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The Leonard Library
OTpcltffe College
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THE
ENTIRE WORKS
REV. CHAKLES SIMEON, M.A
WITH COPIOUS INDEXES,
PREPARED BY THE REV.
THOMAS IIARTWELL HORNE, B.D.
riUNTKD I .Y KIC1IAKD CL/VV, BREAD-STREET-IIILL.
HOB^E HOMILETIC^E:
DISCOURSES
(PRINCIPALITY IN THE FORM OF SKELETONS)
NOW FIRST DIGESTED INTO ONE CONTINUED SERIES,
AND FORMING A COMMENTARY
UPON" 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 FELLOW OF KINO S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.
VOL. IX. {( co;
JEREMIAH TO DANIEL.
LONDON:
HOLDSWORTH AND BALL,
18, ST. PAUL S CHURCH-YARD.
M DCCC XXXII.
. o u ^
t . ^- x -~-
~6 J>
CONTENTS TO VOL. IX.
Discourse.
Text.
Subject.
Page.
JEREMIAH
1026
ii. 4 6.
The Ingratitude of Men ....
1
1027.
ii. 12, 13.
The Fountain of living Waters
5
1028.
ii. 19.
The Evil of Backsliding ....
16
1029.
ii. 23, 24.
Self -vindicating Sinners reproved
19
1030.
ii. 27, 28.
The Folly of neglecting God .
23
1031.
ii. 31, 32.
God s Complaint against the Rebel
lious > .
07
1032.
iii. 11.
Comparative Criminality ....
-*- I
31
1033.
iii. 1215.
God s Invitation to his People
35
1034.
iii. 19.
The true Source of Salvation .
42
1035.
iii. 22.
Invitation to Backsliders ....
46
1036.
iv. 3, 4.
Repentance the Means of preventing
49
1037.
iv. 14.
The Importance of suppressing vain
54
1038.
iv. 19.
58
1039.
v. 23, 24.
God s Bounties and our Ingratitude .
62
1040.
vi. 16.
fifi
1041.
viii. 4 8.
Expostulation with the Impenitent
\J\J
70
1042.
viii. 11.
Healing our Wounds slightly .
75
1043.
viii. 20 22.
The Remedy for those who have lost
their Seasons of Grace ....
80
1044.
viii. 22.
84
1045.
ix. 3.
Fortitude recommended on the Side of
Truth
88
1046.
ix. 23, 24.
True and sufficient Grounds of Glorying
93
1047.
xiii. 11.
The Contempt with which God s richest
Mercies are treated
105
1048.
xiii. 15 17.
110
1049.
xiii. 23.
The Power of evil Habits ....
113
1050.
xiii. 27.
God is desirous of saving Men
118
CONTENTS.
! Discourse.
Text.
Subject.
Page
JEREMIAH
1051.
xiv. 7.
God s Name the Sinner s Plea
121
1052
xiv. 7 9.
A Pattern for National Humiliation .
127
1053.
xiv. 20, 21.
How to plead with God ....
130
1054.
xv. 16.
The Word of God precious . . .
135
1055.
xvii. 5 8.
The Duty of trusting in God .
141
1056.
xvii. 9.
Necessity of knowing Ourselves ,
143
1057.
xvii. 10.
God s Rule of Judgment . . . .
156
1058.
xviii. 6.
The Potter s Power over the Clay
160
1059.
xx. 9.
A Soul under Discouragement
162
1060.
xxiii. 6.
The Lord our Righteousness
166
1061.
xxiii. 23, 24.
The Omnipresence of God ....
170
1062.
xxiii. 28, 29.
Fidelity required in Ministers
173
1063.
xxv. 5, 6.
Religion is not a Source of Evil to those
who embrace it
i 77
i / /
1064.
xxix. 11, 13.
God will be found of sincere Wor-
1065.
xxx. 10, 11.
God s gracious Designs towards his
chosen Paple
187
1066.
xxx. 17.
The Conversion of the Jews our Duty
4 iJJ (
191
1067.
xxx. 21.
God s Regard for those who approach
unto Him
206
1068.
xxxi. 3.
Gracious Influences the Fruit of elect-
inn Love
010
1069.
xxxi. 7 9.
The Restoration of the Jews . . .
^ 1 U
214
1070.
xxxi. 8, 9.
The Christian Pilgrims ....
218
1071.
xxxi. 10 14.
The preached Gospel a Source of
Blessings to the World ....
222 !
1072.
xxxi. 1820.
The Reflections of a Penitent .
227
1073.
xxxi. 30.
The sure Consequences of Sin
230
1074.
xxxi. 31 34.
The New Covenant ....
236
1075.
xxxi. 3537.
The Church s Security
243
1076.
xxxii. 37 42.
The future Conversion of the Jews
248
1077.
xxxii. 39 41.
Salvation is of God from first to last
256
1078.
xxxiii. 3.
The Importance of Prayer ....
260
1079.
xxxiii. 6 9.
Conversion of the Jews a Matter of
Importance to God and Man
264
1080.
xxxv. 13, 14.
Disobedience to God condemned
271
1081.
xxxvi. 27, 28.
Jehoiakim, hums the sacred Roll
278
CONTENTS.
Discourse.
lext
Subject.
i I age.
JEREMIAH
1082.
xlii. 20, 21.
\ Dissimulation reproved
284
1083.
xliv. 10, 17.
The Impiety of ungodly Men .
j 290
1084.
xlv. 5.
We must not seek great Things
296
1085.
xlvii. 6, 7.
The Means of terminating War .
300
1086.
1. 4, 5.
Repentance described
304
1087.
1. 20.
God s Mercy to his People
307
1088.
li. 5.
God s Mercy contrasted with our /Sin-
fulness
31 1
1089.
li. 10.
Duty of acknowledging God s Mercies
313
LAMENTATIONS
1090.
i. 9.
The Consequences of not remembering
our latter End
319
1091.
iii. 22, 23.
The Views of a Saint in his Afflictions
322
1092.
iii. 25.
The Goodness of God to Suppliants .
325
1093.
iii. 2729.
The Benefit of early Afflictions . .
328
1094.
iii. 31 33.
Comfort for the Afflicted ....
332
1095.
iii. 54 57.
The Efficacy of Prayer ....
336
EZEKIEL
1090.
ii. 4.
Commission given to Ministers
340
1097.
vii. 59.
Approaching End of God s Forbearance
342
1098.
viii. 15.
Hidden Abominations exposed . . .
347
1099.
ix. 4.
Duty and Benefit of mourning for Sin
353
1100.
xi. 5.
The Omniscience of God
359
1101.
xi. 23.
Departure of God from his Temple .
362
1102.
xii. 23.
Death and Eternity near at hand
368
1103.
xiii. 10 12.
Delusive Confidence reproved .
372
1104.
xiv. 4.
Heart Idolatry condemned ....
376
1105.
xvi. 62, 63.
The Effect of God s Mercy on the re
newed Soul
380
1106.
xvii. 22 24.
Parable of the Twig of a Cedar .
386
1107.
xviii. 25 30.
Equity of God in his Judgments .
390
1108.
xx. 37.
Conversion, in its Commencement and
Progress
397
w 4
1109.
xx. 40 44.
Restoration of the Jews, and the Con
version of a Soul, compared .
403
1110.
xx. 49.
Men s Treatment of the Gospel . .
406
till.
x. xiii. 8.
Office and Responsibility of Ministers
411
CONTENTS.
Piicourse.
Text.
Subject.
,,
1112,
1113
EZEKIEL
xxxiii. 11.
xxxiii. 31, 32.
God expostulating with Sinners .
The Self-deception of covetous Pro-
415
419
1114.
115.
116.
117.
118.
119.
120.
121.
122.
xxxiv. 10.
xxxiv. 23, 24.
xxxiv. 29.
xxxvi. 2428.
xxxvi. 31.
xxxvi. 32.
xxxvii. 1 0.
xxxvii. 1113.
xxxvii. 15 22.
Christ s Execution of his Pastor alOjftce
David a Type of Christ ....
Christ the Plant of Renown
Out-pouring of the Spirit on the Jews
The Duty of Self-lothing ....
God i Mercies not given for our Merits
Universal Restoration of the Jews
Souls quickened by the Gospel . .
The Sticks of Judah and of Ephraim
loiiicd .
422
425
429
433
440
444
448
405
408
1123.
1124.
1125.
DANIEL
ii. 44.
iii. 28.
iv. 3437.
The Stone that became a, Mountain .
Tlte Hebrew Youths in the Jiery Furnace
Nebuchadnezzar s Dream verified and
improved
470
480
485
1120.
v. 5, 0.
Belshazzar warned of his impending
491
1107
v 22
Impenitence reproved
495
1128.
v. 23.
Belshazzar s Impiety and ours corn-
501
1129.
v. 27.
507
1130
v. 30.
511
1131.
vi. 5.
Character of Daniel
510
1132.
vi. 10.
52 >
1133.
vi. 95 27.
The Decree of Darius
528
1134
1135.
1130.
vii. 9, 10.
vii. 18.
ix. 3.
The Destruction of Popery
The Reign of the Saints ....
533
538
543
1137
ix. 37.
i47
1138.
1139.
1 I 10.
1141.
ix. 310.
ix. 1723.
ix. 24.
xii. 2, 3.
Humiliation exemplified and enforced
The Answer to Daniel s Prayer . ,
The Time and Ends of Christ s Advent
Different States of Men in the last
552
557
502
507
JEREMIAH.
MXXVI.
THE INGRATITUDE OF MEN.
Jer. ii. 4 G. Hear ye the word of the Lord, house of Jacob,
and all the families of the house of Israel : Thus saith the
Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they
are gone far from me, and have ivalked after vanity, and are
become vain ? Neither said they, Where is the Lord, that
brought us up out of the land of Egypt?
HOW marvellous is the condescension of Almighty
God ! There is not in the universe a man that
would bear with his fellow-man as God beareth with
his people. Amidst all the indignities that they offer
him,, he follows them with entreaties, reasonings, ex
postulations, if by any means he may prevail upon
them to turn to him, and thus to avert from them
selves his merited displeasure. In my text, all Israel
are challenged by him to assign a reason for their
contemptuous treatment of him. As by the Prophet
Micah he says, " O my people, what have I done
unto thee ? and wherein have I wearied thee ? testify
against me a :" so here he challenges them all to say,
" What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that
they are gone far from me ? "
Here we are called to consider,
I. The complaint he makes-
Grievous, indeed, had been the departure of God s
people from him, and their insuperable attachment to
idols. Jeremiah says of them : " It is the land of
graven images: "they are mad upon their idols V
a Mic. vi. 3. b Jer. 1. 38.
VOL. IX. B
2 JEREMIAH, II. 4 G. [1026.
And this was the more wonderful, because they be
lieved that Jehovah had brought them out of Egypt,
and led them through the wilderness,, and established
them in Canaan ; and yet they did not, as one might
have supposed, desire to know and serve Him, but
turned their backs upon him, and sought in preference
" the vanities of the Heathen , even their idols of
wood and stone.
But if God litters this complaint against his ancient
people, how much more justly may he urge it against
us. For there is in us, alas !
1. The same folly
[What has been the uniform tenour of our lives, but one
constant state of departure from God, and a preferring of
every vanity before him ? True, we have not bowed down to
idols of wood and stone : but we have cared for nothing, yea,
and thought of nothing, but the pleasures, or riches, or ho
nours of this vain world. Look at persons in early youth ; see
them growing up to manhood ; see them in full maturity of
mind and body ; yea, look at them when grey hairs are come
upon them, aye, and when bowed down with the infirmities of
age; what is it they are seeking after? and what is it to
which they look for satisfaction ? It is the world, in some
shape or other. Though they have found all that they ever
enjoyed to be, in fact, nothing but " vanity and vexation of
spirit," yet they go on in the same infatuated course from
year to year, withholding their hearts from God, who alone
can make them happy, and setting their affections upon things
which never did, nor ever can, administer to their comfort. In
a word, " they forsake God, the fountain of living waters, and
hew out to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold
no water d ." - ]
2. The same ingratitude
[If their ingratitude was base, who inquired not after Him
who had redeemed them from Egypt, what must ours be, who
have been redeemed from death and hell ; and redeemed, too,
not as Israel, by a mere act of power, but by the blood and
righteousness of our incarnate God ! Consider, in reference
to the points specified in the passage before us, from ivhat
bondage we have been delivered ; what provision God has made
for us ir< the way ; and what a rest he has prepared for us at the
evd c ! What were the afflictions of Egypt, in comparison of the
< JMit. xxxii. 21. .Tor. xiv. 22. i ver, 13 e ver. 6, 7.
1026.] THE INGRATITUDE OF MEN. 3
miseries of hell? And what were the cloudy pillar for their
direction, and the manna and water for their support, in com
parison of the in-dwelling of the Spirit of God in our souls,
as our Guide, our Sanctifier, and our Comforter? And what
was a short possession of Canaan, in comparison of an eternal
inheritance in heaven ? What the Jews enjoyed was a mere
shadow only, of which we possess the substance : and all this
bought for us by the precious blood of Christ, who laid down
his life for us ?
Now, it might well be supposed that we should be conti
nually inquiring after this Saviour ; and that we should not
have so much as a wish but to know him, love him, serve him,
glorify him, and enjoy him. But has this been the case with
us ? Have we not, on the contrary, passed days, weeks,
months, and years, without any anxious desire after him, or
any diligent pursuit of him ? Look back, I pray you, and see
what has been the state of your souls, from your youth up
even to the present moment. Compare your feelings about
the things of this world, its cares, pleasures, vanities ; and say
whether they have not engrossed your minds far more than the
Lord Jesus, and all the wonders of redeeming love. Tell me,
then, What can exceed your ingratitude ? and how justly may
God be filled with indignation against you!
From this complaint,, we pass on to notice,
II. His challenge in relation to it
" What iniquity have your fathers found in me," to
justify such conduct towards me ? - - This was
altogether unanswerable by them : but how much
more so by us!
I now, in God s name, challenge every one of you
to say, What have you ever found in the Lord Jesus
Christ that merits such treatment at your hands ?
1. Have you ever found him a hard Master ?
[The Jews might have said, that God imposed " a yoke
upon them, which neither they nor their fathers were ever
able to bear :" but can you speak thus of Christ s yoke ? Has
he not declared, and do not your consciences attest, that " his
yoke is easy, and his burthen light? Verily, there is not one
of his commandments that is grievous ;" not one " in the keep
ing of which you will not receive" a present, as well as an
eternal, " great reward."]
2. Have you found him, in any one respect, less
gracious or merciful than he professed to be?
B 2
4 JEREMIAH, II. 46. [1026.
[Where is there a truly penitent soul that he ever spurned
from his footstool ? - - Where is there one who ever
cried to him for help, and did not find his grace sufficient for
him ? - - Who ever delighted himself in him, and did
not experience a reciprocation of his love ? - - And
whom did he ever leave or forsake, provided he, on his part,
" cleaved with full purpose of heart unto him ? " May
he not address every one of you in the words nearly following
my text ; " O generation ! Have I been a wilderness unto
Israel ? a land of darkness ? Wherefore then say ye, We are
lords; we will come no more unto thee f ?" Yes, Brethren, I
challenge you, and God himself invites the whole world to sit
in judgment, and decide the controversy between us: " O
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you,
betwixt me and my vineyard : What could have been done
more to my vineyard that I have not done in it ? Wherefore,
when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it
forth wild grapes g ?"]
TELL me then,
1. What will ye say in justification of yourselves?
[Are ye not guilty ? and have ye so much as a shadow
of an excuse for your base conduct ? When the Lord Jesus,
at the Last Day, shall call you to account, and say, Why did
you prefer every vanity before me? -Why did not all
the wonders which I had wrought for you, in bearing your
sins and expiating your guilt, find a place in your minds, and
constrain you to surrender up yourselves to me ? Tell
me, will not your mouth be shut? Will you not then be
amazed at the iniquity that was in YOU ? I pray you,
then, put aside all your self-vindicating delusions, and cast
yourselves at the feet of Jesus, crying, " Save, Lord, or I
perish !" - ]
2. What line of conduct will ye henceforth pursue?
[Will ye go on in your neglect of God and his Christ,
and in a determined pursuit of earthly vanities ? I trust ye
will not. I do hope that you will see how unreasonable such
conduct is, and will from this time turn unto God with your
whole hearts. And see, for your encouragement, how rich
are the offers of his grace ! He says concerning you, " Thou
hast not called upon me, O Jacob ; but thou hast been weary
of me, O Israel. I have not caused thee to serve with an
offering, nor wearied thee with incense ; but thou hast made
me to serve with thy sins, and wearied me with thine iniquities.
1, even I, am he that (What? will pour out my judgments
* vcr 31. * L<:ii. v. 3, 4.
1027.] THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS. 5
upon thee ? No : but that) blotteth out thy transgressions
for my own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put me
in remembrance (of this promise) : let us plead together : " de
clare thou (thine affiance in it), that thou mayest be justified 11 ."
Verily, it seems incredible that God, that God whom we have
so offended, should address us in such terms as these. But
these are the very words of God, addressed even to the most
rebellious of the human race. Apply them, then, to your own
souls, my Brethren, and seek now the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus. Then shall you, notwithstanding all your past
wickedness, find favour with God, and " the blood of Jesus
Christ his Son shall cleanse you from all sin."]
11 Isai. xliii. 2226.
MXXVII.
THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS.
Jer. ii. 12, 13. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be
horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord. For my
peo^rte have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the
fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken
cisterns, that can hold no ivater.
RELIGION may be considered as of two kinds,
theoretical and practical. In the term theoretical, I
include every thing that is necessary to prove the
truth of Christianity : and under the term practical,
whatever is required of those who embrace it. To
understand the theoretical part, is desirable ; to per
form the practical is necessary. The two kinds,
however are not necessarily united : the theoretical
may exist where the practical is disregarded ; and
the practical may exist, where the theoretical is un
known. Thousands of pious persons have neither
leisure nor talent for collating manuscripts, or for
weighing the evidences that may be adduced in
favour of particular hypotheses : and to say that
these cannot be religious, because they are wanting
in critical acumen, would be as absurd as to say that
a man cannot be honest, because he has not sufficient
knowledge of the laws to be a judge. The unlettered
Christian assumes the truth of Christianity ; and he
finds it true by its effects. And such persons may
6 JEREMIAH, II. 12, 13. [1027.
well refer to the effects, in proof of the truth of that
religion which they profess. But it is one thing to
refer to practical effects, and another to ground their
faith on any transient feelings : This no man of reflec
tion can do : the other, no man of piety can forbear.
Feelings may be excited by erroneous notions, as
well as by those which are just : but holiness, radical
and universal holiness, can be produced by Chris
tianity alone. We will appeal to all the religions
that ever appeared upon the face of the earth, and
ask, Whether any of them ever produced in their
votaries such effects as were visible in Christ and his
Apostles ? The reason is plain : It is the Spirit of God
who sanctifies : and he is promised to those only who
believe in Christ : and consequently, his sanctifying
energy, in its full extent at least, can be found in them
alone. I grant that it would be wrong to rest the
truth of our religion on that ground only ; but surely
it may properly be referred to, as an additional and
corroborating proof of our religion. If this be not a
proper test of our religion, whereby shall the superior
excellency of Christianity be known ? If the Bible
produce no better effects than the Koran, I do not
hesitate to say that it is no better than the Koran :
but if its effects be such as no other religion can pro
duce, then will those effects be, though not the only,
yet a solid and important proof of our religion : and
those who cannot enter into learned disquisitions
about the credibility of the Scriptures, have reason to
thank God that they have within themselves an evi
dence of the truth of Christianity, which the objec
tions of infidels can never set aside a . The error lies
a The author does not mean, that this is the only evidence which
unlearned men have of the Divine authority of the Bible. They, as
well as the learned, have other grounds for their faith. They see the
provision, which the Bible makes for their restoration to happiness, to
be precisely such as their necessities required. They see also, that
the purity of its commands has a wonderful tendency to elevate their
nature, and to produce universal happiness : and these two things
form in their minds a strong internal evidence of the Divine origin of
the Bible ; whilst the general and long-continued reception of that
book amongst those who have spent their whole lives in investigating
1027.] THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS. 7
in confounding the two kinds of religion. They are
distinct ; and they should be kept so.
To enter deeply into the theory of religion, much
strength of intellect, much general knowledge, and
much patient investigation are requisite. To have
just, and even enlarged, views of the practical part,
little is wanting but a humble teachable mind, en
lightened by the truths, and sanctified by the influence,
of the Gospel of Christ. The former, when possessed
in the highest degree, will consist with all manner of
evil tempers, and evil habits : the latter necessarily
involves in it a change both of heart and life. The
former is of importance principally to those, whose
office calls them to defend the outworks of Christianity
against the assaults of infidels : the latter is essential
to the happiness of every individual. To the former
your mind is now directed from time to time, by a
zealous and learned professor 13 , \vho is giving us the
result of his own laborious researches, and commend-
ably exerting his talents to promote amongst us the
too much neglected study of sacred literature : to the
latter, which we consider as more appropriate to the
ordinary services of the Church, we would on the
on the present occasion solicit your attention.
The subject which we would submit to your con
sideration, is a solemn charge, brought by God him
self against his people of old. They were guilty of
gross idolatry ; and for that, in part, they are here
reproved : the very heavens are summoned to bear
witness against them, and to express with utter
astonishment their abhorrence of such impiety. But
its authenticity, serves in their minds as a strong external evidence,
that the Bible is really given by the inspiration of God. Neverthe
less, their actual experience of a change of heart and life, wrought in
them by the Bible, is to them a strong additional evidence of its Di
vine authority. Of course, this change cannot produce any convic
tion in the minds of others ; because none but God and a man s own
conscience can know the full extent of that change.
b The Rev. Herbert Marsh, D. D. now The Right Rev. Lord
Bishop of Peterborough, of St. John s College, Lady Margaret s Pro
fessor of Divinity ; who was giving Public Lectures in the Univer
sity Church, on the principal subjects connected with Theological
Learning.
