m 1 John ii. 20, 27. n Rev. iii. 18.
T 2
276 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 11. [816.
" They that seek the Lord understand all things." You will
remember what our Lord has said : " If any man will do his
will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God ."
This is that which I have spoken of before : it supposes that
there is in us that " honest and good heart," which alone
receives the word aright, and alone enables us to " bring forth
fruit with patience 1 ." I would not depreciate books of human
composition, and still less the Scriptures of truth : but we
must never forget, that " though Paul should plant, and Apollos
water, it is God alone that can give the increase q ." In fact,
this is the reason why many hear the Gospel for years without
any saving benefit to their souls: they will not humble them
selves before God, and seek for mercy through Christ, and give
themselves up unreservedly to God; and therefore they remain
for ever without any true understanding of the word, and any
sweet experience of its power. You must first be melted by it ;
and then you will be " poured into its mould," and attain, by
means of it, that knowledge of God which is life eternal.]
2. How shall I manifest it to the world ?
[If" God have given you an understanding to know him 1 ,"
shew it, not by a fond conceit of your own attainments, or a
contemptuous spurning of others as blind and carnal
but by a holy life and conversation, such as none but those who
are taught of God can maintain. If you knotv more than others,
you should be prepared to answer that question, " What do ye
more than others 8 ?" "The tree must be known by its fruit:"
and, if you have received a superior illumination in your mind,
you must " walk worthy of that high distinction," and " shine
as lights in a dark world." If the Lord, by his Spirit, have
written his law upon your hearts, then must you shew forth
that law in your lives, and be in the world as " epistles of
Christ, known and read of all men 1 ."]
John vii. 17. P Luke viii. 15. <i 1 Cor. iii. 5 7.
r 1 John v. 20. s Matt. v. 47. l 2 Cor. iii. 2.
DCCCXVI.
ADVANTAGES OF THE RICH AND OF THE POOR COMPARED.
Prov. xxviii. 11. The rich man in wise in his own conceit; but
the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
PROVERBS are, for the most part, very ohscure:
they are intended to convey an abundance of instruc
tion in a small space : and the truths contained in
them are almost always such as escape the observa
tion of unthinking men, and such as militate against
816.] ADVANTAGES OF THE RICH AND POOR COMPARED. 277
their most received opinions. That the rich have
greatly the advantage of the poor in reference to
knowledge in general, must be confessed: for they
have leisure, which the poor cannot command ; and
instruction, which the poor cannot obtain. Hence
it is generally supposed that the rich have the same
advantage in reference to divine knowledge. But this
is by no means true. On the contrary, the poor
have, in reference to divine knowledge, the advan
tage of them. And this is what Solomon affirms, in
the words before us : " The rich man is wise in his
own conceit ; but the poor that hath understanding
searcheth him out."
In support of Solomon s assertion, I will shew,
I. That the poor have really the advantage of the rich
in reference to divine knowledge
Elihu, intending to criminate Job, observed, " Great
men are not always wise 3 ." And if this be true in
relation to the affairs of this world, much more is it
so in reference to the concerns of eternity. Nor
indeed are the poor always wise in this respect ; yet
have they, on the whole, the advantage of the rich.
1. They had the advantage in the days of old
[Look at those who received the testimony of our blessed
Lord. It was said with a kind of triumph, " Have any of the
rulers and of the Pharisees believed on him b ? " Whereas we
are told, on the other hand, that " the common people heard
him gladly ." And such was also the experience of the Apostles:
it was chiefly amongst the poor that their ministry was attended
with success ; as St. Paul ohserves : " Ye see your calling,
brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not
many mighty, not many noble, are called : but God hath chosen
the foolish things of the world to confound the things which are
mighty ; and base things of the world, and things which are
despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to
bring to nought things that are ; that no flesh should glory in
his presence 11 ."]
2. They have also the advantage at this day-
fit was to be one mark of the Messiah s advent, that " to
the poor the Gospel should be preached 6 ." By them, too, was
a Job xxxii. 9. b John vii. 48. c Mark xii. 37.
a 1 Cor. i. 2629. <= Matt. xi. 5.
278 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 11. [81(3.
the Gospel to be received, whilst by the rich it should be re
jected and despised. Nor did our blessed Lord merely affirm
this, but he accounted it a fit subject of praise and thanks
giving: " I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,
and hast revealed them unto babes f !" And now look around,
and see if it be not thus at this day. Who are they that value
the Gospel? Who are they that attend it, wherever it is
preached with effect ? Some, indeed, there are of the wise
and rich ; but very few in comparison ; so few, that if a man
of wealth and learning shew a decided love to the Gospel, he
is regarded almost as a phenomenon ; and that, too, no less
by the Church than by the world itself. The great mass of
religious people are of the poorer class ; so that at this day, no
less than in the apostolic age, when that appeal of the Apostle
James is made to us, " Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath
not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and
heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to them that love
lmn s ?" there is but one answer that can be given to it: we
must say, It is even so ; it is from among the poor, and not
from amongst the rich, that God has formed his Church : it is
" of unhewn stones that his altar is made h ;" and " of these
very stones that he has raised up children to Abraham 1 ."]
Seeing, then, that what we have asserted is an
unquestionable fact, let us,
II. Account for it
We might be satisfied with referring it, as our
blessed Lord does, to the sovereign will of God : " Even
so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight k ," should
be quite sufficient for us. But we may trace the fact
to natural causes. The rich, from the very circum
stance of their elevation in society, are under consi
derable disadvantages, beyond what are experienced
by the poor :
1. They are more blinded by prejudice
[Into the minds of the higher orders of society prejudices
are instilled from their earliest infancy. Religious people are
kept at a distance from them ; religious books are taken out of
their hands ; and religious sentiments are branded with every
epithet that can render them odious. For one word that would
lead them to God, a hundred are spoken to draw them from
him. Let them betray a love to earthly things, and no one
will offer a sentiment to turn them from such an evil way: but
f Matt. xi. 25, 26. e Jam. ii. 5. h Exod. xx. 25.
* Matt. iii. 9. k Matt. xi. 26.
816.1 ADVANTAGES OF THE RICH AND POOR COMPARED. 279
let them betray a decided love to heavenly things, and multi
tudes will exert themselves in every possible way to divert
them from so dangerous a path. Hence their prejudices are
all on the side of evil and of the world. And how great the
effect of prejudice is, may be seen in the adherents both of
Judaism and Popery. One would imagine that the superstitions
both of the one and of the other must give way before the light
of the New Testament : but prejudice, as has been said, has
neither eyes nor ears. Truth has no force, and argument no
power, when set before one whose mind is pre-occupied with
statements of an adverse nature. The Apostle says of the Jews,
that " to this day a veil is upon their hearts ; so that, when
Moses is read to them, they cannot see the true scope of his
instructions 1 ." And precisely thus it is also with the rich, when
the Gospel is preached to them : " Their eyes are blinded ; and
they cannot discern" the truth of those things which are pro
posed to their consideration" 1 . But the poor are, comparatively,
but little subjected to this influence. People take not so much
pains to prejudice their minds ; and they are left more to think
and act for themselves. Hence, when truth is proposed to them,
they are more open to conviction, and more easily brought under
its power. And this is one reason why even the " publicans
and harlots enter into the kingdom before the Scribes and
Pharisees."]
2. They are more enslaved by custom
[The rich, amidst all their boasted liberty, are the veriest
bond-slaves that the world contains. If negroes are afraid of
the scourge of their masters, so are the rich afraid lest they
should be subjected to the lash of censure amongst their
equals. Let an opportunity of spiritual instruction be afforded
them, they would be afraid to avail themselves of it, if it were
offered at a place not frequented by the rich, or by a person
not approved amongst them. Even though in their hearts
they would be glad to hear the instruction, they dare not go
over the line prescribed by custom and fashion, lest they
should bring upon themselves some reproach. They would be
ashamed to be found reading the Bible ; and would be in per
fect horrors if they were discovered weeping for their sins.
True, a rich Papist would not blush at being known to follow
the superstitious usages of his Church, because other rich
persons both approve and follow the same superstitions : but
a rich Protestant would not dare to spend a day in fasting and
prayer, because the rich of his own community pour contempt
on piety, and on the means by which piety is advanced in the
soul. But the poor are more free to follow the dictates of
1 2 Cor. Hi. 14, 15. m 2 Cor. iv. 4
280 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 11. [816.
their conscience : and when they " have a spiritual under
standing," they will follow them : they will not be content to
"continue in the broad road, because the many walk there;
or to desert the narrow path, because there be but few who
find it":" they are more independent of the opinions of the
world; and are prepared to say with Joshua, "Let others
think or act as they please, I will serve the Lord ."]
3. They are more deluded by conceit
[The rich, on account of their wealth and influence, have
great deference paid to their opinions. The flattery which they
receive is extremely grateful to them ; and they soon begin to
think that they are indeed as wise as fawning sycophants re
present them to be. Hence they become very confident in their
own opinions, and can ill brook contradiction upon any sub
ject. They suppose, too, that they are as competent to judge
of religion as of any other subject; and will lay down the law
upon the subject of divine truth as confidently as if they had
the wisdom of Daniel or St. Paul. But the poor man, that
has been taught of God, sees at once how ignorant these per
sons are on those subjects on which they presume to dogmatize
with such unblushing confidence. The rich conceited man will
tell us how erroneous it is to represent our fallen nature as so
depraved ; and what a licentious doctrine that of salvation by
faith alone is ; and that a life of entire devotedness to God is
no better than wild fanaticism or puritanical hypocrisy. But
" the poor man, that hath understanding, searcheth him out:"
he has within himself the evidence of those truths which the
conceited man decries. St. John says, " He that believeth on
the Son of God hath the witness in himself P:" and this internal
evidence is more to him than all the assertions which conceit
can dictate or arrogance maintain. He knows his own depra
vity: he feels his need of a Saviour: he tastes the sweetness
of pure and undefiled religion ; and from God he inherits a
blessing q , whilst the rich contemner of his faith receives nothing
but woes at the hand of his offended God r .]
IMPROVEMENT
1. Envy not those who are rich in this world
[Truly they are encompassed with snares, and exposed to
great dangers. The advantages which they possess are very
trivial : (what has the richest man beyond food and raiment,
which the poor possess as well as they ?) but their disadvan
tages are very great ; so great, that " it is easier for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter
into the kingdom of heaven." Remarkable, in this view, is
11 Matt. vii. 13, 14. Josh. xxiv. 15. P 1 John v. 10.
( i Matt. v. 3. r Isai. v. 21.
817.] TRUE REPENTANCE RECOMMENDED. 281
that advice of Solomon ; " Labour not to be rich : cease from
thine own wisdom*" The errors here pointed at are almost
inseparable from each other ; and every one that is truly wise
will be on his guard against them both.]
2. Seek to be " rich towards God"
[That is true wisdom : and the more you possess of spi
ritual riches, the more truly humble will you be before God.
Indeed, a poor pious man is, in God s estimation, as high a
character as exists on earth. When God s only -begotten Son
became incarnate, this was the character he assumed. Seek to
be conformed to him, and you need not desire any thing be
yond. Nothing is of any value without piety ; nor can any
thing add to piety, when it fully occupies the soul 1 .]
8 Prov. xxiii. 4. l Phil. iii. 7, 8.
DCCCXVII.
TRUE REPENTANCE RECOMMENDED.
Prov. xxviii. 13. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper :
but tvhoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
THE subject of repentance offers nothing for the
gratification of " itching ears." But it must not on
that account be overlooked ; since, if less interesting
than some other subjects on the score of novelty,
it yields to none in point of importance. It is the
first act whereby a sinner returns unto his God : and
it is an act for which the most eminent saint has
occasion from day to day ; insomuch that in him it
assumes rather the character of a habit than an act.
In the more grown Christian, it is the warp, whilst
every other grace is the woof: whether the colours
interwoven with it be grave or gay, this pervades
the whole piece, and is, as it were, the foundation of
all the rest.
For the advancing of this work in all our souls, I
will shew,
I. The folly of covering our sins
To conceal our sins from the all-seeing eye of God
is impossible : yet
There are various ways in which men attempt to
cover them
282 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 13. [817.
[Sin, though it cannot be hidden from God, may be covered
from ourselves, by denial, by extenuation, \>y for yet fulness.
Many, though walking in the habitual violation of the plainest
duties, will deny that they commit any sin at all. As " the
adulterous woman," of whom Solomon speaks, " eateth, and
wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness*;"
so these, in gratifying their sensual appetites, think that they
commit no more evil than if they had merely satisfied the de
mands of hunger and thirst: and, in their minds, one sinful
indulgence is but a prelude to another, whenever opportunity
and inclination concur to call for it. Persons of this description,
if they receive only a distant intimation of their state, are ready
to reply, even against God himself, just as Cain did, after mur
dering his brother Abel : " Where is thy brother Abel? " " I
know not : am I my brother s keeper b ? " Thus, rather than
they will humble themselves before God, they will deny their
accountability to him, saying, " Our lips are our own : who is
Lord over us c ?" But this denial of their guilt will avail them
nothing. God will reprove them as he did Israel of old d ; and
will surely visit them with his heaviest indignation .
Others cover their sins by endeavouring to extenuate the
guilt of them. Thus did Adam and Eve in Paradise. Thus
also did Saul, after sparing the king of the Amalekites, and the
spoil which he had taken, instead of destroying them utterly
according to the direction which he had received from the
Lord. He first of all asserted that he had executed the divine
command ; and that being disproved by the lowing of the
oxen, he vindicated himself, asserting, that, in as far as he was
implicated in the affair, he had acted under the influence of
the people, whom he could not restrain, and dared not to
resist f . Thus it is also that the generality are acting all around
us. They cannot actually deny that what they are doing
is contrary to God s revealed will; but they are so circum
stanced, that they can not on the whole act otherwise than they
do : the current of the w r orld is so strong against them, that they
cannot resist it; and, if they err, the fault is rather in those
who have led the way, than in themselves, who have only gone
with the stream.
But perhaps the most common way of covering sins is by
letting them pass altogether unnoticed. Many are not altoge
ther satisfied that their ways are right : but they go on with
out much thought, and presently forget any thing which may
have made a slight impression on their minds. Forgetting
a Prov. xxx. 20. b Gen. iv. 9. c Ps. xii. 4.
d Jcr. ii. 23, 24. This is a fine image to illustrate the insatiable
avidity with which the wicked follow their own lusts and passions.
e Jcr. ii. 31, 35. f 1 Sam. xv. 1315, 20, 21, 24.
817.J TRUE REPENTANCE RECOMMENDED. 283
their sins, they suppose that God has forgotten them also.
Of such persons God complains ; " They consider not in their
hearts, that I remember all their wickedness g ." Very beauti
ful is the description which God gives of such persons, by the
Prophet Jeremiah : " I hearkened and heard, but they spake
not aright : no man repented of his wickedness, saying, What
have I done ? Every one turned to his course, as the horse
rusheth into the battle V The horse is unconscious of his
danger ; and so are the mass of ungodly men : " it is a sport
to them to commit iniquity;" and, provided it be not of such
a heinous nature as to violate the usages of the place wherein
they live, they say, " No evil will come unto us ."]
But all who thus attempt to cover their sins are
guilty of the extremest folly
[They " can never prosper." Temporal prosperity they
may have as much as others : but in their souls they cannot
prosper k .
They cannot in this world. They can have no peace with
God or in their own consciences ; for God has said, " There is
no peace to the wicked." They can have no victory over sin :
for God will not interpose to deliver them from bonds, which
they themselves are pleased with. They can have no delight
in holy ordinances, either in the public assembly, or in their
secret chamber. They may, like Ezekiel s hearers, be pleased
with hearing a man that can play well upon an instrument 1 ;
but they can have no fellowship with God: for " what fellow
ship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, or light with
darkness" 1 ?" They can have no bright and cheering prospects
of the eternal world : for they have no evidence within them
selves of their acceptance with God, nor any " meetness for
the inheritance of the saints in light."
Much less can they prosper in the world to come. There
the impenitent and unbelieving will meet their deserved re-
compence. No joy awaits them there. They sought not
mercy; and therefore they find it not: they came not weary
and heavy laden unto Christ ; and therefore they have no part
in the rest which he alone can give : they humbled not them
selves ; and therefore they can never be exalted.]
Let us now contemplate, on the other hand,
II. The benefit of true penitence-
True repentance consists of two parts ; a confessing,
and forsaking, of our sins
[Confession is of absolute and indispensable necessity.
We never can humble ourselves aright without it. Nor ought
e Hos. vii. 2. h Jer. viii. 6. * Jer. v. 12. k Job xxxi. 33.
1 Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32. m 2 Cor. vi. 14.
284 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 13. [817.
we to rest in mere general acknowledgments : we should search
out our sins : we should say, " Thus and thus have I done."
We should go farther, and enter into the particular aggrava
tions of our sins, in order the more deeply to affect our own
hearts, and to fill our minds with self-lothing and self-
abhorrence. Not that God needs to be informed : he knows
9.11 our iniquities, and all the circumstances with which they
have been attended. But by spreading them all before God,
we give the more glory to him as a God of infinite mercy and
compassion ; at the same time that we prepare our own minds
for a due reception of mercy at his hands.
But, besides this, we must forsake our sins. If we hold them
fast, it is a clear proof that our repentance is not genuine.
Nor must we forsake them merely as a man parts with a limb,
which, if not amputated, would destroy his life : we may indeed
take into our consideration the danger arising froi them, as
our Lord tells us in the case of " a right hand or right eye,"
which, if retained, would plunge us into everlasting perdition :
but we must regard them as odious, and hateful, and abo
minable; and long for deliverance from them as we would for
deliverance from the most lothsome disorder.
These two, a confessing, and forsaking of sin, must go toge
ther. Supposing we could put away our sins for the future, it
would still become us to bewail those which are past : and, if
we bewail them ever so bitterly, still must we not rest without
gaining the victory over them , it is the union of them both
that marks true penitence ; and]
Where such repentance is, there God will bestow
his richest blessings
[It is said in a subsequent part of this chapter, that " a
faithful man shall abound with blessings." And this is true of
all who deal faithfully with their own souls and with their
God, in bewailing and mortifying their most secret corruptions.
This is strongly asserted by all the inspired writers. " 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"." To
such both the faithfulness and the justice of God assure a per
fect remission of all sin . Nor will God delay to manifest his
love, when once he sees our souls truly humbled for sin. The
self-condemning publican was justified even before he left the
spot where his confessions were made 1 . And David speaks of
the same truth as realized also in his experience. AVhilst he
forbore to humble himself, he was kept in a state of darkness
n Isai. lv. 7. 1 John. i. 9, 10. P Luke xviii. 14.
817.] TRUE REPENTANCE RECOMMENDED. 285
and misery: but " as soon as he began to confess his sins unto
the Lord, the Lord forgave the iniquity of his sin q ."
And need we say what "mercy" God will vouchsafe to
penitents in the last day? Surely all the manifestations of his
love which he gives to them in this world, are but as a twinkling
star compared with that full splendour of the Sun of Righteous
ness, which in that day every contrite soul shall enjoy. The
joy of the Father over the returning prodigal, with all the
music, and feasting, and dancing, are but faint images of what
shall be realized in heaven over every true penitent through
all eternity.]
From hence we may LEARN,
1. Whence it is that men know so little of spiritual
prosperity
[Repentance is a work to which we are very averse. If
we did but occasionally set apart a day for solemn fasting and
prayer, and set ourselves more diligently to the great duty of
humiliation before God, we should have more delightful visits
from him, and richer communications of his grace to our
souls
2. How painful will be the self-condemnation of
all who perish !
[The promise in our text will then be remembered with
unutterable shame and sorrow. What a reflection will it be,
" I might have obtained mercy, but would not seek it:" God
said to me, " Only acknowledge thine iniquity r ;" but I would
not deign to acknowledge it. Verily the easy terms on which
salvation might have been obtained, will form the bitterest in
gredient of that bitter cup which the impenitent soul will have
to drink to all eternity.]
3. What obligations do we owe to the Lord Jesus
Christ !
[It is through him, and through him alone, that repent
ance is of any avail. There is nothing in repentance that can
merit forgiveness : all the merit is in Christ Jesus, even in his
obedience unto death : it is that which cancels all our guilt ; it
is that which purchases our title to the heavenly inheritance.
Whilst therefore we confess and forsake our sins, let our eyes
be directed to Him as our only hope, even to him, " in whom
all the seed of Israel shall be justified, and in whom they shall
glory."]
i Ps. xxxii. 35. * Jer. iii. 12, 13.
286 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 20. [818.
DCCCXVIII.
THE PORTION OF THE FAITHFUL MAN.
Prov. xxviii. 20. A faithful man sliall abound with blessings.
ST. PAUL has told us, that " the love of money
is the root of all evil : and that many, whilst coveting
after it, have pierced themselves through with many
sorrows " 1 ." In truth, the effects of this principle on
the persons in whom it dwells, and on all connected
with them, are beyond all conception bitter and inju
rious. On the other hand, a superiority to the love
of money greatly elevates and ennobles those in whom
it is found ; and conduces, in a very eminent degree,
to their happiness both in this world and the next.
This appears to be the precise import of our text,
as it stands connected with the words which follow it.
But we need not so limit its use. It contains a
general truth, which \vill afford us much profitable
instruction. Taking it in this more enlarged sense,
I will endeavour to shew,
I. Who are they that answer the description here
given us
Nehemiah, speaking of his brother Hanani, says,
" He was a faithful man, and feared God above
many :" and he assigns this as his reason for ap
pointing him to superintend the repairs of the city
of Jerusalem ; since he might be fully depended on
for a conscientious discharge of his high office 11 .
From hence, then, we see who they are that are en
titled to the character of " faithful men." They are
those who are,
1. Faithful to their convictions in things relating
to God
[There is in every man, under the Christian dispensation,
a conviction that he is a sinner who stands in need of mercy ;
that God has revealed to us in his Gospel the way in which
alone he will dispense mercy ; and that, as responsible beings,
who shall soon stand at the judgment-seat of Christ in order to
be judged according to our works, it is our duty and our hap
piness to be seeking for mercy in God s appointed way. Now,
a 1 Tim. vi. 10. b Xeh. vii. 2.
818.] THE PORTION OF THE FAITHFUL MAN. 287
if a man be faithful to his convictions respecting these things,
we may justly call him a faithful man ; but, if he neglect God,
and pour contempt upon the Lord Jesus, and disregard his
eternal interests, and labour in every possible way to silence
the remonstrances of his own conscience, is he faithful ? No,
indeed ; he is a traitor to God and to his own soul. If he be
truly upright before God, he will give to the concerns of his
soul and of eternity the attention they demand ]
2. Faithful to their engagements in things relating
to man
[Without supposing any express compact voluntarily en
tered into between man and man, there is of necessity a mu
tual obligation lying upon every man to perform the duties of
his place and station. As husbands or wives, parents or chil
dren, masters or servants, magistrates or subjects, all of us
have some line of conduct prescribed to us; and, as members
of one great body, are bound to perform our proper office for
the benefit of the whole. Every person feels this in relation
to others ; and would account himself very injuriously treated,
if any should violate towards him the duties of their station :
and, consequently, every one must owe to others the treatment
which he himself claims at their hands. Now, a faithful man
considers this, and will labour to do unto others as he, in a
change of circumstances, would think it right that they should
do unto him. But if a man consult nothing but his own inte
rests and inclinations, and make his own will the only rule
of his conduct, can he be called " faithful?" Is he not as
much bound to observe the commandments of the second table
as those of the first? His obligation to both the one and the
other of them is unalterable ; nor can either the one or the
other in any wise be dispensed with. Religion and morality
must go hand in hand. Neither of them can supersede the
other ; nor can either of them exist without the other : and he
who is faithful in one, must of necessity be faithful in both.]
For the encouragement of such characters, I will
proceed to state,
II. What are the peculiar blessings reserved for
them
ings
Truly " the faithful man shall abound with bless-
M
[I might here enumerate thousands of blessings, if tim3
would admit of it ; but I will specify only three : the appro
bation of God ; the testimony of a good conscience ; and a
blessed hope of immortality and glory But how shall
288 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 20. [818.
I describe these blessing s ? " In God s favour is life ; and
his loving-kindness is better than life itself c " As for
the testimony of our own conscience, and the witness of God s
Spirit with ours, that we are upright before him, man can
have no greater joy on earth than that 11 And who can
adequately declare the blessedness of a soul that apprehends
God himself as his portion, and all the glory of heaven as his
inheritance ?
But it is the peculiarity and exclusiveness of this
portion which we are chiefly called to notice
[To the faithful man these blessings are accorded ; but
to him also are they limited : for they are peculiar to him ;
" and a stranger intermeddleth not with his joy e ." Let the
man who is unfaithful to his convictions or to his engagements
say what he knows of these blessings ? If he speak the truth
before God, he has no experience of them whatever in his
own soul. Indeed, it is impossible that he should have any
sense of them as already imparted to him ; since, if God be
true, no one of them belongs to him ; " he has no part or lot
in any one of them :" they belong to the faithful man, and to
him alone ]
SEE, then,
1. What is the proper scope and tendency of the
Gospel-
fit is doubtless intended to effect a change, yea, an ex
ceeding great change, both in the characters and states of men.
But what does it effect in their character? Does it make them
hypocrites? No; but faithful both to God and man. And
what does it effect in their states ? Does it deprive them of
comforts, and make them melancholy ? No ; but it makes
them to abound with blessings, both in time and in eternity.
O that you could be prevailed upon to view the Gospel in its
true light, and to embrace it with your whole hearts !]
2. What bitter self-condemnation awaits the im
penitent and unbelieving soul
[You have now the blessings of time and sense. But
what are they, in comparison of those that await the faithful
man ? Even here your portion is far inferior to his : but what
will they be in the eternal ivorld ? Truly, you will all find, ere
long, that to gain the whole world with the loss of your own
souls was a sad exchange. May God make you wise in time,
that you may not have to deplore your folly to all eternity !]
c Ps. xxx. 5. and Ixiii. 3. d 2 Cor. i. 12. Rom. viii. 16.
e Prov. xiv. 10.
819. J SELF-CONFIDENCE REPROVED. 289
DCCCXIX.
SELF-CONFIDENCE REPROVED.
Prov. xxviii. 26. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.
THE Holy Scriptures speak plainly, and without
reserve : they know nothing of that squeamish deli
cacy that keeps men from designating things by their
appropriate names : they declare sin to be sin, and
folly to be folly, without considering what the pride
of man will say to the fidelity that is expressed.
Now this gives an exceeding great advantage to
ministers : for though it does not sanction rudeness,
or indelicacy, or inattention to the feelings of man
kind, it does authorize a " great plainness of speech"
in all who deliver the messages of God to a sinful
and self-deceiving world. Indeed, by universal con
sent, a greater freedom of speech is admitted, even
by the most fastidious in our public addresses, than
would be palatable in private converse : nor will any
be offended with us, if we declare authoritatively,
and without any palliating modifications, what God
has said, and what we know to be true, and what
therefore we must affirm, that " he who trusteth in
his own heart is a fool."
In confirmation of this plain and solemn truth, I
will shew,
I. What is the conduct here reprobated
Man, when he fell from God, renounced not only
his allegiance to him as his Maker, but his affiance
in him as his God. Since that time, man affects to
be a god unto himself, and places his reliance rather
on his own inherent powers than on the Majesty
of heaven. He relies on,
1. His own wisdom and understanding
[This is true, especially in reference to all that concerns
the soul. Every one conceives that he knows what religion
is, and how he is to obtain favour at the hands of God. The
most careless of men stand, in this respect, on a footing with
the most thoughtful and sedate : every one is alike confident
that his opinions are just ; and he holds them fast, with a
degree of assurance which the most studious habits would
scarcely warrant.
VOL. VII. U
290 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 26. [819.
Some, however, will admit the Scriptures to be the only true
standard of religious sentiment : but then they suppose them
selves to he perfectly equal to the task of extracting from them
the mind of God. They feel no need of divine teaching : they
are unconscious of the blindness of their minds, and of the bias
that is upon their hearts on the side of error. Hence they will
take some few particular passages which favour the prejudices
they have imbibed ; and on them they will build, as securely
as if it was impossible for them to err.]
2. His own purposes and resolutions
[Every one has, at some time or other, thought with him
self, that it was desirable for him to be prepared for death and
judgment: and most persons have formed some faint purposes
at least, if not a fixed resolution, that they will amend their
lives, and prepare for their great account. In some imminent
danger, or under some distressing occurrence, the purpose may
have been formed with a view to a speedy change : but, in
general, the convenient season is looked for at somewhat of a
distant period. But the power to turn to God is doubted by
none. The sufficiency of man to execute his own purposes
and resolutions is never questioned. Every one supposes that
he shall be able to eifect whatever his judgment shall direct, and
his necessities require. As for any need of divine assistance
for these things, men have no idea of it. Their own strength
is equal to the performance of all that they judge necessary
for their salvation ; and therefore they may safely defer the
great work of their souls to any period which it may suit them
to assign.]
That I may dissuade you from such vain con
fidence, I proceed to state,
II. The folly of it-
Even in relation to earthly things an overweening
confidence in our own judgment and strength is a
mark of folly : but in reference to the concerns of the
soul it is folly in the extreme. For,
1. It robs us of the benefit we might receive from
trusting in God
[This is particularly intimated in the words immediately
connected with my text: " He that trusteth in his own heart
is a fool ; but whoso walketh wisely shall be delivered." Now
here the "walking wisely" is put for trusting in God, rather
than in ourselves : and the person who so conducts himself,
"shall be delivered" from those evils into which the self-confi
dent must fall. Indeed the very honour of God is concerned
to leave us, that we may reap the bitter fruits of our own folly.
819.] SELF-CONFIDENCE REPROVED. 291
If we succeeded in effecting our own deliverance, we should
" burn incense to our own net," and ascribe all the glory to
ourselves. But God has warned us, that, if we provoke him
thus to jealousy, we shall lose the benefits which, by trusting
in him, we might have obtained ; and bring on ourselves the
very evils which, by trusting in him, we might have escaped :
"Thus saith the Lord: Cursed be the man that trusteth in
man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth
from the Lord : (where you will see, that to trust in ourselves
is a departure of heart from God :) for he shall be like the heath
in the desert ; and shall not see when good cometh ; but shall
inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land,
and not inhabited. But blessed is the man that trusteth in
the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is : for he shall be as a
tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots
by the river ; and shall not see when heat cometh ; but her
leaf shall be green, and shall not be careful in the year of
drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit a ."]
2. It ensures, beyond all doubt, our ultimate dis
appointment
[If ever any man was authorized to trust in himself, me-
thinks Peter and the other Apostles were, in relation to their
desertion of their Lord, in his lowest extremity. In the fulness
of his own sufficiency, Peter said, " Though I should die with
thee, I will not deny thee. And so likewise said they oil."
Yet, behold, no sooner was their Master apprehended, than
" they all forsook him and fled," And Peter, the most self-
confident of them all, denied him with oaths and curses. And
thus will it be with all of us : however firm our resolutions
be, they will prove only as tow before the fire, if they be made
in our own strength. We need, indeed, only look back and
see what has become of the resolutions we have already made.
* We would turn from this or that sin : we would mortify this
or that propensity : we would give up ourselves to God in
newness of life. Alas! alas! how have these purposes vanished,
as smoke before the whirlwind ! And though we may think
to profit by experience, and to become more steadfast in con
sequence of our former disappointments, we shall only live to
prove with still greater evidence the folly of our own ways,
and the truth of that inspired declaration, that " the heart is
deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked : who can
know it?"]
3. It will keep us from discovering our error, till it
is past a remedy
[Tell persons what God says of their ways, and they will
not believe it. Every one thinks himself safe ; and holds fast
* Jer. xvii. 5 8.
292 PROVERBS, XXVIII. 26. [819.
his persuasion, in spite of all the admonitions that can be given
him. The Rich Man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen,
and fared sumptuously every day, would have deemed any one
very uncharitable who should have warned him of his approach
ing end. He would have found an abundance to allege in his
own defence ; and would not have believed that so inoffensive
a life as his could ever issue in such misery as was denounced
against him. His five brethren, who succeeded to his wealth,
and followed him in what they esteemed so becoming their
situation in life, were equally secure in their own minds, and
equally averse to think themselves obnoxious to God s dis
pleasure : nay, so averse were they to admit such an idea, that,
if their deceased brother s wish had been granted, and one had
been sent from the dead to warn them of their danger, they
would not have believed his report. Hence, like him who had
gone before them, they held fast their delusions, till, one after
another, they all came into the same place of torment. Each,
at the instant of his own departure, saw the danger of those
who were left behind : for, as they would not believe Moses
and the Prophets, their ruin was inevitable, and their misery
sure. Precisely such is our state and conduct. We will trust
in our own hearts, and deny the necessity for trusting only in
the Lord ; and the probability is, that we shall never be un
deceived, till we come to experience what now we will not
believe. And are not they who pursue such a course justly
denominated fools ? If a man would not be persuaded that the
leaping down from a lofty precipice would hurt him, and should
desperately put it to the trial, and break all his bones, would
any one be at a loss to assign an appropriate name to him?
Yet would he be wise, in comparison of one who, in defiance
of all the warnings of Holy Writ, will trust in himself rather
than in God.]
SEE, then, from hence,
1. How desirable is self-knowledge
[Respecting gross offences, men cannot be ignorant of their
condition before God : but respecting the state and habit of
their minds, especially in relation to the object of their trust
and confidence, they are almost as ignorant as new-born babes.
People will not inquire ; they will not examine ; they will not
even suspect that they may be wrong. In truth, they will not
believe that their self-confidence is so criminal as the Scriptures
represent it, or that any danger can await them on account of
it. But, my dear Brethren, I beg you to remember, that the
declaration in my text is the word of the living God, and shall
surely be found true in the end. I charge you, therefore, to
examine carefully into this matter. See whether you have just
views of the deceitfulness of the heart. See whether you feel
820.] DANGER OF OBSTINACY IN SIN. 293
so fearful of its delusions, that you determine never to take its
report of any thing without comparing it with the sacred records,
and imploring direction from God that you may not err. And
be assured, that, till you are brought to renounce all dependence
on yourselves, and to depend only on the Lord, you are not,
you cannot be, in a state of acceptance with God : for, if he
pronounces you fools, he will surely deal with you according to
your proper character.]