8 JEREMIAH, II. 12, 13. [1027.
another complaint against them was, that, in their
straits and difficulties, they were ever looking to
Egypt and Assyria for help, instead of relying on the
Lord their God, Now if, in respect of gross idolatry,
the passage be thought more immediately applicable
to them, it will nevertheless, as a charge of spiritual
idolatry, be found to contain ample matter of accu
sation against ourselves.
Let us then consider,
I. The evils which God lays to our charge ;
II. The light in which they should be viewed.
I. The evils which God lays to our charge are, that
we have forsaken him, and sought our happiness in
the creature rather than in the Creator. He justly
calls himself " the fountain of living waters :" for he
is, and must be acknowledged to be, the only source
of all good. What is there in the visible creation,
that is not the product of his power, and the gift of
his grace ? or what is there that can afford satis
faction to the souls of men, or to the bright intel
ligences of heaven, which does not emanate from his
presence and love ? If it be replied, that many sources
of consolation are opened for us in the contemplations
of reason, or the gratifications of sense; we answer,
That the very capacity to communicate or receive
pleasure is the fruit of his bounty ; and that the crea
ture can be no more to us than what he is pleased to
make it.
What then does he require of us ? He calls us to
regard him as the one source of happiness to our
selves ; to acknowledge him in all that we have ; and
to trust in him for all that we stand in need of. He
calls us to resemble our first parents in their primitive
state ; yea, to resemble the very angels around his
throne; and to delight ourselves in him, as our Friend,
pur Portion, " our eternal great Reward." By sin,
indeed, we are become incapable of fulfilling these
duties, or of experiencing these enjoyments, to the
extent we ought : but still God desires to restore us
to the felicity which we have lost, and to communicate
1027.] THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS.
to us all those blessings which we have forfeited by
our transgressions.
Happy would it be for us, if we were duly impressed
with this unmerited kindness and unbounded mercy.
But, instead of seeking blessedness in him, we forsake
him utterly : we cast off his yoke,, we trample on his
laws, we cast him even out of our thoughts.
Now let us see what is that rival which we prefer :
it is the creature, justly called "a broken cistern."
Some look for happiness in the gratifications of sense;
others in the attainment of wealth or honour ; others,
in the pursuits of science or philosophy. We beg to
be clearly understood when speaking on this subject :
we do not mean to condemn pleasure, honour, wealth,
or science, as evil in themselves : they all have their
legitimate and appropriate use, and all may be pur
sued and enjoyed in perfect consistency with a good
conscience. It is quite a mistake to think that religion
is opposed to any of these things : on the contrary,
it leads to the richest enjoyment of created good, and
enjoins, instead of prohibiting, a diligent performance
of every known duty. If subordinated to religion,
and pursued for God, (we repeat it,) the pleasures
of sense may be possessed, and the duties of every
station discharged : nay more, we declare, that no
man can be religious without endeavouring to fulfil
the duties of his calling, whether they be commercial
or military, philosophical or religious. But the evil
incident to these things consists in making them
the great end of our life ; in suffering them to draw
away our hearts from God, or to occupy that place in
our affections which is due to God alone. It is in this
view that we are to be understood as denominating
the pursuit of these things "evil;" and we doubt not
but that the consciences of all attest the truth of our
statement, and accede fully to that apostolic, that
incontrovertible position, that to " love and serve the
creature more than the Creator" is idolatry.
We have digressed a little, for the purpose of being
more clearly understood. Let us now return to our
observation, that the creature, which is suffered to
10 JEREMIAH, II. 12, 13. [1027.
rival God in our affections, whatever it may be, is
only " a broken cistern." Who will venture to say
that he has ever found solid and permanent satisfac
tion in the creature ? Who has lived any considerable
time in the world without learning, by his own expe
rience, the truth of Solomon s observation, that " all
below the sun is vanity ?" Yet, whatever our expe
rience has been, we still follow our own delusions,
and run after a phantom, which, while we think to
apprehend it, eludes our grasp. We think that the
pleasures of the world will make us happy : we fol
low them, and for a moment dream that we are
happy ; but we awake, and find that it was but a
dream. We next try wealth or honour : we run the
race ; we attain the prize ; and find at last that we
have been following a shadow. We imagine, perhaps,
that science and philosophy, being so much more
elevated in their nature than the common concerns
of life, will form a kind of Paradise for us : we labour,
we press forward, we become distinguished for high
attainments, but are as far off from solid happiness
as ever ; and are constrained to join our testimony to
that of the wisest of men, after he had " sought out
all things that are done under the heaven," that even
wisdom, with all its high attainments, is only " vanity
and vexation of spirit."
Such is the charge which God has exhibited against
us ; and we appeal to every man s conscience for the
truth of it. Is there so much as one amongst us
whose conscience does not tell him, " Thou art the
man?" We are God s people, as much as the Jews
of old were : " He hath nourished and brought us
up, and yet we have rebelled against him : The ox
knoweth his owner, and the ass his master s crib ;
but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consi
der." Notwithstanding a secret conviction that God
was the only source of real happiness, we could not
prevail upon ourselves to seek after him : and not
withstanding our daily experience of the insufficiency
of the creature to make us happy, we could not re
linquish the vain pursuit. We have hewn out one
1027.] THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS. 11
cistern, and found it incapable of retaining any water :
we have then renewed our labour, and hewed out
another ; which we have found as unproductive of
solid benefit as the former. We have even worn our
selves out with the pursuit of various and successive
vanities, yet have persisted in our error, untaught by
experience, and unwearied by disappointments. Even
to the close of life " we hold fast deceit ;" " we refuse
to return ;" " a deceived heart hath turned us aside,
so that we cannot deliver our souls, or say, Is there
not a lie in my right hand ?"
Will any contend, that these pursuits are not evil?
Surely they are evil in the sight of God. So far from
passing over the whole as of small account, he dis
joins and separates the different parts of his charge,
and declares, that on account of each we are involved
in guilt. Our neglect of him has been exceeding
sinful, as our attachment to vanity has also been :
" My people have committed two evils."
But on this part of our subject we shall enter more
fully, whilst we consider,
II. In what light we should view these evils
We are apt to palliate our conduct, and to say,
What great harm is there in these things ? But if
we look to our text, we shall see that they are both
heinous in themselves, and terrible in their consequences.
In respect of heinousness, I scarcely know whether is
greater, their guilt or their folly. Only let us consider
what advantages we have enjoyed for the knowledge
and service of God. Is it nothing that we have been
o
endowed with such noble capacities, and have neglected
to improve them ; insomuch that the progressive en
largement of them has tended rather to increase our
alienation from God, than to bring us nearer to him ?
Is it nothing that we have had the inspired volume
in our hands, and yet have scarcely differed at all,
except in speculative notions, from the heathen ? Is
it nothing that we have provoked God to jealousy with
things which cannot profit, and preferred even the
basest lust before him ? Is it nothing that we have
12 JEREMIAH, II. 12, IS. [1027.
despised redeeming love, trodden under foot the
Son of God, counted the blood of the covenant an
unholy thing, and done despite to the Spirit of grace ?
Should we account it a light matter, if we ourselves
were treated thus by our servants and children ; if
they cast off all regard for us, and poured contempt
upon us, and set at nought our authority, neglecting
every thing that we commanded, doing every thing
that we forbade, and persisting in such conduct for
years together, in spite of every thing we could say
or do to reclaim them ? And if we should resent such
conduct, shall not God much more ? But, whatever
we may think of these things, God calls them "evils"
and such too as may well excite "astonishment"
amongst all the hosts of heaven : " Be astonished, O
ye heavens, at this ! "
Nor is the/0//// of such conduct less than the ma
lignity. Suppose only that one half the labour
which we have used in the pursuit of vanities had
been employed in the service of our God ; or sup
pose that only the Sabbaths (a seventh part of our
time) had been improved with that assiduity and
constancy which we have exerted on other days in
the pursuit of this world ; I will venture to say, that
had even that measure of piety been exercised by
us, w r e should have been far happier here, and should
have had infinitely better prospects in the eternal
world. What amazing folly, then, have we been
guilty of! Truly, if the fact were not proved beyond
a possibility of doubt, it would not be credited, that
persons possessed of reason could act so irrational
a part. But, to view it in a proper light, we should
attend to the representation given of it in the text.
It is true, the picture is so strong, and yet withal so
exact, that we shall scarcely endure to look at it.
But let us contemplate it a moment : let us imagine
to ourselves a person dwelling close to a perennial
spring of water, and yet with great labour and fatigue
hewing out first one cistern, and then another, and,
after multiplied disappointments, dying at last of
thirst. By what name should we designate this ?
1027. J TIIE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS. 13
Should we be content with calling it. folly? Should
we not soon find for it a more appropriate and humi
liating term ? Let us take this then as a glass
wherein to view our own likeness : it is no exag-
o
gerated representation,, but the precise view in which
God sees our conduct. We are aware,, that the idea
suggested implies such a degree of infatuation as
almost to provoke a smile : but the more humiliating
the picture, the more need there is that we should
contemplate it : and my labour will not have been
lost, if a few only of the present assembly be led to
bear it in remembrance,, and to meditate upon it in
their secret retirement.
We have further to remark, that these evils are
represented in the text as terrible also in their conse
quences. Men do not like, in general, to hear of this :
they wish rather to have it kept out of sight. But
it is melancholy that they should so labour to deceive
their own souls. If, by concealing the consequences
of sin, \ve could ward them off and prevent them, we
should be the last to bring them forward to your view:
but if it be the surest way to draw them down upon
you, surely we should deserve ill at your hands if we
forbore to warn you of them. It is not thus that the
Prophets and Apostles acted: nor is it thus that God
would have us act. He bids us to " warn the wicked of
their evil ways :" and declares, that if we neglect to do
so, he " will require their blood at our hands." In
order then that the danger of such sins as are here
laid to our charge may appear, consider what are the
representations given of it in the Holy Scriptures. If
there be one image more terrible than another, it is that
of lying down in a lake of fire and brimstone, ever to
be consuming and unconsumed: yet that is the image
repeatedly employed by Christ himself, in order to
represent the misery that awaits the impenitent and
unbelieving world. This will account for the extreme
anxiety and sorrow which holy men of old expressed
when contemplating the danger to which their fellow-
creatures were exposed : " Rivers of waters run down
mine eyes," says David, " because men keep not thy
14 JEREMIAH, II. 12. 13. [1027.
law: 3 And again, " I am horribly afraid for the un
godly that forsake thy law." Indeed,, how is it pos
sible to entertain light thoughts of this, if we only
consider what have uniformly been the feelings of
men,, the very moment that they have come to a just
sense of their state ? See the jailor s agitation ; or
hear the cries of the three thousand on the day of
Pentecost. Nay, we need only consider what our
own apprehensions sometimes have been, when sick
ness has come upon us, or death appeared to be nigh
at hand. But, if yet we be disposed to doubt, let us
ask, Wherefore is it that God calls on the heavens to
"be horribly afraid, and to be very desolate?" Is
there no cause for such language ? Is it intended only
to alarm us, and to excite unfounded apprehensions ?
No, surely : it is founded in truth : it is the effusion
of unbounded love ; the compassionate warning of a
tender Father. Permit me, then, once more to say,
that the forsaking of the Fountain of Living Waters
is an evil, a great evil ; and that the hewing out of
broken cisterns for ourselves is also a great evil. God
views these evils in all their malignity : the angels
also that are around the throne, view them with deep
solicitude, anxiously desiring to see us escape from
them, and waiting in readiness to rejoice over our
return to God. O that we might no longer indulge
a fatal security ! no longer say, Peace, peace ! lest
sudden destruction come upon us without any way to
escape !" If God were a hard master, and his service
irksome, there would be some shadow of excuse for
such conduct. But, who ever sought after God in
vain, provided he sought in sincerity and truth ? and,,
whoever found him without finding in him all that
could comfort and enrich the soul? God himself puts
the question ; " What iniquity have your fathers found
in me, that they are gone far from me, and have
walked after vanity, and are become vain?" " Have
I been a wilderness to Israel? a land of darkness?
Wherefore say my people, We are lords ; we will
come no more unto thee ?"
Shall we plead, as an excuse, that religion is a
1027.] TIIE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS. 15
source of melancholy ? Surely they who harbour
such an opinion have never known what religion is.
That a neglect of religion will make us melancholy,
is clear enough, as well from the dissatisfaction which,
notwithstanding our diversified enjoyments,, generally
prevails, as from the disquietude which men feel in
the prospect of death and judgment. But religion,
true religion,, brings peace into the soul : it leads us
to the Fountain of Living Water, where we can at all
times quench our thirst, and taste beforehand the
felicity of heaven. Our blessed Lord invites us to
him in this view : " If any man thirst, let him come
unto me and drink;" and " the water that I will give
him shall be in him a well of water, springing up unto
everlasting life." Listen, then, to that expostulation
of the prophet ; " Wherefore do ye spend your money
for that which is not bread, and your labour for that
which satisfieth not ? Hearken diligently unto me,
and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul de
light itself in fatness." Return to the Fountain ; and
make the experiment, at least : see whether there be
not more happiness in turning from vanity, than in
embracing it ; in seeking after God, than in forsaking
him ; in the holy exercises of prayer and praise, than
in a brutish neglect of these duties ; in applying to
your souls the promises of Christ, than in a profane
contempt of them : and, lastly, in obtaining sweet
foretastes of heavenly bliss, than in reluctant ap
proaches towards an unknown eternity. O that I
might not commend this Fountain to you in vain !
All ranks and orders amongst you are beginning to
shew a laudable attention to the theory of religion :
O that you might begin to shew it to the practice
also ! You are not backward to manifest your appro
bation of that zeal which directs you to the evidences
of religion : be ye not therefore offended with that,
which solicits your attention to its effects.
10 JEREMIAH, II. 19. [1028.
MXXVIII.
THE EVIL OF BACKSLIDING.
Jer. ii. 19. Thine oicn wickedness shall correct thee, and thy
backslidings shall reprove thee : know therefore and see, that
it /.y an evil thing, and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the
Lord ilnj God.
SIN and misery are very nearly connected; and
the nearer we are to God by relation or profession,
the more immediately will our transgressions be fol
lowed by tokens of his displeasure. The Israelites
were God s chosen people ; yet, while the Amorites,
and other idolatrous nations, were left to fill up the
measure of their iniquities, before they were visited
according to their deserts, the Jews, especially while
journeying through the wilderness, were speedily
chastened for their iniquities, and made to feel the evil
and bitterness of sin. Thus, only in a more secret
and silent manner, does God now punish the back
slidings of his people ; nor does lie notice only the
grosser violations of his law, but the more hidden
abominations of the heart, and secret declensions from
the spiritual life. Indeed, he makes sin its own
punishment, according to what is written in the text :
to elucidate which, we shall shew,
I. In what respects our own backslidings correct us
It is not unfrequently that, even in our temporal
concerns, we suffer loss by relaxing our diligence in
spiritual duties : but it is invariably found, that back
slidings from God are attended with very painful
consequences :
1. They wound our conscience
[Conscience, if duly attended to, is a faithful monitor,
and will upbraid us for declensions, however secret, and trans
gressions, however small : and when it testifies of wilful deli
berate sin, when it summons us into the divine presence, and
accuses us before God, it will make a Felix tremble, and a
Judas abhor his very existence. This is a correction, which,
as no enlightened person would willingly endure, so neither,
till he return to God, or have his " conscience seared as with
an hot iron," can he hope to escape.]
1028.] THE EVIL OF BACKSLIDING. 17
2. They intercept our views of God
[God is exceeding gracious to those who walk circum
spectly before him : but he has warned us that, " if we forsake
him, he will forsake us a ." This his people of old experienced
to their cost, as the prophet told them ; " Your iniquities
have separated between you and your God, and your sins
have hid his face from you, that he will not hearV And is
this a slight correction ? Let the cries and terrors of persons
under dereliction , be to us as a beacon for our effectual
admonition.]
3. They indispose us for spiritual exercises and
enjoyments
[While we maintain close fellowship with God, our duties
are a source of the sublimest happiness : but when we decline
from his ways, the whole work of religion becomes a burthen.
Have we neglected prayer for a season, or been inattentive in
it to the frame of our minds ? how painful a task is it to ap
proach our God ! the most glorious of all privileges is turned
into an irksome rite, to which we are goaded by a guilty con
science. The same indisposition instantly extends itself to
every other office of religion ; so that the visiting of the sick,
the conversing on spiritual subjects, the reading of the Holy
Scriptures, and indeed the whole life of religion is bereft of
vital energy, and degenerates into an empty and unproductive
form. What an awful punishment is this !]
4. They lay us open to the incursions of sin and
Satan
[Righteousness is, as it were, a breast-plate that guards
our vitals, and proves an armour on the right hand and on the
left d : but unwatchfulness deprives the soul of its defence, and
exposes us to the envenomed darts of our great adversary. If
we have secretly declined from God, the temptations, which
once were easily overcome, have a deep and lasting effect :
our spirits are soon ruffled ; our evil passions are soon awakened ;
and, if God interpose not for our recovery, we shall soon
" return with the dog to his vomit, and with the sow that is
washed to her wallowing in the mire." Sin, of any kind, makes
a breach in the soul, which, if not stopped at first, will widen,
till our desolation is inevitable, and our ruin final. Who can
but tremble at the warning which God himself has given us ;
" His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he
shall be holden with the cords of his own sins 6 ?"
a 2 Chron. xv. 2. * Isai. lix. 2.
c Ps. Ixxvii. 1 9. and Ixxxviii. 3 16.
d Eph. vi. 14. 2 Cor. vi. 7. e Prov. v. 22.
VOL. IX. C
IS JEREMIAH, II. 19. [1028.
Additional light will be reflected on this subject,
while we consider,
II. The evil and bitterness of a backsliding state
The sinfulness of an ignorant and carnal state,
heinous as it is, is by no means comparable to the
guilt of backsliding from God. To view backslidings
in their real malignity we must remember that they
involve in them,
1. A violation of the most solemn engagements
[The man, who professes to be a follower of Christ,
pledges himself by that very profession to devote himself
entirely to the service of his God : he declares, as it were, his
approbation of his baptismal covenant, and his determination
through grace to adhere to it in all things. But, in proportion
as he yields to open sin or secret declensions, he revokes all
his promises, and renounces all his expectations of the Divine
favour. How vile, and how desperate, must such a conduct be
in the eyes of God !]
2. A contempt of the richest mercies
[While we serve God aright, we never find him backward
to recompense our worthless endeavours : the more diligently
we have sought him, the more abundantly has he enriched us
with grace and peace. When therefore we forsake him, we say,
in fact, that we neither love " nor fear him," (see ver. 19.) yea,
that we despise his mercies, and prefer the pleasures of sin
before any of the pleasures which he can afford us. What base
ingratitude, what daring insolence is this !]
3. A vindication of God s open and avowed ene
mies
[Practical piety condemns the world; but impiety, as far
as it extends, proclaims to all, that God is not worthy to be
loved and served. The backslider goes further still ; and says
to all around him, I have tried God, and found him to be " a
wilderness to his people f :" I once was weak enough to think
that the more religious I was, the more happy I should be:
but I was disappointed in my hopes ; and now revert to my
former ways, that all may know the superior happiness, which,
in my opinion at least, is to be enjoyed in freedom from
restraints, and in the gratifications of time and sense. Alas !
on what a precipice does the backslider stand ! arid, what an
account will he have to give at last, if he do not instantly
return to God in penitence and faith !]
Nor is the bitterness of such a state easy to be ap
preciated
f ver. 31.
1029.] SELF-VINDICATING SINNERS REPROVED. 19
[If we would " know and see" what a " bitter thing" it is
to forsake the Lord, let us consult the declarations of God,
" the Lord God of hosts," and the experience of his ancient
people. What " broken bones" did the fall of David occasion 8 !
And where was the blessedness which the Galatian Church had
once enjoyed, when, through the influence of their false teachers,
they had declined from the simplicity of the Gospel 11 ? Indeed,
let any man consult the records of his own conscience, and he
will soon perceive, that, as there is no happiness to be compared
with a state of nearness to God, so there is no misery like that
which a sense of his departure from us will occasion. As for
the bitterness of it to apostates in the day of judgment, that
cannot be described ; and we pray God we may never be left
to feel and endure it. But let us study to " know and see" it
in its true light, that we may be stirred up by the consideration
of it to " cleave unto our God with full purpose of heart."]
s Ps. li. 8. h Gal. iv. 15.
MXXIX.
SELF-VINDICATING SINNERS REPROVED.
Jer. ii. 23, 24. How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have
not gone after Baalim ? See thy way in the valley ; know
tvhat thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing
her ways ; a wild ass used to the wilderness, that smtffeth up
the wind at her pleasure : in her occasion who can turn her
away ? All they that seek her tvill not iveary themselves : in
her month they shall find her.
IN estimating our state before God, we ought to
mark the circumstances under which our sins are
committed, and the aggravations of our guilt in that
particular view. It is in this light that our iniquities
are viewed by God. The mercies we have received
from him ; the resolutions which,, under a sense of
those mercies, we have formed ; the degree in which
we have degenerated ; all these things are marked
by God, and form an accumulation of wickedness far
exceeding that of any individual acts a . But there is
one evil which enhances our guilt beyond every other
that can be named ; and that is, a self-justifying spirit,
and a denial of the accusations which God, in his
word, and by his ministers, brings against us. That I
may guard you against this, which is so pre-eminently
offensive to the Divine Majesty, I will set before you,
a ver. 20 22.