2. How necessary is the knowledge of Christ
[Till we come to know what provision God has made for
us in the Son of his love, we shall of necessity continue guilty
of the folly which is here reprobated. But when once we are
assured that there is another in whom we may trust, and who
possesses in himself all the fulness of the Godhead, we are
encouraged to look beyond ourselves, and to place our confi
dence in him. Now the Lord Jesus Christ is that person, who
is sent of God for that very end, and " is of God made unto us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."
Here, then, we have all that our necessities can require. By
this, all temptation to creature-confidence is cut off: for who
would lean upon a reed, that has Omnipotence for his support?
or who would build upon the sand, that can have for his founda
tion " the Rock of ages ? " Seek, then, I pray you, the know
ledge of this Saviour ; and beg of God to shew you what an
inexhaustible fulness is treasured up for you in him ; and how
impossible it is that you should ever fail, if only you trust in
him. Once begin in truth to " live by faith in the Son of
God," and you " shall not be ashamed or confounded world
without end.]
DCCCXX.
DANGER OF OBSTINACY IN SIN.
Prov. xxix. 1. He that being often reproved, kardeneth his neck,
shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
AWFUL, most awful, is this declaration ; yet is it
most salutary, and worthy of the deepest attention.
Many indeed imagine that it is suited only to the
dispensation of the Law : but it is no less suited to us
under the Gospel. The Gospel does not consist of
promises only, but of threatenings also : and St. Paul
himself tells us, that " the day of the Lord will so
come as a thief in the night ; and that when men are
saying, Peace and safety, then will sudden destruction
294 PROVERBS, XXIX. 1. [820.
come upon them as travail upon a woman with child,
and they shall not escape 1 ."
But in discoursing on such a subject, we would
exercise all imaginable tenderness : and we entreat all
who are here present to lift up their hearts to God,
and to implore the effectual assistance of his good
Spirit, that they may be enabled to " tremble at his
word," and to " receive it with meekness, as an en
grafted word, which is able to save their souls."
There are two things here to which we would draw
your attention ;
I. The character described
God, with much patience and long-suffering, re
proves the sinners of mankind-
fin a variety of ways he administers reproof. At all times
he speaks, silently indeed, but powerfully, to men in Ms word.
Every sin is there depicted in its proper colours, and marked
as an object of his righteous indignation. There especially
we hear him denouncing his judgments against impenitence
and unbelief: " Except ye repent, ye shall all perish:" " He
that believeth not, shall not see life ; but the wrath of God
abideth on him ." There too do we find him requiring of us,
that we become "new creatures in Christ Jesus ;" and declar
ing, that " except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God." In short, every thing that is necessary for
us either to know or do, is there revealed and in every
part of it God himself is addressing us day and night
He reproves us also by his Providence. Every one of his
dispensations towards us has a voice, to which we should give
heed, and from which we may gain the most valuable instruc
tion. Does he summon to his tribunal a neighbour, a friend,
a relative? He says to the survivors, " Prepare to meet your
God." Does he make a severer inroad on your domestic circle,
by cutting off the olive branches that were round about your
table, or by " taking away the desire of your eyes with a stroke?"
He bids you to seek all your happiness in him alone. By every
change of whatever kind, he tells you that " this is not your
rest." Nor does he speak less by mercies than by judgments.
Every gift is sent to draw you to him as the Donor; and every
instance of " his goodness and long-suffering and forbearance
is intended to lead you to repentance."
Further, he reproves us also by his Spirit. Who amongst
us has not often heard his still small voice, saying to us,
* 1 Thess. v. 2, 3.
820.] DANGER OF OBSTINACY IN SIN. 295
" Repent ? " Who has not felt many checks of conscience, when
he was tempted to commit iniquity ? These have been no other
than the motions of God s Holy Spirit within us, testifying
against sin, and inviting us to serve our God b .]
But against his reproofs how often have we " har
dened our necks !"
[Many will not endure reproof at all : and, if the word
which is ministered to them by the servants of God disquiet
their minds, and especially if it strike at their besetting sin,
they will vent their indignation against the faithful Messenger
who thus disturbs their slumbers. The reproof given to Ama-
ziah was so reasonable, that one would imagine it could not
possibly give offence : yet behold, what resentment it kindled
in the infatuated monarch ! " Art thou made of the king s
counsel? Forbear. Why shouldest thou be smitten c ?"-
Nothing could be more just than the reproof which Jeremiah
was ordered to administer to the Jewish people : yet the only
effect it produced was, to excite their wrath, and to make them
threaten him with instant death : " When Jeremiah had made
an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to
speak unto all the people, then the priests, and the prophets,
and all the people, took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die d "
Herod went further still, and actually put the greatest
of all the Prophets to death, for no other fault than that of
telling him that he should not persevere in his adulterous com
merce with his brother Philip s wife 6 . Thus it is at this day.
Men indeed cannot proceed to such extremities against their
reprovers now as they did in former times : but the world s en
mity is the same against all who " testify of it that the w r orks
thereof are evil ; " and it is owing to the protection of the laws,
rather than to any diminution of men s hatred against the
truth, that contempt only, and not death, is the portion of
God s faithful servants.
But it is not only in a way of outward opposition that men
manifest their obduracy. Many who externally approve of the
faithful ministry of the word, are in reality as averse to it in
their hearts. They hear the word perhaps even with pleasure,
as Ezekiel s hearers did ; but they will not doit f . Say whether
this be not the case with many amongst you : you have had the
whole counsel of God declared unto you ; but have you com
plied with it ? Are you truly brought to the foot of cross, in
deep humiliation, in earnest prayer, and in a simple reliance
on the blood of Jesus as your only hope ? Have you
also taken his yoke upon you, so that you are daily and hourly
fulfilling his will, and regarding his service as perfect freedom ?
b Gen. vi. 3. c 2 Chron. xxv. 15, 10. d Jer. xxvi. 2 8.
e Matt. xiv. 310. f Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32.
296 PROVERBS, XXIX. 1. [820.
Are you dying daily to the world, and living altogether as pil
grims and sojourners here, having your conversation in heaven,
and looking forward to the second advent of your Lord as the
consummation and completion of your bliss ? If you be not
thus brought to live unto your God, you have not yet complied
with his reproofs : and if you are speaking peace to yourselves
in such a state, then are you hardening your necks against
him. In words indeed you call him Lord, Lord : but whilst
you do not the things which he says, you are still among the
number of those to whom he will say, " Depart from me ; I
never knew you, ye workers of iniquity " ]
Having then seen the character that is described
in our text, let us consider,
II. The judgment denounced against him
What but destruction can await such a character,
even " destruction from the presence of the Lord,
and from the glory of his power ?" Yes, this is the
judgment denounced against him ; and his destruc
tion, whenever it shall arrive, shall be,
1. Sudden
[Not unfrequently does God mark by some signal judg
ment those who have obstinately withstood his warnings and
invitations. The Ante-diluvian infidels, who would not be re
claimed by the ministry of Noah, were swept away, as soon as
ever their day of grace was ended; as were Pharaoh also, and
all his host, when they proudly set themselves in array against
the Majesty of heaven. Ananias and Sapphira were also made
examples of God s indignation against wilful and deliberate sin.
But though death should come upon us gradually, as it
respects the body, it may, as far as it respects our preparation
for it, be altogether instantaneous. The effect of wilful sin is,
to harden the heart, and to render us more and more indis
posed for repentance. It also grieves the Holy Spirit of God,
and provokes him to withdraw those gracious influences which
he has hitherto vouchsafed. When delaying our repentance,
we are apt to fancy that we shall in a time of sickness have
such a favourable opportunity for spiritual exercises, as will
abundantly make up for all the time that we have lost : but
when sickness comes, we find that we cannot realize all our
fond expectations : the state of our bodies perhaps unfits us
for exertion : and the indisposition of our mind for holy things
is become more deeply rooted, so that we cannot relent, or
humble ourselves before God. The word of God, when we
look into it, is only as a sealed book. The instructions we re
ceive, produce no effect. Even during their full enjoyment of
820.1 DANGER OF OBSTINACY IN SIN.
bodily health many are given over to final impenitence, so that
the ministry of the word serves only to harden them, and the
Gospel itself becomes to them only "a savour of death g "-
God gives them over to judicial blindness, and leaves them to
harden themselves in order to their more aggravated condem
nation. Thus he dealt with the sons of Eli 1 ; and thus he has
declared he will deal with us, if we wilfully reject his tender
solicitations 1 - Thus may death come in its most gradual
and protracted form, and yet, as far as respects our souls, be
as sudden, as if it visited us like a thief in the night.]
2. Irremediable
[If once God say to his Holy Spirit, " Strive no longer
with that man : he is joined to idols : let him alone k ;" the man
is in fact left to irremediable destruction. He will live only to
" fill up the measure of his iniquities," and to " treasure up
wrath against the day of wrath." But at all events, the very
instant that death arrests us, our day of grace is terminated :
there is no repentance in the grave ; no possibility of passing
the gulf that is fixed between heaven and hell : the worm
that gnaweth the conscience will never die ; the fire that tor
ments the body will never be quenched: the wrath to come
will ever be the wrath to come.
What a fearful thought is it, that of those to whom the word
of salvation is now preached, many will " come at last into that
place of torment," and many, who, like the Foolish Virgins,
once had the lamp of outward profession, and associated with
the wise virgins, will, instead of being admitted to the marriage
supper of their Lord, be " cast into outer darkness, where is
weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth ! " The Lord
grant that none of you may ever experience this doom ! yet it
is certain, that if you harden your necks against either the
precepts of the Law or the promises of the Gospel, this will
be your state for ever.
To put you more effectually on your guard, let me]
ADDRESS
1. Those who are indisposed to submit to God s
reproofs
[The word delivered to you, so far as it accords with God s
revealed will, is God s, and not ours. We are his ambassadors;
and it is He who speaks to you by our mouth. Indeed, who
ever he be that gives you the counsels of true wisdom, he is
God s representative to you. Think then, ye who have rejected
e See Isai. vi. 9, 10. which is quoted six times in the New Tes
tament. See also Jer. vii. 23 27.
h 1 Sam. ii. 25. ! Prov. i. 24 31. k Hos. iv. 17.
298 PROVERBS, XXIX. 18. [821.
the counsels of your friends, and the admonitions of your mi
nisters, what will be your reflections in the last day : when
you call to mind the instructions once given by your parents,
the advice offered by some pious friend or relative, the warn
ings delivered by God s servants in the public assembly, how
distressing will it be to see that they were only the means of
aggravating your eternal condemnation ! Oh ! let me prevail
with you, ere it be too late. Consider, I pray you, " Who
ever hardened himself against God, and prospered?" To-day
then, while it is called to-day, harden not your hearts, lest you
provoke God to swear in his wrath, that you shall never enter
into his rest.]
2. Those who are inclined to obey his will
[Truly this disposition is of the Lord : " it is he that has
given you either to will or do." Bless him, then, that the
destruction which has come suddenly and irremediably on so
many millions of mankind, was not permitted to come on you
in your unawakened state. And now let your hearts be right
with him : let every word of his sink down into your ears, and
be obeyed without reserve. Seek an entire conformity to his
mind and will. " Forget all that is behind, and reach forward
constantly to that which is before." Seek to " grow up in all
things into Christ, your living Head." Make more and more
use of that remedy which is in your hands. Apply the precious
blood of Christ more and more to your souls, to purge you from
your sins ; and seek more abundant supplies of the Spirit of
grace, to transform you into the Divine image : so shall you
be happy now in the prospect of your inheritance, and be pro
gressively rendered meet for your full possession of it.]
DCCCXXI.
THE IMPORTANCE OF GOSPEL MINISTRATIONS.
Prov. xxix. 18. Where there is no vision, the people perish:
but he that keepeth the Law, happy is he *.
THROUGHOUT the whole Scriptures, we have
one unvaried testimony respecting man. We see, in
every part,
I. The deplorable state of those who know not the
Gospel
Revelations to the prophets were often made in
visions: and hence the subject-matter of the revelation
a This brief sketch is given as an useful subject for a Mission
Sermon. The contrast between Heathens in an ignorant and in a
converted state would be very striking.
822.] THE FEAR OF MAN. 299
was called their " vision." Now, where no revelation
is, or where, though given, it is not attended to, " the
people perish "-
[This is the unhappy state of the heathen world, who are
constantly represented as dead in trespasses and sins, and as
under the dominion of Satan b Still more is this the
state of God s ancient people, whilst they reject the Messiah
But far worse is the state of those who hear, without
obeying, the Gospel d ]
II. The blessedness of those who hear and obey it
Our Lord pronounces them supremely blessed 6 .
And there is somewhat very emphatical in the decla
ration of it contained in our text
[Those who truly believe in Christ, and live altogether
by faith on him, " are happy." They are so, as restored to
God s favour f as enjoying his presence g as
inheriting his glory h
OBSERVE from hence
1. The importance of missionary exertions
2. The importance of improving our present privi
leges
[On the due improvement of them depends both our
present*- and eternal happiness ]
b Eph. ii. 1, 2, 1113. Rom. iii. 19. 1 John v. 19. We have
no authority to depart from the plain declarations of Holy Writ.
c Isai. xxvii. 11. Hos. iv. G. John viii. 24.
d John xv. 22. 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. 2 Thess. i. 7, 8. Heb. ii. 3.
1 Pet. iv. 17.
e Luke xi. 28. f Rom. v. 1. B Ps. Ixxxix. 5.
h Rev. xxii. 14. * Rom. x. 1315, 17.
k Mark the latter clause of the text.
DCCCXXII.
THE FEAR OF MAN.
Prov. xxix. 25. The fear of man bringeth a snare ; but whoso
putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
OUR blessed Lord, at the very first introduction
of his religion into the world, told his followers, that
he was not come to send peace on earth, but a sword,
and to set at variance with each other the nearest
and dearest relatives. We are not however to suppose
that this was the proper end of his religion : it was
300 PROVERBS, XXIX. 25. [822.
not the end, but the effect : and it is, and must be, the
effect, as long as there shall be a carnal and unre-
generate man upon earth. What, then, must be done
by the followers of Christ ? Must they draw back,
because their carnal friends forbid them to proceed ?
or must they put their light under a bushel, lest it
should offend the eyes of those who behold it? No:
they must dismiss from their minds all fear of men,
and be faithful to their God at all events : for " the
fear of man bringeth a snare;" which they can only
avoid by giving themselves up faithfully to their God.
From the words before us, we learn,
I. Our great danger
The fear of man is far more general than we are at
all aware of
[Ungodly men, who, in relation to all other things, set at
defiance the whole world, are yet, almost as much as others,
in bondage, in reference to religion. They can set at nought
all religion, without any fear at all: but, to shew respect for
it, and especially a desire to become acquainted with it, they
dare not. They see that there are persons whose ministry
would prove instructive ; but they fear to avail themselves of
such a ministry, lest a suspicion should attach to them as
leaning towards a religious life, and as inclined to sentiments
which are generally decried. And, as for cultivating an ac
quaintance with one of strict piety, however much they may
wish, they dare not do it, lest they incur ridicule from their
ungodly companions.
Persons ivho begin to feel any concern about their souls are
immediately beset with this evil principle. They are conscious
that the change which is taking place in them will, of necessity,
offend their former companions ; and therefore they desire to
conceal their feelings, and to avoid the rupture which they fore
see. Hence they make many compliances contrary to the convic
tions of their own conscience ; and expose themselves to many
temptations, which their better judgment would have taught
them to avoid. So common is this bondage, that scarcely one,
at the earlier period of his conversion, is free from it. What
ever be men s rank in life, they are still in subjection to their
fellows : yea, the higher their station, the greater, for the most
part, is their cowardice.
Nor are established believers free from this thraldom. They
do indeed disregard the world; but they are as much enslaved
by the maxims and habits of their associates in the church,
as ever they were by the world around them. They dare not
822. ~] TIIE FEAR OF MAN. 301
think for themselves, or act for themselves, according to the
convictions of their own minds. They take not their faith and
practice from the Scriptures of Truth, but from a standard
which obtains among them, and from which they are afraid to
deviate. Who would think that Peter himself, bold and intre
pid as he was by nature, and still more fortified by grace, should
yet yield so far to the prejudice of his Judaizing brethren, as
even to endanger the utter subversion of the Gospel, which he
had been the honoured instrument of first opening both to the
Jewish and Gentile world ? Yet so he did, through fear of their
displeasure. Who, then, has not cause to acknowledge himself
in danger of erring, through the operation of this evil principle ?]
To all who yield to its influence, it brings a fatal
snare
[Thousands it keeps from coming within the reach of
spiritual instruction. The fear of that expostulation, " He
hath a devil and is mad; why hear ye him a ?" is quite suffi
cient to intimidate the generality of men, whom curiosity at
least might otherwise bring within the sphere of spiritual in
struction. And in those of whom better things might have
been hoped, it has wrought, in unnumbered instances, to the
production of the most tremendous evils, moral, spiritual, eter
nal. Behold in Peter a dissimulation, which led even Bar
nabas astray. They, through mercy, were recovered : but
many it has led to utter apostasy, and involved in everlasting
ruin. In the days of our blessed Lord many were " afraid to
confess him, because they loved the praise of men more than
the honour that cometh of God;" and many who had followed
him " went back, and walked no more with him : " and so in
every age, even to the present hour, have many been turned
aside by the dread of persecution 11 , and have "made shipwreck
of their faith." And what the issue of this is to their souls, we
are told; for " the fearful and unbelieving," no less than
" murderers and whoremongers, have their portion in the lake
that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death ." In truth, our adorable Saviour warned his hearers
respecting this, from the very beginning ; declaring to them at
all times, that they who should be ashamed of him, and should
deny him, would assuredly find him ashamed of them, and would
be ultimately denied by him in the presence of his Father and
of the whole assembled universe.]
Seeing, then, that we are all exposed to this danger,
it will be expedient that I point out to you,
II. Its proper and only effectual antidote
a John x. 20. t> Matt. xiii. 21. c Rev. xxi. 8.
302 PROVERBS, XXIX. 25. [822.
There is nothing but a regard to God himself that
can ever overcome the fear of man : on which account
our blessed Lord says, " Fear not man, who can only
kill the body, and after that hath no more that he can
do ; but fear him who can destroy both body and soul
in hell d ." The same truth is suggested in my text,
only in somewhat of a more gentle form : " Whoso
putteth his trust in the Lord, shall be safe."
Would we then be delivered from the foregoing
snare, let us put our trust in God,
1. For happiness
[A man who is dependent on the world for his happiness,
must of necessity be in bondage to its maxims, its habits, its
votaries. But one whose heart is fixed upon God, and who
looks up to God as his portion, feels himself at liberty. It is
to him a small matter whether the world frown or smile. All
that he is anxious about, is, to retain the favour of God, and to
have the light of his countenance lifted up upon him. His inte
rest, his reputation, his life may be endangered ; but he smiles
at the vain attempts of his enemies. They may shut him up
from all access of earthly friends ; but they cannot deprive him
of communion with God : on the contrary, his communications
from God are, for the most part, enlarged, in proportion as
man s efforts to distress him are increased. And " when God
giveth quietness, who then can make trouble 6 ?"]
2. For support
[A man, when menaced by earthly enemies, is driven to
the Lord for succour : and, O ! what strength does he find
communicated to him in the hour of need ! Assured of strength
according to his day, the believer disregards the utmost efforts
of his persecutors. The furnace may be heated seven times
more than usual, or the lions have their appetites whetted for
their prey ; but his mind is in peace, because he " knows in
whom he has believed, and that God is able to keep that which
has been committed to him." Whether he shall be delivered
by God from his trials, or be supported under them, he knows
not : but he is assured, that whatever be done by his enemies,
shall " work together for his good;" and that, in the issue, he
shall " prove more than conqueror, through Him who loved him."]
3. For recompence
[To heaven the believer looks, as his final rest : and in
the prospect of that, all the transitory events of time become
of no account in his estimation. The crown of victory and of
d Matt. x. 28. c Job xxxiv. 29.
822.] THE FEAR OF MAN. 303
glory is ever in his view ; and he knows the condition on which
alone it will be bestowed : we must " be faithful unto death,
if ever we would obtain a crown of life." Hence he finds no
difficulty in renouncing all that the world can give, and in en
during all that the most bitter persecutors can inflict ; because,
like Moses, he "looks unto the recompence of the reward; "
and, like the " women who refused to accept deliverance from
their tortures, he expects a better resurrection." Whatever
tribulations he may pass through in his way to glory, he feels
no doubt but that the glory which awaits him will amply make
amends for all f .]
For an IMPROVEMENT of this subject, I will add,
1. A word of caution
[The foregoing sentiments, if not received with a becom
ing spirit, are liable to abuse. Indeed we have often seen, in
young and inexperienced persons especially, conceit and self-
will assuming the garb of religion ; and exerting themselves,
without controul, in opposition to all sound advice, and in
defiance of all legitimate authority. Let me, therefore, be well
understood in this matter. Though we are to be on our guard
against the fear of man, we are not to set at nought the coun
sels of the wise, nor the injunctions of those who are over us
in the Lord. In matters of indifference, it is well to consult
the judgment and the wishes of those who are in authority over
us. It is only when the counsels and commands of men go
counter to the commands of God, that we are authorized to set
them at nought : and even then we must conduct ourselves
with meekness and modesty, and must not give way to a rude,
unmannered, refractory spirit. This is of exceeding great im
portance. We cannot too strictly watch against the indulgence
of any unhallowed temper under the pretext of religion : and if
at any time we are constrained to oppose the wishes of our
friends, we must order ourselves with such kindness and love,
as may leave them in no doubt but that our perseverance is the
fruit of real piety, and not the offspring of obstinate conceit.]
2. A word of encouragement
[However careful we be, we must expect to incur the dis
pleasure of those who wish to retain us in bondage to the world.
But if, as we have reason to expect, our greatest foes be those
of our own household, let us consider how much better it is to
have the frowns of men and the approbation of God, than the
smiles of men and the displeasure of God. If all the men in
the universe were to applaud us, it would be a poor recompence
for the loss of a good conscience, whose testimony in our behalf
would repay us for the loss of the whole world. In fact, if we
f Rom. viii. 18.
304 PROVERBS, XXX. 1,2. [823.
inquire into the state of those who uphold each other in iniquity,
\ve shall find that no one of them has peace in his own soul : for,
how should they have peace who seek their happiness in the
world rather than in God ? Compare, then, your state with theirs ;
and you will have reason to bless God, even though the whole
world be against you. For them nothing remains but " a certain
fearful looking-for of judgment and fiery indignation:" for you
is prepared an eternal weight of glory, which will be augmented
in proportion to the trials which you sustained for God, and
the services you rendered to him. Be of good cheer, then : for
your trials do, in fact, " turn unto you for a testimony ; " and
" if you suffer with Christ," you are assured, by the voice of
Inspiration, that " you shall also be glorified together."]
DCCCXXIII.
A SAINT S VIEWS OF HIMSELF.
Prov. xxx. 1, 2. The icords of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the
prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and
Ucal, Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have
not the understanding of a man.
THE sayings of the wise and good have in all ages
oeen regarded with veneration, and been treasured up
in the minds of men as a kind of sacred deposit, for
the enriching and instructing of future generations.
We have here a very remarkable saying of Agur the
son of Jakeh ; to which I would now call your atten
tion. It does indeed, we must confess, appear, at first
sight, a rash expression, savouring rather of intem
perance than of sound discretion. But as it was
delivered to " Ithiel and Ucal," who were probably
his disciples; and as it was introduced with the word,
" Surely," which marks it as the result of his delibe
rate judgment ; and, above all, it being called " a
prophecy," which determines it to have been inspired
of God ; we should calmly inquire into it, and examine
its import. That such an expression may be uttered
by persons widely differing from each other in their
moral and religious habits, I readily admit: and there
fore, in order to prevent any misapprehension, I shall
consider the text,
I. As the language of passion
823.] A SAINT S VIEWS OF HIMSELF. 305
Sin, however fondly cherished in the heart of fallen
man, is no other than folly and madness. So it is
described by Solomon, in the Book of Ecclesiastes :
" I applied mine heart to know and to search, and
to seek out wisdom and the reason of things ; and to
know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and
madness*." And again : " The heart of the sons of
men is full of evil ; madness is in their heart while
they live ; and after that they go to the deadV When
a person, who has been led captive by it, comes to
discern somewhat of its true character, he is apt to
feel indignation against himself, and to reproach him
self in strong terms for the folly he has committed.
We may well conceive of him as saying, in the lan
guage of our text, " Surely I am more brutish than
any man, and have not the understanding of a man."
But this indignation against himself may be the mere
language of passion, and not of genuine humiliation :
and it may be distinguished from that which is the
fruit of piety,
1. In its object
[An ungodly man may feel strongly, whilst he has no real
humility : he may hate his actions and himself on account of
them. But it is not sin that he hates, so much as the conse
quences of his sin. Nor does he hate all its consequences : he
hates it not as defiling to his soul, as offensive to his God, as
injurious to his eternal interests ; but as destructive of his
peace, as degrading him in the eyes of his fellow-men, and as
ruinous to his present welfare. A gamester, who has staked
his all upon the cast of a die, and has thereby reduced himself
and his family from affluence to want, curses his folly with the
most indignant feelings ; and so hates himself for it, that he can
scarcely endure his very existence. But, if his money were
restored, he would do the same again : or, if taught wisdom
by experience, he would not refrain from his former habits on
account of any regard for God or his own soul, but only on
account of the injury that was likely to accrue from them in
a temporal view. The same may be said respecting the votaries
of dissipation. When their fortune is wasted by extravagance,
and their constitution ruined by excess, they may be strongly
impressed with the folly and madness of their past ways ; whilst,
if they could be restored to their former affluence and vigour,
they would run the very same career again. Under all the
a Eccl. vii. 25. b Eccl. ix. 3.
VOL. VII. X
306 PROVERBS, XXX. 1, 2. [823.
painful consequences of his licentious habits, the libertine can
scarcely avoid those reflections which Solomon represents as
arising in his mind: " Thou wilt mourn at the last, when thy
flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated
instruction, and my heart despised reproof; and have not obeyed
the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that
instructed me ! I was almost in all evil in the midst of the con
gregation and assembly c ." Nor can we doubt, but that in hell
those reflections will be both universal and exceeding bitter :
for the " wailing and gnashing of teeth" which will be there
experienced, will arise, in no small degree, from the considera
tion of the opportunities once enjoyed, but now irrecoverably
and for ever lost d .]
2. In its operation
[The indignation of an ungodly man is sudden and transient ;
and is always accompanied with a crimination of those who have
been in any measure accessary to the evils that have come upon
him. But, in a man of piety, they are the fruit of deep re
flection, dwelling habitually in the mind, and always attended
with self-reproach. We may see in the Prodigal Son a just
exhibition of that which arises from genuine repentance. He
does not, under the pressure of his distress, cry out with vehe
ment exclamations, designating his conduct by every term that
an embittered spirit can suggest ; but he adopts a resolution
to return to his father s house, and there, in measured and con
trite language, confesses, " I have sinned against heaven and
before thee ; and am no more worthy to be called thy son."
Generally speaking, the more violent the expressions are, the
less genuine is the contrition from which they flow. The
exercise of deep and just feeling is rather in a way of temperate
meiosis, than of vehement and fluent exaggeration. The two
kinds of indignation may be easily distinguished by their atten
dant feelings : the one is the fruit of wounded pride, and the
root of every thing that is unhallowed, whether in word or deed;
the other is the offspring of deep contrition ; and either the
parent or the child of genuine conversion to God.]
Having discriminated, we hope, sufficiently between
the expressions of our text as used by persons of
opposite characters, and shewn how to distinguish
them when uttered as the language of passion, we
proceed to notice them,
II. As the language of piety
We know assuredly that indignation is a fruit of
/ o
godly sorrow : for St. Paul says to the Corinthians,
c Prov. v. 1114. i Matt. xiii. 42.
823. J A SAINT S VIEWS OF HIMSELF. 307
" Behold this self-same thing, that ye sorrowed after
a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea,
what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation,
yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what
zeal, yea, what revenge 6 !" And we have seen it
operate precisely as in the text, when, according to
common apprehension, there would appear to be but
little occasion for it. David, seeing the prosperity
of the wicked, and not duly adverting to their end,
had envied them : and in the review of his conduct
he exclaims, " So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was
even as a beast before thee f ." Nor are such views
uncommon to the saints : or rather, I should say, there
is no true saint who does not on some occasions
apply them to himself.
If it be asked, * How can such expressions fall from
the lips of a real saint? I answer, they necessarily
spring,
1. From a view of the law under which we live
[Whilst ignorant of the spirituality and extent of God s
Law, we take credit to ourselves for our external conformity
to its precepts; and are ready to imagine, that, " touching the
righteousness of the Law we are blameless g ." But when we
come to see how " broad the commandment is h ," that it reaches
to the inmost thoughts of the soul, prohibiting even so much
as an inordinate desire, and requiring us to " love and serve our
God with all our heart, and mind, and soul, and strength," we
are struck dumb ; our towering " imaginations are cast down ;"
and, like the Apostle Paul, we feel the sentence of death gone
forth against us 1 , and attaching to us no less for our best deeds,
than for the most sinful action of our livesV Then we become
observant of our defects : and, O ! how lothesome are we then
in our own eyes , in the view of that very obedience of which
we once thought so highly ! It is no wonder, if, with this
augmented view of his own deformity, the saint speak of him
self in very humiliating and degrading terms. A pei son coming
into a room at night with a lighted taper, would see but little:
if he returned at the dawn of day, he would have a clearer view
of all the objects that before were scarcely visible : but, if he
entered when the sun was shining forth in its strength, he
would discern the smallest specks of dirt, and even the very
2 Cor, vii. 11. f Ps. Ixxiii. 3, 17, 22. s Phil. iii. 6.
h Ps. cxix. 90. i Rom. vii. 9. k Job ix. 2, 3.
1 Ezek. xxxvi. 31.
v O
A **
308 PROVERBS, XXX. 1, 2. [823.
motes in the air. But would lie then conclude that all the
dust and dirt which he now beheld had been cast in since his
first entrance ? No : he would know to what he must ascribe
the change in his views, even to the increased light by which
he was enabled to take the survey. And so a clearer view of
God s holy Law will give us a deeper insight into our own
deformity, and turn the gloryings of self-esteem into the mourn
ings of humiliation and contrition.]
2. From a view of that God against whom we have
sinned
[The least knowledge of God is sufficient to abase us before
him: but the more we behold his glorious perfections, the more
shall we stand amazed at the coldness of our love to him, and
our want of zeal in his service. Job, previous to his troubles,
was considered as " a perfect man" even by God himself. But
when God had revealed himself more fully to his soul, how base
did this holy man appear in his own eyes ! " Behold, I am vile ! "
says he. " I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear ; but
now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent
in dust and ashes 111 ." This will be the effect of all God s mani
festations of himself, whether in a way of providence or of grace.
It is impossible to behold his goodness, his patience, his for
bearance, and not stand amazed at our own insensibility. " The
ox and the ass" do not appear so brutish as we" ; nor " the stork
or crane or swallow" so unobservant of the things which we are
most concerned to notice : and our only wonder is, that it should
be possible for God to endure with such long-suffering our great
and multiplied iniquities.]
3. From a view of the obligations we lie under
[Our Lord has said, that our love to God will bear pro
portion to the sense we have of the extent of his mercy towards
us in forgiveness 1 ". But, when we reflect on the means he has
used, in order to open a way for the exercise of his mercy
towards us, what shall we not account his due? When we
consider that he has " not spared even his own Son, but de
livered HIM up for us all," what bounds will there be to our
gratitude ; or rather, what bounds will there be to our humi
liation for the want of gratitude? It will be impossible for
us then ever to satisfy our own desires : if we had a thousand
lives, we would devote them all to him, and at his call be ready
to sacrifice them all for him. The services which we once
thought sufficient will then appear little better than a solemn
mockery ; so entirely will our souls be absorbed in wonder at
the thought of an incarnate God, a crucified Redeemer.]
1:1 Job xl. 4. and xlii. 5, G. " Isai. i. ;3.
" Jer. viii. 7. Luke vii. 17.
823. J A SAINT S VIEWS OF HIMSELF. 309
4. From a view of the interests we have at stake
[If only the life or death of our bodies were at stake, we
should feel deeply interested in the event : but, when heaven
and all its glory, or hell and all its misery, are the alternatives
before us, one would suppose that every temporal consideration
should be swallowed up, and vanish as the light of a star before
the mei idian sun. But the saint is not always so indifferent to
the things of time and sense as he would wish to be. There
are times, when every thing below the sun is in his eyes
lighter than vanity itself: but there are, also, times when he
finds his heart yet cleaving to the dust, and when his progress
heavenward is slow and imperceptible. On such occasions he
he is amazed at himself: he can scarcely conceive it possible
that, with such prospects before him, he should be so stupid
and brutish as he feels himself to be. Truly, at these seasons
the language of our text will be often in his heart, and in his
mouth too, especially if he find an Ithiel, or an Ucal, that is
capable of understanding it.]
After viewing this subject, we shall be at no loss to
UNDERSTAND,
1. Whence it is that saints are often dejected in
their minds
[None are at all times alike joyful. St. Paul says, that
" they who have the first-fruits of the Spirit," no less than
others, sometimes "groan within themselves, being burthenedV
And so it ought to be. In the review of their past lives they
should be humbled, even as Paul was, when he designated him
self as " a blasphemer, and injurious, and a persecutor, and
the very chief of sinners r ." And under a sense of their re
maining infirmities, it becomes them to lie low before God.
Behold St. Paul, when he had preached the Gospel above twenty
years, yet felt so much corruption within him, that he cried
out, " O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me s ?" The
image which he here uses is that which has often been realized.
He refers to a punishment sometimes inflicted on criminals,
by chaining them to a dead corpse, and constraining them to
bear it about with them, till they died through the offensive-
ness of its noxious odours. Such was his in-dwelling corrup
tion to him, even at that advanced period of his life : and such
it should be felt by every saint on earth. In truth, there
should not enter so much as a ray of comfort into the soul, but
from a view of the Sun of Righteousness. It is lie alone that
can, or ought, to " arise upon us with healing in his wings.
9 Rom. viii. 23. 2 Cor. v. 4. r 1 Tim. i. 13, 15.
8 Rom. vii. 21.
310 PROVERBS, XXX. 1, 2. [823.
And therefore the Apostle, after the lamentation just men
tioned, adds, " I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord 4 ."
Let not this, then, prove a stumbling-block to any : nor let it
be supposed, that, because a pious person uses, in reference to
himself, terms which a worldly person would not deign to use, he
must of necessity have committed any greater sin than others.
His humiliation, as we have seen, arises out of the views which
he has obtained of holy things : and the nearer his intercourse
with heaven is, the more ready will he be to exclaim with the
Prophet, " Woe is me, I am undone ! I am a man of unclean
lips, dwelling in the midst of a people of unclean lips ;" that
is, a leper, in the midst of a leprous and ungodly world u .]
2. How far they are from piety who are filled with
self-complacent thoughts
[Persons who have been exemplary in their conduct, and
punctual in their religious observances, are, for the most part,
filled with a conceit of their own goodness, and confident of
their acceptance with God on account of it. But little do they
know how odious they are in the sight of God, whilst they are
righteous in their own eyes. It is the Publican, and not the
Pharisee, that will be justified before God : and " the sick, not
the whole," that will experience " the Physician s" aid. Chris
tianity is not a remedial latv, lowered to the standard of our
weakness; but a remedy, by which the soul that is sick unto
death may be effectually healed. Christ is a Saviour; but he
is so to those only who feel themselves lost, and renounce every
other hope but him. Bear this, then, in remembrance. Bear
in remembrance, that there are no terms too humiliating to
express the real state of your souls before God. You have
lived as without God in the world, unconscious of his eye upon
you ; and his address to you is, " Understand ye brutish among
the people; and ye fools, when will ye be wise x ?" This may
be offensive to our proud hearts ; but it is such an address as
we merit, and such a one as it becomes an holy God to deliver.
The particular ground of Agur s self-abasement was, that " he
had not learned wisdom, or attained the knowledge of the Holy
One- ." And have not many amongst you the same ground for
self-abasement? Yes, "There are many amongst you who
have not the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame 2 ."
Many amongst you have never yet walked in the ways of true
wisdom. Humble yourselves, therefore, for your more than
brutish stupidity : and now, as the Psalmist says, " Kiss the
Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his
wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their
trust in him a ."]
* Rom. vii. 25. u Tsai. vi. 5. x Ps. xciv. 8.
y ver. ;}. z 1 Cor. xv. 34. a Ps. ii. 12.
824. J AGUR S WISH. 311
DCCCXXIV.
AGUR S WISH.
Prov. xxx. 7 9. Two things have I required of thee ; deny
me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and
lies; give me neither poverty nor riches ; feed me with food
convenient for me : lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who
is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name
of my God in vain.
IT is the privilege of man to make known his re
quests to God in prayer, and to solicit from him what
ever may conduce to his real good. Even temporal
things may be asked, provided it be in subserviency
to our spiritual interests, and with entire submission
to the Divine will. Who Agur was, we cannot cer
tainly determine ; but he was evidently an inspired
person a ; and his prayer in reference to his condition
in this world is an excellent pattern for our imitation.
He entreated the Lord with very great earnestness ;
yet he considered his condition in this world as
altogether subordinate to his eternal welfare ; and
therefore in what he asked for his body, he consulted
only the good of his soul.
We propose to consider,
I. His request
Some interpret the former of his petitions as ex
pressing a wish to be kept from error and delusion in
spiritual matters ; but we apprehend that the things
which he requested were,
1. A removal from the temptations of an exalted
state
[He justly characterizes the pomp and splendour of the
world as " vanity and lies ;" " vanity," because they are empty
and unsatisfying ; and " lies," because they promise happiness
to their possessors, but invariably disappoint them. In this
light they are frequently represented in Scripture 13 ; and they
who have been most competent to judge respecting them, have
been most forward to declare them mere vanity and vexation
of spirit .
a His words are called "prophecies," ver. 1.
b Ps. cxix. 37. and Ixii. 9. c Eccl. ii. 11.
312 PROVERBS, XXX. 79. [824.
Agur doubtless beheld them in this view, and therefore
rather deprecated them as evils, than desired them as objects
of his ambition.]
2. A mediocrity of state and condition
[He did not, through a dread of wealth, desire to be
reduced to poverty: he wished rather to stand at an equal
distance from each extreme ; and to enjoy that only which God
should judge " convenient for him." It is not easy for us to
say precisely what a competency is ; because it must vary ac
cording to men s education and habits; that being poverty to
one, which would be riches to another : yet the line drawn by
Agur, seems to mark the limits most agreeably to the mind of
God, because it exactly corresponds with the views of patri
archs 1 , of prophets 6 , of Apostles f , and particularly with the
prayer which our blessed Lord himself has taught all his fol
lowers to use s .]
In urging his request, Agur manifested great zeal
and earnestness: his whole soul appeared to be en
gaged in it : we are therefore interested in inquiring
into,
II. The reasons with which he enforced it-
He was not actuated by any carnal motives, though
he was praying about carnal things. It was not the
incumbrances of w r ealth, or the hardships of poverty
that he dreaded ; he considered only the aspect of the
different states upon his spiritual advancement ; and
deprecated them equally on account of the tempta
tions incident to both.
] . On account of the snares of wealth
[Riches foster the pride of the human heart, and engender
a haughty and independent spirit. This was the effect of opu
lence on God s people of old h ; and the same baneful influence
is observable in our day. The great consider it almost as an act
of condescension to acknowledge God. Scarcely one of them
in a thousand will endure to hear his name mentioned in private,
or his will propounded as the proper rule of his conduct.
The atheistical expressions in the text are indeed the language
of his conduct, if not also of his lips . It is on this, as well
as other accounts, that our Lord has spoken of riches as ren
dering our salvation difficult, yea impossible, without some
d Gen. xxviii. 20. e Jcr. xlv. f>. f 1 Tim. vi. 8 10.
e Matt. vi. 11. and the first clause of ver. 13. between which and
Agur s prayer there is a remarkable agreement.
h Deut. xxxii. 15. Hos. xiii. f>. > See Exod. v. 2. Ps. xii. 4.
824.] AGUR S WISH. 313
signal interposition of divine grace k . And therefore everyone
who values his soul may well deprecate an exalted state.]
2. On account of the snares of poverty
[Poverty has its snares no less than wealth: where its
pressure is felt, the temptations to dishonesty are exceeding
great. Even those who are in ease and affluence are too easily
induced to deviate from the paths of strict integrity, especially
when there appears but little probability of detection : how
much more strongly then may a dishonest principle be supposed
to operate, when called forth by necessity and distress ! God
appointed that a person suspected of theft should clear himself
by an oath before a magisti ate 1 ; but this was a feeble barrier
against dishonesty ; for he that will cheat, will lie ; and, if
urged to it, will rather perjure himself to conceal his crime,
than expose himself to shame by confessing it. Thus one sin
leads to another ; and a soul, that is of more value than ten
thousand worlds, is bartered for some worthless commodity.
Justly then may that state also be deprecated, which exposes
us to such tremendous evils.]
This subject may TEACH us,
1. Contentment with our lot
[Whatever be the means used, it is God alone that fixes
our condition in the world : and, if we be Christians indeed,
we may be sure that our lot is that which, all things considered,
is most for the good of our souls. If any variations in it have
taken place, such changes have been sent to teach us that con
tentment, which St. Paul so richly experienced, and which it
is no less our privilege than our duty to learn m . If we have
tli at which is best for our souls, then we have that which is
really best.]
2. Watchfulness against our besetting sins
[Every situation of life has its peculiar temptations. Youth
,or age, health or sickness, riches or poverty have their respec
tive snares. It is our wisdom to stand on our guard against
the difficulties to which we are more immediately exposed";
and rather to seek for grace that we may approve ourselves
to God in the station to which he has called us, than to desire
a change of circumstances, which will change indeed, but not
remove, our trials.]
3. Solicitude for spiritual advancement
[It was sin, and sin only, that Agur feared : and doubtless
sin is the greatest of all evils. Let the same mind then be
in us that was in him. Whether we have poverty or riches, or
k Matt. xix. 23 26. l Exod. xxii. 7 12. and 1 Kings viii.31.
m Phil. iv. 11, 12. n 2 Sam. xxii. 24.
314- PROVERBS, XXX. 12. [825.
whether we be equally removed from both, let us endeavour to
improve in spirituality and holiness. Then will the wisdom of
God, in appointing such a variety of states, be made manifest :
and the collective virtues of the different classes will then shine
with combined lustre, and, like the rays of the sun, display the
glory of Him from whom they sprang.]
DCCCXXV.
THE SELF-DECEIVER EXPOSED.
Prov. xxx. 12. There is a generation that are pure in their
own eyes, and yet is not washed from their Jiltkiness.
MEN of themselves are very backward to form
an unfavourable estimate of their own character.
Hence arises the necessity of accurate discrimination
and undaunted fidelity in ministers, whose office is to
" separate the precious from the vile/ and to give to
every one his portion in due season. The Scriptures
draw a broad line of distinction between the righteous
and the wicked ; and this, not in their actions only,
but in their dispositions and habits ; by which the
different characters may be as clearly discerned as
by their outward conduct. The generation of self-
deceivers is very numerous : multitudes there are
who stand high in their own estimation, whilst in
God s eyes they are as sounding brass or a tinkling
cymbal. Amongst these we must number,
I. The decent formalist
He is " pure in his own eyes"-
[He is punctual in the observance of outward duties, both
civil and religious. He will attend constantly at the house of
God, and even at the table of the Lord : he will also establish
worship in his family : and in respect of his dealings with men,
he will be all that is amiable and lovely : he will be honest,
sober, just, temperate, benevolent : as far as the letter of the
law goes, he may be blameless.
In such a state, what wonder is it if he be pure in his own
eyes ? He understands not the spirituality of the law, and can
judge of himself only by the defective standard of heathen
morality. By the world he is admired, and held up as a
pattern of all excellence: and seeing that he stands high in the
esteem of others, he almost of necessity entertains a high
opinion of himself.]
825. J THE SELF-DECEIVER EXPOSED. 315
But he " is not washed from his filthiness"
[Much filthiness there is in the heart of every man hy na
ture; and there is a filthiness which every person may properly
call his oiun, as being congenial with his own feelings, and
particularly connected with his own character. With the
character before us there is a very abundant measure of pride,
venting itself in a constant habit of self-confidence and self-
complacency. Combined with this are impenitence and un
belief: for how is it possible that he should repent and believe,
when he knows not the extent of his guilt and danger ? " Be
ing whole, he feels no need of a physician " - - He is
altogether under the dominion also of worldly-mindedness.
When he has performed his religious duties, he goes to worldly
company, without feeling any want, or being sensible of any
danger. The friendship of the world is what he delights in as
his chief good, never once suspecting, that this very disposition
proves and constitutes him an enemy of God a . Thus, though
there is nothing in him that the world disapproves, and nothing
that seems to call for self-reproach, he is under the habitual
and allowed dominion of evils, which render him abominable
in the sight of God b . He has somewhat of " the form of god
liness, but none at all of its power c "
Amongst this generation we must also number,
II. The almost Christian-
He goes much farther than the decent formalist
[He is convinced of the truth and excellence of Chris
tianity, and wishes to be a partaker of its benefits. He will
vindicate the faithful servants of God against the accusations
brought against them by the ungodly world; and will actually
comply with many things which the Gospel requires
From this partial change in himself he begins to think that
he is a Christian indeed. His constrained approbation of the
Gospel appears to him to be a cordial acceptance of it : and
his slender performances of its duties are in his estimation like
an unreserved obedience.]
But, like him, he deceives his own soul
[He will not renounce all for Christ. When our Lord
says, " Go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and
come and follow me," he departs sorrowful, like the Rich
Youth, and chooses the world in preference to Christ. He
draws back also from the cross, which he will not bear. He
is ashamed of Christ, even at the very time that he shews
some regard both for his word and ministers. He will not
" come out from the world and be separate ;" but still remains
a Jam. iv. 4. b Luke xvi. 15. c 2 Tim. iii. 5.
316 PROVERBS, XXX. 12. [825.
conformed to it, to its maxims, its habits, its spirit, and its com
pany. Of the true Christian, our Lord says, " Ye are not of
this world, even as I am not of the world :" but of the almost
Christian, the very reverse is true : he strives to reconcile the
inconsistent services of God and Mammon : and if this cannot
be done, he will forego his eternal interests, rather than
sacrifice his worldly interests, and subject himself to the scorn
and hatred of the ungodly.
Thus, though pure in his own eyes, he is yet in bondage to
the fear of man ; and gives a decided preference to this world,
before the preservation of a good conscience, and the appro
bation of his God.]
To the same class belongs also,
III. The inconsistent professor
Who more confident of the goodness of his state,
than he who professes to believe in Christ?
[The man who has felt some conviction of sin, and some
hope in Christ, and has been hailed by others as a sound con
vert to the Christian faith, is ready to conclude that all is
well : his successive emotions of hope and fear, of joy and
sorrow, are to him a sufficient evidence, that his conversion is
unquestionable. If he have some ability to talk about the
Gospel, and some gift in prayer, he is still further confirmed in
his persuasion, that there exists in him no ground for doubt
or fear. More especially, if he have views of the Covenant of
grace, as " ordered in all things and sure," and have adopted
a crude system of religion that favours a blind confidence, he
concludes at once that he is, and must be, a child of God.]
But who more open to self-deception ?
[Professors of the Gospel are very apt to forget that rule
of judging which our Lord himself has prescribed, " By their
fruits ye shall know them d ." But this is the only safe criterion
whereby to judge of our state before God. Yet, when brought
to this test, how low do many religious professors appear!
They can talk of the Gospel fluently ; but, if their spirit and
temper be inquired into, they are found to be under the habi
tual dominion of some besetting sin, as they were before they
ever thought of religion. It is lamentable to think what
" filthiness there is both of flesh and spirit," from which many
who profess the Gospel have never yet been " washed :" yet
an inspired Apostle declares, that " if a man seem to be reli
gious and bridleth not his tongue, he deceiveth himself, and his
religion is vain f ." What then must be the state of those who
yet remain proud and passionate, worldly-minded and covetous,
d Matt. vii. 10. e Tit. i. 16. f Jam. i. 26.
825.] THE SELF-DECEIVER EXPOSED. 317
false and dishonest, impure and sensual, yea, and grossly defec
tive in all the duties of their place and station ? Truly, of all
the people belonging to the generation spoken of in our text,
these are in the greatest danger, because their confidence is
founded in the idea, that they have already bathed in the
fountain which alone is able to cleanse them from their sin.]
ADDRESS,
1. Those who, though pure in their own eyes, are
not washed
[Happy would it be if men would relax the confidence
which they are ever ready to maintain of the safety of their
state before God. Every one conceives, that whatever others
may do, lie deceives not his own soul : yet behold so great is
the number of self-deceivers, that they constitute " a genera
tion!" Beloved, learn to try yourselves by the only true test,
your conformity to the will of God, and to the example of
Christ It is in the balance of the sanctuary, and not in
your own balance, that you are to weigh yourselves ; for in that
shall you be weighed at the last day ; and if you are found
wanting in that, the measure of your deficiency will be the
measure of your condemnation ]
2. Those who, though not pure in their own eyes,
are really washed from their filthiness
[Blessed be God ! there is a generation of these also.
Many who once wallowed in all manner of filthiness, are now
washed from it, even as the Corinthian converts were g . Yet
they are not pure in their own eyes : on the contrary, they are
of all people most ready to suspect themselves 11 , and to " lothe
themselves" for their remaining imperfections. See how strik
ingly this is exemplified in the very chapter before us : Agur
was a man of unquestionable piety : yet, under a sense of his
great unworthiness, he complained, " Surely I am more brutish
than any man, and have not the understanding of a man 1 ."
This may appear to many to be extravagant : but it is the real
feeling of many a child of God ; I may add too, it is their fre
quent complaint before God. Such were the feelings of Job,
of Isaiah, and of Paul k If it be asked, Whence arises
this, that such holy and heavenly persons should be so far from
being pure in their own eyes ? the reason is, that they try
themselves by a more perfect standard, and from their clearer
discoveries of the path of duty are more deeply conscious of
their aberrations from it. Their love of holiness also makes
them now to abhor themselves more for their want of conformity
B 1 Cor. vi. 911. h Matt. xxvi. 21, 22. vcr. 2.
k Job xl. 4. ami xlii. (3. Isai. vi. >. Rom. vii. 18, 24.
318 PROVERBS, XXXI. 10. [826.
to the Divine image, than they once did even for the grossest
sins. To you then, dearly Beloved, I would address myself
in the language of consolation and encouragement. It is
well that you see and lament your vileness, provided you
make it only an occasion of humiliation, and not of despon
dency. The more lowly you are in your own eyes, the more
exalted you are in God s, who has said, that " he who hum-
bleth himself shall be exalted." Let your sense of your
remaining imperfections make you plead more earnestly with
your God that reviving promise, " From all your filthiness, and
from all your idols, I will cleanse you 1 ." And remember, that
you are not to wash yourselves first, and then to lay hold on
the promises, but to embrace the promises first, and then by
means of them to cleanse yourselves from the defilements you
lament. This is the order prescribed in the Gospel 111 ; and,
if you will adhere to it, you shall have increasing evidence that
it is the destined path of purity and peace.]
1 Ezek. xxxvi. 25. 1 John i. 9. m 2 Cor. vii. 1.
DCCCXXVI.
USEFULNESS OF SCHOOLS OF INDUSTRY.
Prov. xxxi. 10. Who can find a virtuous ivoman ? for her price
is far above rubies.
WHILE we rejoice in the progress of civilization,
we cannot but regret the loss of primitive simplicity.
In former days, women of the highest rank did not
disdain to employ themselves in the most common
offices of life a . King Lemuel, supposed by some to
be Solomon himself, was exhorted by his inspired
mother to select for his wife a woman who was not
ashamed to occupy herself in domestic duties. The
description here given of a queen, is, alas! but ill
suited to the refinement of the present age. It is
rather calculated for the lower classes of the com
munity. With a more immediate view therefore to
their benefit, we shall consider it, and shew,
I. The character of a virtuous woman-
There is no other character so fully drawn in Scrip
ture as this. She is described by,
1. Her industry
a Gen. xviii. G.
826.] USEFULNESS OF SCHOOLS OF INDUSTRY. 319
[She rises early b : and when occasion requires, goes late
to rest c . She encourages industry in her dependents d , and sets
them an example of it herself 6 , willingly f , regularly e , without
regarding fatigue h .]
2. Her prudence
[She sells the produce of her labour , and lays out her
money with judgment for the permanent benefit of her family k .
She provides comfortably for her family in respect of food 1
and clothing m . She guards against all waste of her husband s
property ". She employs her leisure in improving her mind ;
and conducts herself with love and kindness towards all p .]
3. Her piety
[She is not satisfied with performing her duties towards
man, but endeavours to serve God also q . She accounts " the
fear of God" to be the one thing needful. She labours above
all things to cultivate this divine principle : she makes it the
source and motive, the rule and measure, the scope and end, of
all her actions ; and, while she serves her God, she delights also
to benefit the poor r .]
Of such a character it is not easy to estimate,
II. The worth-
Rubies are accounted valuable among earthly trea
sures : but the worth of such a woman is infinitely
above them she is,
1. An ornament to her sex
[However highly beauty is prized among men, the endow
ments before mentioned render their possessor incomparably
more lovely s . The person possessing them must be admired in
any station in life ; but her excellence is then most conspi
cuous and most valuable, when she sustains the relations of a
wife and a mother *. It is to be lamented that such characters
are rarely " found" :" but the more scarce they are, the more
worthy are they of our esteem.]
2. A blessing to her family
[Of whatever rank they be, they cannot fail to reap much
benefit from her prudent management, and pious example. If
they be poor, especially, the good arising to them will be incal
culable. They will enjoy a thousand comforts, of which others
b ver. 15. c ver. 18. d ver. 15. e ver. 19. f ver. 13.
e ver. 27. h ver. 17. ver. 24. k ver. 16. l ver. 15.
m ver. 21. In the margin it is " with double garments."
11 ver. 11, 12. ver. 26. P ver. 26. 1 ver. 30.
1 ver. 20. s ver. 30. * ver. 29. u The text.
320 PROVERBS, XXXI. 10. [826.
of their class are destitute. Their decent appearance will pro
cure them respect, and redound to her praise x . Her children
will love and honour her, and bless God 011 her account y . Her
husband will delight in her himself, and make his boast of her
to others z . They will all esteem her as a rich and continued
source of domestic felicity.]
3. A comfort to all around her
[The rich will be glad to aid her by their wealth and
influence. The poor will find in her a friend, to counsel them
in difficulty, and relieve them in distress. All who behold her,
will be constrained to applaud her conduct a , and many will be
excited to follow her example.]
We may now hope for a favourable attention, while
we set before you,
III. The tendency of this institution to increase their
number-
Though piety is as common among the poor as
among any class of the community, yet it is very rare
indeed that we can find among them a combination
of the qualities before insisted on.
[From want of education they know not how to manage
their affairs And from habits of inattention, they are
indisposed to learn
But to the rising generation much good will arise
from a school of industry
[The instruction which they gain in common schools, is very
confined ; but in this they will be taught all that can qualify
them for usefulness in this world, or happiness in the next.
To read the Bible, and to fear God, will be proposed as the
first objects of their attention. To qualify them for service,
and to fit them to manage their own families at some future
period, is the next concern we wish to promote. To call forth
their own exertions, and stimulate a desire to excel, every
encouragement will be afforded them. Thus habits of industry,
of economy, of subordination to men, and of piety to God,
being formed, they will fill up their future stations in life with
far greater advantage to themselves, and benefit to society.]
We will now consider SOME OBJECTIONS that may be
made
1 . Among the rich
[Some think it letter that iJie poor should be kepi in igno
rance. But these are themselves ignorant, unfeeling, and
x vcr. 23. y vcr. 28. z ver. 28. a vcr. 31.
826. J USEFULNESS OF SCHOOLS OF INDUSTRY. 321
ungodly. Some have a fear that persons may be wanted for
agricultural work ; but there will always be found many who
stand in need of employment.]
2. Among the poor
[These are unwilling to forego the immediate earnings of
their children. But in a little time they will earn much more
than they now do. They will sooner find situations where they
will live at free cost. They will probably be able at a future
period to aid their parents, instead of being a grief, and perhaps
a burthen, to them. They will have a far better prospect of
heaven, by having their minds instructed, and their conduct
regulated, than they would have had, if brought up in igno
rance and sin.]
We conclude with recommending the institution to
your support
[If self-interest alone were consulted, the rich should help
forward such institutions: for, if extensively promoted, they
would soon lower the rates. But if benevolence be allowed to
operate, it has unbounded scope for exercise in such institutions
as these ; since they render the lower orders of people more
intelligent, more useful, more properous, and more happy.]
VOL. vir.
ECCLESIASTES.
DCCCXXVII.
THE VANITY OF TIIF, CREATURE.
Eccl. i. 2. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of
vanities ; all is vanity.
IF experience entitles a man to credit, and gives
weight to his testimony, we derive great advantage as
to the credibility of the inspired writings : for respect
ing much of which the Prophets and Apostles wrote,
they could say, " What mine eyes have seen, mine
ears have heard, and my hands have handled of the
word of life, that same declare I unto you." And if
this he an advantage in reference to the excellency
of religion, it may well be regarded as of some im
portance in reference also to the vanity of all earthly
pursuits. That there should have been a man pos
sessed of such abundant means of gratification as
Solomon was, and so ardent in the pursuit of it in
every possible line, and at the same time so faithful
in declaring his own experience in relation to it all,
must be considered as an advantage to all subsequent
generations, who should hear and receive his testimony
respecting the things which he had so fully tried, and
so invariably proved to be vanity itself. The words
before us express a conviction that admitted not of
doubt, and a decision that left no room for controversy.
" The Preacher" who uttered them was inspired of
God, at the same time that he recorded what, from
personal knowledge, he was qualified to declare. And
in considering his testimony, I shall,
I. Confirm it
The tilings of which he spake were, all that the
world contains ; its grosser and more common pursuits
827.] THE VANITY OF THE CREATURE. 323
of pleasure, riches, and honour, as also its more refined
attainments of wisdom and knowledge. And all of
them, without exception, are vanity;
1. In their acquisition
[It is not without great labour and toil that earthly dis
tinctions are obtained. The merchant, the warrior, the phi
losopher will bear record, that in their respective pursuits they
have endured much fatigue, and many disappointments ; inso
much that to one whose taste was different from theirs, they
would appear to have paid too dear a price for all that they
have gained.]
2. In their use
[Suppose that the labours of any person have been
crowned with success ; What, after all, has he gained ? He
thought he was following something substantial ; but, to his
mortification, he finds that he has grasped a shadow. He has
" hewn out cisterns " for himself, indeed, with great labour ;
but he finds, after all, that they are " broken cisterns, which
can hold no water." At the first moment, whilst the charm
of novelty is upon them, the various objects we have attained
afford a pleasing gratification to the mind : but scarcely have
they been enjoyed a few days, before they lose their sweetness,
and descend into the common routine of earthly comforts. The
man who rolls in wealth, and he who is dignified with high-
sounding titles, is soon brought to a level with his inferiors in
point of actual enjoyment : and even he who has acquired know
ledge, finds, that, " in having increased knowledge, he has also
increased sorrow 3 ;" because of the envy which his eminence
lias excited, and the uncertainty of much which he thinks he
has attained.]
3. In their continuance
[What is there of which a man may not be despoiled ?
Pleasure may, in a very little time, be turned into pain : ho
nour may speedily be blasted by some unforeseen event :
" riches make themselves wings, and fly away :" and through
disease or accident, even reason itself, with all its highest attain
ments, may sink into more than infantine weakness and
infirmity. But grant to these things all that the most sanguine
imagination can impute, how soon do they vanish away ! Even
life itself is but as a hand-breadth, or as a shadow that de-
clineth : and the moment that death comes, " all our thoughts
perish," and we " go out of the world as naked and as destitute
as we came into it."]
4. In their issue
a ver. 18.
321 ECCLESIASTES, I. 2. [827.
[Here it is that the vanity of earthly things pre-eminently
appears. For in what respect can they advance our eternal
happiness ? Would to God that they did not so generally and
so fatally obstruct it ! Truly, " neither riches nor honours
can profit us in the day of wrath." With our holy and heavenly
Judge " there is no respect of persons." The rich and the
poor will be dealt with according to one equal law : only the
rich, and the great, and the learned, will be called to a more
severe account in proportion to the influence they possessed,
and the advantages they neglected to improve.]
But as the testimony is unquestionably strong, I shall,
II. Qualify it-
Beyond all doubt, the Scriptures generally contain
the same language : " Surely men of low degree are
vanity, and men of high degree are a lie : to be laid
in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity V
But stronger still is the language of the Psalmist in
another place, where he says, " Verily every man, at
his best estate, is altogether vanity ." Consider how
strong and how unqualified these expressions are, and
you will not expect me to say much in mitigation of
them. Yet I must say, that the vanity of the creature,
though the same in itse/f, is differently fe/t,
1. According to our mode of acting in reference
to it
[If we give ourselves up to creature comforts, we shall
be dreadfully disappointed But if we enjoy them in
subserviency to God, and in subordination to higher pursuits,
we shall not find them so empty as may be imagined. For
God has " given to his people all things richly to enjoy :"
and provided only we enjoy God in them, they are both a
legitimate and an abundant spring of pure delight. For, whilst
we derive from them the happiness which they are calculated
to impart, we taste not the bitterness which is infused into the
cup of the mere worldling. Our enjoyments are elevated and
sanctified; our pains, moderated and changed into an occasion
of praise and thanksgiving. Only let them be sought in their
proper place, and they are comforts in the way to heaven,
though they can never stand to us in the place of heaven.]
2. According to the degree in which we blend re
ligion with it
[Religion raises us above the creature altogether. If we
have much of this world, we shall have a high enjoyment of it,
b Ps. Ixii. 9. c Ps. xxxix. 5.
827.] TIIE VANITY OF THE CREATURE. 325
because we shall make it the means of benefiting our fellow-
creatures, and of honouring our God. If, on the other hand,
we have little of this world, we shall still be happy ; because,
in having God for our portion, we can lack nothing. There
are but two lessons for the Christian to learn : the one is, to
enjoy God in every thing ; the other is, to enjoy every thing in
God. The one ennobles the rich; the other elevates the poor:
and all who have learned these lessons are, and must be, happy.
Whilst, therefore, I grant the general position, that the
creature is vanity, I must say, that the experience of its vanity,
depends altogether on our undue pursuit of it and expec
tations from it. Let us only take it in the manner that God
approves, and for the ends for which he has sent it, and we
shall still find it, like Jacob s ladder, unsubstantial indeed it
itself, but still a medium of communication between heaven
and earth ; a medium of God s descent to us, and of our
ascent to him.]
But, in our consideration of this testimony, let us
further,
III. Improve it-
Much, very much, may it teach us. We may learn
from it to be,
1. Moderate in our expectations
[If we will foolishly look for that in the creature which
God never designed to be put into it, we may well expect dis
appointment. Even in Paradise it was not intended to stand in
the place of God, or to be to us any source of solid satisfaction:
how much less, then, can it be so, when sin has infused a curse
into it ; agreeably to what is written, " Cursed is the ground
for thy sake." Let us estimate it aright, and expect from it
no more than God has ordained it to impart ; and we shall prove
but little of its emptiness, whilst we have a rich and becoming
enjoyment of it. The direction of St. Paul is that which comes
immediately to the point, and exactly suits the present occa
sion : " 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
rejoice 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 d ." Only use the creature in this
way, and you will find it no injury to your souls.]
2. Patient in our trials
[Trials of different kinds must come : for " the whole
creation has, through the sin of man, become subject to vanity."
d 1 Cor. vii. 2931.
326 ECCLESIASTES. I. 14, 15. [828.
But, in our present state, this is in reality a benefit ; for, if it
were not so, we should be ready to take up our rest in this
world, instead of seeking " that which remaineth for us" in
the world to come. Troubles serve to bring us nigh to God
for the supports and consolations which we stand in need of.
And shall we complain of that which brings us near to him,
and proves an occasion of richer communications from him ?
No, verily : we should taste love, and love only, in our diver
sified afflictions ; and look to God as sending them " for our
profit, that by means of them we may be made partakers of his
holiness," and meet for his glory.]
3. Diligent in our pursuit of better things
[In heavenly things there are no drawbacks, except those
which are caused by our own defects in seeking after them.
There is no vanity in love to God, or love to man : and the
more we labour after them, and delight ourselves in them, the
happier we shall be. Could we but give ourselves wholly to
these things, we should find in them a very heaven upon earth.
To every one of you, then, I would recommend that prayer of
David, " Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and
quicken thou me in thy way 6 ."]
e Ps. cxix. 37.
DCCCXXVIII.
THE CREATURE IS VANITY AND VEXATION.
Eccl. i. 14, 15. / have seen all the works which are done under
the sun; and behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That
which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that ivhich is
wanting, cannot be numbered.
THE Book of Ecclesiastes is generally supposed
to have been written by Solomon, after he had re
pented of his manifold transgressions : and it is
pleasing to view it in this light : for, if it be not so,
we have no record whatever of his penitence. But in
this view its declarations are doubly interesting : as
inspired by God, they are of Divine authority; and,
as resulting from actual experience, they carry a much
deeper conviction with them to our minds. Had one
of the fishermen of Galilee spoken so strongly re
specting the vanity of the world, we might have said
that he had never had any opportunity of knowing
experimentally what attractions the world possessed:
but Solomon had an ampler range for enjoyment than
828.] THE CREATURE IS VANITY AND VEXATION. 327
any other human being. As a king, he had the wealth
of a nation at his command. As endued with a greater
measure of wisdom than all other men, he could com
bine all kinds of intellectual pleasure with that which
was merely sensual. As having a peaceful reign, he
was free from all the alarms and disquietudes of war,
and able to prosecute pleasure as the one object of
his life. Every species of gratification being thus
easily within his reach, he was amply qualified to
judge of what the world could give: and yet, after
having made the experiment, and " seen all the works
that are done under the sun," he pronounced them all
to be " vanity and vexation of spirit."
Two things in our text are to be noticed ;
I. The general assertion
Never was any truth more capable of demonstration
than this, that the world, and every thing in it, is,
1. Vanity
[If we view the creature in itself, what a poor worthless
tiling is it ! Take gold, for instance : much as it is in request,
it lias in itself no value : the value put on it is merely arbitrary,
arising not so much from its usefulness to us, as from the scar
city of it. Iron is of infinitely greater service to mankind than
gold : and would be more valued by us, if it did not happen
that it is to be found in much larger quantities than gold. So
it is with jewels: the value of them is quite ideal: in themselves
they are of no more use than common pebbles ; and he who
possesses them in the greatest abundance, is in reality no richer
than if he possessed so much gravel out of the pit.
Nor is any thing that wealth can purchase, or any thing that
is associated with it, worthy of any better name than vanity.
What are high-sounding titles, but a mere sound that has its
value only in the estimation of men ; and that, by a change of
its acceptation (such as not uncommonly takes place in lan
guage, as, for instance, in the term Despot), may convey the
most painful feelings, instead of such as are agreeable to the
mind ? We may ask the same in reference to pleasure : What
is it ? Let but a very small change take place in the circum
stances of the person, and the pleasure shall become a pain.
Or let it be enjoyed in all its fulness ; whom did it ever satisfy?
To whom did it ever impart any permanent delight? The more
exquisite it is, the sooner does it cloy ; insomuch that we are
soon forced to flee from it through very lassitude and disgust.
And a recurrence to the same sources of gratification is far
328 ECCLESIASTES, I. 14, 15. [828.
from producing the same emotions in the soul : by use and
habit we become indifferent to the very things which once we
most ardently affected : so poor, so empty, so transient is all
that passes under the semblance and the name of pleasure.
We may say therefore of "all that is in the world, the lust
of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life," that it is
not only vain, but " vanity" in the abstract : " Vanity of vani
ties, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity 3 ."]
2. Vexation of spirit
[So far is the creature from affording any real happiness,
that it is an occasion of constant vexation to the mind. The
pursuit of earthly things is attended with much labour, and with
much uncertainty also as to the attainment of them. When at
tained, they excite nothing but envy in others, and disquietude
in ourselves. By reason of the casualties to which the possession
of them exposes us, we are filled with care; insomuch, that those
who only behold our acquisitions, often derive more pleasure
from them than we who are the owners of them. Besides, the
more we have attained, the more our desires are enlarged after
something unpossessed ; so that our labours are never at an
end : and the pain issuing from a single disappointment fre
quently outweighs the pleasure arising from manifold successes.