C 2
20 JEREMIAH, II. 23, 24, [1029.
I. The self-vindicating ways of sinners-
Ministers are commanded to " shew the house of
Israel their transgressions and their sins." And it
might be supposed, that, when men s iniquities are so
visible and undeniable, they would fall under the
accusation, and humble themselves before God. But
they, for the most part, justify themselves against the
charge that is brought against them : some,
1. In a way of direct denial
[A remarkable instance of this we have in Cain. After
he had murdered his brother Abel, the Lord came to him, and
said, " Where is Abel, thy brother ? and he said, I know not :
am I my brother s keeper? b " What astonishing effrontery was
here ? Yet is it precisely such as we see generally exhibited
by those around us. We ask them, in God s holy name, Why
" they live as without God in the world," and without any just
concern about their eternal interests? But they deny the
charge ; " They do not neglect God : they do not disregard
their own souls : they do not " cast God s word behind them,"
and " pour contempt on all the wonders of redeeming love."
Though their wickedness is as manifest as was that of the wor
shippers of Baal, they will still say, " I am not polluted ; I
have not gone after Baalim " ]
2. In a way of vain excuse
[Of this we see a striking example in Saul. He had been
commanded to destroy the Amalekites, and every thing that
appertained unto them ; and when Samuel came to him, he
said, " Blessed be thou of the Lord ! I have performed the
commandment of the Lord. And Samuel said, What meaneth,
then, this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, arid the lowing of
the oxen which I hear ?" Then Saul, unable to deny the fact
that he had spared the best of the prey, excused himself:
They, the people, have brought them from the Amalekites,
having spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacri
fice unto the Lord thy God : and the rest we have utterly
destroyed ." Thus, when men cannot deny their wickedness,
they will excuse it : They have done nothing but what was
sanctioned by custom ; or, They have only followed those
impulses of nature which they were not able to withstand. It
is probable that the idolaters in my text did not mean to deny
that they shewed some respect to their molten images; but
only to say, that it was not to the images themselves, or to
Baal, that they paid their homage ; but to Jehovah, as repre-
b Gen. iv. 9. c i gam. xv. 1315.
1029.] SELF-VINDICATING SINNERS REPROVED. 21
sented by them. Such are the refuges of papists at this day, in
all their idolatrous worship : and such the vain excuses of all
the votaries of this world.]
3. In a way of hypocritical palliation
[Here we must go back to our first parents, when inter
rogated respecting their eating of the forbidden fruit. The
man cast the blame upon his wife ; or rather upon God him
self, who had given her to him : " The woman whom thou
gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat."
The woman, in like manner, shifted the blame from herself,
and cast it on the serpent: " The serpent beguiled me, and I
did eat d ." So sinners of every description find something to
palliate their guilt : The faults they have committed have not
been of an enormous kind : the commissions have been but
rare : they have not injured any one : they have had no evil
intention : their hearts have been good, though their actions
have not been altogether so correct. But God seeth not as
man seeth : man looketh on the outward appearance : but God
seeth the heart.]
But men cannot deceive God ; as will be seen by,
II. The charge which God brings against them
However we may justify ourselves, " God will re
prove us, and set before us the things that we have
done 6 ." In the passage before us, he substantiates
his charge against his offending people,
1. By an appeal to fact
[" See thy way in the valley : know what thou hast done."
In the valleys, as well as in the hills, thine idolatries obtrude
themselves upon the notice of the whole world : " they are
not discovered by secret search f :" they do not even affect con
cealment. And may we not say to you also, " See your ways
in the valleys ? " Look at your whole lives : what are they but
one continued scene of rebellion against God? Trace your
conduct, from your youth up : what have you done, but " love
and serve the creature more than the Creator?" and yet
you will say, " We have not gone after Baalim." What is
idolatry if this be not ? and how can you " provoke God to
jealousy " more than by the very conduct which you have pur
sued from your earliest youth ? Look at your very religion :
what has it been, but a mere form, without any vital power ;
a shadow, without any substance ? It is not by occasional
slips that you have fallen, but by one entire uninterrupted
course of conduct. Who amongst you will deny this ? What
d Gen. iii. 1113. * Ps. 1. 21. f ver. 24.
22 JEREMIAH, II. 23, 24. [1029.
excuses can you find for this ? What palliations can such cri
minal proceedings admit of?]
2. By a most apt comparison
[The dromedary and the wild ass, when seeking their
mate, are so bent upon the attainment of their desires, that all
efforts to catch them are in vain : and no one will weary him
self with so fruitless a labour. But, when their time of preg
nancy has advanced, they fall comparatively an easy prey to
the pursuer. And it is but to little purpose that we follow
you with invitations, entreaties, expostulations, warnings : you
" will not hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so
wisely." It is perfectly surprising to see how little effect is
produced on the minds of the generality by all the labours of
the most faithful ministers. There is occasion for the same
complaint in every age, and every place : " Lord, who hath
believed our report ? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord
been revealed ?" Let your own consciences testify whether the
representation here given be not just and true.]
There is a time, however,, when we may hope to pre
vail : and in the hope that it may have arrived,,
we will, in a word of APPLICATION, now address
ourselves unto you
[Happy, happy would it be, if you began at last to be
" weary and heavy-laden with your sins!" This is the time
that God looketh for : and it is the time that we look for also,
in the hope that we may prevail upon you to return unto your
God. Verily, we may ask with confidence, " What fruit have
ye had of the things whereof ye are now ashamed ? " What,
but disappointment and misery and death? O, then, "return
unto Him from whom ye have deeply revolted " And
what does God require of you, in order to your acceptance
with him? He says, "Only acknowledge thine iniquity g ."
So, then, say I also ; and know, that if you come to the Lord
Jesus Christ burthened with your sins, he will speedily and
most assuredly " give you rest." " Whilst you cover your sins,
you cannot prosper : but if you confess and forsake them, you
will have mercy h ." Hear the beloved Apostle: " If we say-
that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not
in us ; but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 ."
Receive this testimony, and act upon it ; " so your iniquities,
how great or numerous soever they have been, shall not be
your ruin k " ]
* Jer. iii. 13. h Prov. xxviii. 13. i I John i. 8, 9.
k Ezek. xviii. 30. Here the fulness and sufficiency of Christ may
be set forth to advantage.
1030.] THE FOLLY OF NEGLECTING GOD.
MXXX.
THE FOLLY OF NEGLECTING GOD.
Jer. ii. 27, 28. They have turned their back unto me, and not
their face ; but in the time of their trouble they will say,
Arise, and save us ! But where are thy gods that thou hast
made thee ? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time
of thy trouble.
AMONGST the various powers which distinguish
man from all the rest of the creation, is the faculty
of looking forward to future events, and of receiving,
by anticipation, impressions suited to them. This
faculty is given to him principally for the furtherance
of his eternal welfare : and, if he used it aright, he
could not fail of attaining eternal blessedness. But
as he abuses his other powers, so does he grievously
misimprove this : he employs it for the purpose of
temporal advancement ; but forgets its use in refer
ence to eternity. Hence, till affliction bring him to
a juster view of his condition, he casts off all fear of
God, and lives, as it were, " without God in the world."
Of this God complained respecting his people of old ;
and at the same time he warned them of the bitter
consequences that would ensue from it ; for, if they
persisted in looking to their false gods in the time of
prosperity, they should have none other to assist them
in the season of adversity.
From the words thus explained, we may take occa
sion to shew,
I. The conduct of sinners towards their God
Man in every age, especially if he have any know
ledge of a Supreme Being, pursues nearly the same
course, till he has been converted by Divine grace.
In the text we behold how he conducts himself,
1. In a state of ease-
fit is surprising to see how entirely men banish from their
minds all thoughts of God. Though called and invited to draw
nigh to him, they cannot be prevailed upon to bow their knees
before him, and to seek his face in prayer a . If at any time
a Isai. Ixiv. 7.
24 JEREMIAH, II. 27, 28. [1030.
they draw nigh to him in public, it is not really to know his
will, or to enjoy his presence, but merely to perform a duty,
in which their hearts are not at all engaged b .
But the expression in our text imports, not merely a neglect
of God, but a contempt of him also. And a most awful mark
of contempt it is, to turn our back upon him when he calls us,
instead of turning to him our face. Yet thus it is that we treat
him, exactly as his people did even in his very temple : we all
have idols in our hearts ; and those we serve to the utter
neglect of God ; and, when reminded of our duty to him, we
cry, " Who is the Lord? I know him not;" "I will have
nothing to do with him ;" " I desire not the knowledge of his
ways 1 ."]
2. In a state of trouble
[Few are so hardened in iniquity, but they will begin to
reflect on their ways when they come into trouble: " they will
pour out a prayer, when God s chastening is upon them 6 ."
Even hypocrites f , yea and heathens too g , when reduced to
great extremities, will cry for help : " In their affliction," says
God, " they will seek me early 11 ." Nay more, they will ex
press, not only importunity, but, as our text intimates, a con
siderable measure of impatience also : as if God were bound
immediately to interpose for them, though they have rejected
and " forgotten him days without number 1 ." The whole of
their conduct is beautifully set forth in the preceding context,
under the image of " a wild ass." She, when seeking her mate,
is so wild, that no one will attempt to catch her : but, when
the time is come for her to be delivered of her young, she may
easily be caught k . So it is with sinners, when bent upon the
gratification of their earthly and sensual desires, they prosecute
their own ways without restraint, and laugh at all our efforts
to apprehend them : but, when burthened and bowed down
with trouble, they will suffer us to approach them, and will
bear to hear the voice of counsel and reproof. Their affliction
represses for a season their spirit of rebellion, and brings them
to a better mind.]
Still however their conduct is most perilous,, as will
appear, whilst we shew,
II. The folly and danger of it
To manifest this, we need only consider,
b Matt. xv. 8. c Ezek. viii. 16.
d Compare Jer. ii. 31. with Exod. v. 2. Ps. xii. 4. andlxxxi. 1 1.
Job xxi. 14, 15. Isai. xxx. 11.
Isai. xxvi. 16. f Ps. Ixxviii. 3437. Jonah i. 5.
h Hos. v. 15. ver. 22. with Isai. Iviii. 3. k ver. 23,21.
1030.] THE FOLLY OF NEGLECTING GOD. 25
1. The disappointment it will occasion
[Even now, in the midst of all their pursuits, we would
ask the ungodly, Whether they have ever found any solid satis
faction in the vanities of time and sense? and has not the
creature invariably proved to them " a broken cistern, that
could hold no water 1 ?" Yes assuredly, they have " spent their
money for that which is not bread, and laboured for that which
satisfieth not m ;" or rather, as it is well expressed, " Have
sought to fill their belly with the east wind n ." And this is
what God has repeatedly forewarned them of in his blessed
word: " Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity; for
vanity shall be his recompence ." And if even now, " in the
time of their sufficiency, they be in straits p ," how much more,
when they come into trouble, may it be asked, " What fruit
have ye of these things whereof ye are now ashamed ?" Will
their pleasures, their riches, or their honours, which they once
sought with such avidity, then comfort them? Alas ! how little
can such things do to assuage even the pains of a diseased
body, and much more to pacify a guilty conscience, and to
compose the mind, in the prospect of death and judgment!
Truly, " miserable comforters are they all." Yet to them will
God leave us in the day of our calamity, if we will persist in
making them our idols during the season of our health. This
he tells us in our text; " Let the gods that thou hast made to
thee, arise and save thee." It was thus that he mocked his
people of old, when they had withstood all the corrections of
his providence q : and thus he has declared that he will mock
us also, if we continue obstinately to withstand all the overtures
of his love and mercy 1 ".
But, even supposing that the vanities of this world were not
so ineffectual for our present support as they are found to be,
of what use or benefit will they be found when we are standing
at the judgment-seat of Christ ? Will they interpose between
us and an angry God ? or will they descend with us into those
gloomy mansions to which their votaries will be doomed, and
there alleviate the anguish of our minds ? Will the friends, by
whom we were induced to turn our back on God, confirm to
us all the promises they made to us, and obtain for us that
blessedness which they so confidently assured us was in no
danger of being lost ? Ah, the disappointment which we shall
feel in that day, when no possibility remains of rectifying our
error ! How shall we curse our folly for giving way to such
delusions, and feel that truth which we are now so backward
1 ver. 13. m Isai. Iv. 2. " j o b xv. 2.
Job xv. 31. P Job xx. 22. q Judg. x. 1014.
r Prov. i. 2431.
26 JEREMIAH, II. 27, 28. [1030.
to believe, that " they who observe lying vanities, forsake their
own mercies 8 !"]
2. The reflections to which it will give rise
[Here we will not give ourselves time for consideration; but
when we come into the eternal world, we shall have nothing else
to do*: and then how inexpressibly painful will it be to reflect,
I once had a God of infinite love and mercy calling me to
accept of reconciliation with him ; I had a Saviour too who
offered to cleanse me in his blood from all my sins, and to
clothe me in the robe of his own unspotted righteousness : by
his Holy Spirit also my Saviour strove with me, to bring me
to repentance, and to guide my feet into the way of peace.
Once had I ordinances, wherein I might have enjoyed my God;
and ministers by wham I might have been led to the great
Shepherd and Bishop of my soul. But now all those blessings
are withdrawn, and are for ever hid from my eyes. I valued
them not when they were within my reach : I had no taste
but for the vanities of this world ; and, like Esau, I sold heaven
itself for a poor worthless momentary enjoyment : now too,
like him, I am rejected, and could find no place of repentance
in my Father s mind, though I should seek it ever so carefully
with tears". Now I find that God s word was true ; and that
the harvest which we must reap accords with the seed we
sowed : " I reap now nothing but corruption, because I sowed
only to the flesh;" whereas, if I could have been prevailed
upon to " sow unto the Spirit, I should at this moment have
been reaping everlasting life x ." I now call to my God, and
beg him to send me only a drop of water to cool my .tongue ;
but he bids me go for relief to the gods which I preferred before
him, and reminds me, that, having received the consolations
which I desired, I have no other to expect at his hands V
Such is the portion of those who neglect God : " they sow
the wind, and they reap the whirlwind 2 ."]
ADDRESS
1. Those that are at ease in their sins
[You think it time enough to seek the Lord when you
are no longer able to enjoy the world. But are you sure that
time will be afforded you, if you neglect the present hour ; or
that God will hear you, when your prayers are extorted only
by pain and terrors ? Such delays receive but little countenance
from God in the passage we are considering, or indeed in any
8 Jonah ii. 8. t Wisd. v. 4.
u Matt, xxiii. 37, 38. with Heb. xii. 16, 17. x Gal. vi. 7, 8.
y Luke xvi. 24 26. z Hos. viii. 7.
1031.] GOD S COMPLAINT AGAINST THE REBELLIOUS. 27
other part of Holy Writ a . " Seek then the Lord whilst he may
be found; call ye upon him whilst he is near b ."
2. Those who are brought into any kind of
trouble
[Now then at least is the time for you to call upon your
God ; for when will you do it, if not in the time of trouble ?
Will you stay till you are summoned before his j udgment-seat ?
Will you not begin to look for the Bridegroom, till he has already
entered into his house, and the door is shut ? O look upon
your affliction as the voice of God : receive it as a messenger
sent from him to prepare you for his presence : and remember,
if he has warned you of your danger, he has also given you
encouragement to turn unto him. He has shewn you, in his
reception of the Prodigal, how ready he is to receive returning
penitents ; and, in his mercy to Manasseh, how great iniquities
he can pardon d . Only " return then unto him; so iniquity shall
not be your ruin."]
3. Those who have already begun to seek the
Lord
[Say, Whether it has been in vain to seek the Lord ? Has
he been " a wilderness to you, or a land of darkness 6 ?" Has
he not done more for you than the world ever did, and rendered
you happier than you ever were in the days of your vanity ? Be
thankful to him then that he ever enabled you to " choose the
good part, which shall never be taken away from you." If
trouble come to you, you have no need to fear f ; for it is sent
by him jn love to purge you from your remaining dross, and
fit you for his presence, where is fulness of joy for evermore.]
a See Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 12. Hos. iv. 17. Luke xix. 42.
b Isai. Iv. G. c Luke xv. 20 24.
d 2 Chron. xxxiii. 10 13. e ver. 31. f 1 Pet. iii. 13.
MXXXI.
GOD S COMPLAINT AGAINST THE REBELLIOUS.
Jer. ii. 31, 32. generation, see ye the word of the Lord :
Have I been a ivilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness?
Wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no
more unto thee ? Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a
bride her attire ? Yet my people have forgotten me, days
without number.
I AM perfectly astonished. I can scarcely believe
my own eyes. Who is it that thus addresses us; and
28 JEREMIAH, II. 31,32. [1031.
vindicates his own character against the accusations
which, by our lives at least, we bring against him ?
It is none other than Jehovah himself, calling upon
us to prove, if we can, that he merits at our hands
the treatment he has received from us. Often does
he call on heaven and earth to judge betwixt him
and his people a - -But in the chapter before
us, he supposes himself to be charged with having
acted unkindly, not to say injuriously, towards them:
" Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob,
and all the families of the house of Israel: thus saith
the Lord ; What iniquity have your fathers found in
me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked
after vanity, and have become vain b ?" And again in
the text, "Have I been a wilderness unto lirael? a land
of darkness ?" Behold, Brethren, I am now to you in
God s stead : and I call upon you, in God s name, to
answer to the challenge given you, and to the charge
that is brought against you. Hear at my mouth,
I. His appeal, in answer to your charges against him
Was he to the Jews a wilderness or a land of
darkness?"
[The Jews, from their own history, could not but know
what a terrible wilderness, and what a land of darkness, their
ancestors had been brought into, when they came out of the
land of Egypt, : it was " a land of deserts and of pits, a land of
drought and of the shadow of death, a land that no man passed
through, and where no man dwelt ." In a word, it was a
land where they could find no sustenance, and where, but for
the Divine interposition, they must all have perished. And
had God been to them in any respect like that ? Had he left
them to perish ? Had he not, on the contrary, administered
to their every want, going before them in a pillar of fire, and
supplying them with food, and miraculously preserving their
very clothes from wearing out for the space of forty years ;
and, at last, putting them into a full and peaceful possession of
the promised land d ? ]
Has he, in his conduct to us, deserved any such
humiliating imputation ?
a Mic. vi. 2, 3. b ver. 4, 5. c ver. 6.
d Cite Deut. xxxii. 1014. and Neh. ix. 2125.
1031.] GOD S COMPLAINT AGAINST THE REBELLIOUS. 29
[We, also, have been passing through a dreary wilderness,
in our way to the promised land : and has he been inatten
tive to our wants ? Has he not given us his only dear Son to
be our Saviour ? Has he not also given his Holy Spirit,
to guide, preserve, and sanctify us, and to make us meet for our
destined inheritance? Tell me so much as one thing
which you have ever lacked, provided you sought it humbly at
his hands ? -I hesitate not to affirm, that if there be
any one thing that you have ever lacked, it has been, not from
want of care in him, but from your own negligence in asking
it : for " he never said at any time to any human being, Seek
ye my face in vain." I say, then, that your charges against
him, as defective in kindness or care or liberality, are alto
gether false ; and that there is no one thing that you could
reasonably hope to be done for you, which he has not freely
and effectually done 6 .]
But not satisfied with vindicating God, I call you
to hear,
II. His charge against you
He complains, and justly too, of two things ;
1. The flagrancy of your rebellion
[His people of old said, " We are lords : we will come no
more unto thee." And such has been the language both of
your hearts and lives. You have affected independence. Satan s
temptation to our first parents was, " Ye shall be as gods :"
and ye have affected to be as gods, even from that very
hour ; and have felt no disposition to come to Jehovah for any
thing. In truth, independence is the very essence of the Fall :
it is that which characterizes every living man. Every man
trusts in his own wisdom and righteousness and strength ; and
follows his own will, and " walks after the imaginations of his
own heart." Let any one ask himself, Whether, during his
whole life, this have not been his state ? Can any of us say.
with truth, that we have been from the beginning so deeply
sensible of our own utter destitution of all good, that we have
cried day and night to God for every thing which our souls
needed, and have cleaved to Christ alone as our wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption ? Have we,
even this very day, come to God for these blessings, as persons
who felt their need of them, and their entire dependence on
him for a supply of them ? Have we not rather imagined
that we were " rich, and increased in goods, and in need of
nothing ; instead of feeling ourselves wretched and miserable,
and poor and blind and naked ? " Then you must confess
e Isai. v. 3, 4.
30 JEREMIAH, II. 31, 32. [1031.
that God s charge against you is true ; and that, in refusing
to come to him as the only source of all good, you have shewn
yourselves proud, daring, impious, self-sufficient rebels, and
have deserved to be visited with his heaviest judgments.]
2. The contemptuousness of your neglect
[One would have supposed that, after all the mercies
which God had vouchsafed to his ancient people, they could
not but have borne him in constant and most affectionate
remembrance. Yet had they in reality " forgotten him." Of
this he complains, with just indignation : " Can a maid forget
her ornaments, or a bride her attire?" No, worthless and
contemptible as such vanities are, the minds of young people,
and of females especially, are so set upon them, as scarcely, for
any length of time, to have them absent from their minds.
But, though God had given himself as " a crown of glory and
a diadem of beauty to his people f ," and his relation to them
elevated them above all the people of the world, ( jet did they
forget him, days without number." And has he given to us
less occasion to remember him, than to them ? Yet have we
forgotten him, even as they did. We have forgotten our
obligations to him ; so that he receives few, if any, acknow
ledgments at our hands. We have forgotten our dependence on
him; so that he hears but few and faint petitions for the bless
ings we stand in need of. We have forgotten the great account
which we have to give to him; so that, to obtain an interest in
Christ, is not the great labour of our lives ; nor is it our daily
serious endeavour to approve ourselves to God as his devoted
servants. Let any one only look back for a single week, and
see how much greater interest a young female takes in the
adorning of her person, than we have done in providing the
ornaments of divine grace for our souls, to " prepare us for our
union with our heavenly Bridegroom g ." Say, then, whether
God is not justly incensed against us, and whether we have
not need to humble ourselves before him, for " provoking him
thus to jealousy?" Behold then, whilst on God s part I
repel with indignation the charges which you bring against
him, I call your very consciences to witness against you, that
the charges, which I have in his name exhibited against you,
are not only true, but heinous in the extreme.]