Indeed, the things from which we promise ourselves most plea
sure, generally become, by some means or other, the sources
of our keenest anguish ; and our most sanguine expectations
usually terminate in the bitterest disappointment : yea, it not
unfrequently happens, that after having attained the object of
our wishes, we welcome the period of our separation from it,
and bless ourselves more in the loss of it, than ever we did in
the acquisition.
Say then whether Solomon s testimony be not strictly true.
Young people, when they hear such a sentiment avowed, are
ready to think it an effusion of spleen, and a libel on the whole
creation : but this testimony is the very truth of God, and shall
sooner or later be found true in the experience of every living
man : the world, and every thing in it, is a broken cistern, that
disappoints the hopes of the thirsty traveller, and becomes to
him, riot only vanity, but" vexation of spirit:" and he that has
most sought to satisfy himself with it, finds after all his labours,
that he has only "filled his belly with the east windV]
Such is the import of the general assertion. We
now proceed to notice,
II. The particular confirmation of it-
Two things are here specified by Solomon, as
* ver. 2. b Job xv. 2.
828.J THE CREATURE IS VANITY AND VEXATION. 329
strongly illustrating the foregoing truth ; namely, that,
however much we may exert ourselves,
1. We cannot alter that which is unfavourable
[Every man, by the very constitution of his nature, is
dependent on his fellow-man for the greater portion of his
happiness. The welfare of a whole empire depends on the
wisdom and prudence of the prince ; as the prince s prosperity
and comfort do on the industry, the fortitude, the loyalty of
his people. So it is through all ranks and orders of society ;
all are deeply affected by the conduct of those around them.
In the domestic circle, how impossible is it for the husband or
wife, the parent or child, the master or servant, to be happy,
if those with wiiom he is more immediately connected be per
verse and obstinate in an evil way! Yet all come more or less
in contact with unreasonable men : and, however much they
may strive to rectify the views, or reform the habits, of such
people, they find it altogether beyond their power : they can
as easily change the leopard s spots or the Ethiopian s com
plexion, as they can prevail on persons to change those habits
which are productive of so much uneasiness to their minds.
Hence, though they form the wisest and most benevolent plans,
they cannot carry them into execution, because of the blindness
and perverseness of those whose concurrence is necessary for
the accomplishment of them c .
In like manner, there is often an untowardness in events as
well as in men. The seasons will not consult us ; nor will the
elements obey us. Accidents utterly unforeseen will occur, and
cannot be prevented by human foresight. Hence uncertainty
attends our best concerted plans, and failure often disappoints
our most laborious exertions. But these are " crooked things
which no man can make straight:" no human wisdom or power
can control them. We have a large and abundant harvest in
prospect : but, behold, storms and tempests, or blasting and
mildew, or insects of some kind, destroy the whole crop. We
have gathered the harvest into our granaries, and a fire consumes
it ; or an enemy overruns the land, and devours it. We have
attained the greatest felicity of which we suppose ourselves
capable, by a connexion the most desirable, or by the acquisi
tion of a first-born son : but how soon does death invade our
dwelling, and blast all our promised joys ! These are but a few
of the evils to which we are exposed in this vain world ; and
they stamp " vanity and vexation" upon all that we possess.]
2. We cannot supply that which is defective
c This may be noticed especially in the opposition made to the
diffusion of the Scriptures, which persons of benevolence and piety
labour to circulate through the world.
330 ECCLESIASTES, I. 14, 15. [828.
[The rich, the poor, the old, the young, the learned, the
unlearned, all without exception, find that there is much lacking,
to render them completely happy. Of those who possess most
of this world s good, it must be said, " In the fulness of their
sufficiency they are in straits 1 ." Solomon is a remarkable
example of this. He had formed, if not a wise, yet an honour
able, connexion with Pharaoh s daughter. Not satisfied, he
sought happiness in a plurality of wives. Still not having
attained happiness, he multiplied his wives and concubines to
the number of one thousand; and found himself, after all, as
far from happiness as ever. Every other thing which he thought
could contribute to his happiness he sought with insatiable
avidity: but, after he had attained all his objects, he found,
that " the things which were wanting could not be numbered."
And so shall we find it to the latest hour of our lives. We may
fancy that this or that will make us happy ; but, when we have
gained it, we have only followed a shadow that eludes our grasp.
The truth is, that God never designed the creature to be a
satisfying portion to man : not even Paradise itself could satisfy
Adam : no, nor could the partner which he gave him : he must
taste the forbidden fruit : he could not be content without an
accession of wisdom, which God did not ever intend him to
possess. Thus, even in man s state of innocence, nothing but
God could satisfy his soul : nor can any thing, short of God
himself, ever be a satisfying portion to any child of man.]
ADDRESS
1. Set not your affections on things below
[How happy would it be for us, if we could be content to
receive the foregoing truths on the testimony of Solomon,
instead of determining to learn them by our own experience !
How much vexation and misery should we avoid ! But, in spite
of the united acknowledgments of all that have gone before us,
we still think that we shall find something besides God to make
us happy. This however we cannot do, even though we should
possess all that Solomon ever enjoyed. We may continue our
pursuit as long as we will ; but we must come at last to the
same conclusion as he, and give the same testimony as to the
result of our experience. Be persuaded, Brethren, to credit
the Divine testimony, and to spare yourselves all the pain and
disappointment which you must otherwise encounter. We mean
not that you should renounce the purs it it of earthly things ; for
you cannot do that without abandoning the duties which you
owe to your families and to society at large ; but the expecta
tion of happiness from them you may, and must, renounce. You
must never forget, that the creature without God is nothing ;
and that happiness is to be found in God alone.]
d Job xx. 22.
829. J THE EMPTINESS OF WORLDLY MIRTH. 331
2. Seek the Lord Jesus Christ with your whole
hearts
[He is a portion in which you will never find any lack :
in him is a fulness sufficient to fill all the capacities, and satisfy
all the desires of the whole universe. Millions and millions of
immortal souls may go to that fountain, and never dimmish his
exhaustless store. To the possession of him too no disappoint
ment can attach, nor from the enjoyment of him can any vex
ation ensue. In him all " crooked things are made straight;"
and where he is, no want can possibly exist. If you ask of the
creature to heal the wounds of sin, to give peace to a guilty
conscience, to subdue in us our corruptions, or to cheer us
with hopes of immortality, it cannot do any one of these things :
no, not even for the body can the creature do any thing to heal
its sickness, to assuage its anguish, or to prolong its existence.
But the Lord Jesus Christ can do every thing, both for the body
and the soul, both for time and for eternity. Seek him, then,
Beloved ; and seek him with your whole hearts. In seeking
him, your exertions cannot be too earnest, nor can your ex
pectations be too enlarged. If he give you his flesh to eat,
and his blood to drink, you will never hunger, never thirst
again, either in this world or in the world to come. Only be
able to say, " My Beloved is mine, and I am his," and then
all, as well on heaven as in earth, is yours ; according as it is
written, " All things are yours ; and ye are in Christ s ; and
Christ is God s."]
DCCCXXIX.
THE EMPTINESS OF WORLDLY MIRTH.
Eccl. ii. 2. / said of laughter, If is mad : and of mirth, What
doeth it?
WHO is it that has ventured to speak thus respect
ing that which constitutes, in the world s estimation,
the great happiness of life ? Was he an ignorant man ?
or one who from envy decried a thing which he was
not able to attain ? or an inexperienced man, who had
no just means of forming a judgment? or an irritated
man, who vented thus his spleen against an object
that had disappointed him ? Or was he one whose
authority in this matter we are at liberty to question ?
No : it was the wisest of the human race, who had
more ample means of judging than any other of the
children of men, and had tried the matter to the
332 ECCLESIASTES, II. 2. [829.
uttermost : it was Solomon himself, under the in
fluence of the Spirit of God, recording this, not only
as the result of his own experience, but as the declara
tion of Jehovah, by him, for the instruction of the
world in all future ages. He had been left by God to
try the vain experiment, whether happiness was to be
found in any thing but God. He tried it, first, in the
pursuit of knowledge ; which, to a person of his
enlarged mind, certainly promised most fair to yield
him the satisfaction which he sought. But partly
from the labour requisite for the attainment of know
ledge ; partly from discovering how little could be
known by persons of our finite capacity; partly also
from the insufficiency of knowledge to satisfy the
innumerable wants of man; and partly from the dis
gust which had been created in his mind by the insight
which his wisdom gave him into the ignorance and
folly of the rest of mankind ; he left it upon record,
as his deliberate judgment, that " in much wisdom is
much grief; and that he who increaseth knowledge,
increaseth sorrow" 1 ." He then turned to pleasure, as
the most probable source of happiness : " I said in
my heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth :
therefore enjoy pleasure." But being equally disap
pointed in that, he adds, " Behold, this also is vanity 1 ."
Then, in the words of my text, he further adds, " I
said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?"
In discoursing on this subject, I shall,
I. Shew what that is which he here pronounces to be
" vanity "-
It becomes us, in considering such weighty declara
tions as that before us, to attain the most precise
and accurate views of the terms employed ; neither
attenuating the import of them on the one hand, nor
exaggerating it on the other.
We are not, then, to understand the text as decry
ing all cheerfulness
[The Christian, above all people upon earth, has reason
to be cheerful. And religion in no way tends to destroy the
a Eccles. i. 18. b ver. 1.
829.] THE EMPTINESS OF WORLDLY MIRTH. 333
gaiety of the human mind, but only to direct it towards proper
objects, and to restrain it within proper bounds. The ways of
religion are represented as " ways of pleasantness and peace."
And " the fruits of the Spirit are, love, joy, peace ;" all of which
suppose a measure of hilarity, and the innocence of that hilarity,
when arising from a becoming source, and kept within the
limits of sobriety and sound wisdom. Doubtless that tumultuous
kind of joy which is generally denominated mirth, and which
vents itself in immoderate laughter, is altogether vain and bad:
but a placidity of mind, exercising itself in a way of brotherly
love and of cheerful benevolence, can never be censured as
unprofitable, much less can it be condemned as verging towards
insanity.]
Neither, on the other hand, are we to restrict the
text to licentious and profane mirth
[That needed not to be stigmatized in so peculiar a man
ner ; because the folly of such mirth carries its own evidence
along with it. We need only to see it in others ; and if we
ourselves are not partakers of it, we shall not hesitate to cha
racterize it by some opprobrious or contemptuous name. We
need neither the wisdom of Solomon, nor his experience, to pass
upon it the judgment it deserves.]
The conduct reprobated in our text is, the seeking
of our happiness in carnal mirth
[Solomon particularly specifies this : " I said in my heart,
Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth," I will see whether
that will afford me the happiness which I am in pursuit of.
And we may suppose, that, in the prosecution of this object,
he summoned around him all that was gay and lively in his
court, and all that could contribute towards the attainment of
it. We may take a survey of the state of society in what may
be called the fashionable world, and see how the votaries of
pleasure spend their time. They go from one vanity to ano
ther, hoping that in a succession of amusements they shall find
a satisfaction which nothing else can impart. Plays, balls,
concerts, routs, the pleasures of the field, of the race-course, of
the card- table, form a certain round of employment, which those
who travel in it expect to find productive of happiness, of such
happiness at least as they affect. And this, I conceive, is what
Solomon intended particularly to reprobate as folly and mad
ness. Of course, we must include also in the same description
the more vulgar amusements to which the lower classes resort.
All, according to their taste, or the means afforded them for
enjoyment, whilst they pursue the same object, are obnoxious
to the same censure. The degree of refinement which may be
in their pursuits makes no difference in this matter. Whatever
334 ECCLESIASTES, II. 2. [829.
it be which calls forth their mirth and laughter, it is equally
unprofitable and equally insane. So Solomon judged ; and]
We now proceed
II. To confirm his testimony
Let us take a candid view of this matter : let us
consider pleasure in its true light : let us consider its
aspect on us,
1. As men
[As men, we possess faculties of a very high order, which
we ought to cultivate, and which, when duly improved, exalt
and dignify our nature. But behold the votaries of pleasure ;
how low do they sink themselves by the depravity of their
taste, and the emptiness of their occupations ! A man devoid
of wisdom may abound in mirth and laughter as well as he :
and there will be found very little difference in their feelings ;
except, as the more enlarged men s capacities are for higher
objects, the keener sense will they have of the emptiness of
their vain pursuits. In truth, we may appeal even to them
selves in confirmation of what Solomon has said: for there are
no persons more convinced of the unsatisfying nature of such
pursuits, than those who follow them with the greatest avidity.
But let Scripture speak: " She that liveth in pleasure is dead
whilst she liveth c ." It is the fool alone that can say, " Let us
eat, drink, and be merry d ."J
2. As sinners
[As sinners we have a great work to do ; even to call to
mind, and to mourn over, the sins of our whole lives, and to
seek reconciliation with our offended God The time,
too, which is afforded us for this is very short and very uncer
tain And, oh ! what an issue awaits our present exer
tions ; even heaven with all its glory, or hell with all its
inconceivable and everlasting terrors! Have persons so cir
cumstanced any time for mirth, or any disposition to waste
their precious hours in laughter? Is it not much more suitable
to them to be engaged according to the direction of St. James,
" Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned
to mourning, and your joy to heaviness ; humble yourselves in
the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up e ? " ]
3. As the redeemed of the Lord
[What redeemed soul can contemplate the price paid for
his redemption, and laugh ? Go, my Brother, to Gethsemane,
and see thy Saviour bathed in a bloody sweat. Go to Calvary,
and behold him stretched upon the cross. Hear his heavt-
c 1 Tim. v. G. d Lukexii. 19. e Jam. iv. 9, 10.
829.] THE EMPTINESS OF WORLDLY MIRTH. 335
rending cry, " My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me?"
See the sun himself veiling his face in darkness, and the Lord
of glory bowing his head in death : and then tell me, whether
you feel much disposition for mirth and laughter ? or whether
such a state of mind would become you? Methinks, I need
add no more. Your own consciences will attest the justice of
Solomon s remarks. But if there be an advocate for mirth yet
unconvinced, then I put it to him to answer that significant
question in my text, " What doeth it?"]
APPLICATION
1. Are any disposed to complain that I make reli
gion gloomy?
[Remember, it is of carnal mirth that I have spoken; and
of that, not in its occasional sallies, from a buoyancy of spirit,
and in combination with love, but of its being regarded as a
source of happiness, and of its constituting, as it were, a portion
of our daily employment. And if I wrest this from you, do I
leave you a prey to melancholy ? Go to religion ; and see whe
ther that do not furnish you with mirth and laughter of a purer
kind: with mirth that is not unprofitable, with laughter that
is not mad ? The very end of the Gospel is, to " give you beauty
for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness :" and if you believe in Christ, it is
not merely your privilege, but your duty to rejoice in him, yea,
to " rejoice in him with joy unspeakable and glorified." If the
Church, on account of temporal deliverances, could say, " Then
was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with sing
ing f ;" much more may you, on account of the salvation which
has been vouchsafed to you. Only, therefore, let the grounds
of your joy be right, and we consent that "your mourning be
turned into dancing, and that to the latest hour of your lives
you put off your sackcloth and gird you with gladness 8 ."
Instead of pronouncing such mirth madness, we will declare it
to be your truest wisdom.]
2. Are there those amongst you who accord with
Solomon ?
[Remember, then, to seek those as your associates who
are like-minded with you in this respect. Affect not the com
pany of those who delight in laughter, and in carnal mirth;
for they will only draw you from God, and rob you of the
happiness which you might otherwise enjoy. If they appear
happy, remember that " their mirth is like the crackling of
thorns under a pot h :" it may make a blaze for a moment ; but
it soon expires in spleen and melancholy. Be careful, too, to
f Ps. cxxvi. 1,2. g Ps. xxx. 11. h Eccl. vii. G.
336 ECCLESIASTES, II. 13. [830.
live nigh to God, and in sweet communion with your Lord
and Saviour : for if you draw back from God in secret, you
will, in respect of happiness, be in a worse condition than the
world themselves : for whilst you deny yourselves the pleasure
which you might have in carnal things, you will have no real
pleasure in spiritual exercises. But be true to your principles,
and you never need envy the poor worldlings their vain enjoy
ments. They drink of a polluted cistern, that contains nothing
but what is insipid and injurious, and will prove fatal to their
souls ; bvit you draw from the fountain of living waters, which
whosoever drinks of, shall live for ever.]
DCCCXXX.
THE EXCELLENCY OF WISDOM.
Eccl. ii. 13. Then I satu, that tuisdom excelleth folly, as far as
light excelleth darkness.
THE more exact is our scrutiny into the things
of this world, the more decided will be our judgment
respecting them. If persons ever think highly of
them, it is because they have never set down seriously
to examine their true character, or laboured to form
a right estimate respecting them. Solomon possessed
means of ascertaining their real value beyond any
other person that ever existed : for, possessing wisdom
above any other of the sons of men, he had a greater
capacity to extract all the sweetness that was in them ;
and, being a monarch, he could command all things
through the whole range of nature, to present to
him their tribute of gratification according to their
respective abilities. But, after a minute examination
of every thing, he was constrained to give this, at
last, as the result of his experience : " Then I saw
that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth
darkness."
Now this, I conceive, refers in part to human wis
dom, as occupied in intellectual pursuits. For it is
certain, that amongst objects that relate only to this
present life, there is nothing to be compared with
this. Intellect is that which distinguishes man from
the brute creation ; and the enlargement of it with
arts and sciences is that which elevates man above
830.] THE EXCELLENCY OF WISDOM. 337
his fellows. The cultivation of it is more suited to
the dignity of man than the gratification of his sensual
appetites ; in all of which the heasts have as large a
capacity of enjoyment as he. The pleasures arising
from it are also less apt to cloy ; and will endure,
when a taste for other enjoyments is passed away.
It will gratify, also, when it is not the object of im
mediate pursuit ; because it will supply in reflection
much of what it conferred in the actual acquisition.
It is also of great use, and qualifies a man for confer
ring extensive benefits on the world; at the same time
that it opens to him a thousand channels of pleasure
which are utterly unknown to the unfurnished mind.
A person habituated only to bodily exertion has no
conception what a fund of satisfaction the exercises
of the mind supply, or what delight attaches to the
investigation of science and the discovery of truth.
Corporeal indulgences, indeed, strike more strongly
upon the senses ; and therefore, to a carnal mind,
seem to furnish a greater measure of delight. But
the more eagerly they are sought, the less pleasure
they afford ; and they bring with them, for the most
part, many painful consequences : so that, in compa
rison of intellectual pursuits, they deserve the name
of " folly ;" whilst the prosecution of the other may
properly be called " wisdom." Yet it must be con
fessed, that there is much truth in that observation
of Solomon, " In much wisdom is much grief : and
he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow a ."
For " much study is undoubtedly a weariness to the
flesh b ." and it is often followed by painful disappoint
ment. I conceive, therefore, that we are by no means
to limit the import of our text to human wisdom ; but
must extend it to that which is divine: in reference
to which we may say, without any limitation or ex
ception, " It excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth
darkness."
Of this therefore, even of spiritual wisdom, I will
now proceed to speak ; and its transcendent excel
lence I will point out in reference to,
Eccl. i. 18. b Eccl. xii. 12.
VOL. VII. Z
338 ECCLESIASTES, II. 13. [830.
I. Its own proper character
" Wisdom" is another word for piety
[Piety in the Scriptures is frequently called by this name.
Job says, " The fear of the Lord that is wisdom ." And Moses
prays, " So teach us to number our days, that we may apply
our hearts unto wisdom d ."
But, not to rest in a mere general definition of the term, I
shall consider it as embracing these two points, The receiving
of the Gospel, as sinners ; and the adorning of it, as saints.
The very first part of wisdom is to receive the Gospel of
salvation into our hearts. We all need it ; nor can any human
being be saved without it ; and God offers to us all the bless
ings of it, freely, without money and without price. Were we
under a sentence of death from a human tribunal, and were
offered mercy by the Prince, it would be accounted wisdom to
accept the offer, and folly to reject it. How much more is
it our wisdom to accept a deliverance from eternal death,
together with all the glory and felicity of heaven! This must
commend itself to every man who reflects but for a moment:
and to despise these proffered benefits must, of necessity, be
regarded as folly, bordering upon madness
The next part of wisdom must be, to adorn that Gospel by
a holy life and conversation ; since it cannot otherwise be ulti
mately of any avail for our acceptance with God. The very
intent of the Gospel is to transform man into the Divine image,
and thereby to prepare him for the enjoyment of his God ;
and if this be not attained, heaven itself would be no place of
happiness to him. Indeed, if a man profess to embrace the
Gospel, and yet continue to walk unworthy of it, he dis
honours God far more than he could do whilst he made no
such profession : for he " tramples under foot the Son of God,
and counts the blood of the covenant an unholy thing, and
does despite unto the Spirit of Grace ;" yea, he crucifies the
Son of God afresh, and puts him to an open shame f ." I think,
therefore, that the pursuit of holiness in all its branches, with
an uniform endeavour to glorify our God, must commend
itself to every considerate mind, as true " wisdom."]
And this far excelleth " folly "-
[I will not go into particulars to characterize " folly :" it
shall suffice to take the most lenient view of it that can be
imagined : I will comprehend under it no positive vice, nothing
that can render it odious in the eyes of men : I will take it only
in a negative view, as importing a neglect of the two foregoing
dictates of sound wisdom. And now I will ask, Who does not
see the superiority of wisdom ; and that " it excelleth folly as
c Job xxviii. 28. d Ps. xc. 12. e Hcb. x. 29. f Heb. vi. 6.
830.] THE EXCELLENCY OF WISDOM. 339
far as light excelleth darkness?" " Darkness" hath nothing
whatever to commend it : it is utterly destitute of every good
quality: whereas " light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for
the eyes to behold the sun g ." And precisely thus does piety
approve itself to every beholder ; whilst a neglect of God
presents nothing but gloom, the end of which no human ima
gination can reach.]
Let us view wisdom next,
II. In its influence on this present life-
There is not a moment of our lives over which it
does not cast a benign influence-
fin bringing us to the foot of the Cross, it is the means of
effecting our reconciliation with God, and of filling the soul
with peace and joy In stirring us up to mortify our
corruptions, it keeps us from innumerable snares to which
others are exposed, and from troubles in which others are in
volved. This seems to have been particularly in Solomon s
mind, when he penned the words of my text : for he adds im
mediately, " The wise man s eyes are in his head ; but the fool
walketh in darkness h ." It conduces also most essentially to
the benefit of all around us. It tends to check vice and wicked
ness in the world, and to promote virtue in every possible way.
It calls forth all the acts and offices of love, both in the pro
fessor himself, and in all who come within the sphere of its
influence. It greatly honours God too, and tends to the ad
vancement of his kingdom upon earth. There is no end to the
benefits of true wisdom : for, so far as it prevails and operates,
it repairs the ruins of the Fall ; and changes this wretched,
miserable world into a very Paradise.]
In this respect, how widely different is " folly ! "-
[See the world as it is, and then you will see what " folly"
has done. Enter into the bosoms of men, and see how full
they are of all hateful tempers and dispositions, and how utterly
destitute of every thing like solid peace. See what jarrings it
has introduced into society, insomuch that there is scarcely to
be found a single family which is not more or less torn with
disputes and disagreements. See what evils it diffuses on every
side ; and then say in what light it appears as compared with
wisdom. I boldly ask, Does not wisdom excel it "as far as light
excelleth darkness?" Darkness is suited to nothing but the
deeds of darkness, and the sanguinary excursions of beasts of
prey : whereas light administers to the welfare of all, and
enables every member of society to execute his functions for
the good of the whole : so that in this respect, also, the com
parison is fitly made.]
e Eccl. xi. 7. h ver. 14.
340 ECCLESIASTES, II. 13. [830.
But let us trace " wisdom" yet further,
III. In its effects upon the eternal world-
fit is here that the great excellence of wisdom will be
chiefly found. If there were no future state, folly might, with
some semblance of truth, compete with wisdom, because its
gratifications are so strong to the organs of sense. But, when
we view the aspect of wisdom upon eternity, and reflect that
every one of its dictates has a direct tendency to fit the soul
for heaven and to augment its eternal bliss, whilst the opera
tions of folly have a directly opposite bearing, all competition
between them vanishes ; since heaven and hell might as well
bear a comparison as they. In truth, the light of heaven and
its glory afford a just illustration of the one; whilst " the
blackness of darkness " in the regions of hell gives but too just
a portrait of the other. The one brings us to the divine image ;
the other reduces us to the likeness of beasts and devils : the
one ensures to us the everlasting fruition of our God ; the other
entails upon us his everlasting displeasure. In requiring you,
therefore, to receive the declaration of my text, that " Wisdom
excelleth folly as far as light excelleth darkness," I do nothing
but what every conscience must assent to, and every judgment
approve.]
Permit me, then, in conclusion to ASK,
1. What is the judgment you have already formed?
[I know that in theory you will all accede to this statement.
But what has been your practical judgment? If we look at
your lives, what will they attest to have been your views of this
subject? Has wisdom there shone, and folly been put to shame?
Have you really been living with a view to the eternal world,
embracing the Gospel thankfully as sinners, and adorning it as
saints. I ask not what "you have said" with your lips, but
what "you have said" in your lives. It is not by your profes
sions, but by your practice, that God will judge you; and
therefore it is by that standard that you must judge your
selves ]
2. What is the conduct you intend hereafter to
pursue ?
[The world, I acknowledge, gives its voice in direct oppo
sition to the foregoing statement. It represents religion as
folly, and the prosecution of carnal enjoyments as wisdom. But
its " calling good evil, and evil good," will not change their
respective natures : nor, if the whole world should unite in
putting darkness for light, or light for darkness, will either of
them lose its own qualities, and assume those of the other*
" Sweet" will be sweet, and "bitter" bitter, whether men
831.] THE PORTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED. 341
will believe it or not 1 . Will you then go contrary to the con
victions of your own minds, in compliment to an ungodly world?
Or will you, for fear of offending them, sacrifice the interests
of your immortal souls ? I call upon you to seek " wisdom,
which is more to be chosen than fine gold k ." Let your whole
life declare its value, and be a standing testimony against the
folly of the ungodly. So shall you have in this world a sweet
experience of my text, and enjoy an ample confirmation of it
in the world above.]
i Isai. v. 20. k Prov. xvi. 16.
DCCCXXXI.
THE DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED.
Eccl. ii. 26. God giveth to a man that is good in his sight,
wisdom, and knowledge, and joy : but to the sinner he giveth
travail.
IN relation to earthly things, men run into two
opposite extremes : some seeking their happiness
altogether in the enjoyment of them ; and others
denying themselves the proper and legitimate use of
them, in order that they may amass wealth for some
future possessor. But both of these classes are un
wise : the former, in that they look for that in the
creature which is not to be found in it ; and the latter,
in that, without any adequate reason, they deprive
themselves of comforts which God has designed them
to enjoy. A temperate use of the good things of this
life is no where forbidden : on the contrary, " there
is," as Solomon informs us, " nothing better for a man,
than that he should eat and drink, and that he should
make his soul enjoy good in his labour." Doubtless
this concession must be taken with certain restric
tions ; for we are not to spend all our substance on
ourselves, but to be doing good with it to others :
nor are we to suppose that our life consists in the
abundance of the things that we possess, but to be
seeking our happiness in God. That which alone will
impart solid happiness, is religion : for to the good
man God giveth what shall render him truly blessed ;
namely, " wisdom, and knowledge, and joy : but to
the sinner he giveth travail."
From these words I shall take occasion to shew you,
34-2 ECCLESIASTES, II. 26. [831.
I. The different portions of the righteous and the
wicked
The world may be divided into two denominations;
the righteous, and the wicked.
" To the righteous, God gives wisdom, and know
ledge, and joy"-
[As to carnal wisdom, I am not sure that the wicked have
not in general the advantage ; as it is said, " The children of
this world are in their generation wiser than the children of
light " 1 ." But the godly have a discernment of earthly things,
or, as my text expresses it, a " wisdom and knowledge" in re
lation to them, which no ungodly man has ever attained. The
godly see the true use of worldly things ; and how they may
be rendered conducive to the honour of God, and the good of
the soul. As instruments for advancing the welfare of mankind,
they may be desired and employed to good effect : and in this
mode of using them God will confer real and abiding " joy."
Even the portion of them which is consumed upon ourselves
will be relished with a richer zest ; for " God has given us all
things richly to enjoy :" but the thought of honouring God
with them, and benefiting mankind, will give to them a kind of
sanctified enjoyment, of such as was received from the harvest
of which the first-fruits had been duly consecrated to the Lord b .
The good man does not merely enjoy the things themselves :
he enjoys God in them ; and, in so doing, has the " testimony
of his own conscience that he pleases God." Nor is he uncon
scious that he is laying up treasure in heaven, even " bags which
wax not old, and a treasure which never faileth ."]
" To the sinner," on the other hand, " he giveth
travail "-
[A man who neglects his God, can find no happiness in
earthly things : in his pursuit of them, he is filled with care,
which robs him of all real comfort 1 : in his enjoyment of them,
they prove empty and cloying, " his very laughter being only
as the crackling of thorns under a pot :" and, his mind being
alienated from God, he has no source of peace from religion.
Truly " the way of transgressors is hard 6 ;" or rather I must
say, as the Scripture does, " Destruction and misery are in their
ways f ." Remarkable is that declaration of Zophar, " In the
midst of their sufficiency they are in straits s ." And if this be
their state in the midst of life and health, what must it be in a
time of sickness and death? Most true is that declaration of
Solomon: " What profit hath he that hath laboured for the
a Luke xvi. 18. b Luke xi. 41.
c Lukexii. 33,34. 1 Tim. vi. 19. d See ver. 22, 23.
e Vrov. xiii. 15. f Rom. iii. 10, 17. s Job xx. 22.
831.1 THE PORTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED. 343
wind ? All his days he eateth in darkness, and he hath much
sorrow and wrath with his sickness 11 ."
Thus, whilst the blessing of the Lord is upon the righteous,
seeing that, whatever he bestow, " he addeth no sorrow with
it 1 ;" he mixes gall and wormwood with the sinner s cup, and
" infuses a curse into his choicest blessings."]
Let us now notice,
II. The hand of God, as displayed in them
It is said in relation to both the righteous and the
wicked, that " God givet/i to them" their respective
portions : both the one and the other are "from the
hand of God k ." In them we see,
1. The true nature of his moral government
[Even now is there far more of equity in the dispensations
of God than a superficial observer would imagine. Doubtless
there is a great difference in the states of different men ; but
the rich and great have troubles of which the poor and destitute
have very little conception. The very state of mind fostered
by their distinctions is by no means favourable to their happi
ness ; and the habits of the poor so inure them to privations,
that they feel much less trouble from them than one would
imagine. But let piety enter into any soul ; and we hesitate
not to declare, that though he were a Lazarus at the Rich Man s
gate, he were happier far than the man of opulence by whose
crumbs he was fed. Peace of mind, arising from a sense of
reconciliation with God, and a hope of final acceptance with
him, is sufficient to weigh down all that an ungodly man ever
did, or could, possess. And " the poorest man, if rich in faith
and an heir of God s kingdom," is more to be envied than the
greatest monarch upon earth, who possesses not real piety.
But with equity, goodness also is observable in all the dis
pensations of Providence. That God is good to the great and
opulent, will be readily acknowledged : but he is so to the
sinner, whom he leaves to experience the most painful disap
pointments. If a mother embitter to her child the breast on
which he would fondly live, it is that he may learn to affect a
more substantial diet : and if God, after all the labour which
men put forth to render the creature a source of comfort, cause
it to become to them only as " a broken cistern that can hold
no water," it is only that they may the more readily turn to
him, and seek him, as " the fountain of living waters."]
2. The certain issue of his future judgment
[Is there, even in this world, " a difference put between
him who serveth God, and him who serveth him not?" Much
h Eccl. v. 1C, 17. { Prov. x. 22. k ver. 24.
311 ECCLESIASTES, II. 2G. [831.
more shall that be found in the day which is especially set apart
for the display of God s righteous judgments. The Prophet
Isaiah, as God s herald, received this awful commission: " Say
ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him : for they
shall eat the fruit of their doings. But woe unto the wicked !
it shall be ill with him : for the reward of his deeds shall be
given him 1 ." And this do we also proclaim. For the righteous
is reserved a state of unutterable joy ; but for the wicked, a
state of utter exclusion from the realms of bliss, " in the lake
that burneth with fire and brimstone," " where is weeping, and
wailing, and gnashing of teeth." If the present inequalities
of his dispensations lead us to expect this, much more does
that previous distribution of good and evil which is even now
accorded to men in correspondence with their moral habits.
What is at this moment felt in the minds of the different
characters, may well teach us what to expect in the day of
judgment; even a separation of the righteous and the wicked;
the one to everlasting fire ; and the other to everlasting life,
and blessedness, and glory.]
Let me now, from this subject, RECOMMEND,
1. Religion in general-
fit is this which makes the chief difference between dif
ferent men. The prince on his throne, and the beggar on the
dunghill, are but little apart in comparison of " the good" and
" the sinner." Piety sets men asunder, as far as light from dark
ness, heaven from hell. Let those then amongst you, who would
be happy either here or hereafter, give yourselves up to God,
and approve yourselves to him. Only be " good in his sight,"
and happiness will be yours, both in time and in eternity.]
2. A due improvement of all that you possess
[To squander it away in self-indulgence, or to hoard it for
some future possessor, will be alike foolish and vain. Neither
of these modes of employing wealth can ever make you happy.
The serving of God, and the benefiting of your fellow-creatures,
will, on the contrary, bring peace and joy into the soul: for
" the work of righteousness is peace, and the effect of righteous
ness is quietness and assurance for ever." Not that any libe
rality of yours can ever form a ground of hope before God in
a way of merit : all that you have is the Lord s : and it is only
of his own that you give him : but if you are seeking righteous
ness and salvation by Christ alone, then will your works be
accepted for Christ s sake : and whatever you dispose of for the
advancement of his glory, he will acknowledge it as " lent to
him, and he will pay you again." The talents that are im
proved for him, shall receive, in due proportion, a recompence
at his hands.]
1 Isai. iii. 10, 11.
832.] DUTY OF PAYING OUR VOWS. 345
DCCCXXXII.
DUTY OF PAYING OUR VOWS.
Eccl. v. 4, 5, When thou voivest a voiv unto God, defer not to
pay it ; for he hath no pleasure in fools : pay that which thou
hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not TOW, than
that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
THE offering of vows was extremely common
under the Mosaic dispensation ; and many laws were
instituted in relation to them. By them persons
bound themselves to the performance of certain
things which were not specifically appointed of God.