APPLICATION
1. Are there now any of you disposed to vindicate
yourselves ?
[Yes: the Jews denied their criminality, whilst yet " their
iniquities testified against them to their face 11 ." And thus it is
f Isai. xxviii. 5. P Rev. xxi. 2. i Hos. v. 5.
1032.1 COMPARATIVE CRIMINALITY. 31
with you. " You have even wearied God by your transgres
sions ; and yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him 1 ?" But
in this you only aggravate your guilt, and augment your eter
nal condemnation. For thus saith the Lord : " Thou sayest,
Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn away from
me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest I
have not sinnedV Know ye this, every one of you, ere it be
too late, that, " he who covereth his sins, shall not prosper ;
and that he only who confesseth and forsaketh them, shall find
mercy 1 " ]
2. Are any of you humbled under a sense of your
guilt?
[To you then I say, that He who " chose Israel, not for
any goodness that was in them, but purely because he would
choose them m ," is ready to exercise his sovereign love and
mercy towards you. See how, after taking them from the
most helpless and degraded state, he beautified and adorned
that people for himself 11 ! Thus will he also cleanse
you from your iniquities, and transform you into his own most
blessed image, and render you meet for an everlasting union
with himself. This I am commissioned by him to declare :
" Go, and proclaim these words unto them ; and say, Return,
thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord ; and I will not cause
mine anger to fall upon you : for I am merciful, saith the
Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge
thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord
thy God ." Yes, in the sacred name of Him whom you have
oifended, I declare, that " though your iniquities have been
red like crimson, they shall be as wool ; and though they have
been as scarlet, they shall be white as snow p ."]
1 Mai. ii. 17. k ver. 35. l Prov. xxviii. 13.
m Deut. vii. 7, 8. n Cite at length Ezek. xvi. 8 14.
Jer. iii. 12, 13. P Isai. i. 18.
MXXXII.
COMPARATIVE CRIMINALITY.
Jer. iii. 11. And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel
hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
THE subject of comparative criminality is one on
which we should enter with the greatest care, because
it is rarely thought of but in a way of self-preference
and self-complacency ; and where these feelings are
generated in the soul, the most incalculable injury has
32 JEREMIAH, III. 11. [1032.
been sustained. We are told by St. Paul, that " they
who measure themselves by themselves, and compare
themselves among themselves, are not wise a ." Yet,
for the purpose of augmenting our humiliation before
God, we may, not unprofitably, consider our own
superior guilt, as Israel of old were taught to do,
when God spake to the prophet the words which we
have just read. Both Israel and Judah had sinned
grievously against him: Israel more openly; and
Judah in somewhat of a more covert way : but God
declared, that, notwithstanding all that might be
thought to the contrary, the criminality of Judah
exceeded that of Israel.
That we may learn how to judge ourselves, I shall
first state, and then confirm, this decision of our God.
Let me then,
I. State this decision of the Lord
[Consider what was the state of the parties concerned.
Israel, or the ten tribes, had cast off God, from the first mo
ment that they became a nation : and they persisted in their
idolatries, till they provoked God to give them up into the
hands of their Assyrian enemies. As their injured husband,
he gave them a bill of divorce, and would no longer acknow
ledge them under the relation of a spouse. Judah, on the
contrary, had retained the worship of the True God ; though
they retained their idols, and paid divine honours unto Mal-
cham b . Because of their apparent superiority to Israel, they
would scarcely so much as own their relation to lier c . But if
their sins were somewhat less ostensible, they were committed
with tenfold greater aggravations before God. Their advan
tages had been incomparably greater, because of the numbers
of prophets that were sent to them, and the stated ordinances
which they enjoyed, and the presence of God that was in the
midst of them : and, inasmuch as these advantages were alto
gether despised amongst them, their guilt was the greater:
so that it might well be said of Judah, " Israel hath justified
herself more than treacherous Judah." This judgment indeed
was not exactly what Judah would have formed, nor what
would approve itself, at first sight, to any amongst ourselves.
We should have been ready to think that any religion was
better than none ; and that even the appearance of regard for
God was better than an avowed contempt of him. This, how-
a 2 Cor. x. 12. b Zeph. i. 5. c Ezek. xxxiii. 2G.
1032. J COMPARATIVE CRIMINALITY. 33
ever, was not God s judgment respecting it : he decided rather
against the form, which was destitute of the power of godliness;
and declared that "backsliding Israel had justified herself
more than treacherous Judah."]
Now, this decision being of general importance, I
will proceed to,
II. Confirm it
It is generally thought that a profession of reli
gion, even though it be insincere, is more pleasing to
God than an open contempt of all religion. But God
has determined otherwise ; and has declared, that
specious insincerity is worse than open profaneness,
because,
1. It argues a deeper depravity of heart
[Ungodly men persist in their impieties, without much
reflection upon the guilt they contract, or the judgments they
incur - They rush, for the most part, into sin, " like a
horse into the battle." But a man professing godliness shews
that he has some sense of his duty, and some desire to secure
his eternal interests. Hence, in him, sin finds a conflict which
it finds not in others. In him " the spirit lusts against the
flesh, as well as the flesh against the spirit." He has some
what of a conscience, which remonstrates against his evil ways :
and he is constrained to stupify and sear his conscience, in
order to obtain any release from the terrors with which he is
assaulted in his prospects of a future judgment. He wishes
indeed to save appearances, and to satisfy his own conscience :
but this only proves the more fully the inveteracy of his lusts,
which are able to prevail over such weighty considerations. He
knows what sin deserves ; and yet commits it : he knows what
sin has brought on others ; and yet ventures to indulge in it.
His sin, therefore, notwithstanding his plausibility, is so much
the more heinous, in proportion as it is committed against light
and knowledge, against mercies and judgments, and against the
motions of Grod s Holy Spirit within him. In the passage
before us, this is marked with very extraordinary force. Within
the space of five verses, Israel is characterized four times as
"backsliding;" and Judah no less than five times as
" treacherous." Now, in the estimation of all, a traitor is
accounted worse than a rebel ; and an adulterous wife more
guilty than a licentious prostitute. The relation in which they
stand to their Lord, the obligations which they owe him, and
the professions which they make of their regard for his honour,
greatly aggravate the wickedness which they contract : and
exactly thus do the transgressions of a religious professor
VOL. IX. D
34 JEREMIAH, III. 11. [1032.
exceed in enormity those committed by a mere worldly
character d .]
2. It casts more dishonour upon God
[A man who follows his own will, without restraint, does
indeed cast off the yoke of God, and shews that he is deter
mined to brave all the consequences of his transgression. But
a religious professor says, in effect, to all around him, * I am
God s servant ; and I render to him all the service he requires,
and all that he deserves. I know my duty towards him ; and I
perform it. But what a shameful reflection does this cast on
God! What! Does he require no more than this? Then he
can never be considered as " glorious in holiness." And does
he deserve no more than this? Then surely he has but little
excellency in himself, and has done but little for us. But
what horrible impiety is there in such insinuations as these ! I
had almost said, that the greatest enormities, in one who is pro
fessedly ungodly, are light in comparison of those which such a
professor commits : and without hesitation will I declare, that
Sodom and Gomorrha, with all their abominations, shall fare
better, in the day of judgment, than he .]
3. It does more extensive injury to man
[Who thinks of pouring contempt on God on account of
the impieties of a profane character? But let a man, who
makes a profession of religion, transgress, and immediately
religion itself is condemned, and " the way of truth is evil
spoken of " on his account ; yea, and the very name of God
himself also is blasphemed. If the faults of such an one be
of a more venial kind, then the world plead his example, and
think themselves at liberty to do, every day of their lives, what
he has done occasionally under the influence of temptation :
or, if his sins be more heinous, then all religious people are
regarded as hypocrites for his sake ; and the ungodly harden
themselves in their wickedness, and account themselves quite
as good as those who make a profession of religion. Truly, to
cast such a stumbling-block before men is a fearful evil ; and
the certainty of such effects renders the sins of religious per
sons far more criminal than those who live altogether as with
out God in the world.]
ADDRESS
1. Those who are careless about religion
[You are ready to justify yourselves on this ground,
that you make no profession of religion, and therefore are
not hypocrites. But if we acknowledge that you are not so
(l Amos iii. 2. e Matt. xi. 24.
1033.] GOD S INVITATION TO HIS PEOPLE. ,35
criminal as some others, yet look at the judgments executed
on Israel, and see what you yourselves must expect. Truly, a
bill of divorce is that which must be put into your bosom; and
an eternal separation from your God will ensue But
see the invitation given you from the Lord f and turn
unto him whilst yet his arms are open to receive you ]
2. Those who make a profession of religion-
Take particular notice what Judah s sin was : it was,
that " she turned not to the Lord with her whole heart, but
feignedly." Now it is with your whole heart, that you must
turn to God, if ever you would be approved by him. God said
respecting Laodicea, " I would thou wert cold or hot : and
because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will
spue thee out of my mouth." Be not satisfied, then, with a
lukewarm state : but give yourselves wholly to the Lord, and
serve and glorify him with your whole hearts
MXXXIIL
GOD S INVITATION TO HIS PEOPLE.
Jer. iii. 12 15. Go, and proclaim these words toward the north;
and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord ;
and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you : for I am
merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever.
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed
against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the
strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my
voice, saith the Lord. Turn, backsliding children, saith
the Lord ; for I am married unto you : and I will take you
one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to
Zion : and I will give you pastors according to mine heart,
which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
IF we would see the Divine character exhibited in
the brightest possible colours, we need go no fur
ther than to the passage before us, with the preceding
and following context. Let any one read the second
and third chapters, with the two first verses of the
fourth chapter, and he will be perfectly amazed at the
condescension and kindness of God; who, having ex
postulated with the Jews on account of their multiplied
transgressions, urges them, by every argument that
36 JEREMIAH, III. 1215. [1033.
can be devised, to give up themselves unto him : and
when no consideration that he can offer appears to
affect them, he determines to take to him his great
power, and, by an act of sovereign and Almighty
grace, to constrain them to return unto him : " Thou
shalt call me, My Father; and shalt not turn away
from me a ." In this way he prevails over them :
Behold, we come unto thee ; for thou art the Lord
our God V No sooner does God behold this purpose
formed in the minds of his rebellious people, than he
says, " If thou wilt return, O Israel, return unto me."
But I shall confine myself to the passage which I have
read ; which is, in fact, an epitome of the whole : and
I shall consider it,
I. As addressed to God s ancient people
They are here addressed as a "backsliding" people
[This is a metaphor taken from oxen, which refuse to draw
in the yoke that is put upon them c . God had taken them to
him as his people, and nourished them for his own ; but they
rebelled against him, and would never execute his commands 1 .]
Yet he sends to them messages of mercy, and not
of judgment
[" Go," says he to his chosen servants, " go, and proclaim
to them these words ; Return thou backsliding Israel, saith
the Lord." Well might he have cast them off utterly. But
he delighteth in mercy, and " willeth not the death of any
sinner, but rather that he turn from his wickedness and live."
By many prophets did he thus invite them to return 6 , whilst
they even " wearied him" with their obstinacy f .]
One thing only he requires ; namely, that they shall
humble themselves before him
[" Only acknowledge thine iniquity." This was indis
pensable. God could not, consistently with his own honour,
receive them, whilst they continued to harden themselves in
their wickedness. They must call to mind their offences,
which had been of such enormous magnitude : they must
spread them before the Lord with penitential sorrow, and im
plore mercy at his hands. This was all that God expected of
them. To compensate for their wickedness was impossible ;
but to confess it, and to humble themselves on account of it,
a ver. 19. b ver. 22. c Hos. iv. 16.
d Isai. i. 2, 3. e 2 Chron. xxxvi. 15. f Isai. xliii. 21.
1033.] GOD S INVITATION TO HIS PEOPLE. 37
was necessary, before they could hope for pardon from their
God.]
To prevail upon them, he urges the most affecting
considerations :
1. The merciful disposition which, notwithstanding
their iniquities, he felt towards them
[God is indeed slow to anger, and " rich in mercy to all
who call upon him." When he proclaimed his name to Moses,
this was the attribute by which he was to be chiefly known ;
" The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffer
ing, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for
thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin g ." Indeed
this is the argument by which men are influenced, far more
than by the terrors of God s avenging wrath. These, though
proper to be urged in their place, operate for the most part,
like the storm which makes the traveller wrap his cloak the
more closely round him ; whereas mercy, like the sun, pene
trates with a kindly and genial influence, and induces him
willingly, and of his own accord, to cast it from him. By this,
therefore, does God chiefly endeavour to reclaim his obstinately
offending people.]
2. The relation under which, notwithstanding their
departure from him, he still regarded them
[He often calls himself " the Husband" of his ancient
people h . And here he urges that relation as an inducement
to them to comply with his merciful and gracious invitations.
Amongst men, such transgressions as God s people had com
mitted must have issued in an irreversible divorce : but with
God no such impediment existed : he could, consistently with
his own honour, re-admit them to his embrace ; and he declares
himself willing and desirous to restore them to all the privi
leges and blessings of a most beloved spouse.]
3. The benefits which he was still ready to confer
upon them
[They, like sheep, had gone astray from him; and he
sought them out with all diligence : and if the whole flock
would return unto him, most gladly would he receive them all 1 .
But if only a small remnant of them would return ; if only " one
of a city, and two of a tribe," would come ; he would not, on that
account, reject them. On the contrary, he would appoint over
them " pastors, according to his heart, who should feed them
with knowledge and understanding*."
g Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. b Isai.liv.5. Jer. xxxi. 32. Hos.ii. 19,20.
1 Ezek. xxxiv. 12 14. k Jer. xxiii. 3, 4.
SS JEREMIAH, III. 1215. [1033,
Now this, I conceive, marks particularly the aspect which
this passage has on the future restoration of the Jews : for not
only is Israel here united with Judah (which shews that the
passage was not fully accomplished at their return from Baby
lon), but there were not, previous to our Lord s advent, nor
have there been at any time since, to the Jewish nation at
large, any such stated pastors appointed as exist in the Chris
tian Church : but, so far as they have returned to God through
Christ, so far has this benefit been accorded to them : and so
far as they shall yet be brought to Christ, they shall live in
the enjoyment of it, and possess all the blessings that result
from a stated and faithful ministry.]
Thus does God, by all these kind and affecting
arguments, urge his ancient people to return unto
him
But the passage may also be considered,
II. As addressed to ourselves at this day
Blameable as it is to overlook God s ancient people
in their own prophecies, or to pass them over as not
deserving our attention, it would be still more blame-
able so to limit the prophecies to former ages, as to
overlook their aspect on the Christian Church, and
the still fuller accomplishment which they shall re
ceive in the latter-day. The passage before us may
doubtless be properly applied to us as well as to the
Jews : for to us pertain,
1. The same duties
[We have been " a backsliding people." Who amongst
us is not conscious that he has not put forth his strength in
the service of his God? Our Lord has told us, that " his yoke
is easy, and his burthen is light :" yet who amongst us has
delighted to fulfil his will, and execute his commands ? Say,
Brethren, whether, instead of devoting yourselves wholly to
the Lord, and living altogether for him, ye have not in many
things transgressed against him, and manifested an insuperable
reluctance to that holy and heavenly course which he has pre
scribed ?
To you, then, as God s servant, I come ; and, as com
missioned by him, I " proclaim, in his sacred name, Return,"
and yield up yourselves unfeignedly to him. Indeed ye must
" return," if ever ye would obtain mercy at his hands. Yes,
ye must return in a way of penitential sorrow, confessing your
sins, and humbling yourselves before him. Nor is it in a way
of general humiliation only, but of particular confession. Many
1033.] GOD S INVITATION TO HIS PEOPLE. 39
are the sins which all of us have committed ; many which,
though unknown to man, are known to God, and recorded
against us in the book of his remembrance. He has seen us,
when lying upon our bed : the darkness has been no darkness
with him : he has seen the inmost recesses of our hearts, and
has beheld our every thought and every desire. But, whether
we have committed more flagrant transgressions or not, this is
clear and undeniable, that " we have not obeyed the voice of
the Lord our God." If we try ourselves by the requirements
of his Law and of his Gospel, we shall see that, in instances
without number, " we- have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God :" and, under a sense of our defects, we must
abase ourselves before him, even as holy Job did, in dust and
ashes ]
2. The same encouragements
To us does God send the same gracious invitations
[To us, as well as to his ancient people, is he rich in mercy,
and ready to forgive. Not one of us would he reject, if only
we would come to him in his Son s name 1 . No, Brethren,
" his anger should not fall upon you," even though your trans
gressions may have been ever so great, or ever so long continued
in : on the contrary, he would act towards you the part of the
father in the parable ; and would, upon the very first approach
of your hearts towards him, " run to meet you, and fall on your
neck and kiss you, and clothe you in the best robe and kill the
fatted calf, and make merry with you" -
And does he not stand in the relation of a husband to you?
Yes, he does ; and will still recognise you as his spouse, not
withstanding all your past unfaithfulness. You remember that
our blessed Lord is frequently called " the Bridegroom" of his
Church. St. Paul, when apparently setting forth the duties
of husband and wife, declares that, in reality, " he spake of
Christ and his Church"." Now, under this relation, does he
desire to receive you, notwithstanding all that you have done
amiss. I wish that every one of you could realize this figure.
Conceive of a woman who had departed from her husband, and
greatly dishonoured him by the most licentious habits. Sup
pose a friend of her husband commissioned to seek for her, and
to inform her, with all imaginable tenderness, that her husband
was willing to receive her again ; that he would freely pardon
all her misconduct, and never upbraid her with it even to his
dying hour. What would be the feelings of a woman under
those circumstances, especially if she was not wholly aban
doned to her evil ways ? Now such I would wish to be the
1 John vi. 37. m Matt. ix. 15. John iii. 29. Rev. xxi. 2, 9.
" Eph. v. 32.
40 JEREMIAH, III. 1215. [1033.
feelings of every one amongst you, and such the interest in the
message now delivered to you. I pray you, Brethren, consider
this as the very case with you ; and let the advice which you
yourselves would give to a woman so circumstanced, be that
which you will carry into effect on the present occasion
With all needful benefits, too, shall you be loaded. What
can a straying sheep need more, than to be brought in safety
to the fold, and to be put under the care of a faithful shepherd
that will supply its every want ? Such are the benefits that
shall be accorded to you. What, though there should be only
" one or two " of you so disposed ? Shall you, therefore, be
disregarded by your God ? No : your heavenly Shepherd will
take you up in his arms, and " carry you home on his shoulders,
rejoicing :" and he will appoint over you * pastors, according
to his heart, to feed you with knowledge and understanding."
The benefit of a faithful ministry is by no means justly appre
ciated by the world at large. But to those who have been
" brought home to Zion," it is a mercy of inestimable value.
Greatly does a stated ministry, where the pastor is really after
God s heart, tend to the edification and comfort of God s faith
ful people ; and you, Beloved, if you will truly return to God,
shall find that the word preached to you from time to time
shall " accomplish in you all the good pleasure of his good
ness ;" and prove " the power of God to the salvation of your
souls" - ]
Coming now back to the subject as first proposed, I
would SAY unto you,
1. Be like-minded with God, in reference to his
ancient people
[See what tender regard God shewed towards them in the
days of old : and the same anxiety does he still express for
their welfare : for, as I have before observed, the message sent
to them has respect to a period yet future, when they shall
assuredly obey the call delivered to them. And if God, who
has been so greatly offended by them, and whose only dear
Son " they slew, and hanged on a tree ;" if He, I say, yet
regards them with such tender compassion, what ought ye to
do, whom they have never offended, and who are in the same
condemnation with them ? In truth, the command of God is
given to you, and to all who have access to them in their pre
sent dispersion : " Go, and proclaim to them " the mercy of
their God : go, and invite them, by every tender consideration
that is proposed to them in the inspired volume : and if ye
say, I cannot hope to prevail upon them ; let it suffice if you
can prevail on " one of a city, and two of a whole tribe." You
are not taught at first to expect the conversion of the whole
1033.] GOD S INVITATION TO HIS PEOPLE. 41
nation ; you are told only to look for them as " the gleanings
of an olive-tree, two or three upon the top of the uppermost
bough, four or five on the outmost fruitful branches thereof ."
And if that satisfy God, shall it not satisfy you? Will ye
not endeavour to get in the first-fruits, because ye are not yet
privileged to reap the whole harvest? I say then, have com
passion on them in their low estate : or, if ye have no pity for
them, at least perform the office which is here assigned to
you, of bringing back to Jehovah the wife that has forsaken
him, and whom he desires to restore to all her former honour
and felicity - If ye say, We cannot get access to
them, to deliver these gracious tidings ; let not that be any
excuse for your indifference : for there are many who are at
this moment employed in this very office ; and if you exercise
liberality to send them forth, there will be many others who
will gladly go to them, and proclaim to them according to the
message which is here put in their mouth. Too long have the
Christian world neglected this duty : I pray you, arise to the
discharge of it : and know, for your comfort, that the efforts
already made, have prevailed to the full extent of the encou
ragement here afforded us ]
2. Be examples to them of all that you require at
their hands
[Do you bid them "return?" Let them see that you have
returned, in deed and in truth, to the very bosom of your God.
Do you bid them "acknowledge their iniquity?" Let them
see you walking humbly with God ; and " sowing daily in
tears," that you may be privileged at last to " reap in joy."
Above all, be ye as a wife that has returned to her husband.
There is not an image in the world that so fitly marks the
Christian s state as this. It may be thought that the conduct
of a loving and obedient wife, who lives only for her husband,
is a proper pattern for a Christian towards his God and Sa
viour : but, lovely as that is, it comes far short of the Chris
tian s spirit : for, superadded to all the love and fidelity of a
duteous wife, there must be in that a continual sense of all our
past unfaithfulness. A wife so restored, would never for a
moment forget what she had been, and what she had done,
whilst separated from her husband : and every act of love on
his part would only fill her with deeper self-lothing and self-
abhorrence, for having ever so dishonoured one who deserved
such different conduct at her hands. Now, get into this
spirit ; never exalting yourselves above the poor fallen Jew,
or above the vilest of the human race. This is the walk that
is most pleasing to God. This is the walk that will be ever
Isai. xvii. 6.