Some were conditional, and depended on some mercy
which should be previously bestowed by God a : and
others were absolute, and to be performed by the
persons at all events. Respecting vows made by
persons who were under the government of others,
especial provision was made, under what circum
stances, and to what extent, they should be binding b .
In cases where the vows themselves were not lawful,
the person sinned, whether he performed them or
not c ; and in some cases at least, the violation of
them was less criminal than the observance 41 : but
where they were not in themselves contrary to any
command of God, there they were to be punctually
fulfilled, and without delay.
We propose, on the present occasion, to consider,
I. The vows which you have made 6
These are doubtless very comprehensive
[The things promised for us in our baptism, are contained
under the following heads: first, that we should "renounce
the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked
world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh: next, that we should
believe all the articles of the Christian faith : and lastly, that
we should keep God s holy will and commandments, and walk
in the same all the days of our life." In our confirmation we
take these vows upon ourselves. Let us consider them dis
tinctly Let us often revolve them in our minds, and cry
3 Gen. xxviii. 2022. 1 Sam. i. 1 1. b Numb. xxx. 3 15.
c ver. 6. d Matt. xiv. 6 10. Acts xxiii. 12.
e This is intended for an Address after Confirmation ; but may be
easily changed to a Preparatory Address.
346 ECCLESIASTES, V, 4, 5. [832.
mightily to God for grace to assist us in the performance of
them: for "who is sufficient for these things f ?" ]
But the duties to which they bind us are highly
reasonable
[We universally consider children as bound to obey their
parents, and servants their masters : but what parent has such
a claim upon us as God, since from him we derive our whole
existence and support ? " in him we live and move and have
our being :" or what master is entitled to such an unreserved
compliance with his will, as God, whom all the angels in heaven
obey ? God himself founds his claim to our allegiance upon
these very principles ; "A son honoureth his father, and a
servant his master: if I then be a Father, where is mine honour ?
and if I be a Master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of
Hosts g ." And indeed the most unrestricted devotion of all our
faculties to his service is expressly called by him, not only an
acceptable, but a reasonable service 1 .]
These duties are binding upon us independently
of any vows which we may make respecting them
[They arise from our very relation to God as his creatures,
and more especially as his redeemed people. The potter is
undoubtedly entitled to the use of the vessels which his own
hands have formed. Even if our services were ever so painful,
we should have no right to complain : " the thing formed could
not, under any circumstances, presume to say to him that formed
it, Why hast thou made me thus 1 ?" But, as we have before
observed, the whole of what we have taken upon ourselves is
a truly reasonable service : and therefore it would be the height
of impiety to hesitate for a moment in giving up ourselves
unreservedly to God.
But God has redeemed us also, and that too by the blood
of his only dear Son; " We are not our own ; we are bought
with a price ; and therefore we are bound from this considera
tion also to glorify God with our bodies and our spirits, which
are his." It is not optional with us, whether we will surrender
to him what he has so dearly purchased : we cannot alienate
it, we cannot withhold it ; whether we make any vow respecting
it, or not, we are equally bound to employ all our faculties for
God : and the only reason we wish you to take these vows upon
you is, not to increase your obligations to serve him, much less
f It would be easy to divide this subject into three or four ; closing
the first at this place ; making the remaining part of this head into
a second ; forming the second head into a third sermon ; and the
concluding address into a fourth.
K Mai. i. 6. h Rom. xii. 1. Rom. ix. 20.
832.1 DUTY OF PAYING OUR VOWS. 347
to create obligations which did not exist before, but to impress
your own minds with a sense of those duties which are indis-
solubly connected with every child of man.]
But to bind ourselves to these things by solemn
vows is a duty truly and properly evangelical
[Some would imagine this to be a legal act : and if we
were to engage in it with a view to establish a righteousness of
our own, or with an idea of performing our duties in our own
strength, it would then indeed be legal: but if, in humble
dependence on divine aid, we devote ourselves to God, it is no
other act than that which God himself has specified as charac
terizing his people under the Gospel dispensation k . The very
manner in which this act shall be performed is also specified ;
and it is particularly foretold, that all who are duly influenced
by Gospel principles shall animate one another to the perform
ance of it 1 .]
Such then are the vows which we have made : they
are comprehensive indeed, but highly reasonable,
and relating only to things which are in themselves
necessary ; and the making of which is as much a
duty under the Gospel dispensation, as ever it was
under the Law.
We now proceed to notice,
II. The importance of performing them
But how shall this be painted in any adequate
terms ? In it is bound up,
1. Our comfort in life
[Many foolishly imagine, that a life devoted unto God
must be one continued scene of melancholy. But is not the
very reverse declared in Scripture ? " The work of righteous
ness is peace," says the prophet: and " the effect of righteousness
is quietness and assurance for ever." Yes, " Godliness has
the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to
come : and we will venture to appeal to the consciences of all,
whether even the greatest despisers of religion do not think that
truly pious people are happier than they ? In the very nature
of things it must be, that they who are delivered from the
tyranny of their lusts are happier than those who are yet bond
slaves of sin and Satan : their minds must be more tranquil,
and their consciences more serene. But if we take into the
account, that God " will manifest himself to his faithful servants
as he does not unto the world," and " shed abroad his love in
k Isai. xix. 21. i Jer. 1. 4, 5.
348 ECCLESIASTES, V. 4, 5. [832.
their hearts," and " fill them with a peace that passeth under
standing, and joy that is unspeakable," we can have no doubt
but that religion s ways are ways of pleasantness," and that
" in keeping God s commandments there is great reward." In
proof of this, we need only see with what delight David con
templated the paying of his vows to God 1 ": and the more we
resemble him in the ardour of his piety, the more shall we
resemble him also in the sublimity of his joys.]
2. Our hope in death
[What must be the prospects of an ungodly man in his
dying hour ? When he looks back upon all his duties neg
lected, all his vows broken, and his eternal interests sacrificed
to the things of time and sense, what must he think of the
state to which he is hastening ? He may try to comfort him
self with his own vain delusions ; but he will feel a secret
consciousness that he is building on the sand. Hence it is,
that those who will not give themselves up to God, are so
averse to hear of death and judgment: they know that, if the
Scriptures be true, and God be such a God as he is there
represented, they have nothing to expect but wrath and fiery
indignation. It is the godly only who can feel composed and
happy in the near approach of death : they, when the time of
their departure is at hand, can look forward with joy to " that
crown of glory which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give
them." "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for
the end of that man is peace."]
3. Our welfare in eternity
[" God will surely put a difference between those who
served him here, and those who served him not." Hear what
Solomon says to us in the text : " When thou vowest a vow
unto God, defer not to pay it : for God hath no pleasure in
fools. " No indeed ; God can have no pleasure in those who
never delighted themselves in him. How is it possible that he
should receive to his bosom those who spent their whole lives
in rebellion against him ? He shews his abhorrence of them
by the very name whereby he designates them in the words
before us : he calls them " fools," and will leave them to reap
the bitter fruits of their folly. We may see how indignant
God was against Zedekiah for violating a covenant whereby he
had engaged to hold the kingdom of Judah as tributary to the
king of Babylon". What indignation then must he feel against
those who have violated all their engagements with him ! If
the neglect of vows made by compulsion to an oppressive enemy
be so criminal, what must be the neglect of vows voluntarily
m Ps. xxii. 25. and Ixvi. 13, 14.
n Ezek. xvii. 11 21. Cite the whole of this.
832.] DUTY OF PAYING OUR VOWS. 349
made to the Most High God ! But we need not collect this in
a way of inference ; for God himself has expressly told us,
that we must pay our vows to him ; that we must do it without
delay ; that if we defer to pay them, it will be imputed to us
as a most heinous sin; and that he will surely require it at our
hands . And in the text itself he tells us, that however
criminal it must be to feel such alienation of heart from God
as not to vow any vow to him, " it were better for us never to
vow at all than to vow and not pay."]
ADDRESS
1. The young who have been just confirmed
[Remember, I beseech you, that " the vows of God are
upon you." And now hear what Almighty God says unto
you : " If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath
to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word ; he
shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth p ."
Now you, rny Beloved, have " bound your souls with a bond;"
you have " sworn unto the Lord, and cannot go back :" remem
ber then that you " must not break your word ; " you must,
you " shall do according to all that has proceeded out of your
mouths." O bear in mind the particular vows which you have
made q , and set yourselves diligently to the performance of
them. See how determined David was, under your circum
stances 1 ; and make him the model of your conduct. And
begin now without delay to prepare for attending on the Lord s
Supper. Your Confirmation is but a step to something beyond,
even to a dedication of yourselves to God at the table of the
Lord. I mean not that you are to be hasty in taking this fur
ther step ; because you ought doubtless to be well instructed
in the nature of that ordinance before you partake of it; and
to be fully determined through grace to live, not unto your
selves, but unto Him who died for you. But that you should
keep this in view, and with all convenient speed renew at the
Lord s table the vows which you have now made, the holy
Psalmist informs you 8 : and his resolutions on the subject I
earnestly recommend for your adoption.]
2. The elder part of this audience
[To you the younger will look for instruction and en
couragement in the ways of God. But many who desire to
have their children confirmed, would actually oppose them if
they should begin to execute their vows. If a young person
should begin to renounce the world, to mortify the flesh, and
to live by faith on the Son of God, the generality of persons
Deut. xxiii. 21 23. P Xumb. xxx. 2.
1 See the Catechism. r Ps. cxix. 106.
8 Ps. cxvi. 12 14, 16 19. Particularly notice ver. 16.
350 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 4. [833.
would rather be alarmed than comforted, and would exert
their influence to divert his thoughts from such ways. But
beware how any of you put a stumbling-block in the way of
your children, either by your influence or example. Beware
how, after having instigated them to vow unto the Lord, you
tempt them to forget and violate their vows. Rather take
occasion from the confirmation of your children to look back
upon your own conduct, and to see how you have kept your
own vows. Do not imagine that a lapse of years can make
any difference in your obligations to serve the Lord, or that,
because you have forgotten your vows, God has forgot them
too : they are all written in the book of his remembrance ; and
every word which we have addressed to the young people in
reference to this matter, is applicable to you ; yea, to you it
applies with double force, because your more advanced age
qualifies you so much better to see and follow the path of
duty. I call upon you then to watch over your children, and
to promote, by every possible means, their progress in the
divine life. Encourage them to read the Scriptures diligently,
to give themselves much to meditation and prayer, and to
commence in earnest that race, which must be run by all
who would obtain the prize.]
DCCCXXXIII.
THE HOUSE OF MOURNING TO BE PREFERRED.
Eccl. vii. 4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning ;
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
IN order to learn what loss we have sustained in
our intellectual powers through the introduction of sin
into the world, it is not necessary for us to investigate
the mysteries of our holy religion, which exceed the
comprehension of any finite intelligence : we need
only look to the ethics that are revealed to us in God s
blessed word ; and we shall see, even in them, that
darkness has veiled the human mind, and there is an
utter contrariety between the sentiments of fallen man
and the plainest declarations of Almighty God. Take,
for instance, the declarations which precede my text :
" The day of death is better than the day of one s
birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning,
than to go to the house of feasting :" and " sorrow is
better than laughter." Will any one say that these
apophthegms are agreeable to the general appre-
833.] THE HOUSE OF MOURNING TO BE PREFERRED. 351
hension of mankind ? Is there not, on the contrary,
something in them extremely paradoxical, and, at first
sight, almost absurd ? Yet are these sentiments un
questionably true, as are those also which my text
records : " The heart of the wise is in the house of
mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house
of mirth."
It shall be my endeavour,
I. To confirm these different positions-
It is not Solomon s intention to say, that a wise man
can never go to the house of mirth, any more than
that a fool may not sometimes go to the house of
mourning. The question is not, To which of the
places these different characters may occasionally go ;
but, To which of them their " hearts" are inclined.
Let us then inquire,
1. Where is the heart of the wise ?
[We hesitate not to say, that a man who is taught of
God, and made wise unto salvation, has " his heart in the
house of mourning ;" and that for the following reasons :
First, because he there learns the most invaluable lessons.
Tli ere he sees what is the lot of fallen man ; " He is born to
trouble, as the sparks fly upward." He sees, also, what may
speedily become his own lot ; for " he knows not what a day
or an hour may bring forth." He sees how vain and empty are
all earthly things ; in that not all the wealth or honour that
ever was possessed by man can either avert calamity, or assuage
the pain arising from it. Above all, he sees the excellence of
true religion, which can apply a balm to every wound, and
turn tribulation itself into an occasion for joy a .
Next, his heart is in the house of mourning, because there he
has scope for the exercise of the finest feelings of his soul. There
is compassion excited towards his suffering fellow-creature,
and sympathy with him in his afflictions. True, these feelings
are in some respects painful : but there is in them something
so exquisite and refined, that they afford, if I may so speak,
the sublimest pleasure of which the human mind is capable ;
and assimilate us, in a very eminent degree, to our God and
Saviour, who " is touched with the feeling of our infirmities 1 ,"
and "in all our afflictions is himself afflicted ." Nor can the
sufferings of a fellow-creature be seen without exciting in our
Bosoms thanksgivings to God, who has been pleased to withhold
a Rom. v. 3. b Ilcb. iv. 15. c Isai. Ixiii. 9.
352 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 4. [833.
his chastening rod from us, and to make us his honoured
instruments of imparting comfort to our afflicted brethren.
This also, though not attended with any ebullition of joy, is
a very sublime and delightful feeling ; not unlike to that of
Joseph, when his bowels yearned upon his brother Benjamin,
and a prospect was opened to him of making his own advance
ment an occasion of benefit to his whole family : " He made
haste, and sought where to weep ; and entered into his cham
ber, and wept there d ."
A still further reason why his heart is in the house of
mourning is, that there he meets, and enjoys, and honours God.
God has said, that " he meeteth those who rejoice in working
righteousness 6 ." And, truly, he fulfils this word in a more
especial manner to those who abound in works of mercy, be
cause he considers himself as the object of that love, wherever
it be exercised, and in whatsoever it be employed f . I will
appeal to those who have frequented the house of mourning,
whether they have not often found God more present with
them there, than even in their own chamber. In truth, God
is honoured there with more than common tributes of ac
knowledgment. There is he referred to as the All-wise Dis
poser of all events, and as the gracious Father that corrects
only in love and for his people s good. There, too, is he set
forth in all his glorious perfections, and especially in all the
wonders of redeeming love : and there is he invariably set
forth as the author of the very good which is at that hour
dispensed to the troubled soul ; so that the creature, his in
strument, is overlooked, and he alone is glorified.
Say then, Brethren, whether here be not ample reason for
the preference shewn to " the house of mourning:" and whe
ther he be not truly wise, "vyhose heart has dictated such a
choice as this ?
In contrast with this, we ask,]
2. Where is the heart of the fool ?
[It is " in the house of mirth." And why? One reason
is, that there he is enabled to forget himself. Men do not like
to reflect upon their own state before God: and they account
any thing desirable, which can dispel unwelcome thoughts, and
furnish a pleasing occupation for their minds. Hence it is that
all places of amusement are so thronged : and even the house
of God is made to administer to our satisfaction ; the irksome-
ness of prayer being rendered tolerable by the fascinations of
music, and the charms of eloquence. Hence, too, every one
who can devise a new expedient for preventing time from
hanging heavy on our hands, will be sure to gain our patronage,
and be welcomed and rewarded as a public benefactor.
11 Gen. xliii. 29, 30. e Isai. Ixiv. 5. f Matt. xxv. 35, 30.
833.] THE HOUSE OF MOURNING TO BE PREFERRED. 353
Another reason is, that the fool there finds what is most gra
tifying to his corrupt taste. One has an appetite for conviviality
and licentiousness : another affects the more decent gratifica
tions of music, and dancing, and such like : another, more
elevated in the scale of being, desires rather the intellectual
and refined pleasures of science and philosophy. But each is
an epicure in his way ; and, though their pursuits be different,
each in his own line is as insatiable as the other. He is never
weary of his favourite pursuit. He desires to be amused ; and
makes the gratification of his own particular taste the end of
all his studies and pursuits. In a word, he lives only to have his
own taste gratified, and to administer to the gratification of those
who are like-minded with himself: and wherever he can attain
these ends, there his heart is, and there his most select abode.
But there is yet another reason for his preference ; and that
is, that "in the house of mirth" he finds himself countenanced
in his neglect of God. Every man has a secret consciousness
that he ought to seek after God in the first place, and to post
pone to that every other duty and enjoyment. But when he
sees others as remiss in this duty as himself, he comforts him
self with the thought, that he is no worse than others ; and
with the hope, that God will never mark with his displeasure
what is so generally regarded as innocent and inoffensive. At
all events, he finds nothing to reproach him there. " In a
house of mourning" he would see many things repugnant to his
habits; for even a fool there puts on, for the time, the semblance
of wisdom ; and assents to the truth, that the care of the soul
is the one thing needful. But " in the house of mirth," all that
he either hears or sees bids him to be of good courage, and not
to question for a moment the approbation of his Judge.]
I think that the positions in my text are now made
sufficiently clear ; so that we may with propriety
proceed,
II. To point out their bearing on the Christian s life
and conversation
These principles may doubtless be pressed too far:
and they are then carried to excess, when they are
regarded as prohibiting all friendly intercourse with
the ungodly world : for our blessed Saviour himself
honoured with his company a wedding feast, and a
feast, too, that was provided for him by an ignorant
and unhumbled Pharisee. But, taking these different
positions with such a latitude as both reason and
Scripture will fairly admit, the least that we should
learn from them is,
VOL. VI I. A A
351 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 4. [833.
1. To be on our guard against acquiescing too
easily in popular opinions
[From the positions which we have just considered, the
carnal mind revolts. Yet, not only are these positions con
firmed by our blessed Lord, but they are expressed by him in
far stronger terms than by Solomon himself. " Blessed are ye
poor : blessed are ye that hunger now : blessed are ye that
weep now : blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when
they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach
you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man s sake.
But woe unto you that are rich : woe unto you that are full :
woe unto you that laugh now : woe unto you when all men
shall speak well of you g ." It is obvious that light and dark
ness are scarcely more opposite than these declarations are to
the sentiments and habits of the world at large. But are we
therefore to question the truth of them, or to refuse submission
to them ? No : we are to regard the Scriptures as the only
authorized standard of opinion ; and to them must our senti
ments be conformed. Even if the whole world combine to
reprobate what the Scriptures enjoin, we must not be deterred
from following what God prescribes ; but must boldly say,
" Let God be true, but every man a liar h ."]
2. To take eternity into our estimate of present
things
[In the passage just cited from the Sermon on the Mount,
we see that every declaration of our blessed Lord is founded
on the aspect which our present state has upon the eternal
world. And I would ask, What would the Rich Man and La
zarus now think of the condition in which they were severally
placed when in this lower world ? Would carnal mirth be com
mended by the one, or temporal distress be deprecated by the
other, in such terms as the spectators of their widely different
condition were once wont to use respecting them ? Methinks
the enjoyments and sufferings of time would be deemed by
them scarcely worthy of a thought ; and eternity would swallow
up every other consideration. And so it will be with us, ere
long. Indeed, even at this present moment, every man s con
science bears witness to this truth, however in the habits of his
life he may contradict it. I cannot therefore but entreat all
to consider what will be their views of present things, when
they shall have left this transient scene ; and to regulate their
judgment now by what they believe to be the uniform tenour of
God s word, and the full conviction of every creature, whether
in heaven or in hell.]
8 Luke vi. 20 20. h Rom. iii. 4.
833.1 THE HOUSE OF MOURNING TO BE PREFERRED. 355
3. To examine well the tendencies and inclinations
of our hearts
[In the prospect of death and judgment, men may be led
to adopt sentiments which they do not cordially approve, and
to follow a conduct in which they have no delight. I ask not,
then, what you either say or do under such circumstances. I
ask not whether you put a force upon your inclinations, ab
staining from indulgences in which you would be glad to
revel, and performing services from which you would gladly be
excused: I ask, What are the pursuits which your heart affects?
What is your real and predominant taste ? and what is the
employment in which you chiefly delight ? I need not say
what would be the taste of an angel, if he were sent to sojourn
here ; nor need I tell you what was the taste of our blessed
Saviour and his holy Apostles : of these things no one of you
can entertain a doubt. This, then, I say, Seek now to be,
what ere long you will wish you had been : seek to be in heart,
what you are bound to be in act. It is by the inward dis
positions of your souls that you will be judged in the last day.
What if, like Doeg, you were " detained before the Lord," if
yet you had no pleasure in the service of your God ? Would
your worship be pleasing and acceptable to God ? No ; " your
heart must be right with him," if you would either please him
here, or be accepted of him hereafter. To every one of you,
therefore, I say, Inquire not where your bodies are, but where
your hearts ; " for as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he 1 ."]
4. To conform ourselves to the suggestions offered
in our text
[Let not any one think them too strong, or that the con
duct which they recommend is too self-denying. I have already
shewn, that the same things are spoken by Christ himself; and
I must further observe, that the whole tenour of God s blessed
word suggests and enjoins the same. " Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world : if any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him : for all that is in
the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world k ." What
is there " in the house of mirth " which is not here proscribed?
Again : " God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom (or by which) the world is
crucified unto me, and I unto the world 1 ." Think at how low
a rate the world esteems an object that is crucified, and a man,
in the very article of death upon a cross, affects all that the
world could give him. Surely, if these and other passages of
the same tendency be duly weighed, there -will be no difficulty
J Prov. xxiii. 7. k 1 John ii. 15, 16. > Gal. vi. 14.
A A 2
356 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 10. [834.
in apprehending the true import of my text, nor any doubt
upon our minds, which of the two objects before us should be
preferred. Let this preference, then, be seen in the whole of
of our life and conversation. I say not, that we should never
c/o to " the house of mirth ;" but only that, our heart should
not be there ; and that, if called there by any peculiar occur
rence, we should go, not as those that would be at home there,
but as physicians to a hospital, where they desire to do all the
good they can, but are glad to come away again, and to breathe
a purer atmosphere.
Well do I know that it is not in the power of all to visit
the abodes of misery, and to spend their time in administering
to the necessities of the poor. But, where these offices can be
performed consistently with the duties of our own peculiar
sphere, they are most pleasing in the sight of God, and not a
little profitable to our own souls m - But those who can
not embark to any extent in the office of visiting the afflicted,
may yet facilitate the execution of it in others by their liberal
contributions 11 And if, from the peculiarity of our
engagements, we are so circumstanced that we cannot per
sonally frequent " the house of mourning," let us at least shew
that our hearts are there; and that we have no occupation more
congenial with our minds, than to " rejoice with them that
rejoice, and weep with them that weep."]
m If this were preached in behalf of a Benevolent Society, an
appeal might here be made to those engaged in it, whether they have
not experienced the truth of Prov. xi. 25. and Isai. Ivii. 10, 11.
n Here, whether the Institution be of a public or private nature, a
statement maybe made of the methods pursued, and of the good done.
DCCCXXXIV.
CONTENTMENT RECOMMENDED.
Eccl. vii. 10. Say not thou, What is the cause that the former
days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely
concerning this.
IN the writings of Solomon we find many maxims,
which, if uttered by an uninspired man, would be con
troverted ; but to which, as suggested by inspiration
from God, we submit without gainsaying. That which
is delivered in the passage before us does not, at first
sight, carry its own evidence along with it : but the
more it is investigated, the more will it appear to be a
dictate of sound wisdom, and worthy of universal accep
tation. That we may derive from it the full benefit
which it is calculated to impart, let us consider,
834.] CONTENTMENT RECOMMENDED. 357
I. What is the inquiry which is here discouraged-
It is not every comparison of existing circumstances
with the past, that is here reprobated
[In many situations we may, with the utmost propriety,
institute an inquiry into the reasons of any change which may
have taken place. A man, in relation to his own temporal con
cerns, would be very unwise if he neglected to do so. Suppose,
for instance, his business, which was formerly in a very pro
sperous state, have failed, can we condemn him for inquiring
into the occasion of that failure ? Should we not think him
worthy of severe blame, if he did not labour to find out the
cause of this change in his circumstances ; in order, if possible,
to apply a remedy before it was too late ? Nor is all
inquiry precluded in relation to the concerns of the nation. If
there have been a plain and visible decline in the national
prosperity, all who are affected by it are entitled, with mo
desty, to inquire whence that decline has arisen ; and to
express to those who are in authority their sentiments respect
ing it ; and to point out what they conceive to be the most
judicious and effectual means of remedying the existing evils
In reference to the concerns of the soul, to neglect
such inquiries would be the height of folly and wickedness.
Suppose a person to have formerly walked with God, and
experienced much of His presence in his soul, and now to
have become destitute of all spiritual life and comfort ; should
not he ask, " Wherefore were the former days better than
these ? " Yes : to examine into this matter is his bounden
duty. The Apostle says, " Let a man examine himself:" and
the Lord Jesus counsels the Ephesian Church, " when they
had left their first love, to remember from whence they had
fallen, and to repent, and do their first works a ." So that it is
clear, that the prohibition respecting such inquiries is not uni
versal, but must be limited to such occasions as Solomon had
more especially in view.]
The comparisons which are here discouraged, are
those which are the mere effusions of discontent-
fin every age, discontented men have been forward to
make this inquiry ; " What is the cause that the former days
were better than these ? " They make no endeavour to ascer
tain the correctness of their sentiments; but, taking for granted
that they are right, they demand the reason of so strange a
phenomenon. Now it is a curious fact, that this is the habit
of discontented men in every age. Those who are now advanced
in life, can remember, that, in their early days, the very same
clamour was made by discontented men as at this hour : and,
a Rev. ii. 5.
3o8 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 10. [834.
if we go back to every preceding generation, \ve shall find the
same complaints respecting the deterioration of the times : but
we shall never arrive at that time, when the people confessed
themselves to be in that exalted state in which our imaginations
place them. Certainly, if ever there was a time and a place that
might be specified as that happy aera when there was no occa
sion for complaint, it was the state of the Jews in the days of
Solomon : for, in respect of peace and prosperity, there never
was a nation to be compared with the Jews at that time. Yet,
behold, it was at that time, and under those circumstances, that
the reproof was given : " Say not thou, What is the cause that
the former times were better than these?" Hence, then, we
see what is the inquiry which Solomon discourages : it is that
which has no just foundation, and which is the offspring of
spleen and discontent.]
These distinctions being duly adverted to, we are
prepared to see,
II. Why the making of it is unwise
I will assign two reasons : it is unwise, because,
1. It is erroneous in its origin-
fit is not true that former times, on a large and extended
scale, were better than these. Improvements may have been
made in some respects, and matters may have been deterio
rated in others; or particular persons and places may be in less
favourable circumstances now than formerly : but times have
been much alike in all ages. There is in every situation a
mixture of good and evil. To every man this is a chequered
scene. There are no people loaded with unqualified good ;
nor are there any oppressed with unmitigated evil. But men
know of former times only by report, and by very partial
report too : whereas, existing circumstances they know by
actual experience ; and they are more observant of one evil,
than of a hundred blessings.
In relation to our own times and country, the very reverse
of what is here assumed is true. Never did the nation stand
higher amidst the nations than at this day b . Never was civil
liberty held more sacred, or better regulated for the good of
the community. Never did religion flourish in a greater extent.
Never was there such a combination of all ranks and orders
of men to diffuse religion and happiness over the face of the
earth. Never were the wants and necessities of human nature
provided for in such a variety of forms. There is not a trouble
to which humanity is exposed, but societies are formed to pre
vent or to alleviate its pressure. Never were the blessings of
education so widely diffused. In a word, such is the increase
" In 1822.
834.] CONTENTMENT RECOMMENDED. 359
of all that is good amongst us, and such the efforts making to
extend it over the face of the whole earth, that, instead of look
ing to former times as better than our own, we may rather hail
the approach of the millennial period, when the Messiah him
self shall reign, and diffuse peace and happiness over the face
of the whole earth.]
2. It is pernicious in its tendency
[What is the tendency of this inquiry, but to hide from
our eyes the blessings ive enjoy, to magnify in our minds the
evils we endure, and to render us dissatisfied even with God
himself? It is notorious, that they who are most clamorous
about the comparative excellence of former times, pass over all
our present mercies as unworthy of notice. Nothing has any
attraction for them, but some real or supposed evil. And their
aim is, to diffuse the same malignant feeling throughout the
whole community. And, though in their own immediate purpose
they do not intend to complain of God himself, they do so in
effect : for it is his providence that they arraign, and his dis
pensations that they criminate . " There is not evil in the
city, any more than good, but God is the doer of it d :" and it
were far more likely to be rectified through personal humilia
tion before him, than by intemperate and factious clamours
against his instruments. In the midst of such complaints there
is not a word to call forth gratitude to God, or even submis
sion to his holy will. There is no recollection of our ill deserts,
no admiration of God s tender mercies, no encouragement to
praise and thanksgiving. Nothing but murmuring is uttered,
nothing but discontent is diffused. Whether, therefore, men
consider their own happiness, or the happiness of the commu
nity, they will do well to abstain from this invidious inquiry ;
or, if at any time they feel disposed to make it, to ascertain, in
the first instance, that the grounds of their inquiry are just.]
A word of ADVICE shall close the present subject
1. Instead of complaining of the times, let us all
endeavour to make them better
[Much is in our power, for the improvement of the worst
of times. It must be expected, in this distempered world, that
troubles of some kind or other will arise : they cannot be wholly
averted from individuals, or families, or nations. But, if all
ranks of the community would unite, as they might well
do, to lighten the burthens of each other, and to contribute,
according to their respective abilities, to the happiness of the
community, we should have little occasion to complain of pre
sent times, and none at all to institute invidious comparisons
with former times.]
c Excel, xvi. 7. Numb. xiv. 27. d Amos iii. C.
300 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 12. [835.
2. Let us seek that which will render all times and
seasons happy
[Religion is a cure and antidote to every ill, whether of a
public or private nature. Amongst those who were endued with
piety in the Apostolic age, you find none who were " murmurers
and complainers." Their habit of mind is better expressed by
those words of the Apostle, " I have learned, in whatsoever
state I am, therewith to be content. I know how to be abased,
and I know how to abound : everywhere, and in all things, I
am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to
abound and to suffer need 6 ." Having tasted of redeeming love,
they are become comparatively indifferent to every thing else.
Whatever they possess, they account an undeserved mercy :
whatever they want, they regard as scarcely worthy of a thought.
They know that " all things shall eventually work together for
their good." " They are hid, in the secret of their Saviour s
presence, from the strife of tongues: and whilst the minds of
others are agitated with violent and malignant passions, theirs
are " kept in perfect peace." This, then, I would earnestly
recommend to you : Let your first concern be about your own
souls. Seek for reconciliation with your offended God ; and
endeavour to walk in the light of his countenance. Then,
whatever others may do, you may look forward to better times,
when all troubles shall have fled away, and your happiness be
unalloyed in the bosom of your God.]
" Phil. iv. 11, 12.
DCCCXXXV.
THE EXCELLENCY OF SPIRITUAL WISDOM.
Eccl. vii. 12. Wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence : but
the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them
that have it.
TO have our minds well regulated in reference to
religion, is most desirable. There is, in reality, no
discordance between the duties which we owe to God
and to man; or between our callings as men, and
our callings as Christians. The things which relate
to this world demand our attention, as well as those
which relate to a future state. If, on the one hand,
our worldly pursuits ought not to thrust out religion;
so neither, on the other hand, should our pursuit of
heavenly things lead us to neglect any part of our
worldly occupations. God has said, " Six days shalt
thou labour; but the seventh day thou shalt keep
835.] THE EXCELLENCY OF SPIRITUAL WISDOM. 361
holy to the Lord." This shews, that we then only
perform our duty aright, when we comprehend in
our daily services a well-regulated devotion to the
concerns of time, and to the interests of eternity. The
two great objects of general pursuit are, " wisdom,
and money." The one is followed only by a select
portion of the community ; the other is sought by all ;
but, whichever of the two any man affects, provided
he give to heavenly pursuits the chief place, he does
right to prosecute it with zeal and diligence ; being
" not slothful in business, and yet fervent in spirit,
serving the Lord 3 ." This combination of duties is
spoken of in our text : for the elucidation of which, I
will shew,
I. The excellency of wisdom above riches
We are here told, that both wisdom and money are
good in their place
[Both the one and the other of these are " a defence," or,
as the word imports, " a shadow." Now, as a shadow affords
to persons a protection from the heat of the solar rays, so do
wisdom and money screen him from many of the calamities of
life ; and afford to him many sources of enjoyment, of which
those who are not possessed of them are deprived. Money will
enable a person to choose his employment in life, whilst the
most menial and painful offices are left for those who are not
able to choose for themselves. It provides also many com
forts, to which the poor are altogether strangers. In a time
of sickness, especially, its use is felt : for, by means of it its pos
sessors often obtain relief, for the want of which their poor
neighbours are left to sink. So wisdom also brings with it very
extensive benefits, in that it elevates the character, and qualifies
a man for stations, to which, from birth, he was not entitled to
aspire. It provides, also, good occupation for the mind ; so
that a man possessed of it is never less alone than when alone.
Thus it protects him from that state of degradation to which
many, for want of it, are reduced; and from that listlessness
which induces persons of an uncultivated mind to betake them
selves to some evil employment for the sole purpose of getting
rid of time.
True, indeed, neither wisdom nor money can protect us from
every evil : disease or accident may assault one person as well
as another : nor can they afford entire protection under any
circumstances, any more than a shadow can altogether remove
a Rom. xii. 11.
362 ECCLESIASTES, VJI. 12. [835.
the heat of the atmosphere. But, as a shadow, they may screen
us from much evil, and alleviate many pains which they cannot
entirely ward off.]
But wisdom has an excellency far above money
[Wisdom is more our own than money, which soon " makes
itself wings and flies away." In many respects, also, has it a
tendency to promote our welfare in life, beyond money. Riches
rather contract the mind than enlarge it ; whereas wisdom
expands the mind, and dispels that conceit and insolence which
characterize a purse-proud man. Money, too, when not com
bined with wisdom, leads a man into every species of dissipation
and folly, and opens to him temptations to every kind of sensual
indulgence. But wisdom provides for his mind such occupations
as place him at a distance from temptation, and especially when
his facilities for profuse expenditure are on a contracted scale.