4-2 JEREMIAH, III. 19. [1034.
accompanied with the most earnest efforts to honour God, and
will lead to the highest possible attainments in every grace. So
make your light to shine before them, and they will see and
know that " God is with you of a truth."]
MXXXIV.
THE TRUE SOURCE OF SALVATION.
Jer. iii. 19. I said, How shall I put tliee among the children,
and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts
of nations? And I said, Thou shalt call me, My Father ; and
slialt not turn away from me.
IN many parts of the inspired volume, God is
pleased to speak of himself after the manner of men ;
as though he were on some occasions reduced, as it
were, to extremities, and at a loss how to act. Thus,
by the prophet Hosea, he expresses himself as almost
necessitated to cast off his people for their wicked
ness, but yet as not knowing how to bring his mind
to execute on them so severe a judgment : " How
shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How r shall I deliver
thee up, Israel ? How shall I make thee as Admah ?
How shall I set thee as Zeboim," even as those ill-
fated cities that were destroyed together with Sodom
and Gomorrha 3 ? So, on the other hand, by Jeremiah,
he speaks as equally at a loss how to exercise towards
them the mercy which he was inclined to bestow :
" How shall I put thee among the children, and give
thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of
nations?"
This, however applicable to the people amongst
whom the prophet ministered, had, beyond all doubt,
a reference to a period yet future, even to events
that should take place in the latter day. Then will
" the ark of the covenant," that bright symbol of the
Divine presence, be altogether forgotten by the Jews,
and all the worship connected with it be utterly re
nounced ; the people being desirous only to "worship
God in spirit and in truth." At that period they will
have ceased to " walk after the imagination of their
a Hos. xi. 8.
1034J THE TRUE SOURCE OF SALVATION. 4o
own evil heart ;" and the ten tribes of Israel will par
take with Judah in all the blessings accorded to them 1 .
Hitherto these events have never occurred. But the
time is fast approaching, when, in every particular
they shall be fulfilled. True, it appears almost im
possible that they should be realized : but God here
declares, that they shall be accomplished in their
season. In confirmation of this promise, I will shew,
I. How the obstructions to the restoration of the
Jews shall be surmounted
God himself appeals to them upon this very sub
ject : "How shall I put thee among the children?"
[From the very beginning the Jews were a stiff-necked
people. It was only for his own name sake that God did not
again and again destroy them in the wilderness ; and on many
occasions also, after their establishment in the promised land.
At last, God could no longer forbear : and therefore he gave
up the ten tribes into the hands of the Assyrians, and the
other two tribes into the hands of the Chaldeans. And after
their restoration from Babylon, they still remained the same
rebellious people, in every thing like their forefathers, except
idolatry : and at last they filled up the measure of their ini
quity in the murder of their Messiah. For all this wickedness
they have now been scattered, these eighteen hundred years,
over the face of the earth ; and they are still as obdurate as
ever. How, then, shall they be restored to the favour of their
God ? The extent of their wickedness forbids it ; and
the honour of God, as the Moral Governor of the Universe,
forbids it. Suppose an earthly prince were to select, for his
attendants and most favoured servants, multitudes who had
been long in rebellion against him, and had murdered his only
dear Son, whom he had sent, not in a way of vindictive wrath,
hut in a way of love and mercy, to bring them back to their
allegiance : suppose such an act of grace as this : What would
be thought concerning it? Would not other potentates be
ready to say, that it was an encouragement to all subjects to
rebel against their governors, and to commit the greatest pos
sible excesses ? Would it not appear an excess of generosity,
subversive of all moral government ? If then amongst men,
whose rights are so limited, this would be judged so replete
with danger, how should it be that the great and glorious God
should so relinquish all his own rights, and so requite those
who have been the most forward to trample on them ?]
* ver. 1618.
44 JEREMIAH, 111. 19. [1034.
But these obstacles, however formidable, shall be
surmounted
[God had before expressed his earnest desire for their
restoration to him ; " Wilt thou not at this time cry unto me,
My Father, thou art the guide of my youth ?" And now he
determines to effect it by his own Almighty power : " Thou
shalt call me My Father ; and shalt not turn away from me."
This will overcome every obstacle : for, " if God will work,
who shall let it ? " Vain was the resistance of Pharaoh : vain
the obstructions of the sea, the wilderness, and the united na
tions of Canaan. As God spake the universe itself into exist
ence, so will he, in his own appointed time, form that " new
creation" to which my text refers, when " all the nations" (of
Jews certainly, and possibly, in part, of Gentiles also) " shall
be gathered to Jerusalem d ;" and, together with all the tribes
both of Israel and Judah e , become one fold under one Shep
herd^"]
From hence we may see,
II. How alone the difficulties in the way of our sal
vation also can ever be overcome-
There are immense difficulties in the way of our
salvation
[The extent of our wickedness equals, and perhaps ex
ceeds, that of the Jews. What evil was committed by them
which does not also, to a fearful extent, obtain amongst us ?
And if they crucified the Lord of Glory, have not we
also "crucified him afresh &," by our neglect of his Gospel,
and our contempt of his salvation? - - The Jews of our
Lord s day were more criminal than Tyre and Sidon ; yea,
and even than Sodom and Gomorrha ; because they sinned
against greater light than those idolatrous cities : and, when
we reflect on the advantages which we enjoy, we have reason
to fear that a still heavier condemnation will come on us, for
our abuse of them - Indeed, it should seem almost im
possible that a God of justice and holiness and truth should
ever receive to his bosom those who have so " trodden under
foot his dear Son, and done such despite to the Spirit of his
grace h ]
But these shall be overcome, even as those which
obstruct the restoration of the Jews
[If we looked to ourselves only, our salvation would be
altogether hopeless. But God directs us to look to Him, with
c ver. 4. d ver, 17. e ver. 18
f Ezek. xxxiv. 23. and John x. 16. with Isai. Ixv. 17, 18.
e Heb. vi. 6. h Heb. x. 29.
1034.] THE TRUE SOURCE OF SALVATION. 45
whom nothing is impossible. He promises to interpose for us
in a way of sovereign grace, and by the exercise of his Almighty
power. His grace is his own: and he may dispense it to whom
soever he sees fit, according to the counsel of his own will.
And he says, " Thou shalt call me, My Father ;" and shall par
ticipate all the blessings of my most favoured children
And he will, by the exercise of his Almighty power, effect
this : for he has said, " Thou shalt not turn away from me ; "
that is, I will both restore thee to my favour, and keep thee,
by my own power, unto everlasting salvation - Here,
then, is our security ; here is our hope. Nothing less than
his merciful interposition can effect this work ; and nothing
shall ever be permitted to defeat his gracious purpose : " His
counsel shall stand, and He will do all his will 1 ."]
ADDRESS
1. To those who question the possibility of their
own salvation
[I do not wonder that any should feel doubts on this
head, when God himself seems almost at a loss to find how he
shall effect it. But view God as a God of uncontrollable sove
reignty and irresistible power, and you may at once dismiss all
your fears, if only you cry mightily to him, and put your trust
in him - ]
2. To those who have entertained no such fears
[How awfully must Satan have blinded your eyes, and
hardened your hearts ! You think salvation easy to be at
tained, and almost a matter of course. But you will be of a
very different mind, if ever you come to see the greatness of
your guilt, and the inveteracy of your corruptions. I tell you,
Brethren, that nothing but the blood of God s only dear Son
could ever have atoned for your guilt ; nor can any thing but
the operation of the divine Spirit ever renew your depraved
hearts : nor till you are made sensible of the difficulties of
your salvation, will you have any well-grounded hope of being
"numbered amongst the children of your God" - ]
3. To those who profess to have been brought into
the family of their God
[You doubtless wish to be informed how you may " walk
worthy of your high calling." To you then I say, Obey your
God in the two particulars which he here requires. " Go to
him, as your Father in Christ Jesus ;" and " walk before him
as dear children ;" committing to him your every care, and
expecting from him a supply of all your wants And
1 Isai. xlvi. 10.
46 JEREMIAH, III. 22. [1035.
let nothing prevail upon you to " turn away from him." Be
ready to sacrifice every earthly consideration, and to lay down
even life itself, for him. Under all circumstances, my advice
to you is, " Be stedfast, immoveable, always abounding in the
work of the Lord : and you may then be assured, that your
labour shall not be in vain in the Lord."]
MXXXV.
INVITATION TO BACKSLIDERS.
Jer. iii. 22. Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal
your backsliding s. Behold, ice come unto thee ; for thou art
the Lord our God.
THOUGH the conversion of men is the result of
God s purpose,, and solely the effect of his grace, yet
it is wrought by rational means. He calls upon them
as free agents, and enforces his exhortations with the
most cogent motives. By these means he convinces
their judgment., and makes them willing to comply
with his solicitations. In the preceding context he
had determined to effect his purpose by the con
straining influence of his grace ; nevertheless he does
not omit the use of means,, but repeats his former in
vitations with still stronger arguments than before.
In this way lie produces the change upon the reluctant
soul, and makes it thankfully to embrace his proffered
mercy.
In discoursing on the w r ords before us, we shall
consider,
I. The Lord s address to the backsliders
The persons addressed are either mere nominal
Christians, or real Christians in a declining state
[The term " backsliding " refers to an unruly heifer that
either will not at all draw in its master s yoke, or that performs
its work unsteadily a . In the former view, it comprehends all
those who in name and profession are his, but in reality are
altogether regardless of his will. Alas! how many are there
of this description in every place ! Who amongst us may not
consider the text as addressed to himself in particular? Who
a Hos. iv. 16.
1035.] INVITATION TO BACKSLIDERS. 47
has not cast off the yoke of God, and said, like Pharaoh, " I
know not the Lord, neither will I obey his voice ? " In the
latter view, it may describe those who, having begun to serve
the Lord, turn back again in some measure to the world and
to sin. And where is there a child of God who must not
acknowledge himself to have been, at some time, of this num
ber, however diligently he be serving God at this moment ?
Who can say that he has invariably, from the very first,
pursued the path of duty in one uniform tenour of conduct ?
Who has not often been conscious of secret declensions, and
" backslidings of heart?"]
To both these descriptions of people does God
address an earnest and impressive exhortation
[God well knows the danger to which all are exposed
when they have turned aside from him. Nor does he " will,
in any instance, the death of a sinner, but rather that he should
return and live." Hence, instead of saying, as we might well
expect, Depart from me, he invites us to return. He would
have us not only to take his yoke upon us, but to draw in it
with pleasure and delight. To enforce his exhortation, he
adds a most encouraging promise. Well might lie threaten
us with the dreadful consequences of our transgression, and
address himself only to our fears. But he is a God of infinite
compassion, and would rather win us by love. Our back
slidings have made a deadly wound in our souls, a wound
which if not speedily closed, will destroy us for ever. Behold,
what astonishing mercy ! He promises to heal us : to heal the
guilt of our sin by the blood of Jesus, and the power of it by
his good Spirit! Such is his gracious declaration to us at this
instant ; and such is the encouragement which he affords to
all who have departed from him.]
Having seen the condescension of God, we can be
at no loss to determine,
II. The effect it should produce upon us
If we have the smallest spark of ingenuousness
within us, his goodness must of necessity produce,
1. A ready compliance with his- will-
Such was the effect upon those addressed in the text.
And, whenever the word is applied with power to our souls,
the same effect will be visible on us. We shall no longer keep
at a distance from God, but return to him with our whole
hearts. Filled with astonishment at his forbearance towards
us, and solicitous to experience the renewed expressions of
his favour, we shall say, " Behold we come unto thee." No
48 JEREMIAH, III. 22. [1035.
pleasures of sin will be suffered to detain us from him. Having
" tasted the gall and wormwood of a backslidden state, our
souls will have them still in remembrance." We shall deter
mine with the Church of old, " I will return unto my first
husband, for then it was better with me than now b ."
I call then on this whole assembly now to unite as with the
voice of one man, saying, "Thou Lord art our God; and we
come to thee " according to thy commandment ; yea, " behold,"
and bear ivitness to us this day, " We come unto thee ; for
thou art the Lord our God."]
2. An unreserved surrender of ourselves to his
service
[The love of Christ has a constraining power, which, if
not irresistibly, yet invincibly, impels us to live unto him. Let
it once be " shed abroad in our hearts," and we shall instantly
exclaim with rapture, " My Lord, and my God." " What
have I to do any more with idols," will be the natural effusion
of our souls c . We shall feel a holy indignation at the thought
of having so long " provoked the Lord to jealousy ;" and shall
address him in the language of his repenting people, " Other
lords beside thee have had dominion over us, but by thee only
will we make mention of thy name d ."]
APPLICATION
1. To those who are deliberately resisting the will
of God-
[While casting off the restraints of God s law, and follow
ing the dictates of your own will, you conceive yourselves to
be enjoying perfect liberty. But such liberty is the sorest
bondage 6 . A subjection to sin is a vassalage most abject in its
nature, and most fatal in its consequences f . Would to God
that the slaves of sin would reflect a moment what master they
are serving, and what wages they are likely to receive ! Soon
would they then cast off the yoke which their own lusts have
imposed, and seek for freedom in the service of their God.
Awake, ye deluded sinners, and return to him, whose "yoke
is easy, and whose burthen is light."]
2. To those who, having begun to serve God, are
drawing back from him
[" Who hath bewitched," who hath infatuated, your
depraved hearts ? " Hath God been a wilderness to you,"
that you are tired of his service g ? " Is there indeed no profit
in serving him?" We will venture to put the matter to this
b llos. ii. 7. c Hos. xiv. 8. d Isai. xxvi. 13.
e 2 Pet. ii. 19. f Rom. vi. 16. e Jer. ii. 5, 31.
1036. J REPENTANCE THE PREVENTIVE CF RUIN. 49
issue. Are you as happy now in your departure from God, as
you were when you were endeavouring to walk with him?
Has your return to secret neglects and sinful indulgences been
attended with a proportionate increase of peace and comfort ?
Sure we are, that none can truly affirm this to have been their
experience. If your consciences be not altogether seared, your
wounds are festering at this instant. Beware then lest God
leave you to be " filled with your own ways 11 ." That would
be the greatest curse that can be inflicted on you. O return
immediately to God ; and he will heal your backslidings and
love you freely .]
3. To those who are maintaining a steadfast walk
with God
[Thrice happy souls ! ye are highly favoured of the Lord.
Say, Have ye not already the recompence in your own bosoms ?
Is not his service perfect freedom ? Be thankful then to God
who enables you so to live. Be fearful of any thing which may
" grieve that Holy Spirit, by whom ye are sealed." Watch
against secret backslidings in their very first beginnings. Be
more and more diligent in every good word and work. " Be
steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the
Lord ; and be assured that your labour shall not be in vain in
the Lord."]
h Prov. xiv. 14. ! Hos. xiv. 4.
MXXXVI.
REPENTANCE THE MEANS OF PREVENTING RUIN.
Jer. iv. 3, 4. Thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and
Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among
thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away
the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants
of Jerusalem; lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that
none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
THE language of the prophets is highly figurative,
and therefore sometimes difficult to be understood ;
but, when judiciously explained, it will always be
found highly instructive. Of course, it will not be
right to press a metaphorical expression too far ; nor
should an idea that may seem indelicate, be so touched
as to offend the nicest ear a : but, when the general
import of the metaphor is seen, the subject contained
in it may be prosecuted to great advantage. It is
a This hint should be very strictly attended to, in preaching on
such a text as this.
VOL. IX. E
50 JEREMIAH, IV. 3, 4. [1036.
obvious that some very important instruction is con
veyed in the passage before us : and it will be found
no less applicable to ourselves than to the Jews of old,
if we consider,,
I. The duties here enjoined
These are set forth under two different images ;
the one taken from breaking up fallow ground, and
the other from the Jewish rite of circumcision. To
ascertain the import of those images, we need only
refer to a parallel passage in the Prophet Ezekiel,
where the same duties are inculcated in plain and
simple terms ; " Repent and turn from all your trans
gressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin V Two
duties then are here enjoined ;
1. Repentance
[The heart of man by nature may justly be compared with
uncultivated ground that is covered with thorns and briers : for
it is obdurate, and altogether unfit for the reception of any
good seed, till it has been " broken up," and cleared of its
noxious products. Let any one examine his own heart, and
he will find this representation true. As to the outward acts
of men, there certainly is a great difference, yea, and in their
inward dispositions too ; but in respect of love to God and
delight in his service, all are on the same level ; " the carnal
mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be c ." It is full of " earthly, sensual,
devilish " affections, which must be rooted up, before the graces
of God s Spirit can grow within it. But this cannot be done
by a slight and superficial work : the plough must enter into
the very soul, as it did on the day of Pentecost : we must be
made to feel our desert and danger, and be brought to the
condition of the poor repenting publican d . Let every child of
man bear this in mind; for it is " the broken and contrite
heart alone, which God will not despise ;" and " except ye thus
repent, ye must all inevitably perish."]
2. Amendment
[Circumcision was not only " a seal" on God s part,
marking Israel for his own peculiar people, but it w r as a sign
also on the part of Israel, denoting their obligation to " put off
the body of the sins of the flesh 6 ," and to love and serve God
with all their hearts f . In this sense, though the rite itself is
superseded by Baptism, the term may justly be applied to us.
b Ezek. xviii. 30. c Rom. viii. 7. d Luke xviii. 13.
e Col. ii. 11. f Deut. xxx. 6.
1036.] REPENTANCE THE PREVENTIVE OF RUIN. 51
We must have " our hearts circumcised unto the Lord:" we
must " mortify our earthly members g ," and " put off the old
man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts 11 ." What
ever pain it may occasion us to part with " our besetting sins,"
(for circumcision was a painful rite,) it must be submitted to,
even as a man gladly parts with a diseased member for the
preservation of his whole body. Our blessed Lord assures us,
that if we wilfully retain one bosom lust, we must perish in
that " fire that never shall be quenched 1 ."]
This awful truth being so strongly marked in our
text, we shall proceed to shew,
II. The connexion between these duties and the
Divine favour-
In its primary sense, the threatening in our text
may be considered as denouncing temporal judgments
on the Jewish nation : but it must also be understood
in reference to those eternal judgments which we all
have merited by our iniquities. For the averting of
those judgments, repentance and amendment are in
dispensably necessary :
1. Not, however, in a way of meritorious efficiency
[It is not possible for man to merit any thing at God s
hands. As transgressors of his law, we are justly exposed to
his everlasting displeasure k : and, if we could perfectly obey
his law in future, our obedience would no more cancel our
obligation to punishment for past disobedience, than our future
abstinence from incurring debts would discharge the debts
already incurred. But the truth is, that every thing we do is
imperfect, and needs forgiveness on account of its imperfection :
and therefore to dream of meriting pardon by deeds which
themselves stand in need of pardon, must be folly in the ex
treme. There is but one way of obtaining deliverance from
the punishment of sin, and that is through the blood and
righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is his meritorious
sacrifice which alone expiates the guilt of sin : and, if we look
to any thing else, either in whole or in part, for pardon and
acceptance, we effectually cut ourselves off from all hope of his
salvation. However we may " plough up the fallow ground,
and sow in righteousness, we must reap in mercy" and in mercy
alone 1 . Salvation is altogether of grace, through faith 111 : and
in point of dependence, we must renounce our best actions as
much as our vilest sins.]
g Col. iii. 5. Gal. v. 24. h Eph. iv. 22. Mark ix. 43 48.
k Rom. iii. 19. ] Hos. x. 12. m Eph. ii. 8, 9.
E 2
52 JEREMIAH, IV. 3, 4. [1036.
2. But in a way of suitable preparation
[Repentance and amendment are necessary both to an
honourable exercise of mercy on God s part, and to a becoming
reception of mercy on our part.
If God were not to require humiliation in us, and a morti
fication of our sins, what evidence would there be that He is
holy; and in what light would he appear as the Moral Governor
of the Universe ? Surely he would be thought indifferent about
the honour of his law, and regardless of the moral character
of his creatures. But he will not so dishonour his own per
fections : and therefore, even when most anxious to display
his mercy, he requires an acknowledgment of sin on our part",
and declares, that, if we will not humble ourselves before him,
he will proceed against us with deserved rigour .
But if we could conceive that God should pardon an un-
repenting sinner, the sinner himself would not value a pardon
so offered : he would rather think it an insult than a favour :
for, whilst he is unconscious that he deserves the wrath of God,
lie would account it an injustice even to be supposed to merit
it. Again, suppose the pardon actually conferred, what grati
tude would he feel for the gift bestowed ? or what endeavours
would he make to glorify God in future ? Would he not account
sin a light matter ? Would he not readily return to it, even
" as a dog to his vomit, or the sow that was washed to her
wallowing in the mire ?" We may ask once more ; supposing
him forgiven, how could he join in the songs of the redeemed
above ? They are prostrating themselves with profoundest
adoration before the throne of God, and singing praises inces
santly " to Him that loved them, and washed them from their
sins in his own blood :" but he has no heart for such exercises:
instead of magnifying his God and Saviour for the greatness
of his mercy towards him, he would be congratulating himself
that he had never merited any other portion.
Here then the connexion between these duties and our for
giveness is manifest : it is founded, not in any vain ideas of
merit, but in the immutable decrees of God : God cannot dis
honour himself; nor can man be saved in any other way, than
by " confessing and forsaking his iniquities p ."]
ADDRESS
1. Those who have never yet been awakened to a
sense of their sins
[Alas ! how many amongst us are yet " uncircumcised in
heart and ears ?" How many have never yet wept and mourned
in secret for their sins, and never adopted the resolution of the
Prodigal, " I will arise and go to my father." But God forbid
n Jer. iii. 12, 13. Jer. ii. 35. P Prov. xxviii. 13.