And thus the man of wisdom moves in a far safer and happier
sphere ; his pleasures being more refined, and his employments
more innocent. I may further observe, that riches render us
a prey to designing men ; and subject us to many vexations,
to which less opulent persons are but little exposed : whereas
wisdom holds not forth any such baits to dishonest and designing
men ; who, if not disposed to join with us in our pursuits, will
leave us, without interruption, to prosecute our own. Nor is
it the least excellence of wisdom that it induces thoughtful
habits, which are favourable to sobriety, to meditation, and to a
candid investigation of conflicting interests: whilst money rather
tends to dissipate thought, and to fix the mind only on pre
sent indulgences. In a word, money, without wisdom, tends
to the destruction of life ; whereas wisdom, freed from the temp
tations of wealth, tends rather to the preservation of life, and to
the securing of that equanimity which, to a worldly man, is
the main source of comfort in the world.]
Whilst we thus acknowledge that both wisdom and
money have, though in different degrees, their re
spective excellencies, we are constrained to maintain.,
II. The excellence of spiritual wisdom above them
both
The benefit ascribed to wisdom in the latter clause
of my text necessarily leads our thoughts to a dif
ferent kind of wisdom from that which is mentioned
in the former clause. And we find the same distinction
made by the Prophet Jeremiah : " Let not the wise
man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man
glory in his might : let not the rich man glory in his
riches : but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he
835.] THE EXCELLENCY OF SPIRITUAL WISDOM. 363
understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord,
which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and right
eousness in the earth V Here is a spiritual wisdom
spoken of, which infinitely exceeds all that the wisest
or richest of unenlightened men can possess. To
make this clear, let it be remembered,
1. A man may possess all the wisdom and all the
riches of the world, and yet be dead: but the smallest
measure of spiritual wisdom " giveth life to them that
have it"
[The manna which God gave by Moses to the Israelites
in the wilderness supported life, but could not give it : whereas
our Lord and Saviour, whom that manna typified, gives life to
all who believe on him c . Now spiritual wisdom consists in the
knowledge of Christ; as Christ himself has said, " This is life
eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ
whom thou hast sent d ." And if we be but " babes in Christ,"
still " have we passed from death unto life," and " are become
new creatures in Christ Jesus e ."]
2. Wisdom and riches too frequently lead men
to self-confidence and creature-dependence ; whereas
spiritual wisdom invariably humbles the soul, and
leads it to seek its all in Christ
[A life of faith upon the Son of God is the very essence
of all spiritual wisdom f ]
3. By carnal wisdom, and by wealth, men are often
betrayed into a contempt of all religion ; whereas spiri
tual wisdom brings with it such a love to religion as
gradually transforms the soul into the divine image
[Yes, in truth, faith, if genuine, will "purify the heart 8 ;"
and " he that hath a hope in Christ will purify himself, even
as he is pure h " ]
4. A man possessing wisdom and riches in their
utmost extent, may perish ; but a man that is wise
towards God, is made " wise unto salvation i "-
[Hence it was that St. Paul, who in his unconverted state
possessed a very abundant measure of these earthly talents,
" considered them all but as dross and dung, in comparison of
the excellency of the knowledge of Christ V And hence
b Jer. ix. 23, 24. c John vi. 47 51. d John xvii. 3.
e 2 Cor. v. 17. f Gal. ii. 20. e Acts xv. 9.
h 1 John iii. 3. j 2 Tim. iii. 15. k Phil. iii. 7, 8.
364 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 12. [835.
Moses, also, who had attained all the learning of the Egyptians,
and was next in power to the king upon the throne, regarded
it all as unworthy of a thought, not only for the crown of
Christ, but in comparison of his cross; "esteeming the re
proach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt 1 ."
Yes, spiritual wisdom " has the promise of the life that now
is, and of that which is to come m :" and fully merits that high
encomium which the wisest of men has bestowed upon it"
" Whoso findeth it, findeth life, and shall to all eter
nity obtain favour of the Lord ."]
Let us then LEARN,
1 . To form a correct estimate of all that is before us
[Earthly things are not to be despised. Religious persons
just emerging from darkness unto light, are apt to pour con
tempt on wealth as if it were good for nothing, and greatly
also to undervalue even intellectual attainments. But we
should give to every thing its due. Even to money are we
indebted for numberless comforts, and to wisdom for much
more ; because to men s progress in science we owe those very
things which money enables us to procure. Doubtless, in
comparison of spiritual attainments, those which have respect
only to the things of time and sense are of but little value.
We may say of the moon and stars, that they are of small
utility to us in comparison of the sun : but this does not ren
der them of no value in themselves. The heavenly bodies
possess great beauty and utility, notwithstanding they are
eclipsed by the sun : and the true way to judge of their value
to us is, to consider how painful the loss of them would be.
So, whilst to heavenly things we ascribe, as we ought to do, a
paramount importance, let us remember, that, for the purposes
of this life at least, those things which are mainly regarded by
the unregenerate, are, in their place, deserving also the atten
tion of the godly. We may say of them, as our blessed Lord
does of some other things of subordinate importance, " These
things ought ye to do, and not to leave the other undone."]
2. To seek every thing according to its real im
portance
[When it is said, " Labour not for the meat that perisheth,
but for that which endureth unto everlasting life, we are not
to take the expressions absolutely, but only comparatively ;
exactly as when it is said, " I will have mercy, and not sacri
fice." T say, then, to those who are engaged in worldly busi
ness, Follow it diligently : and to those who are prosecuting
1 Heb. xi. 26. m 1 Tim. iv. 8.
n Prov. iii. 13 18. Prov. viii. 35.
836. J AGAINST AN OVER-RIGHTEOUS SPIRIT. 365
any department of science, Strive to excel in it : " Whatever
your hand findeth to do, do it with all your might P." The
point on which I would entertain a jealousy is, " the placing
of your affections on any thing here below ; for they are to be
reserved exclusively for things above q ." But I am aware that
there is great reason for caution on this head. I well know
how easy it is to enter with zeal into earthly pursuits ; and
how difficult to maintain the same ardour in the prosecution of
heavenly things. Let me then remind you, that, whatever im
portance you may assign to the things of time and sense, they
have no real importance, by reason of the superior importance
of the things which are spiritual and eternal. These must
occupy the whole soul, and engage all its powers. We must
" run as in a race ;" and " strive as for the mastery ;" and
" fight " as for our very lives : and we may rest assured, that
the crown of victory that shall be awarded to us, will recom
pense all the labours we have endured, in the prosecution of
our duty, and in the service of our God.]
P Eccl. ix. 10. i Col. iii. 2.
DCCCXXXVI.
AGAINST AN OVER-RIGHTEOUS SPIRIT.
Eccles. vii. 16. Be not righteous overmuch.
THIS is the sheet-anchor of ungodly men. They
hate to see a zeal for God, and therefore endeavour
to repress it. From the days of Cain to this hour,
they who have been born after the flesh, have per
secuted those who have been born after the Spirit 3 .
And when they find that neither contempt nor threat-
enings will avail any thing, they will venture, as Satan
before them did b , to draw their weapons from the
very armoury of God.
It must be confessed, that the sense of this passage
is not obvious at first sight ; and it has been variously
interpreted by commentators. Some have thought it
to be the speech of an infidel recommending Solomon,
in reply to his observation in the preceding verse, to
avoid an excess either in religion or in vice. But it
is evidently a serious admonition given by Solomon
himself. In ver. 15. he mentions two things which
had appeared strange to him, namely, Many righteous
Gal. iv. 29. b Matt. iv. 6.
366 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 16. [836.
people suffering even unto death for righteousness
sake ; and, many wicked people, whose lives were
justly forfeited, eluding, either through force or fraud,
the punishment they deserved. From hence he takes
occasion to caution both the righteous and the wicked ;
the righteous, ver. 16, not to bring trouble on them
selves by an injudicious way of manifesting their
religion, or to " suffer as evil-doers;" and the wicked,
ver. 17, not to presume upon always escaping with
impunity; for that justice will sooner or later surely
overtake them. He then recommends to both of them
to pay strict attention to the advice given them, and
to cultivate the true fear of God, ver. 18, as the best
preservative against wickedness on the one hand, and
indiscretion on the other.
This being the sense of the whole passage, we pro
ceed to the consideration of the text ; in illustrating
which we shall,
I. Explain the caution
The misconstruction put upon the text renders it
necessary to explain,
1. To what the caution does not extend
[Solomon certainly never intended to caution us against
loving God too much; seeing that we are commanded to " love
him with all our heart, and mind, and soul, and strength :"
nor against serving the Lord Jesus Christ too much ; since he
" died for us, that we might live to him d ;" and we should be
" willing to be bound or even to die for his sake 6 :" nor against
too much purity of heart ; for we are required to purity our
selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit f , yea, to purify
ourselves even as he is pure g Nor could he mean to
caution us against too much deadness to the icorld; for, pro
vided ice conscientiously fulfil the diitics of our station, we
cannot be too much " crucified to the world 11 ;" we should no
more be of the world than Christ himself was 1 . Nor, lastly,
did he intend to warn us against too much compassion for
soids ; for, provided our mode of manifesting that compassion
be discreet, it would be well if our " head were waters, and
our eyes a fountain of tears, to weep for the ungodly day and
night k ." These indeed are things in which the world does not
c Mark xii. 30. d 2 Cor. v. 15. e Acts xxi. 13. Luke xiv. 26.
f 2 Cor. vii. 1. el John iii. 3. h Gal. vi. 14.
1 John xvii. 14, 16. k Jer. ix. 1.
836.] AGAINST AN OVER-RIGHTEOUS SPIRIT. 367
wish to see us much occupied; they would rather that we
should put our light under a bushel. But no inspired writer
would ever caution us against excess in such things as these.
St. Paul makes the proper distinction between the regard
which we should shew to carnal and to spiritual objects : " Be
not drunk with wine, wherein is excess ; but be filled with the
Spirit;" because therein is no possibility of excess 1 .]
2. To what the caution does extend
[An intemperate zeal appears to be the principal thing
against which the text is levelled. Too high a conceit of our
own wisdom, a hasty persuasion that we are right, and an in
discreet method of fulfilling what we suppose to be our duty,
may be found in persons who really mean well. Two apostles,
from zeal for their Master, would have called fire from heaven
to consume a village that had refused him admission 111 ; and a
third defended his Master wdth a sword, to the endangering
of his own life, and to the dishonour of the cause he had
espoused". Thus do many at this day contend for the truth
in private in an unbecoming spirit, and go forth to propagate
it in public to the neglect of their proper duty, and the injury
of the Christian cause . A blind superstition may also be fitly
comprehended in the caution. This obtained in a very great
degree among the judaizing Christians ; and still prevails over
a great part of the Christian world ; would to God we could
except even Protestants themselves from the charge ! How
often do we see a most rigorous regard paid to rites that are
of human invention, whilst the true spirit and temper of Chris
tianity is sadly neglected ! Alas ! what fiery and fatal con
tentions have arisen from this source ! There is a needless
scrupulosity also which ought to be avoided. What schisms
has this occasioned in the Church, when, on account of one
or two things, in which they could not agree, men have rent
the seamless robe of Christ into a thousand pieces ! What
injury have men done to their bodies by penances of man s
device ! What trouble and perplexity have they also brought
upon their souls by rash vows, and foolish impositions ! Such
was the spirit against which St. Paul guarded the Christians
at Colosse p . And Solomon s caution against the same will be
useful in every age and place. A self-justifying dependence on
our own works is nearly allied to the foregoing evils, and is
thought by some to be the more immediate object of Solo
mon s censure. But if we allow it not the first place, we may
very properly mention it as another mistaken method of dis
playing our righteousness. Every person is prone to it ; and
1 Eph. v. 18. m Lukeix. 54. n John xviii. 10.
1 Cor. vii. 20. P Col. ii. 1823.
368 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 16. [836.
the most upright persons need to be cautioned against it,
because there is not any thing more destructive in its issue. It
deprives us of all the benefit of whatever good we do ; yea, it
makes even the death of Christ of no effect* 1 : we can never
therefore be too strongly guarded against it. We may have
much zeal of this kind : but it is a zeal without knowledge.
Nor is there any salvation for us, unless, like the holy Apostle,
we renounce it utterly r .]
Having explained at large the import of this caution,
we shall,
II. Subjoin some advice
We fear that, however great occasion there may be
to caution sincere people against erroneous methods
of exercising their religion, there is far more occasion
to exhort the world in general to pay some attention
to their duty. Our first advice therefore is,
1. Be truli/ righteous
[They who are most ready to quote the text, are, for the
most part, those who are adverse to the exercise of all religion.
And when they exclaim, Be not righteous over-much, their
meaning is, Be not righteous at all. They would be far better
pleased to see all walking in the broad road, than to be put to
shame by those who are walking in the narrow path. But let
no scoffs keep you from the performance of your duty. If the
world set themselves against religion, let not that deter any
upright soul. Our Lord has taught us to expect that our
" greatest foes would be those of our own household." Let us
not be discouraged if we find it so. Let our inquiry be, What
is duty? and, having found that, let nothing turn us aside.
Let us not be satisfied with the degree of righteousness which
the world approves. Let us examine the Scripture to see what
God requires. Let us see how the saints of old served God ;
and let us labour in every thing to " do his will on earth, even
as it is done in heaven." This is a conduct which will tend,
not to our destruction, but salvation. To act otherwise will
issue in our ruin ; since " Whosoever doth not righteousness
is not of God s ." But to walk after this rule is to ensure pre
sent and everlasting peace.]
2. Be wisely righteous
[" It is good to be zealously affected always in a good
thing ;" and to " maintain a conscience void of offence towards
both God and man." But we are far from recommending a
1 Gal. v. 4. r Phil. iii. 9. s 1 John iii. 10.
836.] AGAINST AN OVER-RIGHTEOUS SPIRIT. 369
wild inconsiderate regard for religion. We ought to exercise
a sound judgment in all things. " I, Wisdom," says Solomon,
" dwell with Prudence 1 ." There is certainly much room for
discretion in the performance of our duty even towards God
himself. We may so reprove a fault as to harden those whom
we endeavour to reclaim, and, by casting pearls before swine,
may cause them to turn again and rend us u . We may exer
cise our Christian liberty so as to cast a stumbling-block before
others, and destroy the souls whose salvation we ought to seek
to the uttermost x . Many things may be " lawful which are
not expedient." We should therefore consult times, persons,
places, things y ; and " walk in wisdom toward them that are
without." Our determination should be, " I will behave my
self wisely in a perfect way 2 ." And our prayer should be,
" O give me understanding in the way of godliness. In
every part of our conduct we should be circumspect, that being
" blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke in
the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, we may shine
among them as lights in the world." Thus should we unite
"the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove a ."
And in so doing we shall both adorn our holy profession, and
" put to silence the ignorance of foolish men."]
3. Be righteous enough
[There is more danger of defect than of excess in this pur
suit. Indeed whereinsoever you are truly righteous it is not
possible to be righteous overmuch. We are to " walk as Christ
himself walked," and to " be perfect even as our Father which
is in heaven is perfect. Have you attained much ? be thankful
for it ; but go forward. If you were as holy as St. Paul him
self, you must " not think you have already attained, or are
already perfect, but, like him, you must forget the things that
are behind, and reach forward unto that which is before, and
press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God
in Christ Jesus." The higher you are in grace, the richer will
you be in glory. Begin then, all of you, to " run the race that
is set before you." The prize is worth all your care. Lose it
not for want of due exertion. But " laying aside every weight,
and the sin that doth most easily beset you, run with patience
your appointed course, looking unto Jesus the author and
finisher of your faith:" and let your constant motto be, "This
one thing I do b ." Endeavour, every step you take, to walk in
the fear of God. This is the advice of Solomon himself : nor
can there be any better preservative against extremes than this.
* Prov. viii. 12. u Matt. vii. 6. x 1 Cor. viii. 11.
y Eccl. viii. 5. z Ps. ci. 2. a Matt. x. 16.
b Phil. iii. 13. vcr. 18.
VOL. VII. B B
370 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 29. [837.
By this you will be kept from the undue bias of fleshly wisdom,
and from consulting with flesh and blood : by this you will be
enabled to maintain your conversation in the world with " sim
plicity and godly sincerity." Cultivate this, and the path of
duty will be clear : cultivate this, and you will never lose the
promised reward.]
DCCCXXXVII.
MAN S ORIGINAL AND PRESENT STATE.
Eccl. vii. 29. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made
man upright ; but they have sought out many inventions.
THE whole scope of this book is, to shew the
vanity of the world, and all things in it. As in the
earth itself there is a visible proof that some great
convulsion has taken place ; so, in every thing that is
passing upon the earth, there is the clearest evidence
imaginable that some great moral change has been
effected : for it cannot possibly be, that the world,
which still bears such innumerable traces of wisdom
and goodness in its first creation, should have pro
ceeded from its Maker s hands in such a state as it now
appears. In fact, the whole world is out of course.
The very elements are, on many occasions, hostile to
man ; and man, in ten thousand instances, is an
enemy to himself, to his species, and to his God. And
" what is thus crooked, who can make straight a ?"
Who can ward off the effects of all this disorder from
his own person or estate ? A monarch is the victim
of it, no less than the meanest of his subjects ; and the
saint, no less than the contemner of all true religion.
To what, then, or to whom, shall we ascribe this state
of things ? The wisest philosophers of Greece and
Rome were unable to account for it. But the Holy
Scriptures inform us, that the whole creation, as
originally formed, was perfect ; but sin, entering into
the world, effected both a natural and a moral change
upon it : so that the man who looks into the Holy
Scriptures can solve every difficulty at once, by saying,
" Lo, this have I found, that God made man upright;
but they have sought out many inventions," and
a ver. 13.
837.3 MAN S ORIGINAL AND PRESENT STATE. ,371
thereby reduced the world, and every thing in it, to
the state of disorganization in which it now appears.
In illustration of my text, I shall be led to notice
both the primitive and the present state of man, and
to shew,
I. His uprightness, as formed by God
We are expressly told, that " God created man after
his own image V When, therefore, man came from
his Creator s hands, he was perfect,
1. In his intellectual faculties
[His mind was light : and in him was no darkness at all,
in reference to any thing which he was concerned to know.
He had a clear knowledge of God, and of his perfections, so
far as those perfections were stamped upon the visible creation.
The wisdom, the goodness, the power of God, were all appre
hended by him, and duly appreciated. He was acquainted
also with his own nature, and his obligations to God ; seeing the
full extent of his duty towards him, as well as all the motives
and inducements which he had for the performance of it. More
over, he saw all these things intuitively, and not by long consi
deration or rational deduction. They were all stamped upon
his very soul, and constantly before his eyes : and he had the
same consciousness of them as he had of his own existence.]
2. In his moral dispositions
[The Law of God was written upon his heart, that he
might know it : and, at the same time, the love of it also was
engraven there, so that he had not the slightest inclination to
violate it in any one particular. It was no difficulty to him to
love God with all his heart and mind and soul and strength: it
was the very element in which he breathed : the bent of his
soul was wholly towards it. Flame did not more naturally ascend
in the atmosphere than did his soul, with all its powers, ascend
to God. Dear as Eve was to him, she did not rival God in his
affections. Every thing was subordinated to his Maker ; nor
was even a thought entertained in his mind, which had not a
direct and immediate tendency to honour him. In a word, he
was to God as the impression to the seal : nor was there found
one lineament upon his heart which had not been stamped
there by God himself.]
Had man continued thus, the whole creation would
have retained its original constitution. But man fell ;
and brought a curse upon the whole world ; every
thing more or less participating in,
b Gen. i. 26, 27. c Gen. iii. 17.
B s2
372 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 29. [837.
II. His obliquity, as deformed by sin-
Man, through the instigation of Satan, desired to be
wise as God himself. Not contented with knowing
"good," he would know " evil" also d ; little thinking
how impossible it was for light and darkness to exist
together. Since that first device, whereby he fell,
he has " sought out many inventions;" whereby to
remedy, if possible, the first evil which he brought
upon himself. Thus his descendants seek,
1 . How to rid themselves of all restraint from God
[They conceive of God, as resident in heaven ; and as so
remote from this vain world, as scarcely to take any notice of
it, or concern himself about it. Besides, from a pretended
regard for his glorious Majesty, they conceive it far beneath
him to notice the affairs of men : so that the language of their
hearts is, " The Lord shall not see, neither will the Almighty
regard it e ." But, as they cannot be certain but that he does
inspect their ways, they endeavour to get at as great a distance
from him as possible. If at any time, by means of the preached
word, or by any remarkable providence, he is brought nigh to
them, they endeavour to shut their eyes, and to flee to any
thing which may assist them in banishing him from their
thoughts. To himself they say in effect, " Depart from us ;
for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways f :" and to his
servants they say, " Make the Holy One of Israel to cease from
before us g ." It was thus that our first parents acted, when
they strove to " hide themselves from God in the midst of the
garden :" and thus do sinners of the present day act, fleeing to
business and pleasure and company, and any thing that may
serve to drive the remembrance of him from their minds. And
he who could contrive any fresh amusement or employ that
should have this effect upon their minds, would be accounted
one of the greatest benefactors of the human race. That which
is, in fact, their heaviest curse, is sought by them as the richest
blessing ; namely, " to be without God in the world h ," and " not
to have him in all their thoughts 1 ."]
2. How to make to themselves gods more suited to
their taste
[Men feel that they must, of necessity, depend on some
thing without them for their happiness, since they have no
perennial source of it within themselves. But Jehovah is not
one in whom they can find delight : hence, as the Israelites
d Gen. iii. 5, 6. e Ps. xciv. 7. f Job xxi. 14, 15.
g Isai. xxx. 11. h Eph. ii. 12. ! Ps. x. 4.
837. J MAN S ORIGINAL AND PRESENT STATE. 373
made a golden calf, and worshipped it, so these make to them
selves objects of supreme regard, to which in heart and mind
they cleave, as sources of satisfaction to their souls. Some, like
the ignorant heathen, bow down to stocks and stones, " and
say, Ye are our gods k :" others, with equal, though less pal
pable, absurdity, set their affections on the pleasures, riches,
and honours of this life, making " a god of their belly V or
putting their confidence in gold m , or " seeking the honour of
man, rather than that which cometh of God only"." These
all, in fact, " forsake the fountain of living waters, and hew out
to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water ."
All, indeed, have not the same pursuit : but all have some " idol
in their hearts?," which is to them a god: and all " will walk
in the name of that god q ," looking to it for happiness, and con
fiding in it for support. This is an " invention," not peculiar
to any age or place : it is " sought out," and carried into effect,
by every child of man ; there not being a natural man upon
the face of the whole earth who does not, in one shape or other,
" worship and serve the creature more than the Creator ; who
is blessed for evermore 1 ."]
3. How to hide from themselves their own de
formity
[One would suppose that the impiety of this conduct should
appear at once to every man who is capable of the least reflec
tion. But men contrive, by various arts, to hide it from them
selves. They, in the first place, determinately " call evil good,
and good evil : they put darkness for light, and light for dark
ness ; bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter B ." Then, not being
able to conceal from themselves that they have committed some
iniquity, they compare themselves, not with the word of God
or with the saints of old, but with persons all around them :
of these, however, they will select for the purpose those only
whom they think not better than themselves : and thus will
they satisfy themselves that they are as good as others. If
there be some particular evils, of which their consciences accuse
them, they will endeavour to find out some good deeds to put
into the opposite scale, and to neutralize the effect of them
upon their minds : or, if they cannot easily do this, they will
satisfy themselves, that, though their actions have been evil,
their intentions have been good ; they have injured nobody but
themselves ; they have good hearts ; and what they have done
amiss, was not so much their own fault, as the fault of human-
nature in general, and of the temptations to which they were
k Hos. xiv. 3. i Phil. iii. 19. In Col. iii. 5. Job xxxi. 24, 25.
n John v. 44. Jer. ii. 13. P Ezek. xiv. 4.
i Mic. iv. 5. r Rom. i. 25. 8 Isai. v. 20.
374 ECCLESIASTES, VII. 29. [837.
exposed, and of the persons who were their associates in ini
quity. Thus, as our iirst parents sought " to hide their naked
ness by fig-leaves*," so do all men by nature strive, by every
device they can think of, to hide from themselves, and from
each other, their real state.]
4. How to persuade themselves that all will issue
well with them at the last
[They will not believe that eternal punishment can ever
be inflicted on persons for such offences as theirs. God is too
merciful to proceed in such a way. And, if he did, what must
become of the whole world? All who die, are considered as
having gone to their rest ; and no one ever once thinks of them
as in a state of misery. Why then should not they, when they
die, go to their rest ? or what reason can they have to appre
hend that any misery awaits them ? But, supposing that God s
threatenings were true, they intend to repent at some con
venient season ; and have no doubt but that a gracious God
will avert his displeasure from them, in answer to their prayer.
It is possible, indeed, that they may be called away suddenly
(as many are), and not have time to realize their good inten
tions : but then the suddenness of their removal will plead their
excuse, and their purposes be accepted as though they had been
performed.
Thus, by means of these inventions which men have sought
out, they are kept in a constant state of delusion ; wearying
themselves in the pursuit of vanities which elude their grasp,
and filling with vexation both themselves and all around them.]
We may SEE from hence,
1. What is the true intent of the Gospel
[The Gospel is to remedy all this evil, and to restore man
to the state of holiness and happiness from which he is fallen.
It is to rectify our views of God, and make us see what a great
and holy and gracious God he is. It is to make him known to
us in the person of his Son, and to fill our souls with admiring
and adoring thoughts of his love. It is to bring us also to the
knowledge of ourselves, as lost and utterly undone ; and to
engage our whole souls in the service of our God, as his right
ful property, his purchased possession.
Beloved Brethren, this is an invention of God ; sought out
by him; planned in his eternal counsels ; and carried into effect
on Mount Calvary: and, if duly received, it will be effectual to
dissipate at once all our " inventions." It will not indeed remove
all the evils that abound in the world : there will yet remain
much that is " crooked, and that cannot be made straight;" but
it will sanctify those evils, and overrule them for our greater
1 Gen. iii. 7.
837. J MAN S ORIGINAL AND PRESENT STATE. 375
good : its operations, however, will be gradual, especially as far
as relates to the restoration of the divine image on our souls.
We shall be " renewed in knowledge, after the image of Him
that created us u :" we shall also be " created, after God s image,
in righteousness and true holiness x :" but then, in both respects,
our light will be progressive, advancing like that of the sun,
from its earliest dawn to its meridian height y . This is the
change which the Gospel has wrought on millions of the human
race : and that Gospel shall yet be found, by every true Be
liever, " the power of God to the salvation of his soul."]
2. How we may know whether it has produced its
due effect upon us
[You have heard what it was intended to do ; namely, to
remove all the obliquity of our fallen nature, and to restore
the uprightness in which we were at first created. These are
therefore the points for you to inquire into, in order to form a
just estimate of your state. Can you say, " I have found this?"
And can you further say, that the delusions, by which the devil
has formerly led you captive, are now dissipated and dispelled ?
Can you declare yet further, that the intellectual and moral
qualities, which man originally possessed, are forming pro
gressively within your souls ? Here are marks which may easily
be discerned ; and which will with great accuracy determine,
not only the truth, but also the measure, of the change that
has taken place within you. Alas ! alas ! on far the greater
part of us, it is to be feared, no such change as this has ever
taken place at all. The greater part of us still live far from
God ; still have our affections fixed on things below ; still are
unhumbled before God; and buoying ourselves up with the
vain hopes of future happiness, though there is no one linea
ment of the divine image formed upon our souls. If this be
the case with you, my Brethren, deceive yourselves no longer;
but " to-day, while it is called to-day, cease to harden your
hearts ;" and begin to seek the mercy which God has offered
you in the Son of his love - If however, after careful
self-examination, you have an evidence of a work of grace upon
your souls, then press forward for the attainment of more grace,
and for a more perfect restoration to the divine image. If you
do this in earnest, then even this present world will be less a
scene of confusion to you than it was in your unconverted state;
and, in the world to come, the glories of Paradise shall be for
ever yours. You shall be admitted into the sweetest intercourse
with your God ; and " be fully like him, because you shall see
him as he is 2 ."]
u Col. iii. 10. * Eph. iv. 24. y Prov. iv. 18.
z 1 John iii. 2.
uTG ECCLESIASTES, VIII. 11. [838.
DCCCXXXVIII.
MAN S ABUSE OF GOD S PATIENCE.
Eccl. viii. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not
executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is
fully set in them to do evil.
SIN is in itself an evil of a crimson dye; neverthe
less its malignity may be greatly increased by the aggra
vations with which it is attended. One can scarcely
conceive any thing that can enhance its guilt so
much,, as the committing of it in hopes that God s
mercy will pardon it. Yet this is the very ground on
which the world indulge themselves in the commission
of it. " Because," &c.
I. The extent of man s wickedness
That sin exists in the world is visible to all ; but
the degree in which it prevails is very little known.
In what way men sin, we may judge from the ex
ceeding depth of colouring which there is in the
picture before us. They sin,
1. Habitually
[All are not equally vicious in their lives, but all forget
God, and neglect their own souls. Successive years serve only
to confirm this habit. We may all adopt the confession of the
church of old a .]
2. Deliberately-
fit were well if we never sinned, but through ignorance
or inadvertence : but what schemes have we formed for the
accomplishment of sinful purposes ! How often have we seen
the sinfulness of our desires, and yet gratified them b ! The
very bent and inclination of our souls has been towards
wickedness c .]
3. Without restraint
[A regard to our reputation or interests may impose some
restraint. A fear of hell may also prevent the gratification of
some desires : but few are kept from evil, like Joseph, by the
fear of God d : that is the only restraint which proves uniformly
effectual e .]
4. Without remorse
a Jer. iii. 25. h Rom. i. 32. c Job xv. 16.
d Gen. xxxix. 9. e Jam. ii. 11.
838.] MAN S ABUSE OF GOD S PATIENCE. 377
[We must at times have felt some convictions of conscience,
but we, for the most part, stifle them by company, amusements,
&c. Many attain to dreadful hardness of heart and impeni
tence f . The prophet s description may well be applied to
each of us g .]
Thus are "men s hearts fully set in them to do evil"
[They walk after the imagination of their own hearts :
neither mercies nor judgments can prevail with them to do
otherwise.]
If their sins were followed by a visible and imme
diate punishment, men would not dare to live in this
manner; but God defers the execution of his judgments.
II. The occasion of it
God is not an unconcerned spectator of sin. He
has appointed a day for the revelation of his righteous
judgment. At present he forbears to inflict ven
geance. This very forbearance emboldens men to
sin " because" " therefore" From the delay of punish
ment men think,
1. That there is but little " evil" in sin
[God indeed calls sin "an evil work :" but his forbearance
towards sinners is thought to indicate indifference. This how
ever is a fatal delusion. He has marked the evil of sin in many
awful instances h : he will soon undeceive this blind infatuated
world .]
2. That there is no " sentence " gone forth against it
[Men would gladly persuade themselves that they have no
cause to fear. The temptation whereby the serpent beguiled
Eve is cherished by them k . But the wrath of God is indeed
denounced against sin 1 . Every species and degree of sin ren
ders us obnoxious to his displeasure m .]
3. That the sentence (if there be any) will never be
" executed "-
[Since God defers punishing, it seems possible that he may
decline it altogether. The apparent disproportion between the
offence and the punishment seems to countenance this idea. To
confirm our hope we are apt to compare God with ourselves n .
But, however long God delay, he will surely strike at last .]
Thus it is that men act in every age
f 1 Tim. iv. 2. e Jer. viii. 5, 6. h 2 Pet. ii. 46.
Eph. v. 6. k Gen. iii. 4. Rom. ii. 8, 9.
m Rom. i. 18. n Ps. 1. 21. Eccl. viii. 12, 13.
378 ECCLESIASTES, VIII. 12. [839.
[David mentions this effect as arising from it in his day p .
St. Peter foretells the prevalence of this iniquity in the last days q .
Experience proves how universally it obtains at this hour.]
INFER
1. How great the folly, as well as wickedness, of
imregenerate men!
[If there were only a bare possibility of eternal punishment,
how mad were it to continue in sin ! But God has pledged
himself that he will inflict it on the impenitent r . Every mo
ment s continuance in sin increases the condemnation s . What
extreme folly then is it so to abuse the forbearance of God !
May we be ashamed of ourselves, and repent in dust and ashes.]
2. What need have we to be cleansed by the blood
and Spirit of Christ !
[What but the blood of Christ can ever expiate the guilt
we have contracted ? What but the Spirit of Christ can ever
deliver us from such habits ? That we can never renew our
own souls is certain*. Let us therefore wash in the fountain
opened for us u ; and let us apply to God for his almighty aid x .]
3. How dreadful must be the state of those who
continue impenitent !
[There is a certain measure of iniquity which sinners are
left to fill up y : when this is full, nothing can avert the divine
vengeance z . Already are the arrows of divine justice pointed
at them a . Eternity itself will be the duration of the punish
ment 1 . The time is coming when Jerusalem s state will be
ours c . Let us then tremble lest we exhaust the divine patience 3 .
Let us diligently improve this day of salvation e .]
P Ps. Iv. 19.
s Rom. ii. 4, 5.
x Lam. v. 21.
a Ps. vii. 1113.
d Zeph. ii. 2, 3.
i 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4.
i Jer. xiii. 23.
y Gen. xv. 16.
b Mark ix. 4348.
e 2 Cor. vi. 2.
r Matt. xxv. 46.
u Zech. xiii. 1.
* 1 Thess. ii. 16.
c Luke xix. 42.
DCCCXXXIX.
THE BLESSEDNESS OF FEARING GOD.
Eccl. viii. 12. Surely I know that it shall be well with them which
fear God.
NOTHING certain can be determined respecting
God s favour from the outward dispensations of his
providence*. The wicked seem on the whole to
a Eccl. ix. 1.
839. J THE BLESSEDNESS OF FEARING GOD. 379
prosper more than others b ; nevertheless the godly
are by far the happier persons . It is of them only
that the assertion in the text can be made. We pro
pose to shew,
I. Who they are that fear God
This, we may suppose, would be a point easy to be
determined ; but, through self-love and Satan s de
vices, many mistake respecting it. The characters
described in the text may be distinguished by the fol
lowing marks :
1. They stand in awe of God s judgments
[Once they disregarded the displeasure of the Almighty d :
they would not believe that his threatenings would be executed.
But now they have learned to tremble at his word e . Awakened
by his Spirit, they exclaim with the prophet f . The Scriptures
uniformly represent them in this light g .]
2. They embrace the salvation offered them
[In their natural state they felt no need of a physician h :
they saw no suitableness in the remedy which the Gospel
offered them *. Their pride would not suffer them to submit to
its humiliating terms k ; but now they gladly embrace Christ as
their only Saviour. They flee to him, as the murderers did to
a city of refuge. This is the description given of them in the
inspired volume J .]
3. They endeavour to keep all the commandments
[If ever they obeyed God at all, they served him only to
the extent the world would approve. Where the lax habits of
mankind forbad their compliance with the divine command,
they were afraid to be singular. But they dare not any longer
halt between God and Baal : they have determined, through
grace, to follow the Lord fully. The language of their hearts
is like that of David m . This was the very ground on which
God concluded that Abraham feared him ".]
These marks clearly distinguish those who fear God
from all others
[The formal Pharisee has never felt his desert of condem
nation . The merely awakened sinner has never truly embraced
b Ps. Ixxiii. 5, 12. c Ps. Ixxiii. 15. d Ps. x. 5.
e Isai. Ixvi. 2. f Isai. xxxiii. 14.
e Acts xvi. 29. and Ps. cxix. 120. h Rev. iii. 17.
1 1 Cor. i. 23. * Rom. x. 3. Heb. vi. 18.
m Ps. cxix. 5, 6. n Gen. xxii. 12. Lukexviii.il.
380 ECCLESIASTES, VIII. 12. [839.
the Gospel p . The hypocritical professor has never mortified
his besetting sin* 1 . It is the person alone, who fears God, that
unites in his experience a dread of God s wrath, an affiance in
Christ, and a love to the commandments.]
Such persons, notwithstanding appearances, are
truly blessed.
II. In what respects it shall be well with them
They are not exempt from the common afflictions
of life. They have in addition to them many trials
peculiar to themselves ; yet it goes well with them,
1. In respect of temporal good
[They have a peculiar enjoyment of prosperity. The
ungodly find an emptiness in all their possessions r ; but the
godly have not such gall mixed with their comforts s . They
have also peculiar supports in a season of adversity. The
wicked are for the most part miserable in their affliction * : if
kept from murmuring, it is the summit of their attainments :
but the righteous are enabled to glory in tribulation u , and
cordially to approve of God s dispensations towards them x .]
2. In respect of spiritual good
[They possess a peace that passeth all understanding.
They are filled with a joy utterly unknown to others y . The
work of sanctification is gradually carried on within them z .
As they approach towards death they grow in a meetness for
heaven, and are serene and happy in the near prospect of
eternity a .]
3. In respect to eternal good
[Who can set forth their felicity in the eternal world?
Who can even conceive the weight of glory preparing for them ?
How will their faith be lost in sight, and their hope in enjoy
ment ! Then indeed will that truth be seen and felt by them b .]
These things are far from being " cunningly devised
fables."
III. What assurance we have that it shall be thus
well with them
No truth whatever is capable of clearer demonstra
tion. The topics from whence it might be proved are
P Acts xxiv. 25, and xxvi. 28. 1 Acts viii. 23.
r Job. xx. 22. s Prov. x. 22. 1 Tim. vi. 17.
1 Eccl. v. 17. u Rom. v. 3. x 2 Kings xx. 19.
y Prov. xiv. 10. z 2 Cor. iv. 1C. a Ps. xxxvii. 37.
b Ps. cxliv. 15.
839.1 THE BLESSEDNESS OF FEARING GOD. 381
innumerable ; we shall however confine ourselves to
three :
1. The fitness of things requires it
[No man can seriously think that there is one portion to the
righteous and the wicked : there is no well-ordered government
on earth where this is the case ; much less can we suppose it
possible in the divine government. To imagine such a thing,
is to strip the Deity of all regard to his own honour. We
may be sure that there shall be a distinction made in favour of
his servants .]
2. The promises of God insure it
[All temporal good is expressly promised to those " who
fear God d :" all spiritual good also is given them as their por
tion 6 : yea, all eternal good is laid up for them as their unalien-
able inheritance f : all the promises are made over to them in
one word g . Can any one doubt a truth so fully established?]
3. The experience of all that ever feared God
attests it
[Who ever found it unprofitable to serve the Lord h ?
What truly devoted soul was ever forsaken by him 1 ? Who
ever complained that the means, by which he was brought to
fear God, were too severe? Or that any affliction, that in
creased and confirmed that fear, was too heavy? David indeed
did at one time question the position in the text ; but on recol
lection he condemned himself for his rashness and ignorance,
and acknowledged that his vile suspicions contradicted the
experience of God s children in all ages k .]
On these grounds we " assuredly know" the truth
declared in the text
[We do not surmise it as a thing possible. We do not
hope it as a thing probable. We absolutely know it as infal
libly certain. We are not surer of our existence than we are
of this truth. Without hesitation therefore we deliver our
message 1 . O that the word may sink deep into all our hearts!
And that we might from experience unite our testimony to
Solomon s.]
We beg leave to ask, whether they who fear not
God, have any such assurance in their favour ?
[We are aware that they will entertain presumptuous
hopes ; and that, in opposition to God s word, they will expect
c Mai. iii. 18. d Ps. xxxiv. 9. e Ps. xxv. 12, 13.
f Ps. ciii. 17. 81 Tim. iv. 8. h Jer. ii. 31.
1 Isai. xlix. 15. k Ps. Ixxiii. 12 15, 22.
1 Isai. iii. 10, 11. m Prov. xxviii. 14.
382 ECCLESIASTES, IX. 3. [840.
happiness. But does the boldest sinner dare affirm that he
knows it shall be well with him ? His conscience would in
stantly revolt at such falsehood and blasphemy. Let those
then, that fear not God, stand self-condemned. Let them flee
unto their God and Saviour with penitence and faith. Let
them so live as to preserve the testimony of a good conscience.
And then, however enlarged their expectations of good may
be, they shall never be disappointed".]
n Isai. xlv. 17.
DCCCXL.
THE WICKEDNESS, MADNESS, AND MISERY OF UNREGENE-
RATE MEN.
Eccl. ix. 3. The heart of the sons of men is full of evil ; and
madness is in their heart ivhile they live ; and after that, they
go to the dead.
IF we look only on the surface of things, we shall
think that all things come alike to all, since all are
subject to the same afflictions, and go down to the
grave in their appointed season. But the righteous,
however afflicted, " are in the hands of God a ," who
ordereth and overruleth every thing for their good ;
whereas the wicked, however prosperous, are left to
run their career of sin, till they fall into the pit of
everlasting destruction. The state and end of unre-
generated men are awfully declared in the words
before us ; wherein is depicted,
I. Their wickedness
[" The hearts of unregenerate men are full of evil." Every
species of filthiness, whether fleshly or spiritual 11 , abounds
within them c . They have not a faculty either of body or soul
that is not defiled with sin d . So full of iniquity are they, that
there is no good within them 6 . And this is the state, not of
a few only, but of every child of man, till he has been renewed
by the Holy Spirit f .]
II. Their madness-
fit may well be expected that creatures so depraved
should manifest their depravity in the whole of their conduct.
And in truth they do so : for they are even mad. They pour
contempt upon the greatest good. Can any thing be compared
a ver.l. b 2Cor. vii.l. c Rom. i. 29 31. d Rom. iii. 10 18.
e Gen. vi. 5. Rom. vii. 18. f John iii. 6. Tit. iii. 3. Jcr. xvii. 9.
840.]wiCKEDNESS AND MISERY OF UNREGENERATE MEN. 383
with the salvation of the soul? And do they not disregard
this ? And is not such conduct madness ? They also disregard
the greatest of all evils, the wrath of God. And would not
this be madness, if there were only a bare possibility of their
falling under his everlasting displeasure ? How much more
then, when it is as certain, as that there is a God ! More
over, they continue in this state, for the most part, " as long
as they live" If they acted only through ignorance, or
were drawn aside for a little time by temptation, or if they
turned from this way, as soon as they came to the full exercise
of their reason, yea, if they rectified their conduct as soon as
their own consciences condemned it, they would have some sha
dow of an excuse. But, when they persist, against light and
knowledge, against warnings and judgments, yea, against their
own vows and resolutions, what is it but madness itself? Let a
man act in such a way with respect to the things of this world,
and no one will hesitate a moment to pronounce him mad g .]
III. Their misery
[How pleasant soever the ways of ungodly men appear,
they will soon terminate in death h . But the righteous also
must go the grave : no doubt therefore it is another death
that is here spoken of, even " the second death in the lake that
burneth with fire and brimstone." This is affirmed by God in
the strongest manner ; and, however disbelieved by those
whom it most concerns, it shall assuredly be found true at the
last. Yea, we have even now the consciences of men attesting
this awful truth : and if we should say, that the ungodly, after
such a life, should "go to" heaven, instead of to " the dead,"
though they might be wicked enough to wish it, they would
not be mad enough to believe it. They have a presentiment,
in spite of all their reasonings to the contrary, that "their end
shall be according to their works V]
INFER
1. How necessary is it to deal faithfully with the
souls of men !
[Should we " prophesy smooth things " unto people who
are perishing in their sins, and who before another Sabbath
may be "gone to the dead?" Should we, if we beheld a
stranded vessel, seek to amuse the sailors, instead of affording
them direction and assistance ? How much less then if we
ourselves were embarked with them, and were partners of
their danger? Surely then every time we preach, we should
bear in mind that both our hearers and ourselves are dying
g Luke xv. 17. h Job xx. 5 9.
1 1 Cor. vi. 9. Ps. ix. 17. k 2 Cor. xi. 15.
384 ECCLESIASTES, IX. 10. [841.
creatures, and that, if we forbear to warn them, we ruin our
selves for ever 1 .]
2. How earnestly should every one seek to be born
again !
[Does the notion of regeneration appear absurd ? Let
all hear and understand the grounds of that doctrine. What
must we think of God, if he should fill heaven with sinners
incorrigibly wicked, and incurably mad ? Or what happiness
could such sinners find in heaven, even if they were admitted
there ? There must be a meetness for the heavenly state n :
and that meetness can be obtained only by means of the new
birth . A new heart must be given us p , and we must be made
"new creatures in Christ Jesus q ." Let all then seek this
renewal of their hearts ": for, unless they be born again, they
shall never enter into God s kingdom 8 .]
3. How greatly are all regenerate persons indebted
to the Lord Jesus Christ !
[They were once even as others : if there \vas any differ
ence, it was only in their acts, and not in their hearts*. But
they are delivered from their sins u , endued with soundness of
mind x , and made heirs of everlasting life 5 ": and all this they
have received through the atoning blood and prevailing inter
cession of the Lord Jesus. What a Benefactor then is HE!
And how should the hearts of all be knit to him in love ! O
"let them give thanks whom the Lord hath redeemed 2 :" and
let all seek these blessings at the hands of a gracious and
almighty Saviour.]
1 Ezek. xxxiii. 8. m John iii. 7, 9. n Col. i. 12.
John iii. 5, 6. P Ezek. xxxvi. 2o, 26. i 2 Cor. v. 17.
r Eph. iv. 22 24. s John iii. 3. l Eph. ii. 3.
u Rom. vi. 14. and viii. 2. x 2 Tim. i. 7. > John v. 21.
z Ps. cvii. 1, 2.
DCCCXLI.
EARNESTNESS IN RELIGION RECOMMENDED.
Eccl. ix. 10. Wliatsoever thy hand Jindeth to do, do it with thy
might ; for there is no tcork, nor device, nor knowledge, nor
wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest.
THE greater part of mankind imagine, that a con
tinued round of worldliness and pleasure will consist
with religion. But their opinion is contradicted by
the whole tenour of Scripture, which uniformly enjoins
deadness to the world and devotedness to God.
841. J EARNESTNESS IN RELIGION RECOMMENDED. 385
There are however so*me who err on the other side ;
and who make religion to consist in penances, and
pilgrimages, and mortifications, and a total abstinence
from all indulgences, however innocent, not excepting
even the comforts and endearments of domestic life.
In direct opposition to these are the words of Solomon
in all the preceding context. He contends, that
neither a cheerful use of the bounties of Providence,
nor a prudent participation of the elegancies of life,
nor a free enjoyment of conjugal affection, will at all
interfere with our " acceptance with God," provided
our ardour in the pursuit of heavenly things be not
diminished by them a . With this St. Paul also agrees :
for he says, that " God hath given us all things richly
to enjoy;" and, that " godliness is profitable unto all
things, having the promise of the life that now is, as
well as of that which is to come."
It is not our intention, however, to enter into this
general question ; but rather to confine ourselves to
the direction of Solomon in the text ; in which we
notice,
I. His advice-
Industry in temporal concerns is doubtless an im
portant duty ; and we may certainly understand the
words before us as inculcating, and enforcing this
duty. But the advice must relate also to spiritual
concerns, in transacting which more especially, the
utmost zeal is necessary.
Every man has a work to do for his soul
[The unconverted have to get a sense of their guilt and
danger, to turn unto their God with the deepest penitence
and contrition, and to have their souls renewed after the divine
image - The penitent have also a great work to do.
They have only just set out upon their race, and have as yet all
the ground before them, over which they are to run. They have
to obtain the knowledge of Christ, and get their souls washed
in his blood ; and, in conformity to his example, to serve God
in newness of heart and life The converted too, what
ever attainments they may have made, have still much which
their " hand findeth to do." They have many lusts to mortify,
a ver. 7 10.
VOL. VII. C C
380 ECCLESIASTES, IX. 10. [841.
many temptations to withstand, many conflicts to sustain, many
graces to exercise, many duties to perform : to their latest hour
they will he required to "glorify God with their bodies and
their spirits, which are his " -
This work must be " done with all our might "-
[It must he done speedily, without delay. None of us
have any time to lose. Whatever be our state at present, we
know not how long our lives may be continued. The young
and healthy are mortal, as well as the old and diseased: and
the sturdy oak may be blown down while the bending rush
survives. We should therefore imitate David, who says, " I
made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments."
It must be done heartily, without remissness. It is not suffi
cient to enter upon this work with indifference, and to prosecute
it in a cold lifeless manner. We must " give all diligence to
make our calling sure," and " to be found of Christ in peace :"
we must " strive to enter in at the strait gate, since we may
seek, and not be able." Even " the righteous are scarcely
saved," and with great difficulty. If any dream of salvation as
a matter easily to be accomplished, they will "perish in their
own delusions."
It must be done perseveringly, without iveariness. There
is no period when we are at liberty to relax our endeavours.
While we are in the world, we are still on the field of battle,
and surrounded with enemies that are ever ready to take ad
vantage of us. It is not till death that we can " put off the
harness:" " till then, there is no discharge in this warfare."
We must " not faint, or be weary in well-doing, if ever we
would reap ;" but must " be steadfast, immoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord."]
To impress this salutary advice upon our minds,
let us proceed to consider,
II. The argument with which it is enforced
We all are dying creatures, and continually hasten
ing to the grave. Whether we be going to our bu
siness, or our pleasure, or our rest, wherever we are,
and whatever we are doing, we are " going to our
grave." The precise distance of our grave is hid
from us : some arrive at it almost as soon as they
set out on their journey : multitudes, when thinking
of nothing less, drop into it suddenly, and are seen
no more. Those who have walked towards it for a
considerable time, have stronger and stronger inti
mations of their approach towards it. Many are seen
841. J EARNESTNESS IN RELIGION RECOMMENDED. 387
with one foot already in it : and all, sooner or later,
make it their long home.
From hence arise two very powerful arguments for
enforcing diligence in the concerns of the soul. In
the grave,
J. There is " no work" to be done
[This life is the time for work : the next life is the time
for recompence. The works needful to be done are, to " repent
and believe the Gospel :" but in the eternal world there is no
opportunity for performing either.
We cannot repent. A kind of repentance indeed there will
be among those who have perished in their sins : they will
" weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth" with anguish: they
will be sorry, not that they sinned, but that they subjected
themselves to misery : sin will appear formidable to them on
account of its consequences, but not hateful on account of its
malignity. If they were restored to another state of probation,
they would in a little time resume their former courses. As
now on a bed of sickness they promise to amend their lives,
but, when restored to health, become as careless as ever, so it
would be with them if they returned even from hell itself:
their hearts are unrenewed, and consequently their disposition
to " wallow in the mire" of sin would infallibly lead them into
their former habits of worldliness and sensuality. They must
for ever remain the same obdurate sinners, because the Spirit
of God will never descend into their hearts to renew them
unto repentance.
We cannot believe in Christ.- Those who have perished will,
it is true, believe many things which now they disbelieve : they
will believe that Christ is a Saviour, and that he is the only
Saviour of sinful men : but they will never believe in him for
salvation, because he will never again be offered to them as a
Saviour. No tidings of redemption will ever be heard in those
dreary mansions. Never will they hear such words as those,
" Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden." No
promise of acceptance is given them ; and therefore there can
be no scope for the exercise of faith : nor, if there were an
opportunity to believe, would they be able to embrace it;
because " faith is the gift of God ;" and they who reject his
offers of it in this world, will never have it offered to them in
the world to come.
This argument cannot but have the greatest weight with
every considerate mind ; and the rather, because it is urged by
our Lord himself; " Work while it is day ; for the night coinetli
wherein no man can work 1 ."]
b John ix. 4.
c c 2
888 ECCLESIASTES, IX. 10. [841.
2. There is no remedy to be devised"-
[While we are in this world, our " knowledge and wisdom"
may be applied with effect. There is a " device" for the restora
tion of God s banished people c ; and, if we be wise enough to
adopt it, we cannot fail of obtaining mercy at the last day. But,
if we neglect to use the remedy which is now afforded us, no
other will remain for us ; nothing can ever be devised whereby
we may alter, or avoid, or mitigate, or shorten our doom.
We cannot alter it. When once the Judge has said, " Go,
ye cursed," we can never prevail on him to reverse the sentence,
and say, " Come, ye blessed." Noiv, though " we are under
condemnation, and the wrath of God abideth on us 1 ," yet we
may obtain reconciliation through the blood of Jesus, and be
made heirs of a heavenly inheritance. But no such change can
be effected in the eternal world : " as the tree falleth, so it
will lie for ever."
We cannot avoid it. We may " call upon the rocks to fall
upon us, and the mountains to cover us from the wrath of the
Lamb," but they cannot perform the friendly office. " If we
should go up to heaven, or make our bed in hell, or take the
wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the
sea, there would God seize us, and thence would he bring us"
by his irresistible power, in order that we might suffer the just
reward of our deeds.
We cannot mitigate it. Here men may flee to business or
pleasure: they may drown care in intoxication, and obtain some
relief from it in sleep : they may shake it off in a measure by
infidelity. But in the eternal world they will find no jovial
companions to associate with, nothing to divert their thoughts,
nothing to alleviate their pains : " wrath will have come upon
them to the uttermost," and their misery will be complete.
We cannot shorten it. Men in this world have one method
(as they think) of terminating their miseries, namely, by suicide.
A poor and fatal " device" indeed ! yet such as it is, they resort
to it for relief. But in the future world even this refuge will
fail them : " they shall seek death, but shall not find it ; and
shall desire to die, but death shall flee from them 6 ." Eternity
will be the duration of their woe : " the smoke of their torment
will ascend up for ever and ever."
How forcible then is this argument! If any " device" re
mained for them, and their "knowledge and wisdom" could
be effectual for their relief, then they might be the more in
different about the improvement of their day of grace. But
since " this is the only accepted time, the only day of salvation,"
surely they should " work out their salvation instantly with fear
Compare 2 Sam. xiv. 14. with Job xxxiii. 24.
< l John iii. 18, 36. e Rev. ix. 0.
841.] EARNESTNESS IN RELIGION RECOMMENDED.
and trembling," and seek " the things belonging to their peace,
before they be for ever hid from their eyes."]
ADDRESS
1. Those who are postponing their work
[Like those who neglected the rebuilding of the temple,
we are apt to say, " The time for this work is not yet come."
Youth look forward to adult age ; and they who are grown to
manhood think that a more advanced period of life will be more
favourable for the exercises of religion : and even the aged put
off the work from day to day, hoping for some " more convenient
season." But how many thousands perish by deferring that
work which they acknowledge to be necessary! Sickness and
death find them in an unconverted state, and hurry them un
prepared into the presence of God. O that all of us, whether
old or young, would guard against these fatal consequences, and
turn to God " this day, while it is called To-day."]
2. Those who are trifling with their work
[There are many who would be offended, if they were
thought regardless of religion, who yet by their listlessness and
formality shew that they have no real delight in it. They are
exact in their attendance on ordinances ; but they engage in
them with a lukewarm Laodicean spirit : they have " the form
of godliness, but not the power." But what can such persons
think of the representations which the Scripture gives us of
the Christian life ? It is there described as a race, a wrestling,
a combat ; all of which imply the strongest possible exertions.
Would to God that this matter were duly considered; and
that we called upon " our souls, and all that is within us," to
prosecute this great concern. To every thing that might divert
our attention from it, we should answer with Nehemiah, " I am
doing a great work, and cannot come down f ." It is in this way
only that we shall ever be enabled to adopt the words of our
dying Lord, " Father, I have glorified thee on earth, I have
finished the work which thou gavest me to do."]
3. Those who are heartily engaged in their work
[While the greater part of mankind make their worldly
duties an excuse for neglecting religion, there are some who
run into a contrary extreme, and make their religious duties
an excuse for neglecting their worldly concerns. But this will
bring great dishonour on religion. We are placed in the world
as social beings, and have civil and social, as well as religious,
duties to perform. These must be made to harmonize : and
all must be attended to in their order. We must " not be
slothful in business, though we must be fervent in spirit ; for
f Neh. vi. 3, 4.
ECCLESIASTES, IX. 1116. [842.
in both we may serve the Lord." Indeed our relative duties
are, in fact, religious ; because they are enjoined by God, and
may be performed as unto God : nor are they less acceptable
unto him in their place than the more spiritual services of prayer
and praise. While therefore we would exhort all to an imme
diate, earnest, diligent, patient, unremitted attention to the
concerns of their souls, and encourage them to disregard all the
persecutions which they may endure for righteousness sake, we
would entreat them also to " walk wisely in a perfect way ;" and
to shew by their conduct that religion is as conducive to the
interests of society, as it is to the welfare of the soul.]
DCCCXLII.
WISDOM NOTIONALLY APPROVED, BUT PRACTICALLY DIS
REGARDED.
Eccl. ix. 14 16. There was a little city, and few men within
it : and there came a great king against it, and besieged it,
and built great bulwarks against it. Now there was found in
it a poor wise man : and he by his wisdom delivered the city :
yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then said I,
Wisdom is better than strength : nevertheless the poor man s
wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
WHETHER the account here given us was an
actual occurrence, or only a parabolic representation,
we will not undertake to determine : but certainly
the event described may easily be supposed to have
taken place, and to have come to the knowledge of
Solomon. In fact, a precisely similar event had
taken place within the memory of Solomon ; the only
difference being, that the city was saved by " a wise
woman," instead of " a poor wise man." After the
rebellion of Absalom had been suppressed, a man of
Belial, whose name was Sheba, caused the defection
of all the tribes of Israel. David therefore sent an
army to pursue Sheba, and to besiege any city in
which he should have taken refuge. Joab finding
that Sheba was shut up in a city called Abel, went
and " battered the wall of the city, to throw it down."
Then " a wise woman" called to Joab, and remon
strated with him on the subject of the assault which
he was making ; and undertook, that, if he would
suspend his assault, the object of his indignation
842. J WISDOM TO BE PRACTICALLY REGARDED. o;)l
should be sacrificed, and his head be cast over the
wall. She then " went to all the people, in her
wisdom" and prevailed on them to execute her
project ; and thus effected by her wisdom the deli
verance of the city, and the preservation of all its
inhabitants 3 . The minute resemblance which there
is between this history and the event mentioned in
the text, renders it highly probable, that the passage
before us is a parable, founded upon the very fact
which is here recorded.
But, whether it be a fact, or a parable, with what
view is it mentioned ? Some think that it is intended
to represent the work of redemption by our Lord
Jesus Christ, and the sad neglect with which he is
treated, notwithstanding the benefits he has conferred.
According to these persons, the interpretation is this.
The little city, with a small garrison, is the Church,
which confessedly consists of but " a little flock."
The great king who comes against it, and besieges it,
is Satan, with all his hosts, even all the principalities
and powers of hell. The poor wise man is the Lord
Jesus Christ, who, by the counsels of eternal Wisdom,
has devised a way for the deliverance of his people ;
yet after the deliverance he has wrought out for them,
is by the generality most grievously neglected.
Now though there are parts of this which do not
exactly accord with such an interpretation, yet we
should not have altogether disapproved of the inter
pretation, provided Solomon himself had not given us
any clew whereby to discover his real meaning : for
it is not necessary that a parable should be applicable
in all its parts : it is sufficient if in its main scope it
be fitted to illustrate the point which it is intended
to shadow forth. But we are precluded from affixing
to this passage the sense which we have now sug
gested, because Solomon s own reflection upon the
supposed event determines beyond all controversy
its precise import. Solomon intended to commend
wisdom, as he frequently does in other parts of this
book: in one place he exalts wisdom above folly b ;
3 2 Sam. xx. 1, 2, 6, 15 22. b Eccl. ii. 13.
392 ECCLESIASTES, IX. 1416. [842.
in another, above wealth ; in another, above soldiers d ,
and weapons of war 6 . Thus in our text he exalts it
above strength ; " Then said I, Wisdom is better
than strength." Hence the subject for our conside
ration is two-fold ;
I. The excellency of wisdom-
Wisdom is practical understanding, or knowledge
regulated by sound judgment. Now this is greatly
superior to physical force, in every point of view :
1. In relation to temporal concerns
[The particular instance here adduced, the deliverance
of a city by some extraordinary devices, will lead us to notice
the operations of wisdom in the different departments of civi
lized life.
In war and politics it prevails far beyond mere bodily
strength, however great. It is from superior skill in arms that
we, who are so few in number, have been enabled to conquer
an immense extent of territory, and by a very small army to
keep in subjection eighty millions of people, who have scarcely
one feeling, or one sentiment, in common with ourselves. And
it is from the wisdom of our Constitution, and of our Gover
nors, that we, under God, have rode out the storm which
overwhelmed the rest of Europe, and have been enabled to
rescue from their bondage the prostrate nations all around us.
Had there been less wisdom at our helm, we, and all the
nations of Europe, should probably at this moment have been
sunk in the lowest state of degradation and misery.
In arts and manufactures the excellency of wisdom also most
eminently appears. See the machinery that is used in every
branch of trade ! A few children are enabled to effect in a
month what thousands of grown people could not by mere
manual labour accomplish in a year.
Nor is the excellency of wisdom less visible in science and
philosophy. Who can calculate the benefits that have arisen
from the study of astronomy, and the invention of the com
pass ? How light is all human strength when placed in the
balance against these products of intellectual research !
In truth, it is wisdom which most elevates us above the
beasts ; and draws as broad a line of distinction between man
and man, as light and dai kness do in the material world.]
2. In relation to spiritual affairs
[Here wisdom is all. See what mere human efforts can
effect in heathen lands : what penances, what pilgrimages, what
c Eccl. vii. 12. J Eccl. vii. 19. e ver. 18.
842.] WISDOM TO BE PRACTICALLY REGARDED. 393
sufferings of different kinds, will men have recourse to, in
order to obtain peace in their own souls ! yet can they never
obtain it. They may weary themselves even unto death, yet can
they never secure to themselves any spiritual benefit whatever.
But let a man attend to the councils of wisdom given him
by our blessed Lord, and all that he can desire is attained at
once. Peace will flow into his soul, as soon as ever his con
science is sprinkled with the blood of Christ. His powers are
invigorated with preter-natural strength, the moment he by
faith apprehends the Lord Jesus : from being so weak as not
to be able to do any thing, he becomes instantly so strong as
to be " able to do all things f ." A new set of energies are deve
loped, and such as Satan is not able to withstand. That enemy,
who with assured confidence of success besieged the soul, is
constrained, like Sennacherib, to flee with precipitation and
disgraced In a word, the simple device of a " life of faith upon
the Son of God" effects every thing, liberating the soul from
all its bondage, and making it victorious over all its enemies.]
But from daily observation, we are constrained to
lament,
II. The disregard shewn it, notwithstanding its ac
knowledged worth.
By how few are its dictates attended to as they
ought to be ! Alas ! they are neglected and despised,
by the great mass of mankind.
1. By the gay and thoughtless
[They have no ear for the counsels of Wisdom. They
will commend her in general terms ; but will have as little as
possible to do with her instructions. Let the parent labour
ever so much to instil wisdom into the minds of his children,
he will find, to his grief, that the enchantments of folly baffle
all his efforts. It should seem no difficult task to prevail on
them to think before they act, and to regulate their conduct
by sound principles : but though he give " line upon line, and
precept upon precept," he will have reason to bless himself, if,
after all his endeavours, his family do not embitter his days by
their faults and follies. The word of God too may be acknow
ledged by them as good : but not a precept in it is suffered to
have an ascendant over their mind. Sabbath after Sabbath are
divine instructions poured into their ears ; but none are suf
fered to descend into the heart. In fact, they are despised ;
and if obtruded upon the mind as principles of action, they are
rejected with scorn and contempt.]
f John xv. 2. Phil. iv. 13. 8 James iv. 7.
394 ECCLESIASTES, IX. 14-16. [842.
2. By the formal and self-righteous
[Wisdom s sublimcst dictates are by these regarded as
the reveries of a heated imagination. The whole life of faith
is foolishness in the eyes of a self-righteous Pharisee. He
sees no suitableness in it to the end proposed. He thinks that
an attendance on ordinances, and a performance of some moral
duties, are quite sufficient : Why should he mourn and weep?
What is there in faith that can benefit his soul ? Why may
not his works find acceptance with God ? In vain is he told
that the Gospel is " the wisdom of God in a mystery ;" and
that the very angels in heaven are made wiser by the revelation
of it to the Church h . In vain is he told what the Lord Jesus
Christ, that " Wonderful Counsellor," has done for the re
demption of a ruined world, and will do in all who believe in
him. No sense of obligation abides upon his mind : no
expressions of gratitude flow from his lips : the Benefactor is
forgotten, and the benefit despised : and he chooses rather to
seek his resources within himself, than to depend for them on
the bounty of another.]
3. The backsliding professor
[The man who has once " professed godliness," has given
his testimony to the excellence of wisdom. But when he de
clines from the way of godliness, he revokes his testimony, and
becomes an open advocate for folly : he proclaims to all, that
the ways of wisdom are incapable of affording him any solid
comfort ; or, at all events, that there is more happiness to be
found in the vanities of time and sense, than in the service of
the living God. Yes, thou backslider, thou " exaltest folly, and
praisest the wicked 1 :" and, if thou condemnest, as thou must,
the inhabitants of the city that left their benefactor to pine
away in poverty and contempt, much more must thou condemn
thyself, who hast, by thy declensions, " crucified the Son of
God afresh, and put him to an open shame."]
Let me now IMPROVE the subject., by recommending
to your adoption,
1. A life of consideration and though tfulness
[The man who has begun to think and to consider, has
already got more than halfway to heaven. It is inconsideration
that ruins the whole world. Would men but inquire from day
to day, What have I done ? Has it been consonant with the
dictates of sound wisdom ? Have I proposed to myself the best
ends, and have I pursued them by the fittest means ? how much
evil would they avoid, and how much misery would they escape!
O that I might prevail upon you to enter on such a course as
h Eph. iii. 10. Prov. xxviii. 4.
843.1 THE DESTRUCTIVE INFLUENCE OF SINNERS. 395
this ! Admirable is that advice of Solomon, " Prepare thy work
without, and make it fit for thyself in the field ; and afterwards
build thine house k ." This is what any prudent builder will do,
though he is only constructing a temporary habitation for the
body : and how much more should we do it, who are building
for the immortal soul ! Adopt this plan then : think what you
have to do for God : think by what means you may best advance
the interest of your souls ; and redeem, as it were, every hour
in preparation for eternity. " Walk, not as fools, but as wise,
redeeming the time, because the days are evil."]
2. A life of real piety
[Nothing but this will inspire true wisdom : nothing but
this will enable us to counteract with effect the assaults of our
great adversary. Let us seek from above " a spirit of wisdom
and understanding, a spirit of counsel and of might:" then,
whether we be poor or rich, we shall assuredly be victorious.
Indeed the poor are for the most part more highly favoured
than the rich. The rich are too apt to be self-confident and
self-sufficient ; whilst the poor accept thankfully the preferred
aids of the Gospel. Hence " the things which are hid from the
wise and prudent, are frequently revealed to babes ;" and hence,
whilst the rich are vanquished, the poor are crowned with
victory. Let it not be forgotten, that " in the Lord alone we
have either righteousness or strength." "Not by might, nor by
power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts :" yes, by the
Spirit of the living God revealing the Saviour to us, and com
municating strength out of his fulness, we shall be " enabled
to withstand in the evil day," and shall have that joyful song
put into our mouths, " Thanks be to God, who giveth us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!"]
k Prov. xxiv. 27.
DCCCXLIII.
THE DESTRUCTIVE INFLUENCE OF SINNERS.
Eccl. ix. 18. One sinner destroy eth much good.
THE influence of every man in his sphere is con
siderable. Solomon had seen a remarkable instance
of a poor man delivering by his wisdom a small and
ill-garrisoned city from the besieging army of a very
powerful monarch. From hence he was led to con
sider the superiority of wisdom above wealth or
power. On the other hand, he saw that, as a wise
and good man might be extremely useful, so a foolish
396 ECCLESIASTES, IX. 18. [843.
and wicked man might do a great deal of injury, to
those around him. Hence, contrasting the two, he
observed, " Wisdom is better than weapons of war :
but one sinner destroyeth much good."
In illustrating the latter member of the sentence,
we shall point out the truth of it,
I. In nations
[Men of all classes in the community may greatly affect
the state to which they belong.
A weak and ambitious monarch, how soon may he involve
his people in war, and reduce them to the very brink of ruin !
Such was Solomon s only son, who, in the space of a few weeks,
goaded ten tribes out of the twelve that he ruled over, to revolt
from him, and to establish a separate and independent kingdom 3 .
An aspiring subject also may, by exaggerating the people s
grievances, and promising them effectual redress, stir up mul
titudes to insurrection, and involve a nation in all the horrors
of civil war. Thus did Absalom b : and thus have demagogues
in every age, in every state.
What immense evil too may not a cruel persecutor effect!
How may such an one waste the Church of God and destroy
it! One Jezebel could murder a whole host of prophets ;
and one Saul depopulate the Christian Church d . And, in this
nation as well as others, time was, when one cruel bigot kindled
fires in every part of the country, to extirpate, if possible, those,
who would not return to the justly reprobated errors of her
religion.