1036.] REPENTANCE THE PREVENTIVE OF RUIN. 53
that they should continue any longer in such fatal security.
Hear, every one of you, the command of God : " Be afflicted,
and mourn, and weep ; let your laughter be turned into mourn
ing, and your joy into heaviness: humble yourselves in the sight
of the Lord, and he shall lift you up q ." This, this is the great
business of life : in comparison of this, every pursuit is light
and vain. " To flee from the wrath to come, and to lay hold
on eternal life!" O who can paint in sufficiently glowing colours
the importance and excellency of such an employment?
Some may perhaps reply, that they cannot do these things.
True, we cannot of ourselves ; but will not God enable us to
do them, if we seek the aid of his Holy Spirit ? Has he not
expressly told us, that his " grace shall be sufficient for us?"
I say then, " Plough up your fallow ground ;" " make you a
new heart, and a new spirit :" and when you find your own
insufficiency, then plead with God the promises he has made,
and cry, " Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a
right spirit within me r !" That prayer, if offered in faith, shall
surely be answered ; and you shall find to your joy, that you
" can do all things through Christ who strengthened! you."]
2. Those who make a profession of religion
[Do not imagine that it is sufficient to break up the fallow
ground once : the husbandman ploughs his ground often, espe
cially if it be a soil that is full of noxious plants. Thus then
must you do : there is no soil so bad as the heart of a carnal
man : weeds are growing up continually : and it must be the
labour of your life to pluck them up. How many professors
of religion have the good seed choked and rendered unfruitful,
through their negligence in pulling up the thorns and briers
that grow up with it s ! It is an awful truth, that no people are
farther from the kingdom of God than they ; because they are
of all persons the most difficult to be brought to a sense of their
danger. But St. Paul marks in very striking terms the difference
between such persons and the true Christian : against those he
cautions us, " Beware of dogs, beware of the concision : WE are
the circumcision, who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice
in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh*." A pro
fession of religion, however clear your knowledge of the Gospel
rnay be, will not suffice : for "he is not a Jew who is one
outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the
flesh : but he is a Jew who is one inwardly ; and circumcision
is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter ; whose
praise is not of men, but of God u ."]
q Jam. iv. 9, 10.
r Compare the command, Ezek. xviii. 31. with the promise,
Ezek. xxxvi. 26. and the petition, Ps. li. 10.
8 Matt. xiii. 7, 22. l Phil. iii. 2, 3 u Rom. ii. 25 29.
54 JEREMIAH, IV. 14, [1037.
MXXXVII.
IMPORTANCE OF SUPPRESSING VAIN THOUGHTS.
Jer. iv. 14. Jerusalem, wash thine heart from ivickedness, that
thou mayest be saved : lioiv long shall thy vain thoughts lodge
within thee?
THE displeasure of God is never raised to such a
height, but that he is willing to pardon his offending
creatures, and longs for their repentance on purpose
that he may exercise his mercy towards them. The
denunciations of his wrath do indeed frequently ap
pear as if they could not be reversed : but they always,
even when most positive, imply a condition, and leave
room for hope. The approaching destruction of Ni
neveh was foretold by the prophet in terms which
seemed to preclude a possibility of their escape : but
their penitence averted the impending storm. Thus,
in the chapter before us, the destruction of Jerusalem
by the Chaldeans is spoken of as hastening with the
velocity of an eagle, insomuch that the prophet com
plains of it as already accomplished : " Woe unto us !
for we are spoiled:" yet in the very next words he
introduces, as in a parenthesis, a brief and pathetic
exhortation to repentance, as the sure and only means
of staying the Divine judgments.
It should seem that, in the midst of all their wicked
ness, the Jews buoyed up themselves with expectations
that the threatened calamities would never come. In
reference to these vain hopes the prophet addresses
them in the words which we have just read. In these
words we see that God notices the " vain thoughts,"
as well as the sinful actions, of men ; and that he
requires " the heart" to be purified from those, as well
as the life from these.
We shall take occasion therefore from the text to
shew,
I. What are those vain thoughts which are apt to
lodge within us
Of course it will not be possible to notice all the
vain thoughts that rush into the minds of men ; (we
1037.] VAIN THOUGHTS TO BE SUPPRESSED. 55
might as well attempt to number the sands upon the
sea shore :) we must content ourselves with mention
ing a few, which deserve more particular attention.
St. Paul speaks of a " filthiness of the flesh and of
the spirit : " agreeably to which distinction we may
arrange our thoughts under two heads ;
1. Spiritual
[There are many " vain thoughts," which, on account of
their having their seat and empire in the mind only, may be
called spiritual ; but which are peculiarly hateful to God.
What proud thoughts are apt to infest the mind ! It is no
small complacency which people feel in the beauty of their
persons, the elegance of their dress, the dignity of their titles,
or the extent and variety of their intellectual acquirements.
Even in reference to religion itself, how common is it to behold
men puffed up with vain conceit, imagining themselves wise,
when they are " born like a wild ass s colt ;" and good, when
they are " enemies to God by wicked works!"
Unbelieving thoughts also are ever ready to arise, Indeed,
these almost universally prevail. Whence is it that men are so
secure, so easy in their sins ? Whence is it that all the pro
mises and threatenings of the Gospel have so little weight ? Is
it not from the secret thought that God s word shall never be
fulfilled, and that, however they may live, they shall have
peace at the last? And are not such thoughts peculiarly dis
pleasing to God a ?
Amongst the most sinful thoughts that can occupy the
mind, are those which are vindictive : yet how apt are they to
rankle in the breast ! What a tumult will they excite within
us, agitating our frame, and instigating us to the most bitter
invectives, hasty purposes, and violent proceedings ! It is well
for mankind that all are not equally susceptible of these im
pressions ; but there are few, if any, who have not found them,
on some occasions, disturbing their own peace, arid operating
to the destruction of Christian charity. Nothing can more
strongly mark the impiety of such thoughts than God s express
declaration, that he himself will never forgive any person that
entertains them in his heart b .]
2. Carnal
[Amongst carnal thoughts we number those which relate
either to the world or to the flesh.
The world tempts us principally to anxious, covetous, or
ambitious thoughts. To these all are more or less exposed :
the statesman, the warrior, the merchant, the mechanic, yea,
a Dent. xxix. 19, 20. b Matt, xviii. 35.
56 JEREMIAH, IV. 14. [l(K37.
all orders and degrees of men, are impelled or distracted by
them. Doubtless, it is the duty of every man to attend to the
proper business of his calling : but when his mind is so occu
pied with earthly things as that he can find no delight in those
which are heavenly, he is sinning against God, who would
have him without carefulness , and commands him to "set his
affections on things above, and not on things below d ."
It is scarcely needful to mention, that amongst the vainest
thoughts which find a lodgment within us, are those which are
impure. It is surprising with what violence these will some
times assault the soul ; how they will haunt it by night and
by day ; how they will intrude even into the holiest places,
and interrupt our holiest services. Nor can we doubt in
what light they are to be regarded, when God himself has
declared an unchaste look to be the same in his sight as actual
adultery 6 .]
Not to enumerate any more vain thoughts, we shall
rather proceed to shew,
II. The necessity of cleansing ourselves from them
We cannot cleanse ourselves from the guilt which
we have already contracted, unless we wash in " the
fountain opened for sin and for un cleanness." Nor
can we purify ourselves from the pollution of sin, un
less the Holy Ghost work effectually in us f . Yet this
does not supersede the use of means ; for when the
text exhorts us to " wash our hearts from wickedness,"
it implies that,
1. It may be done
[Though the power is certainly of God, yet there is much
to be done by us : we should maintain a sense of God s pre
sence with us. If the eye of a fellow-creature, even of a child,
were upon us, we should be deterred by it from the commis
sion of many sins : how then should we be restrained from evil
thoughts, if we felt a consciousness that God was privy to
every imagination of our hearts !
We should guard against the occasions of sin. All our
senses and faculties are inlets to sin, or instruments whereby
we commit it. All our intercourse with each other gives
occasion to evil, if we be not much on our guard against it.
We may, by flattering, or worldly, or light conversation, or
c 1 Cor. vii. 32. Phil. iv. 6. Matt. vi. 2534.
d Col. iii. 2. e Matt. v. 28.
f To this effect we pray that " God would cleanse the thoughts of
our hearts by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit."
1037.] VAIN THOUGHTS TO BE SUPPRESSED. 57
even by imparting to each other the workings of our hearts,
stir up unhallowed passions, and suggest thoughts that may be
exceedingly injurious to the soul. We should " set a watch
before the door of our mouths," and even "make a covenant
with our eyes," in order to shut out evil from our own hearts,
and keep from exciting it in the hearts of others.
We should frequently meditate upon the Holy Scriptures.
David found this a good antidote to evil thoughts 8 . The
Scriptures have in themselves an efficacy to purify the heart,
when they are applied to us by the powerful energy of the
Holy Ghost 11 : besides which, the more we are filled with
holy thoughts, the less room will be left for the intrusion of
evil 1 . Being intent on the promises of God, we shall more
easily cleanse ourselves from all filthiness, both of flesh and
spirit k .
Lastly, we should " diligently keep our hearts 1 ." The
heart is the womb in which all evils are generated" 1 ; and we
must watch all its motions, if we would keep it pure. The
very instant any evil arises there, we must expel it : if we
cannot prevent its entrance, we must take care it do not
" lodge within us."]
2. It must be done
[God notices our thoughts as much as he does our actions";
and he considers them as characterizing our state before him.
" As we think in our hearts, so are we ;" we are either hypo
critical and vile, or pure and holy, according as we indulge, or
abhor, the hidden abominations of our hearts.
Thoughts as really lead to death as actions themselves do?:
and they may be so evil in the sight of God as to render it
doubtful whether they shall ever be forgiven^. They must
therefore be repented of as much as actions 1 : and, if they be
not repented of, they will inevitably exclude us from the king
dom of heaven. This is strongly intimated in the text, since
the mortifying of them is declared to be necessary to salvation :
and the same awful truth is taught by our Lord himself, who
represents the pure in heart " as the only persons who shall
see God 8 ."
The very manner in which God, addresses us in the text, is a
very striking proof of the necessity which lies upon us to sub
due the evil workings of our hearts. Wherefore is all this
tenderness in the exhortation, but because God, who willeth
g Ps. cxix. 113. h 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. * See Luke xi. 2426.
k 2 Cor. vii. 1. * Prov. iv. 23. m Matt. xv. 19.
n Ps. 1. 21. Ezek. xi. 5. Prov. xxiii. 7. with Matt. xii. 35.
P Jam. i. 15. <i Acts viii. 22. r Acts viii. 22.
8 Matt. v. 8.
58 JEREMIAH, IV. 19. [1038.
not the death of a sinner, sees the fatal tendency of our evil
thoughts ? And wherefore this kind impatience in the reproof,
but because he sees that the evil, if indulged, will grow upon
us ; and that, if not speedily suppressed, it will terminate in
our ruin ?
Tenderly then would we exhort you all to mark the secret
motions of your hearts. In respect of actions, many of you, no
doubt, are virtuous, and, to a certain degree, blameless. But if
you will call to mind the " vain thoughts" that have lodged
within you, you will find abundant reason to blush, and be
confounded before God in dust and ashes*. You will see that
you need the blood of Christ to cleanse you from guilt, and the
Spirit of Christ to create in you a new heart, as much as the
most abandoned wretch on earth : and that, unless you set
yourselves in earnest to " cleanse your hands, and purify your
hearts u ," there can be no salvation for you,
Say, Beloved, when will you begin this necessary work?
With a holy impatience we would urge you to begin it in
stantly ; lest, while you are purposing amendment, you be
summoned unprepared to meet your God in judgment x .]
t Ps. xix. 12. Prov. xx. 9. u Jam. iv. 8. x Isai. Iv. 7.
MXXXVIII.
THE MISERIES OF WAR.
Jer. iv. 19. My bowels, my bowels ! I am pained at my very
heart; my heart maketh a noise in me : I cannot hold my
peace, because thou hast heard, my soul, the sound of the
trumpet, the alarm ofivar.
THE propriety of setting apart days for national
humiliation is questioned by none, except those who
despise all religion, or those whose extravagant prin
ciples of liberty lead them to set at nought all human
authorities. The most pious of the Jewish kings
endeavoured to unite their subjects in prayer and
supplication, as the best means of averting the judg
ments which they either felt or feared : and even
heathen monarchs have resorted to it, as that which
their own consciences taught them was the most
likely way to obtain favour with the Most High.
We have reason to be thankful that this nation is now
called in the most solemn manner to humble itself
before God, and to implore help from him under its
1038.1 THE MISERIES OF WAR. 59
present difficulties : and happy would it be for us, if
the people at large laid to heart, as they ought, the
calamities which we suffer, or the sins which have
brought them upon us !
In the words before us, we may see what ought to
be QM feelings on this occasion a , and what our conduct.
I. What should be our feelings
That we may estimate aright the feelings which a
state of warfare requires, let us view it,
1. As a calamity endured
[Those who are at a distance from the scene of war, and
hear of it only by battles gained or lost, are apt to overlook the
miseries of their fellow-creatures, and to think of nothing but
the general effects which the events may have on their national
aggrandisement. But if we would form a correct judgment of
this matter, let us endeavour to realize the horrors of war. Let
us think of a hostile army now in our neighbourhood, and
marching to attack the very place wherein we live. How
would fear seize hold upon us, and " all faces gather black
ness ! " Read the menacing descriptions given of an advancing
army by the Prophets Ezekiel b and Joel c : think, from the first
tidings of their approach, till you behold them just ready to
spread desolation and slaughter all around them ; think, I say,
what your feelings would be: does the prophet exaggerate,
when he compares them to the pangs of a woman travailing
with her first-born child d ? See your dearest relatives welter
ing in their blood; your houses spoiled; the objects of your
tenderest affection treated with the most shocking indignities ;
and you yourselves driven, without food, without raiment, to
wander in the open fields, till your exhausted nature sinks
under its accumulated woes. Well may we tremble at the bare
possibility of such events. Reflect, then, on a whole kingdom
thus desolated ; the hostile armies carrying fire and sword
through all the towns and villages of a populous country ; " A
fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth:
the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them
a desolate wilderness : yea, and nothing doth escape them : "
" What a day of darkness and of gloominess " must that be to the
people visited with such awful calamities e ! Say, then, Brethren,
what your feelings should be at this time ! What if these scenes
have not been acted before our eyes ; are they the less to be
deplored ? And who can tell how soon they may be brought
a Fast-Day in 1809. b Ezek. xxi. 817. c Joel. ii. 4 11.
d ver. 29, 31. e Joel ii. 13.
GO JEREMIAH, IV. 19. [1038.
home to our own doors! We entreat you, then, to lay these
things to heart, and no longer to indulge a stupid insensibility
to the calamities of war.]
2. As a judgment inflicted
[War is one of God s " four sore judgments," wherewith
he visiteth a guilty land. It is he who giveth the sword a charge
against this or that country f , and says, " Sword, pass through
the land 8 ." And as he stirred up enemies against Solomon h ,
on purpose to " avenge the quarrel of his covenant J , so it is
on account of sin that he is now laying upon us his chastising
rod k ]S[ or can we doubt but that his anger has waxed
hot against us, when the judgments inflicted for our sins are
so various and of so long continuance. See in what terms he
describes his anger against the people of old 1 ! and consider
whether, when its eifects are so visible on us, it be not high
time for us to tremble. Yes, surely, the prophet s direction is
exactly such as we are now called to follow m : and, if we refuse
to follow it, we may well expect that our judgments will be
multiplied, till they have wrought either our humiliation or
destruction". We must be stupid indeed if we do not see rea
son to " cry, when he is so binding us ;" and to " humble our
selves under his mighty hand," when he is so correcting us.]
But it will be to little purpose to ascertain what
our feelings should be,, if we do not also consider,,
II. What should be our conduct-
Let us make this inquiry, in reference,
1. To Ministers
[The prophet tells us what was his conduct, to which in
deed he was irresistibly impelled ; " I cannot hold my peace."
Ministers are watchmen, appointed by God himself to warn
the people against his impending judgments. And while it is
their duty to " weep between the porch and the altar," and to
intercede with God to spare his heritage , and to " give him
no rest " till he vouchsafe mercy to the land P, it is also their
duty to " lift up their voice as a trumpet, and to shew the
house of Israel their sins." They must " cry aloud, arid not
spare q ."
^Let us not be thought harsh, if we execute our commission
with fidelity and earnestness. You yourselves would be the
first to condemn a sentinel who did not give you timely notice
of an advancing enemy : arid you will condemn us also in the
f Jer. xlvii. 6, 7. g Ezek. xiv. 17. h 1 Kings xi. 9, 14,23,26.
i Lev. xxvi. 25. * ver. 17, 18, 22. 1 Deut. xxxii. 2325.
1 ver. 8. n Lev. xxvi. 27, 28.
Joel ii. 17. P Isai. Ixii. 6, 7. <i Isai. Iviii. 1.
1038.] THE MISERIES OF WAR. Gi
eternal world, if by " prophesying smooth things" we contribute
to your ruin. We must, then, speak, " whether you will hear
or whether you will forbear ;" and must warn you, that nothing
but present and eternal misery can be expected, whilst you
continue impenitent in your sins r ]
2. To the people
[Though the text does not particularly specify your duty,
the context does, and warns you that an attention to it is the
only means of quenching that wrath which is now flaming
against you. The advice given you by the prophet may be
comprised in three particulars : Seek to have your obstinate
hearts softened Put away the evils which have provoked
God s displeasure against you and, Get your hearts
thoroughly renewed and sanctified by divine grace 8
We accuse not all as manifesting the same obduracy, or as
loaded with the same degrees of guilt ; but if all would search
into their own hearts, they might find much impenitence arid
unbelief to mourn over, and much worldliness and carnality to
put away : even those who make a profession of religion, if
they would examine themselves closely as in the presence of
God, might find many evil tempers and dispositions., which
obstruct the efficacy of their prayers, and fearfully augment
our national guilt. But if we turn not from our wickedness,
it is in vain to hope that God will turn from his fiery indig
nation ]
ADDRESS
1. The careless
[This comprehends the great bulk of mankind. Whatever
calamites are endured by others, they feel nothing, any farther
than it immediately affects themselves. " When God s hand
is lifted up, they will not see ;" " nor when his judgments
are in the earth, will they learn righteousness." But such
indifference is most offensive to God : and they who in
dulge it are likely to become signal monuments of the Divine
displeasure * ]
2. The self-confident
[They who see not the hand of God against them are ever
leaning on an arm of flesh : if they have failed in ever so many
efforts, they still look no higher than to their own exertions
for success. What their views are, and what the declarations
of God respecting them u , may be seen in the prophecies of
r Luke xiii. 3, 5.
8 ver. 3, 4, 14. It will be easy to enlarge on the three points in
reference to the words of the prophet.
t See Amos vi. 37. Zeph. i. 4, 6, 12, 1318.
u Isai. ix. 817.
62 JEREMIAH, V. 23, 24. [1039.
Isaiah. O that we may not thus provoke God to jealousy,
and bring accumulated curses on our own heads, when we
should be labouring by prayer and supplication to avert
them x ! ]
3. The mourners
[We hope there are some who possess a measure of Jere
miah s patriotism and piety, and who understand by experi
ence his exclamations in the text, " My bowels, my bowels ! I
am pained at my very heart!" Would to God that we could
see such a spirit universally prevailing ! There would be no
doubt then of a happy termination of our troubles. Such per
sons indeed are too generally considered as gloomy enthusiasts :
but they are the best friends of their country : they are the
people who " stand in the gap;" they are the few righteous,
for whose sake our Sodom has not long since been destroyed.
Go on, beloved, like Nehemiah, Daniel, and other holy men,
bewailing your own sins, and the sins of this whole nation :
and then, if you should not be so happy as to see your efforts
successful in relation to the kingdom at large, you may be
assured that your labour will not be lost as it respects your
own souls : your prayer shall return into your own bosom ;
and your tears be had in remembrance before God y .]
x Jer. xvii. 5 8. y Ezek. ix. 4.
MXXXIX.
GOD S BOUNTIES, AND OUR INGRATITUDE.
Jer. v. 23, 24. This people hath a revolting and a rebellious
heart. They are revolted and gone : neither say they in their
heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain,
both the former and the latter, in his season : he reserveth
unto us the appointed iveeks of the harvest.
AS Ministers of the Gospel, our chief employment
is to open to you the hidden mystery of Redemption,,
and to present for your acceptance " the unsearchable
riches of Christ." Yet there are times and seasons
when we must assume somewhat of the sterner aspect
of the prophets ; and, in the name of our Divine
Master, address you in the language of reproof. The
Jews, no doubt, were a stiff-necked people, and
needed to be reproved in terms of the greatest seve
rity. Would to God that we, under our more liberal
1039.1 GOD S BOUNTIES, AND OUR INGRATITUDE. 63
dispensation, were not obnoxious also to the same
charge ! But really, the commission given to the
prophet is far from being unsuitable to us at this
time, or improper to be executed towards you : " De
clare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in
Judah, saying, Hear now this, O foolish people, and
without understanding ; who have eyes, and see not ;
who have ears, and hear not : Fear ye not me ? saith
the Lord : will ye not tremble at my presence, who
have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a
perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it : and though
the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not
prevail ; though they roar, yet can they not pass over
it ? But this people have a revolting and a rebellious
heart ; they are revolted and gone : neither say they
in their heart, Let us fear the Lord our God, that
giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his
season : he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of
the harvest."
In these words the prophet reproves the Jews,
I. For their contempt of God s authority
They were indeed " a rebellious and gainsaying
people a "-
[God had chosen them for his own peculiar people ; and
had given them his law, written with his own hand on tables-of
stone. But from the very beginning they were a rebellious
people, casting off their allegiance to God, and revolting from
him, to the service of " gods that could not profit nor deliver
them." And though God called them to him by a succession
of prophets, " they refused to return to him ;" yea, " so bent
were the whole nation to backslide from God, that none at all
would exalt himV]
And " what are we better than they ?"