If a great man be conspicuous for impiety and profaneness,
his conduct will be attended with a most baneful influence.
Soon will sycophants imitate his example, till irreligion be
comes the fashion of the day, and every thing sacred is trampled
under foot. What an awful instance of such success have we
in Jeroboam ; who, the more effectually to detach from Judah
the ten revolted tribes, erected idols in Dan and Bethel, which
from that hour became, and ever afterwards remained, the
objects of worship through the whole kingdom 6 ! Hence he
is continually stigmatized with the name of " him who made
Israel to sin f !"
But indeed any enormous sinner, of whatever class, does
much to destroy the peace and prosperity of his country.
What is it that arms God against a nation, and provokes him
a 1 Kings xii. 16. b 2 Sam. xv. 26, 1014.
c 1 Kings xviii. 13. d Acts ix. 1, 2.
e Hos. v. 1 1. In this verse is mentioned not his success only, but
the evil it brought upon them. f 1 Kings xxii. 52.
843.] THE DESTRUCTIVE INFLUENCE OF SINNERS. 397
to visit it with war, pestilence, and famine? Is it not sin?
Every sinner therefore, in proportion as he increases the na
tion s guilt, contributes also to its punishment. In many
instances we know, that the whole kingdom of Israel suffered
for the offence of one ; not for that of David only, who was the
monarch g ; but for that also of Achan, an obscure individual 11 :
nor till the last day will it appear what injury this nation has
sustained by means of every one here present.]
II. In families
[What confusion is brought into any house by an impe
rious husband, a contentious wife, or an undutiful, stubborn
child ! Instead of love and harmony, there is little else than
brawling and quarrelling ; so that the very sight of each other,
which ought to call forth all the tender emotions of their hearts
excites nothing but enmity and disgust.
A man addicted to leivdness, gaming, intemperance, evil
company, or idleness, to what wretchedness may he soon reduce
his family ! " God has put a price into the hand of such an
one to make his dependents happy, but he knows not how to
use it 1 ." He might support them in ease and comfort, but
brings them to want and desperation. How many instances of
this are found in every town and village !
Nor can we easily estimate the good which a whisperer and
a tale-bearer may destroy. Behold, he comes into a house
where friends or relatives are cemented in the strictest bonds
of union and amity : but he creates suspicion, and alienates
their minds, and kindles feuds, and fills with animosity the
bosoms that once glowed with mutual affection k .
But what shall we say of the vile seducer, who under the
mask of friendship enters the house of his unsuspecting neigh
bour, and avails himself of the opportunity to decoy his
daughter, or to defile his wife ? Alas ! what incalculable misery
does such a man create ! For the sake of a momentary gratifica
tion, how many hearts does he pierce with the deepest and most
lasting sorrow ! What disgrace does he bring upon the whole
family, involving the innocent with the guilty in irremediable
shame, and bowing them down with grief that hurries them to
the grave ! Would to God that, if such a character exist in
this assembly, he might be smitten with remorse, and wounded
to his inmost soul !]
III. In the church of God
[On whom shall we fix our eyes, as hostile to the Church s
welfare, so soon as on the careless minister? To him God has
committed the improvement of sabbaths, and ordinances, and
g 2 Sam. xxiv. 10, 15. h Josh. xxii. 20.
Prov. xvii. 16. k Prov. xvi. 28.
C98 ECCLESIASTES, IX. 18. [843.
of the sacred oracles. To him he has given souls to be nur
tured and disciplined for heaven. But the traitor is intent
only on his own gains or pleasures : he performs his weekly
task, not caring whether any be edified or not : he wastes the
precious opportunities, that can never be recalled ; and, in the
course of his ministry, leads thousands to destruction. Yes ;
as far as his influence extends, he makes null and void all the
purposes of God s grace, and all the wonders of redeeming love.
When, humanly speaking, he might have been a blessing to
the world, and an ornament to his profession, he brings his
sacred function into reproach, scattering the flock whom he
should have gathered, and destroying whom he should have
saved. Such an one is Satan s best friend, and the greatest
enemy of God and man.
Much good also may be destroyed, especially where men
are awake to the concerns of religion, by a proud disputatious
sectary. I speak not here of those who dissent from the
Established Church, but of those who create divisions within
the Church by unduly insisting on matters of minor importance,
and of doubtful disputation. Though the sentiments of such an
one be not fundamentally erroneous, yet if he be laying an undue
stress on matters that are comparatively indifferent, and forming
parties in the church, he distracts the minds of the simple; he
puffs up many with pride ; he loosens the bonds of brotherly
affection ; he weakens the hands of a pious minister, and he
causes many to relapse into formality and indifference 1 . Of such
a character were Hymeneus m , and Alexander": and "one such
root of bitterness will trouble and defile many :" on which ac
count we should be as studious as possible to stop their growth .
There is scarcely any one in the universe who does greater
injury to the Church than the professor who walks dishonour
ably. One act of his brings disgrace upon the whole Church
of God, and makes religion to stink in the very nostrils of
those around him q . Instantly do the ungodly begin to
triumph r , to arraign all the people of God as hypocrites, and
to represent religion itself as a mask for every thing that is
vile 8 . Thus the wicked are hardened, the weak are offended,
the saints are dishonoured, and the very name of God is
blasphemed in the world*. How does God himself complain
of this in the case of David"! and how incalculable must the
evil be, when multitudes are thus offended, and set against the
very means of salvation !
I Rom. xvi, 17, 18. m 2 Tim. ii. 1618, 23. and iii. 6, 13.
II 2 Tim. iv. 14, 15.
Heb. xii. 15. See also 1 Cor. v. 2, 6. and Gal. v. 7, 9.
P Tit. i. 13, 14. and iii. 9 11. <i Gen. xxxiv. 30.
r Ps. xxxv. 19, 25. s 2 Pet. ii. 2. * 1 Tim. vi. 1.
u 2 Sam. xii. 14.
843.1 THE DESTRUCTIVE INFLUENCE OF SINNERS. 399
There is yet one more character that we shall mention,
whose conduct indeed is less extensively destructive, but not
less injurious to those within his sphere, we mean, the scoffer.
He brings no disgrace upon religion, because he makes no
profession of it. Nor can he greatly impede its progress in
the world, because he is not invested with authority or influ
ence. But perhaps there is some relation, some friend, whom
he can discourage by sneers and ridicule, if not also by menaces
and actual unkindness. Suppose then that, in one single in
stance, he succeed in breaking the bruised reed and quenching
the smoking flax ; who shall appreciate the good he has de
stroyed ? to ruin one for whom Christ died ; and who, but for
such an obstacle, would have got safe to heaven x ! If the
whole world be of no value in comparison of a soul^, then, in
that single act, the scoffer has done more harm than the whole
world can recompense.]
APPLICATION
1. Let us guard against receiving evil from others-
fit was a heathen poet that said, "Evil communications
corrupt good manners ;" and from him the Apostle quotes it,
for the edification of the Church of Christ 2 . Behold then what
reason itself, as well as Scripture, teaches us in reference to the
subject before us. One person infected with the plague may
do us more injury than a hundred healthy persons can do
us good. I would earnestly entreat all, therefore, and young
persons especially, not to admit to their friendship so much as
" one " associate, whose ways are evil. For who can tell to what
an extent the principles and conduct of such a man may pre
vail, to efface the good impressions that have been made upon
his mind, and to induce habits that may prove fatal to his soul ?
If I regarded nothing but your temporal prosperity, I should
give this advice: but when I take eternity into the account, I
cannot but urge it upon every one here present, and say with the
Apostle, " Come out from amongst such persons altogether,
and be separate from them, and do not so much as touch the
unclean thing " or person that may contaminate your soul.
2. Let us to the utmost of our power repair the
evil which we ourselves have done
[Suppose us ever so free from the more flagrant instances
that have been mentioned, there is not one amongst us who
has not done much evil by means of his example. We have
all lived, like the world around us, in a neglect of God and of
our own souls : and, in so doing, have countenanced the same
1 Rom. xiv. 15. y Matt. xvi. 26.
z 1 Cor. xv. 33. It is an Iambic verse from Menander.
400 ECCLESIASTES, XL 1. [844.
conduct in others. Thus, whether we intended it or not, we
have confirmed many in their ungodly ways, and have contri
buted to their eternal ruin. Let us go now, and undo what
we have done : alas ! we cannot find one half of them : many
are not known by us : many are gone to distant parts : many
are already in the eternal world : and, if we should attempt to
convert those to whom we can get access, they would laugh
at us as fools, or despise us as hypocrites. Besides, all of them
in their respective spheres have diffused the contagion which
they received from us : and thus have put it beyond the reach
of man to trace, or even to conceive, the evil we have done.
And does not all this call for penitence ? Yes ; if our " head
were a fountain of tears to run down incessantly" to the latest
hour of our lives, it would be no more than the occasion calls
for. But with our penitence we must unite our utmost efforts
to repair the evil we have done.
To repair it with respect to God, is the work of Christ
only. He alone can render satisfaction for our sins ; his blood
alone can cleanse us from the guilt we have contracted by
them. But with respect to man we may do something, though
we cannot do all that we could wish. Let us begin with our
example: this speaks the most forcibly, and the most exten
sively. Let us, by giving up ourselves to God, shew others
what they ought to do : and let our light so shine before men,
that they may be constrained to glorify God, and to take shame
to themselves. Next, let us use our influence : be it small or
great, let us not neglect to exert it, that by every means in our
power we may counteract our past evils, and stir up others to
flee from the wrath to come. Finally, let us be fervent in our
intercessions at the throne of grace, that God may take to him
his great power, and establish his kingdom upon earth. Let
us particularly pray for those, whom, in any respect, we may
have allured from the path of duty. Thus, like the great
Apostle, we shall make some compensation to the world
for all the injuries it has sustained by our means, and shew,
that, if one sinner can destroy much good, one saint can effect
much which shall be a ground of joy and gratitude to all
eternity.]
DCCCXLIV.
LIBERALITY ENCOURAGED.
Eccl. xi. 1. Cast thy bread upon the tcaters : for tJiou shalt fnd
it after many days.
WHILST, in the purity of its precepts, the inspired
volume exceeds all other books upon the face of the
earth, it excels all other compositions in the variety
844.] LIBERALITY ENCOURAGED. 401
and richness of the images under which it exhibits
our duty and urges the performance of it. The
image under which liberality is here inculcated is well
understood in countries where the heat of the climate,
uniting with periodical inundations, enables the hus
bandman to proceed in a mode of agriculture unknown
to us in the colder regions of the globe. In Egypt,
for instance, where the Nile overflows the country
periodically to a vast extent, it is common for men
to cast their seed, their rice especially, upon the
waters, whilst yet they are at a considerable depth.
This might seem to be folly in the extreme : but
experience proves, that, instead of losing their seed,
they find it again, after many days, rising into an
abundant crop. Such shall be the return which we
also shall find to our efforts, if we exert ourselves,
I. For the relief of men s bodily wants
Liberality to the poor is strongly insisted on in the
Holy Scriptures. It is inculcated,
1. In a way of precept
[Exceedingly clear and strong were the injunctions which
God gave on this subject to his people of old a So,
under the New Testament dispensation, we are enjoined to
" labour with our own hands ;" and to " lay by us weekly, in
proportion as God has prospered us," for the purpose of re
lieving others^ Nay, so obvious is this duty, that the
man who lives not in the practice of it must be an utter
stranger to the love of God in his soul c : for " if he love not
his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom
he hath not seen d ?"]
2. In a way of example
[The good Samaritan shews us how we ought to exercise
generosity, even towards those who, by reason of particular
differences and distinctions, may appear to be most remote
from us e . The widow, in giving her mite, which was all that
she possessed, might be thought to have acted a very wild and
extravagant part, especially when she gave it for a purpose to
which it could bear no proportion, namely, the repairing of the
temple : yet is that commended to us, by our Lord himself,
a See Deut. xv. 7 11. and cite the whole.
b Eph. iv. 28. 1 Cor. xvi. 2. c 1 John iii. 17.
d 1 John iv. 20. e Luke x. 3337.
VOL. VII. D D
402 ECCLESIASTES, XL 1. [844.
as an example highly to be admired, and universally to be
followed f . As for the Macedonians, who were proposed as
an example to the Corinthians, their generosity exceeded all
belief: for when in great affliction, and in a state of deep
poverty, they abounded unto the riches of liberality, and of
their own selves, without any solicitation on the part of the
Apostle, besought him with much entreaty to take upon him
the distribution of their alms s . Nothing can give us a higher
idea of the excellence of charity than this.]
3. In a way of encouragement
[God assures us, that " whatever we give to the poor, we
lend unto the Lord ; and that he will, in one way or another,
repay us again 11 ." He will repay us, even in a ivay of temporal
prosperity : for the giving of " the first- fruits of all our increase
to the poor is the way, not to empty our barns, but to fill
them with plenty, and to make our presses burst out with new
wine 1 ." Still more will he repay us in a ivay of spiritual pro
sperity ; since, " if we draw out our soul to the hungry, and
satisfy the afflicted soul, he will satisfy our souls in drought,
and make fat our bones, and make us like a watered garden,
or like a spring of water, whose waters fail not k ." Even with
eternal reicards will he repay us, " recompensing, at the resur
rection of the just," the smallest services we have rendered his
people 1 , and not suffering " even a cup of cold water to be left
without its appropriate reward."
I say then, with assured confidence in reference to this matter,
" Cast your seed upon the waters; and you shall find it after
many days."]
But we may understand our text as encouraging
our exertions also,
II. For the advancement of men s mental improve
ment
To this the same image is applied by the prophet
Isaiah ; who gives us this additional information, that
persons, previous to their casting of their seed upon
the waters, send forth their oxen and their asses to
tread the ground with their feet, in order the better
to prepare the earth for its reception : " Blessed are
ye who sow beside all waters, that send forth thither
the feet of the ox and the ass 11 ." Now this refers to
the publication of the Gospel in every place, however
f Mark xii. 42, 43. 2 Cor. viii. 1 4. h Prov. xix. 17.
i Prov. iii. 9, 10. k Isai. Iviii. 10, 11. 1 Luke xiv. 11.
m Matt. x. 42. " Isai. xxxii. 20.
844.] LIBERALITY ENCOURAGED. 403
untoward the circumstances, or hopeless the appear
ance. And we can bear witness to the truth of the
prophet s observation : for in many places, and on
many hearts, where there has been as little prospect
of success as could well be conceived, God has given
efficacy to the word of his grace ; and the handful
of corn sown upon the top of the mountains has
sprung up, so that the fruit thereof has shaken like
the woods of Lebanon ; and those of the city where
it has been cast have flourished like the piles of grass
upon the earth ."
To Infant Schools, for the promotion of which I
now more immediately address you, the text is pe
culiarly applicable ; since nothing can be supposed
more hopeless than any attempt to benefit the rising
generation, from the ages of two to five or six. But
I must say, that, if you cast your seed upon these
waters, you shall find it again, in very abundant be
nefits conferred on all the poorer classes of society
[What a relief is it to the mother to have her infants duly
attended to through the day ; whilst she, instead of having her
hands tied by the care of them, is enabled to earn bread for
their support ! What a benefit, too, is it to her elder daughter;
who would otherwise have her time occupied in attending upon
her younger brothers and sisters, and be thereby deprived of
education for herself, whilst she was discharging that important
office ! This is of immense importance, because it secures to
all the children of the poor the same advantages ; the elder and
the younger being alike partakers of the benefits thus freely
accorded to them.
But to the children themselves the benefits are incalculably
great. We cannot but have seen, times without number,
what depraved habits are contracted by the children of the
poor when playing about the streets or lanes of a town without
control. At home, for the most part, they see nothing but
evil; and abroad, they practise it in every way with sad profi
ciency, lying, swearing, quarrelling, the very pests of the neigh
bourhood wherein they dwell. As for any thing good, they
learn it not; having no good principles instilled into them,
and no good examples set before them. But by being brought
into a school at the early age of two or three years, they are
Ps. Ixxii. 16. If this be a subject for Missions, this idea must
be enlarged, and all that follows it be omitted.
D D 2
40 1< ECCLESIASTES, XL 1. [844.
kept from all those temptations to which they would otherwise
be exposed ; and have their conduct watched over, their tem
pers corrected, their habits restrained, their principles improved,
their whole deportment brought into subjection to good in
struction and to well-ordered authority. They are insensibly
taught, by the example of others, what could not have been
infused into them by mere abstract precept ; and they acquire,
by imitation, habits of order and docility, which they could not
by any other method have obtained. Now, then, who shall
estimate the value of this to the children themselves ? or who
shall say, What benefit shall, in a course of years, arise to the
whole community from such institutions as these, if they be
generally established and well supported? I have not spoken
respecting religious advantages accruing to the children, because
it may be supposed that they are not at that early age capable
of religious instruction. But is it nothing, to prevent the soil
being overrun with briars and thorns, and to have it improved
by the infusion of moral principles ? In fact, a child s religion
consists chiefly in the fear of God, and in an habitual regard
to his all-seeing eye : and this is implanted in their minds to
vast advantage, by the entire system of discipline to which they
are subjected, as well as by the distinct instructions which are
given them. And though it is but too probable that they may
afterwards lose the impressions which are then made upon their
minds, yet they can never forget the general idea, that it was
well with them when they were so disciplined and so instructed.
Nor is the influence which they may carry home into their do
mestic circles, a trifling matter : for when their parents hear
them giving an account of the lessons they have learned les
sons of meekness and patience, of truth and honesty, of purity
and love they may themselves be put to shame, and acquire
very important hints for their own improvement.]
I beg leave, then, to RECOMMEND to your support this
important institution
I would recommend it,
[First, for the sake of the rising generation, on whom it
will confer so great a benefit - Next, for the sake of those
who have set on foot this benevolent plan. None but persons of
very enlarged minds could ever have devised such means of
benefiting the poor. To instruct such infants would, to any
common understanding, have appeared as hopeless a task as
that of " casting bread upon the waters." Yet experience has
proved its vast utility ; and shewn, that if such institutions were
to prevail in every town, a most extensive benefit would be
conferred on the whole community. Shall, then, persons ca
pable of adorning and instructing the highest ranks in society
not meet with support, when they employ their talents in
845.] YOUTH WARNED OF THE FUTURE JUDGMENT. 40o
contriving means for benefiting the poor? Surely every person
ought to bear testimony to the worth and excellence of such
designs ; and to give them, the best tribute of applause, their
active concurrence, and their most liberal support.
Lastly, for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, I would
urge upon you the support of this beneficent institution : for he
counted not little children beneath his notice ; but took them
up in his arms, and put his hands upon them and blessed them,
and declared that every attention that was paid to such infants
would be regarded by him as paid to himself p . If, then, you
have any love to the Saviour, who himself assumed a state of
infancy for you yea, and died upon the cross for you shew
it by your liberality on this occasion. Let all endeavour to
cultivate the ground. Let him that hath an ox, " send forth his
ox;" and let him that hath an ass, " send forth his ass." Let
every one, according to his ability, contribute to help forward
this good work, without intermission and without despon
dency. To every one amongst you I would say, " In the
morning sow thy seed ; in the evening withhold not thine hand :
for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that,
or whether they both shall be alike good q ."]
P Matt, xviii. 2, 5. 1 ver. 6.
DCCCXLV.
YOUTH WARNED OF THE FUTURE JUDGMENT.
Eccl. xi. 9. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth ; and let thy
heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways
of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes : but knotv thou,
that for all these things, God will bring thee into judgment.
EARTHLY pleasure is doubtless gratifying to
flesh and blood : hence it is more or less an object
of desire to all : but there are two considerations
which may well abate our ardour in the pursuit,
namely, that its gratifications will soon come to an
end ; and that there is an approaching judgment, at
which we must give an account of all that we have
ever done in the body, and receive from God s mouth
a sentence corresponding with the tenour of our past
life. In the verses preceding our text, the former
consideration is urged ; and we are told, that, how
ever protracted our pleasures may be, they are but
like a winter s sun, which will soon set in darkness,
and be followed by a long and dreary night. Such
406 ECCLESIASTES, XL 9. [845.
a night is not far off, even from those who are in the
very morning of life. It may be hastened prema
turely, as it were, by sickness, and care, and una
voidable misfortunes ; and it must come at last
through the infirmities of age, which, if our life be
prolonged, will make it but " labour and sorrow."
The latter consideration is suggested in the text,
which contains two things :
I. A keen remonstrance.
The address here made to youth, though it ap
pears like a concession, is not really so
[It has been thought by some to be a concession, recom
mending youth to enjoy themselves in the world ; only to do it
in such a way as not to endanger their happiness in a future
life. And it is certain that there are in this book many conces
sions to that effect a Such passages as these may indeed
be easily pressed too far : but, on the other hand, they are not
in general understood by the religious world. Religious people
are apt to imagine, that Christianity requires an utter abandon
ment of those things which the carnal mind affects ; and that
a pious person who possesses any considerable measure of
earthly comforts, is necessarily inconsistent in his conduct.
But this is a mistake, arid a mistake which greatly needs to be
rectified; because it occasions many unjust censures, and un
charitable reflections. " God has given us all things richly to
enjoy b :" and, provided we do not spend an undue portion of
our substance on earthly indulgences, or set our affections
upon them, there is nothing in Christianity which prohibits a
reasonable use, and a temperate enjoyment of them. If only
we sit loose to them in our hearts, and enjoy God in them,
they are perfectly lawful; yea, " they are sanctified to us by
the word of God and prayer ."
But it is not in this sense that the address before us is to be
understood :]
It is, on the contrary, a just and severe remon
strance
[The terms here used are such as cannot well be taken in
a good sense. To "walk in the ways of our own heart, and in
the sight of our own eyes," is equivalent to walking in the ways
of criminal self-indulgence. This is the import of these ex
pressions in other passages of Scripture d - and so they
must be taken here ; as is evident from the awful judgments
* Eccl. ii. 24. and iii. 12, 13. and v. 18, 19. b 1 Tim. vi. 17.
c 1 Tim. iv. 4, 5. d Numb. xv. 39. Deut. xxix. 19.
845.] YOUTH WARNED OF THE FUTURE JUDGMENT. 407
with which sucli indulgences are menaced in our text. The
text is, in fact, an ironical remonstrance, similar to that which
Elijah uttered, when he condemned the worshippers of Baal ;
" Cry aloud ; for he is a God e : " and that by which Micaiah
reproved the impolicy of Ahab ; " Go up to Ramoth-Gilead,
and prosper f . " By this kind of irony Solomon intended to
convey an idea, that young men are bent on such indulgences ;
that they promise themselves security in the midst of them ;
and that they will not lie prevailed on by more temperate re
proof : and, in this view, his words may be thus paraphrased:
You will, notwithstanding all that I can say to dissuade you
from it, go on in the ways of sin, persuading yourselves that
nothing but happiness awaits you : and therefore go on ; and
follow the bent of your own inclinations : but know, that in
the end you will find yourselves grievously disappointed.
Severe as such a remonstrance is, it is perfectly just : for, who
that considers what the great end of our being is, can doubt the
wickedness of living to the world and to the flesh ? or who that
sees how contrary such conduct is to that of Christ and his
apostles, can doubt what the issue of such a life shall be ?
Verily, "if we mind earthly things, we are enemies to the
cross of Christ, and our end will be destruction 5 ;" for, what
ever may be said or thought to the contrary, " to be carnally-
minded is death 1 ."]
To this is annexed,
II. A solemn warning-
There is a day of judgment fast approaching
[God will most assuredly "judge the world in righteous
ness by that man whom he hath ordained, even by his Son,
Jesus Christ." Before his tribunal we must all appear : the
young, as well as the old, shall then give up their account to
him ; and the things which we did in the earlier part of life
shall be brought forth for judgment, as well as those which
were done at a more advanced age. The book of God s remem
brance shall be opened ; and every thing that was recorded in
it, from the first moment of our existence to the latest breath
we drew, shall be adduced as illustrative of our true character,
and as the ground of God s final sentence.]
Then shall the things which are now done receive
their proper reward
[The judgment of God will not then be regulated by our
views, but by his own unerring wisdom. We may palliate a
life of vanity and worldliness now ; but he will view it as
e 1 Kings xviii. 27. f 1 Kings xxii. 15.
B Phil. iii. 18, 19. i> Rom. viii. 6.
408 ECCLESIASTES, XI. 9. [845.
indeed it is, as a life of rebellion against him. It argues a
total alienation of heart from him : it shews that we lived to
please ourselves rather than him, and that we were in reality
a god unto ourselves. He had told us plainly, "If ye live after
the flesh, ye shall die :" but we would not believe it. He had
told us, that " the broad road, in which the many are walking,
leadeth to destruction ; and that the narrow way alone leadeth
unto life :" but we would not be persuaded that such an awful
declaration should ever be verified. Nevertheless so it will be
found in the last day : and of this we may be perfectly assured:
for it stands on the word of God, which is as immutable as
God himself: " Know thou, that for all these things God will
call thee into judgment."]
ADDRESS
1. Those who seek their happiness in earthly
things
[Say not, You commit no gross sin, and therefore have no
cause to fear. The question simply is, Do you walk after the
way of your own heart ? If you do, it matters little what path
you choose, whether it be that of open, or secret sin : you are
equally living without God in the world, and are equally ob
noxious to his heavy displeasure. I mean not by this to sav,
that all sins are alike, or that gross immoralities will not aug
ment your guilt and condemnation in the last day. But this
is an undoubted truth, that he only who gives up himself to
God in this world, can ever dwell with him in the world to
come : for " if we sow to the flesh, we shall of the flesh reap
corruption: and it is only from sowing to the Spirit, that we can
hope to reap life everlasting." Knowing therefore the terror of
the Lord, we would persuade you, whilst yet we may avert from
you the impending storm : we would persuade thee in particular,
O young man, that thou mayest not any longer deceive thy soul,
and dream of happiness in another world, when thou art only
" treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath."]
2. Those who are seeking happiness in the ways
of God-
[Say whether thou hast not found .more solid joy in the
ways of God, than ever thou foundest in the vanities of the
world? Say whether thou hast not found it better to " mortify
thy members upon earth," than to indulge them ; and to live
to God, rather than to live unto thyself? The joy thou now
hast is legitimate : it is such as prophets and apostles had
before thee ; and such as God has freely conceded to thee, to
the utmost extent of all thy wishes: " Let the children of Zion
be joyful in their King." Indeed thy present joys are the gift
of God to thy soul. Go on then " rejoicing In the Lord always :"
846. J REMEMBERING GOD IN OUR YOUTH. 409
yea, rejoice, if so it may be, " with a joy that is unspeakable and
glorified." These joys will never make the future judgment
formidable ; on the contrary, they will help to prepare thee for
it, inasmuch as they are themselves an earnest of thine ever
lasting inheritance.]
DCCCXLVI.
REMEMBERING GOD IN OUR YOUTH.
Eccl. xii. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy
youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh,
when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.
INSTRUCTION may profitably be given in a
variety of ways : indeed, in order to be effectual, it
must be accommodated in some measure to the dis
positions and habits of the persons addressed. To
one who is wayward and self-willed, the pungency of
irony may be well applied ; whilst with the tractable
and docile, the more simple and direct way of affec
tionate exhortation may be of more avail. Both
these methods are adopted by Solomon in the pas
sage before us. In the verses immediately preceding
our text, he addresses a young man whom he sup
poses to be bent on the prosecution of his evil ways :
" Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy
heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk
in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine
eyes : but know thou, that for all these things God
will call thee into judgment." Then, after a serious
admonition to avoid the evils which ungovernable
passions will bring upon him, he affectionately exhorts
him to devote his early life to the exercises of true
piety.
It is observed by some, that the word which in our
text is rendered " thy Creator," is, in the original, in
the plural number, " thy Creators :" and the passage
in that view is supposed to mark the concurrence of
the three Persons in the ever-blessed Trinity, in the
formation of man ; according to what is written in
the book of Genesis, " Let us make man in OUR
image V But without drawing your attention to any
a Gen. i. 26.
410 ECCLESIASTES, XII. 1. [846.
observations of a critical nature, I shall endeavour
simply to shew you,
I. What is implied in " remembering our Creator "-
Of course, it cannot be supposed that it is a mere
act of the memory which is here recommended, but
such a remembrance as befits the relation in which
we stand to him as his creatures. We should re
member then,
1. His authority over us
[As the work of his hands, we have received from him
all our powers, whether of mind or body. It is of his bounty
alone that we have been endowed with the faculty of reason,
which elevates us above all the rest of this lower world, and
brings us into a near conformity with that higher order of
created intelligences, the holy angels. But for what purpose
has he thus distinguished us, but that we might render him
services worthy both of our present state, and our future
destinies ? " He has formed us for himself, that we might shew
forth his praise." This is the end for which we are to live :
nor is any thing on earth to divert us from the course which
HE has marked out for us. Obedience, it is true, is due to our
parents, and to all others whom the providence of God has
placed over us : but the authority of the creature must always
be regarded as subordinate to that of our Creator ; and, if at
any time the will of man stand opposed to the will of God,
we must then reply, " Whether it be right to hearken unto
you more than unto God, judge ye." Whatever solicitations
we may have from without or from within to violate any part
of God s revealed will, we must withstand them manfully, and
resist them even unto death. Knowing that " we are not our
own, but God s, we must glorify him with our bodies and our
spirits, which are his."]
2. The commands he has given us
[We will not here enter into the different commandments
of the law, but draw your attention rather to that great com
mandment of the Gospel to believe in Christ : " This is his
commandment," says St. John, " that ye believe in the name
of his Son Jesus ChristV This command should be had in con
stant remembrance. It is addressed to every child of man.
There is no one so innocent, as not to need a Saviour ; nor
any one so gtiilty, but that he may, through penitence and
faith, obtain an interest in that Saviour, whom God has pro
vided for a ruined world. Do not imagine, my young friends,
that you are not concerned in this, or that it will be time
b 1 John iii. 23.
846.] REMEMBERING GOD IN OUR YOUTH. 411
enough for you to attend to it, when you shall feel a greater
need of mercy. You all are sinners : you all have a conscious
ness within yourselves that you have done many things which
you ought not, and left undone many things which you ought
to have done : you therefore have in your own bosoms a wit
ness that you need a Saviour : and as in the presence of the
Most High God, I declare unto you, that there is no mercy
for the young, any more than for the old, but in the name, and
through the mediation, of Jesus Christ: "there is no other
name under heaven given among men whereby we can be
saved, but the name of Jesus Christ." Go then to this Saviour,
and implore mercy at his hands. Look to him as dying for
your sins, and " as reconciling you to God by the blood of his
cross." Let every one of you from day to day wash in the foun
tain of his blood, and clothe yourselves with the robe of his un
spotted righteousness, and live altogether upon " his fulness,
receiving out of it " continual supplies of all needful grace.]
3. His continual presence with us
[" God is in every place, beholding the evil and the good."
and wherever you are, you should see, as it were, this inscrip
tion written, " Thou God seest me c ." This is a point which
you should never forget for one single moment : for it is only
by bearing this in mind that you will be kept from the indul
gence of secret sins. When no human eye is upon us, we are
apt to think that we may give a greater latitude to our conduct :
but we should remember that the darkness is no darkness with
God, but the night and the day to him are both alike : " there
is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of ini
quity may hide themselves." Oh, if you bear this in remem
brance, you will never do what you know to be wrong, nor
utter what you know to be false : you will act in all things as
in the immediate presence of your God, and will do nothing
but what you believe to be good and acceptable in his sight.]
4. His determination to judge us in the last day
[God " has appointed a day wherein he will judge the
world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained,
even by his Son Jesus Christ." In that day all shall be sum
moned to his judgment-seat, the old and the young, the rich
and the poor : not one that has ever been born into the world
shall then be absent : the child that died in the birth, as well
as the man of a hundred years old, shall be summoned to
receive his everlasting doom, according to what they have
done in the body, whether it be good or evil. To those
who die before they have attained the knowledge of good
and evil, we doubt not but that the mercy of God will be
c Gen. xvi. 13.
412 ECCLESIASTES, XII. 1. [816.
extended: but to those who have lived to your age, judgment
or mercy will be dispensed according as you have remembered
or forgotten God. Most awful is that declaration of the
Psalmist, " The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the
nations that forget God d ." If you have forgotten his authority
over you, and especially his command to believe in his Son
Jesus Christ ; if you have forgotten that his eye was always
upon you, inspecting your most secret thoughts, and noting
them clown in order to his future judgment ; and if you have
lived without any concern about the sentence that shall then be
passed upon you ; it will indeed be an awful day to you, a com
mencement of such misery as no words can describe, no imagi
nation can conceive. Remember then that God marks down
in the book of his remembrance your every act, and every
word, and every thought ; and that it is your wisdom so to live,
that, whether called at an earlier or later period of life, you may
give up your account to him with joy, and not with grief.]
Such is the duty of all without exception : but the
text requires me more particularly to shew,
II. Why we should thus remember him in early life-
It were easy to accumulate reasons on so plain a
point : but we shall content ourselves with assigning
a few of the most obvious ;
1. This is the most favourable time-
fit is of the nature of sin to harden the heart and to sear
the conscience : and therefore the less we have been habituated
to sin, the more hope there is that a good impression may be
made upon our minds. We cannot agree with those who re
present the hearts of youth as a sheet of white paper, on which
you may write either good or evil : for, alas ! there is evil, not
merely written, but inscribed there in a most abundant mea
sure, and in characters that are almost indelible : but we cor
dially accede to this truth, that the young -are as yet only like
plants sprouting from the earth, pliable and easy to be trained;
whilst at a more advanced age they become like trees, which
retain their form, unyielding, and unmoved. From the very
employments too of men in more advanced life, there arise
many disadvantages : being drawn to a more vigorous pursuit
of earthly things, they are, not unfrequently, so oppressed with
" the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and
the lust of other things, that the good seed which has been
sown in them, cannot grow up unto perfection." But from
these things young people are comparatively free. Besides, at
this season they have an express promise from God, which they
cannot plead in future life 6 : and therefore in a variety of views
d Ps. ix. 17. e Prov. viii. 17.
846.] REMEMBERING GOD IN OUR YOUTH. 413
they may well consider this as " the most convenient season"
for piety that can ever occur.]
2. It may, for aught we know, be the only time
that shall he allotted us
[The youngest and the healthiest amongst us may be
speedily removed. Let any one survey the monuments that
surround him, and he will see that multitudes have been 