[God has given to us also his Law. And who amongst
us obeys it ? Who desires to obey it ? Who really, and in
truth, endeavours to obey it ? What, if we do not bow down
to stocks and stones ; do we not, in fact, " love and serve the
creature more than the Creator," even as they did d ? Who
amongst us either abstains from any act, purely because it
would displease God ; or performs any act, purely from a
desire to please him ? I grant, we may abstain from many evils,
a Rom. x. 21. b Hos. xi. 5, 7. c Rom. iii. 9. d Rom. i. 25.
64 JEREMIAH, V. 23, 24. [1039.
and perform many duties ; but by what motive are we im
pelled? We shall find that our own gratification, or the
approbation of man, has a far stronger influence on our minds
than any consideration of God s favour ; and that in " the spirit
of our mind "we are as much revolted from God as ever the
Jews themselves were
But God has given to us his Gospel also, saying, Whatever
contempt they have shewn to Moses and the prophets, " they
will reverence my Son." But have we obeyed his voice, and
" taken upon us his light and easy yoke ? " No, indeed : we
have been as regardless of Christ as if he had never come into
the world. " We have indeed called him Lord ; but we have
not done the things which he has said 6 ." Say, my Brethren,
whether we have " fled to him for refuge," as the only Saviour
of our souls ? Say, whether we have surrendered up ourselves
to him as his devoted followers, and made it the one labour of
our lives to " glorify him with our body and our spirit, which
are his f ?" Look at all around you, and see whether this be
their state : and then look within, and let conscience tell you
whether it be your own state : and, if it be not, then is the
reproof in my text merited by you, far more than by the Jews
themselves ; inasmuch as you sin against greater light, and far
richer mercies than they.]
God was ever endeavouring to reclaim his people :
yet did his mercies only serve to mark their ingrati
tude, and bring reproof upon them,
II. For their insensibility to his love
Not all the mercies vouchsafed unto them could
bring them to a better mind
[God had promised them a supply of all temporal bless
ings, if they would serve him with diligence and fidelity. And
notwithstanding they violated their obligations continually,
he still imparted to them the blessings they had so justly for
feited, sending them rain and fruitful seasons, as if they had
not offended him at all. And what did he expect in return
for these mercies? He doubtless expected, that, from a sense
of gratitude for such unmerited kindness, they would reform
their lives, and devote themselves to his service. But, behold,
they still continued their disobedience ; and " none of them
said in their hearts, Let us fear the Lord our God, who has
done such great things for us." This was a great aggravation
of their guilt, and could not fail to bring down upon them
God s heavy displeasure ]
e Luke vi. 46. f 1 Cor. vi. 20.
1039.] GOD S BOUNTIES, AND OUR INGRATITUDE. 65
And what effect, let me ask, have God s mercies
produced on us ?
[Behold, in his mercy he has now " sent us RAiN g ," which
we so greatly needed, and has given us a prospect of a
" HARVEST;" when, if the drought had continued much longer,
we should have been reduced to a state of extreme scarcity or
famine. And what does God expect at our hands, but that
we say one to another, Let us now fear the Lord our God,
who has vouchsafed to us this seasonable relief 11 ? Surely this
is not more than the occasion calls for. But is this the way
in which we are now requiting God for his mercies ? Is this
the feeling of men in general ? Has it been the feeling of our
own hearts? Have we humbled ourselves before him? and
has " the goodness of our God led us to repentance 1 ?"
But what shall I say, if I put the question in reference to
spiritual blessings? God has given to us, not merely "the
bread that perisheth, but that also which endureth unto ever
lasting life." And not only has he sent us rain to refresh and
fructify the parched ground, but he has sent us also his Holy
Spirit, to revive and fertilize our barren souls. Whatever may
be said of less-favoured places, I trust we have reason to acknow
ledge the bounties of heaven in these respects. What, then,
should be the state of our minds ? Should not we be penetrated
with a sense of gratitude to God? Should not we determine
for ourselves, and stimulate one another to fear and serve him?
Yea, might we not expect that the very stones should cry out
against us, if we neglected to express our gratitude in this
way ? But how is it with us ? Where are the persons who are
so impressed ? Where are the persons who are so exercised ?
Where are the persons who thus " fear the Lord and his good-
nes k ?" Alas! alas! We may condemn the Jews for their
obstinacy ; but sure I am we have far greater reason to con
demn ourselves as the most ungrateful of men, when not even
the mercy of redemption itself has been able to bring us
effectually to our God ]
And now, what shall I say unto you ? Two REQUESTS
I would make :
1. Mark the dealings of God with you
[Mark those which relate to you as members of the commu
nity at large ; for in those you are deeply interested: let not
the gift of rain, or genial seasons, and of abundant harvests,
be overlooked, because they are common; but let them all
lead you in devout thankfulness to your God. -And mark still
g Deut. xi. 13 15. h See Joel ii. 23 27.
1 Rom. ii. 4. k Hos. iii. 5.
VOL. IX. F
66 JEREMIAH, VI. 16. [1040.
more especially his dealings with you as individuals, his mer
cies, and his judgments, of whatever kind they be ; for they
all have a voice to you, and may be improved to your spiri
tual and eternal good. Have you mercies ? Let them incline
you to a willing and unreserved surrender of yourselves to
God 1 . Have you judgments ? " Hear the rod, and him that
hath appointed it m ." Only improve the providences that occur :
and you shall never want a providence to improve.]
2. Cultivate the mind which God requires
[He requires all to " fear and tremble at his presence 11 ."
And, I beseech you, account not that a legal and undesirable
frame of mind. Indeed, indeed, it is the safest state for all of
us. I \vould not undervalue exalted joys : but I confess I
love most the religion of a sinner : I love humility and self-
abasement : I love the fleeing to Christ, and the washing daily
and hourly in the fountain of his blood. I love religion, under
the character of holy fear ; and I would have you to " be in
the fear of the Lord all the day long." Not that it is a slavish
fear that I would recommend, or a fear that is constrained by
an apprehension of God s displeasure. No ; it is a fear that
proceeds from love ; a fear that is inspired by a sense of grati
tude, and that is dictated, as it were, by your own hearts ;
saying, " Come, let us fear the Lord our God," who has done
such great things for us. It is this, this cordial willingness,
this impatient desire, that puts all the value into the disposition
which I am now recommending to you. And be not contented
to experience this fear in your own hearts, but endeavour to
impress it on all around you. Let it grieve you to see the
hardness and obduracy of all your neighbours : and take
occasion from every mercy, whether temporal or spiritual, to
stimulate all, even to the remotest ends of the earth, to love,
and serve, and glorify their God.]
1 Rom. xii. 1. m Mic. vi. 9. n ver. 21.
MXL.
THE GOOD OLD WAY.
Jer. vi. 16. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see,
and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and ivalk
therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.
WHATEVER bears the stamp of antiquity upon
it, finds, for the most part, a favourable reception in
the world, while innovations are admitted with caution
and reserve. The Gospel itself is often discarded
1040.] THE GOOD OLD WAY. 67
under the idea that it is new. Even as far back as
the days of Jeremiah, serious religion was deemed a
novelty : but the prophet claimed the people s regard
to it, no less from the consideration of its antiquity
than of its inherent excellence
To elucidate the words before us, we shall inquire,
I. What is that old and good w r ay here spoken of?
The explanation, which our Lord himself has given
of this passage a , shews, that we are not to confine its
import to holiness alone, but must understand it as
comprehending,
1. A penitential affiance in God
[Christ declares that he himself is " the way," the only
way to the Father b . To him we must come, trusting in his
mediation and intercession, and looking for acceptance through
him alone. Now this is certainly the old way, marked out by
all the Jewish sacrifices, and trodden by Abel and our first
parents. Nor can we doubt of its being the good way, since it
was appointed of God himself, and has been approved by all
his saints from the beginning of the world.]
2. A cheerful obedience to him
[Our Lord expressly says, " Take my yoke upon you :"
nor can this ever be dispensed with. Though faith in Christ
be the way of acceptance with God, yet obedience to him is
the only means of manifesting the sincerity of our faith. Hence
holiness is by the prophet called, " The Lord s highway ."
This too is of great antiquity., and must be traced up through
prophets and patriarchs to the days of " righteous Abel."
And it must be acknowledged to be good, since it tends so
much to the perfecting of our nature, and to the adorning of
our holy religion.]
This however is not a mere speculative point ; as
we shall see, if we inquire,
II. What is our duty with respect to it ?
God having so plainly revealed it to us, it becomes
us all,
1. To inquire after it
[We should not go on in a presumptuous confidence that
we are right; but should " stand and see," and attentively
consider whither we are going. We should " ask" of those
a Matt. xi. 28, 29. b John xiv. 6. c Isai. xxxv. 8.
68 JEREMIAH, VI. 16. [1040.
whom God has appointed to be as way-marks to the people,
and whose lips should both keep, and dispense, knowledge.
Moreover we should search the sacred oracles (which, as a
map, delineate our path with infallible precision) comparing
with them the various steps we have taken, and noticing with
care the footsteps of Christ and his Apostles. Not however
trusting in our own researches, we should above all implore
the teaching and direction of God s holy Spirit, who would
bring us back from our wanderings, and " guide our feet into
the \vay of peace."]
2. To walk in it-
[To possess knowledge will be of little service unless it
produce a practical effect. Having found the right way we
must come into it, renouncing every other path, how pleasant
or profitable soever it may have been. Nor must we only get
into it, but " walk therein" continually, neither diverted from
it by allurements, nor discouraged in it by any difficulties.
Whatever advances we may have made, we are still to prose
cute the same path, trusting in Christ as our advocate with
God, and rendering to him an uniform and unreserved obe
dience.]
Nor will this appear hard to us, if we consider,
TIL The encouragement given us to perform this
duty
To those who are out of this way, whatever they
may hoast, we are sure there is no solid peace : but
they who walk in it shall find rest,
1 . In their way
[Sweet is the rest which a weary and heavy-laden sinner
finds in Jesus Christ : he sees in his blood a sufficiency of
virtue to expiate all his guilt, and to cleanse him from all his
sin : he perceives that the foundation of his hope is sure and
immoveable ; and therefore, " having peace in his conscience,
he rejoices in hope of the glory of God." In the way of holy
obedience, he enjoys, moreover, a present and a great reward:
for while he rests from turbulent passions and tormenting
fears, he finds, that " the work of righteousness is peace, and
the effect of righteousness is quietness and assurance for ever."]
2. In their end
[If the ungodly have no peace in this world, much less
have they in the world to come : but the obedient believer
will enjoy perfect rest, when he shall have ceased from his
present Jabours. " There is a rest remaining for the people
of God ;" and such a rest as neither eye hath seen, nor ear
1040.J THE GOOD OLD WAY. ()9
heard, nor heart conceived : at the instant of their dismission
from the body, they shall be borne on the wings of angels into
the regions of the blest, and lie in the bosom of their Lord to
all eternity.]
ADDRESS
1 . To those who disregard religion
[You indeed may plead long prescription (even from the
days of Cain) and general practice too, in favour of your
habits : but do you doubt which is the better way ? Do you
not in your hearts envy those who walk in the good old way ;
and wish that you were able to live as they live ? If then you
would not persist in following a track, which you knew would
lead to a place extremely distant from that which you were
desirous to reach, attend to the warning now given, and turn
unto God in the way marked out for you in his Gospel.]
2. To those who seek indeed the paths of religion,
but find no rest in them
[There are many who approve of coming to Christ for
salvation, but wish to be excused from taking his yoke upon
them ; while others, on the contrary, would be content to
render obedience to his law, if they might be at liberty to de
cline the humiliating method which he has prescribed for their
acceptance with God. Others, again, profess to approve of
the good old way ; but cannot renounce the cares and plea
sures of the world which retard their progress in it. No
wonder then if such persons find no solid rest : indeed, it is
well for them that they do not ; since it would only deceive
them to their eternal ruin. If we would have rest, either here
or hereafter, it must be obtained in the way that has been
pointed out ; nor can it be obtained in any other to all
eternity d .]
3. To those who are walking comfortably in the
good way
[Be not contented to go to heaven alone ; but labour in
your respective spheres to bring others along with you. This
was the disposition of the Church of old 6 ; and should be the
desire of all who have a hope towards God. It is scarcely to
be conceived how much the exertions of Christians in their
several families would extend the benefits of ministerial la
bours. The public ministration of the word would be far
better attended, and incomparably more improved. Since
then all are commanded to seek instruction, let all endeavour
d John iii. 36. Heb. xii. 14. e Cant. i. 4.
70 JEREMIAH, VIII. 48. [1041.
to communicate it f . So will the good way be more fre
quented ; and more abundant blessings flow down on all who
walk in it.]
f If this were the subject of a Sermon for Charity Schools, the
propriety of subscribing liberally for the support of such institutions
might be stated here.
MXLI.
EXPOSTULATION WITH THE IMPENITENT.
Jer. viii. 4 8. Thou shall say unto them, Thus saith the
Lord ; Shall they fall, and not arise ? Shall he turn away,
and not return? Why then is this people of Jerusalem slid-
den back by a perpetual backsliding ? They hold fast deceit,
they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard; but they
spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness,
saying, What have 1 done ? Every one turned to his course,
as the horse rusheth into the battle. Yea, the stork in the
heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle, and the
crane, and the swallow, observe the time of their coming : but
my people know not the judgment of the Lord. How do ye
say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us ? Lo,
certainly in vain made he it ; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
WHATEVER difference civilization may produce
in the external habits of men, it makes no change in
the dispositions of their minds towards God. The
advantages of religious instruction may rectify their
sentiments in many things, and raise the standard of
morals among them ; but Divine grace alone can
reach their hearts or dispose them to devote them
selves to the service of their Maker. Hence the
unregenerate amongst us are, in their general charac
ter, the same as they have been in all ages, and under
all the different dispensations of religion. Papists
and Protestants, Jews and Christians, differ only in
name, and in a few outward observances : their hearts
are all alike ; and the same warnings and exhorta
tions may be fitly addressed to them.
The Prophet Jeremiah was commanded to expos
tulate with the Jews upon their wickedness, their im
penitence, their folly, and their presumption. On these
same topics we would address ourselves to you. We
1041.1 EXPOSTULATION WITH THE IMPENITENT. 71
shall not however make a formal division of our dis
course, or mark our transition from one part of it to
another, but shall prosecute our subject in the precise
order of the words before us.
Permit me then to observe to you, that,
Men will endeavour to remedy any misfortune that
has happened to them
[" If a man have fallen, he will rise again;" he will not
be contented to lie where he is, in a state of stupid indifference,
but will exert himself to regain the posture that is better suited
to his nature and pursuits. " If a man turn out of the way"
when prosecuting a journey of great importance, " will he not,
as soon as he finds his error, return," and get into the right
path ? No one can doubt what his conduct would be on such
an occasion. Such is the conduct of all men in relation to
temporal matters.]
But they do not act thus in reference to their
souls
[It is undeniable, that, we <( have slidden back" from God,
" like a backsliding heifer " that will not submit to the yoke a
Of this we cannot but be convinced, seeing that we
violate his law in unnumbered instances, and neither can, nor
will, endure its restraints b . But, "having fallen, do we strive
to arise ; having turned aside, do we endeavour to return ? "
On the contrary, have not our " backsliding s been perpetual"
without any serious endeavours to amend our ways ? Had our
deviations from duty been only occasional, and under the influ
ence of some violent temptation, or had they been intermitted,
with seasons of penitence and contrition, there would be
something hopeful in our case : but we have been contented
to continue in our devious paths, and to lie wallowing in the
mire of sin.
We have even laboured to persuade ourselves that we were
not so faulty as God s word represented us. We have gladly
embraced any principle, that might justify this opinion ; and
satisfied ourselves with any excuse, that might keep us from
self-reproach. When our delusions have been pointed out,
and the vanity of our excuses plainly shewn, we still have "held
fast deceit," and have taken refuge again in the same lies, just
as if they had never been at all exposed. The invitations and
promises which have been held forth to us in the name of God,
have produced no salutary effect : we have " pulled away the
shoulder," and " refused to return" and " made our faces
harder than a rock c ."
a Hos. iv. 16. b Rom. viii. 7. c Jer. v. 3.
72 JEREMIAH, VIII. 48. [1041.
But, notwithstanding our obstinacy,]
God is ever looking wishfully for our return
[" He looks down from heaven, to see if there be any that
will understand and seek after him d ." " He willeth not the
death of any man, but rather that he should come to repent
ance and live 6 ." He even swears that this is the state of his
mind towards us f . He " hearkens" with more than parental
anxiety; Cannot I hear some acknowledgment amongst them;
cannot I hear so much as one groan, or one sigh? O that
I could ! O that they would suffer me to exercise mercy to
wards them 8 ! Would they but " speak aright, and condemn
themselves for their iniquities, I would soon shew them how
gracious and merciful I am. Thus does God listen, as it were,
in hopes that some will repent and turn unto him ;]
But scarce any will repent of their wickedness, or
even consider their ways
[We hope that impenitence is not quite so universal
amongst us, as among those whom the prophet addressed. We
cannot quite adopt his complaint, and say that " no man " re
pents. We trust there are some amongst us, who have " called
their ways to remembrance," and sought for mercy in God s
appointed way h - But certainly there are very few that
will turn their thoughts inward, or seriously ask themselves,
"What have I done ?"" Reflection is painful to the generality ;
and, instead of cherishing it, and setting apart seasons on pur
pose for it, the greater part do all they can to stifle it ; they
run to pleasure, to company, to business, in order to shake out
of their minds all painful recollections. In all the concerns of
time, they will examine carefully enough, whether they have
prospered or not: nor would they be averse, in a journey
through woods and forests, to compare their steps with the
directory that had been given them, and to inquire occasionally
whether they were in the right path. But in the concerns of
their souls they harbour no doubts ; they go on even in direct
opposition to the strongest evidence; and take for granted that
they are right, when, if they would make the smallest inquiry,
they could not but find that they are in the most fatal error.]
Too many amongst us seem even to glory in their
sins
[The image by which this truth is represented in the text,
is as just and beautiful as any that can be conceived. Look at
d Ps. xiv. 2. e 2 Pet. iii. 9. f Ezek. xxxiiL 11.
tf Jer. iii. 4, 13. and xiii. 27. and Hos. xi. 8.
1 This must be amplified, or not, according to the state of the per
sons addressed.
1041.] EXPOSTULATION WITH THE IMPENITENT. 73
the description given of the war-horse in the book of Job :
" He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength : he
goeth forth to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and
is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the
shield. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage ;
neither believe th he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He
saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha ; and he smelleth the battle
afar off, the thunder of the captains and the shouting 1 ." What
a lively representation is this of sinful man ! he heareth of
God s judgments, but laugheth at them : he in a measure feels
them ; and is only stirred up by them to a more resolute defi
ance of them. Destructive as his sin is, he " makes a mock
at it," and accounts it sport : and, whatever his ways have been,
whether those of a proud self-righteousness, or open profane-
ness, he " turns to his course, as the horse rusheth into the
battle"]
In these respects they act a more irrational part
than even the brute creation
[" The stork, the turtle, the crane, the swallow, observe "
invariably the approach of summer or of winter ; and adopt
measures either to escape the impending calamities, or to
secure the blessings which God has prepared for them. They
loiter not till the season for action is past, but avail themselves
of the first intimations which they receive, to avoid the evil,
and obtain the good. But sinful men possess not that wis
dom; they " know not the judgment of the Lord:" God tells
them of approaching blessings, but they labour not to possess
them : he warns them also of approaching miseries, but they
use no means to escape them : though the} 7 feel in themselves,
and behold in all around them, striking intimations of the way
in which God will ultimately proceed with men, they take not
one step to avert his wrath, or to conciliate his favour.]
To complete the whole, they persuade themselves
that they are safe and happy
[They call their own ways wisdom, and the conduct of
those who differ from them, folly. Surprising! " We are ivise!"
Would they account any one wise that should pursue a similar
conduct in reference to the things of this world? Would it be
wise in a merchant never to inquire into the state of his affairs ?
Would it be wise in a person to reject wholesome food, and to
eat nothing but what was sure to bring upon him disorders
and death ? Yet the folly of such persons would not be worthy
to be compared with that which the inconsiderate world are
guilty of, in reference to their everlasting concerns. And
1 Job xxxix. 21 25,
74 JEREMIAH, VIII. 48. [1041.
strange it is to say, that they will even quote the word of God,
as countenancing their ways ; and, without once considering
the true import of the passages they adduce, they will cry,
" The laiv of the Lord is with ws k ." But let them bring forth
their strong reasons ; let them shew us from the word of God,
that no " difference shall be put between the righteous and
the wicked, between him that serveth the Lord and him that
serveth him not :" let them prove to us, that a course of sin
and impenitence, and an unconcern about our future state,
are innocent, or at most only trifling faults, which will not be
regarded in the day of judgment. Let them shew us these
things from the word of God ; and then we are prepared to
say, " In vain has God made it, and the pen of the scribes (who
have either recorded or expounded it) is in vain." Certainly,
if they succeed in that attempt, the Bible is the most worthless
book in the universe ; for men could live in sin and neglect God,
without any book to direct or encourage them in such ways.]
That our expostulation may not fall to the ground,
we entreat you to listen to a few words of salu
tary ADVICE
1. Consider your ways
[This is a reasonable duty; and can do you no harm: if
your conduct have been conformable with the will of God,
you will have great comfort in ascertaining that it has been so :
if, on the contrary, it has been such as God decidedly con
demns, you will have an opportunity of altering it before it be
too late ]
2. Renounce your sins
[This must be connected with the former, and indeed must
result from it 1 . You cannot but know that there has been
much amiss, both in your heart and life : search it out there
fore, and, whatever it may be, put it from you : if it be useful
as a right hand, or precious as a right eye, spare it not, but
cast it uttterly away. Attempt not to justify or extenuate it;
but acknowledge your criminality and danger; and cast over
board the goods that would sink the ship ]
3. Obey the Gospel
[Sinful as your state has been, the Gospel proposes to you
an infallible remedy : it sets forth a Saviour ; and invites you
to come to him. Obey the call : come to him, who bought you
with his blood : and accept the salvation which he freely offers
to the chief of sinners At the same time " Be wise
k They will quote Prov. iii. 17. and Mic. vi. 8.
1 Ezek. xviii. 28.
1042.] HEALING OUR WOUNDS SLIGHTLY. 75
indeed, and let the word of the Lord be truly with you" Let
"the glorious Gospel of the blessed God" be indeed the one
ground of your hope, and the one rule of your conduct. Let
the light which it exhibits be desired by you; and let all
" your deeds be brought to it, that it may be manifest that
they are wrought in God."]
MXLII.
HEALING OUR WOUNDS SLIGHTLY.
Jer. viii. 1 1 . They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my
people slightly, saying. Peace, peace ; when there is no peace.
THERE were, amongst the Jews, false prophets,
who accommodated themselves to the corrupt taste
of their hearers, who said to them, " Prophesy unto
us smooth things ; prophesy deceits." In particular,
they assured the people that the judgments de
nounced against them by Isaiah, Jeremiah, and
others, should never come upon them ; that the king
of Babylon should never succeed in his efforts against
Jerusalem ; and that, though they should still con
tinue to walk after the imagination of their own evil
hearts they had nothing to fear a . Thus they lulled
the people asleep in their sins, " promising them
peace, when in reality there was no peace;" but the
heaviest judgments of Almighty God were impending
over them b .
Such prophets have existed at all periods of the
Church, " with lies making the heart of the righteous
sad, whom God has not made sad ; and strengthening
the hands of the wicked, that he should not return
from his wicked way, by promising him life c ."
But whilst we lament the effect of such delusive
ministrations, and refer all persons to the written
word, as the only true standard of sound doctrine ;
we would not forget, that men love to deceive them
selves, and, by indulging vain conceits of their own,
in opposition to the written word, to silence the
a Jer. xxiii. 17. b Ezek. xiii. 10 16.
c Ezek. xiii. 22. with Deut. xxix. 19, 20.
76 JEREMIAH, VIII. 48. [1042.
convictions of conscience, and to " speak peace to
themselves,, when there is no peace." For the benefit
of such persons, we will endeavour to shew,
I. What need we all have of healing-
Sin has infected all the powers of our souls -
This melancholy truth is,
1. Asserted in the Scriptures
[" God made man upright ; but he has sought out many
inventions 1 ." His very heart is corrupt 6 ; so that "every
imagination of it is evil, and only evil, continually*!" The
extent of his depravity can scarcely be overstated : as the
Apostle clearly shews g and the description given of
the Jewish people may be well applied to every people, yea,
and to every individual also in the whole world: "The whole
head is sick, and the whole heart is faint : from the sole of the
foot even to the head there is no soundness in us ; but wounds,
and bruises, and putrefying sores 1 ."]
2. Confirmed by experience
[Who is there amongst us that must not confess this to
be his own state ? Who does not find darkness in his under
standing, rebellion in his will, sensuality in his affections?
Who is there that does not perceive a partiality in his con
science, and, as far as spiritual things are concerned, a forget-
fulness in his memory ; so that, in all his faculties, he is unlike
what he was when he came out of his Creator s hands? That
there are some traces of his original excellence, I willingly
admit. There is in some persons a measure of benevolence
towards man : but towards God there is in all the same rooted
indisposition and enmity : " The carnal mind is enmity against
God ; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed
can be 1 ."]
But, as many think themselves healed whilst yet
they are in a perishing condition, I will proceed to
shew,
II. Who they are that heal their wounds slightly
Of these there are many classes : many " speak
peace to themselves, when there is no peace."
Amongst these are,
1. They who rely on the uncovenanted mercy of
God-
d Eccl. vii. 29. e Jer. xvii. 9. f Gen. vi. 5.
e Rom. iii. 918. h Isai, i. 5, 6. * Rom. viii. 7.
1042.] HEALING OUR WOUNDS SLIGHTLY. 77
[Many have an idea that God is too merciful to inflict on
men the judgments he has denounced against sin : and on this
presumption they dismiss all fear of future punishment. As
for the justice or holiness of the Deity, they altogether over
look them; supposing that their claims may be superseded
without any difficulty, and that truth itself also may be
violated without any dishonour done to God. But all this is
a delusion, which will betray them to their ruin. God is
merciful, no doubt ; yea, merciful beyond all conception : but
then his mercy flows only in that channel which he himself has
prepared, even through the Son of his love : and to expect it
in any way that is inconsistent with the Divine attributes, is
fatally to deceive our own souls.]
2. They who take refuge in a round of duties
[It is common for persons, when convinced of sin, to
engage in religious duties, with a hope of making thereby
their peace with God. They will begin to read the Scriptures
in private, and to attend on divine ordinances in public, and
exercise a greater measure of benevolence to their fellow-
creatures ; trusting that God will accept their services, and for
the sake of them will pardon their past transgressions. But
this is only to " heal their wounds slightly :" for there are
two things necessary to their perfect restoration ; the one is,
to make an atonement for sin ; the other is, to get their souls
renewed after the Divine image: but neither of these can ever
be effected by any exertions of their own. The attainments
of the Apostle Paul, eminent as they were, could not stand in
the place of Christ, either before his conversion or afterwards :
and therefore lie desired "to be found in Christ ; not having
his own righteousness, but the righteousness which is of God
by faith in Christ k ." Much more, therefore, must we renounce
all hope of acceptance with God through any works of our
own ; and seek salvation by Christ alone, if ever we would
" behold the face of God in peace."]
3. They who rest in a faith that is unproductive of
good works
[True it is, that we must be saved by faith alone : and
equally true it is, that faith does not save us, because it produces
good works. It saves us simply as apprehending Christ, in and
through whom we are reconciled to God. But the faith
which apprehends Christ aright, will work ; it will " work by
love," and " purify the heart," and " overcome the world :"
and if the faith which we possess do not operate in this way,
it is dead, and of no more efficacy for our salvation than the
faith of devils. The only faith which will be of real service to
k Phil. iii. 9.
78 JEREMIAH, VIII. 11. [1042.
us, is that which unites us unto Christ, as brandies to the
vine ; and enables us, by virtue derived from him, to bring
forth fruit to his glory.]
Yet, as there is a perfect remedy, it becomes me to
state,,
III. How we may have them healed effectually
The Lord Jesus Christ has provided a remedy for
sin-
file has, by his own obedience unto death, atoned for
sin, and "brought in an everlasting righteousness" for his
believing people. Hear the blessed tidings brought to us by
the Prophet Isaiah : " He was wounded for our transgressions,
and bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace
was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed 1 . " Stu
pendous thought ! We healed by stripes ! by stripes inflicted
on Jehovah s fellow ! What a mystery is this ! how utterly
incomprehensible ! Well does the Apostle say, " How un
searchable are God s judgments, and his ways past finding
out m !"]
That remedy, applied by faith, shall be effectual for
all who trust in it
[The man who believes in Christ, has all his guilt purged
away; so that " though his sins may have been as crimson, they
shall be as wool ; though they have been as scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow 11 ." Nor is this all : the man who believes
in him, shall receive out of his fulness such a supply of grace
as shall be effectual for the restoration of his soul to the Divine
"image, in righteousness and true holiness." The declaration
of an inspired Apostle is, that " We, beholding as in a glass
the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord ." Thus, by
this simple remedy, shall our guilt be removed ; and, at the
same time, the corruption of our nature, like the waters of
Jericho, be healed by the salt of divine grace infused into the
soul P. If any be not healed, it is not for want of a Physician ;
but because, with the balm of Gilead in their hands, they will
not apply it q .]
ADDRESS
1. Those who feel not their need of healing
[Many, who are sensible that our nature is imperfect,
have yet no conception that they are infected with a fatal
1 Isai. liii. 5. m Rom. xi. 33. n Isai. i. 18.
2 Cor. iii. 18. P 2 Kings ii. 19 22. <i ver. 22.
1042.] HEALING OUR WOUNDS SLIGHTLY. 79
malady; or that, without a most stupendous effort of divine
grace, they must eternally perish. But, though they are called
Christians, they are ignorant of the very nature of Christianity.
I say again, they know not what Christianity is : and if they
were asked to give IN ONE WORD such a description of Christ
ianity as should suffice to characterize it in all its parts, they
would be utterly at a loss, and would say that an impracticable
task was imposed upon them. But Christianity is A REMEDY :
it necessarily supposes a deep malady, which it is not in the
power of any finite being to heal ; and it prescribes such means
of healing as shall be effectual for our recovery. The malady
and the remedy correspond with each other : whichever be
seen, the lineaments of the other may be inferred from it : they
answer to each other, as accurately as the impression to the
seal. There is nothing in us, for which there is not a correspon
dent provision in Christ : nor is there any thing in Christ, of
which there is not a correspondent want in us. Were this
duly understood, there would be no persons of the description
that I am now addressing. But to all, without exception,
must I declare, that " it was not the righteous that Christ came
to save, but sinners.;" ("the whole need not a physician, but
they that are sick :") and if we feel not our lost estate, we
can receive no benefit from Christianity, no salvation from
Christ. "It is the broken heart whom he heals, and whose
wounds he bindeth up r ."]
2. Those who, after having derived some benefits
from Christ,, have relapsed into sin
[Such persons there are, in great abundance : and greatly
is their guilt augmented by their misimprovement of the mer
cies conferred. If they continue in their declension, " it were
better for them that they had never known the way of right
eousness ; " for " their last end will be worse than their be
ginning." But they are not beyond the reach of healing.
Rather, I should say, their Lord is more particularly anxious
respecting them, and gives this injunction to his servants :
" Go, and proclaim these words ; Return, thou backsliding
Israel, saith the Lord ; and I will not cause mine anger to fall
upon you 8 ." "I will heal your backsliding, and love you
freely: for mine anger is turned away from you 1 ." If you are
ready to despond because of your unworthy conduct, he cuts
off at once all ground of despondency, by saying, " For the
iniquity that he committed I was wroth, and smote him : I
hid me, and was wroth ; and yet he went on frowardly, in the
way of his heart. But I have seen his ways, and (What ?
will cast him off, and execute my heaviest judgments on him ?
r Ps. cxlvii. 3. s Jer. iii. 12. * Hos. xiv. 4.
80 JEREMIAH, VIII. 20 22. [1043.
No : I have seen his ways, and) will heal him ; and will
restore comfort also to him and to his mourners 11 ." Avail your
selves then, my Brethren, of the opportunity now afforded
you ; and go to Him who is able to save you to the uttermost,"
and " will cast out none who come unto him." But remember,
you must be content to have your wounds probed to the very
bottom ; lest, after all, the healing of them should be only
superficial.]
3. Those who are enjoying health in their souls
[Happy indeed is your state. You have the true enjoy
ment of life. We feel the benefit of health, as it respects the
body : for it enables us to perform every office of life with ease
and pleasure ; whilst to the sick and the infirm even the smallest
labour is difficult. So, to the man that is under the power of
sin, all spiritual exercises are irksome : but to him whose " soul
prospers, and is in health," the ways of God are beyond measure
delightful. Be careful then, beloved, to preserve your health.
Be living nigh to your heavenly Physician ; and, at the very
first appearance of disorder in your soul, apply to him. So
will he " keep you in perfect peace," and " preserve you blame
less unto his heavenly kingdom."]
* Isai. Ivii. 17, 18.
MXLIII.
THE REMEDY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR SEASONS
OF GRACE.
Jcr. viii. 20 22. The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and
ice are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my people
am J hurt; I am black ; astonishment hath taken hold on
me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician
there ? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my
people recovered*?
a This may he more simplified, by taking the character of the text
as the ground of the distribution and discussion. Thus, consider,
I. His affectionate lamentation
The people had hoped to receive succour from Egypt, hut the time
for marching armies was past away, and they were left without suc
cour. But I rather think the sense to be, God had given them time
for repentance, and had warned them by his prophets, but all in vain.
Now therefore they were left to the fury of their invading foes. On
account of their impending calamities the prophet was greatly distressed.
And is there not similar occasion for lamentation over you ? How
many warnings from the Lord have you received ! How many oppor
tunities for your souls, as favourable as the summer for harvest ! Yet
1043.] REMEDY FOR THE LOSS OF SEASONS OF GRACE. 81
EVERY one acknowledges that it is his duty to
trust in God; but we are prone to creature-confi
dence. Hence we are often left to faint under dif
ficulties from which we might easily have been
extricated. Thus the Jews increased their distress
by relying on the Egyptians for succour, when, if they
would have trusted in God, they might have been
delivered. The prophet therefore takes up this affec
tionate lamentation over them :
in what a state are your souls ! as far from salvation as if you had
never heard of a Saviour, or had salvation offered to you in his name !
If the prophet then wept over the temporal calamities of his people,
how much greater reason have I to weep over you! (chap. ix. 1.)
Were your impending calamities temporal only, they were not worthy
of a thought, in comparison of those which are shortly coming upon
you If your souls be not saved, no language can express, or
imagination conceive, the misery that awaits them.
II. His tender expostulation
Gilead was famous for balm, which physicians were wont to use for
their patients. Under that image the prophet tells them how
effectually they might have been recovered, if they had sought help
from God. Their destruction therefore was wholly of themselves.
And may I not make the same appeal to you ? Has not Christ been
set before you as the heavenly Physician ? Has not the efficacy of
his blood to cleanse from sin been pointed out to you ? Would not
the Lord Jesus have healed your souls, if you had applied to him ?
- Yes, verily it is your own fault that you are not recovered.
" Ye will not come to Christ that ye may have life."
ADDRESS
1 . Those who are insensible of their danger
Your danger is indeed both great and imminent ; and I entreat you
to delay no longer, what in a short space of time there will be no pos
sibility of effecting
2. Those who after hopeful symptoms of recovery have relapsed
It were better never to have sought the Lord at all, than to have
turned back again to your sins. O bless your God that the summer
is not yet quite ended ; and cease not to apply to the great Physician,
till perfect health is restored to your souls.
3. Those who are in a course of recovery
Fear not, but that the balm of Gilead will prove sufficient. Live
nigh to God in the daily application of that balm to your souls, and
you may set all your enemies at defiance. Your sins shall all be
healed ; and Satan himself, as a vanquished foe, be bruised under
your feet.
VOL. IX. G
82 JEREMIAH, VIII. 20 22. [1043.
I. Who are they of whom it may be said " their har
vest is past, their summer is ended, and they are
not saved ?"
In its primary sense this passage is applicable only
to the Jews, when they were attacked by the Baby
lonians ; but it may be applied to those who have lost
seasons of spiritual relief. The " summer and har
vest" may be considered as seasons afforded us by
God for providing for the necessities of our souls.
Many of these we have suffered to pass unimproved
and unnoticed. They therefore may be said to have
lost their summer, &c. who have neglected to improve
the seasons afforded,
1 . By nature
[ Youth is well fitted by nature for the work of conversion.
The mind is then more flexible, the passions more governable,
and the conscience more tender. But many have lost that
favourable season.]
2. By Providence
[Mercies are sent by God to invite, judgments to alarm.
But many who should have been drawn by them to seek after
God, have remained impenitent. The sabbath also was insti
tuted by God for the promoting of man s spiritual welfare.
On that day more especially God calls and converts sinners to
himself. But many have let those seasons pass, without ob
taining the knowledge of salvation.]
3. By grace
[There are times when all experience the strivings of God s
Spirit. If they improved those seasons, God would " give
them more grace." But many stifle their convictions, and
" resist the Holy Ghost."]
They who are in this predicament would do well to
reflect on,
II. The misery of their state
The distress of the prophet s mind on account of
the calamities that were coming on the Jews is most
pathetically expressed. But a view of the miseries
impending over those who have lost their seasons of
grace might well excite yet more painful apprehen
sions.
Their seasons lost are irrecoverable
1043. ] REMEDY FOR THE LOSS OF SEASONS OF GRACE. 83
[Present time is often wasted, as though it were of no
value. But many would be glad on a death-bed to recall the
seasons in which they had heard the tidings of salvation, or
felt the motions of God s Spirit. Such wishes, however, are
all in vain.]
Their seasons lost may never be renewed
[We are apt to promise ourselves days and years to come b .
But how often does death disappoint our expectations !]
Every lost season has greatly aggravated their
guilt-
[The means of grace are most important and valuable
" talents." The neglecting to improve them will be severely
punished .]
Every season they have lost has hardened their
hearts
[The word that does not quicken and save will stupify
and condemn d .]
Every lost season has grieved the Holy Spirit more
and more
[God will not alway strive with those who resist his
motions 6 . If he cease to strive with us, our destruction is
inevitable f .]
How should we compassionate those who are in
such a state ! How should every one adopt the words
following my text g ! But their condition is not des
perate :
III. The remedy that yet remains for them
We might be ready to suppose that such persons
were incurable ; but the animated interrogatories in
the text shew the contrary
[Christ is a " physician " able and willing to save those
who come unto him His blood is a " balm" that heals
the most deadly wounds 11 -The true reason that so
many die in their sins is, that they will not come to Christ for
salvation * Let every one then acknowledge that it is
his own fault if he be not saved.]
b Acts xxiv. 25. c Matt. xxv. 2G, 30.
d Matt. xiii. 14, 15. 2 Cor. ii. 16. e Gen. vi. 3.
f Hos. ix. 12. s Jer. ix. 1.
h Isai. i. 18. 1 John L 7. * John v. 40.
8t JEREMIAH, VIII. 22. [1044.
MXLIV.
CHRIST OUR PHYSICIAN.
Jer. viii. 22. Is there no balm in Gilead ; is there no physi
cian there ? Why then is not the health of the daughter of
my people recovered?
AS the Eastern languages in general, so the in
spired writings in particular, abound in metaphors.
In this view, they are peculiarly calculated to convey
instruction ; because they embody truth, as it were ;
they dress it in the most inviting colours, and bring
it home to the mind with most commanding energy.
Metaphors are of necessity founded on some acknow
ledged truth : if therefore the figure itself be just and
apposite, the sentiment contained under it becomes
so much the more luminous and impressive. The
general idea intended to be conveyed in the words of
our text, is this ; that, though God was so severely
punishing the Jewish nation, he was willing to remove
his judgments from them, and to restore them to his
favour, if they would use the means which his pro
phets had prescribed : lamentable as their state was
become, they were not beyond the reach of mercy, if
they would repent themselves, and turn unto their
God. Now this sentiment is conveyed in metapho
rical expressions ; the literal import of which is, that
no one with the means of recovery before him would
be foolish enough to continue under the pressure of
a painful and dangerous disorder. This truth every
one feels and acknowledges : and consequently we
must acknowledge yet more strongly the folly and
wickedness of continuing under the displeasure of
God, when we have at hand the certain means of
deliverance from it.
To impress this thought upon your minds, we shall,
I. Shew what is that state of recovery to which God
desires to bring us
That man is disordered by means of sin, is so evi
dent, that we scarcely need insist upon it. We justly
say in the general confession of our Church, " There
1044.] CHRIST OUR PHYSICIAN. 85
is no health in us:" and we may as justly apply to
our state that description of the Prophet Isaiah,
" From the sole of our foot even to the head there is
no soundness in us, but wounds and bruises and pu
trefying sores." Still however there is such a thing
as a state of health : and what that is, we may learn,
1. From the condition of some who had never
known sickness
[Adam in Paradise was made after the Divine image :
every perfection of the Deity, as far as it was communicable to
a creature, was found in him. His dispositions were altogether
in unison with the will of God. He communed with his Maker
daily, as with his familiar friend ; and sought all his happiness
in the performance of his will, and in the enjoyment of his
presence.
Our blessed Lord and Saviour also is another example of
one who never knew sin. In his early years we have but little
information about him, except that he was subject to his
parents, and obedient to them in all things : and though we
cannot consider this as the whole of a child s religion, we do
not hesitate to say, that it is a most essential part of it, and
that religion never can exist where this proof of it is wanting.
When he had attained the age of twelve, we are enabled to
speak determinately concerning him. Then, we know, that he
loved the house of God, and found all his delight in the ser
vices of religion. Yea, with such intenseness was he engaged
in communicating and receiving instruction, that he let his
parents go from Jerusalem without him ; and, when they found
him in the temple after three days, expressed his wonder that
they felt any solicitude about him, and that they did not at once
conclude him to be occupied "about his Father s business."
When he entered on his ministry, he made it " his meat and
drink to do his Father s will : after labouring in his vocation
the whole day, he would sometimes spend whole nights in
prayer. He went about doing good amongst the poorest and
vilest of mankind : and when his love was recompensed only
by the most cruel insults and persecutions, he rendered nothing
but good for evil : " when he was reviled, he reviled not again ;
when he suffered, he threatened not:" yea, rather, he wept
over his enemies, and prayed for his very murderers.]
2. From the condition of some who had expe
rienced a recovery
[We cannot easily find persons more diseased than those
to whom Peter addressed himself on the day of Pentecost.
They had withstood all the discourses and miracles of our
86 JEREMIAH, VIII. 22. [1044.
blessed Lord; and their hands were yet reeking with the
Saviour s blood. But as soon as the grace of God reached
their hearts, they were humbled for their sins, they believed
in Christ as their only Saviour, they addicted themselves to
the ministry of the Apostles, they felt the most cordial affec
tion towards all the despised followers of Jesus, they sold all
their possessions for the support of his Church and people, and
they found all their happiness in the exercises of devotion, and
the service of their God a .
The Apostle Paul is another instance of a most astonishing
recovery. He had been filled with such a murderous zeal
against the followers of Christ, that he " breathed out nothing
but threatenings and slaughter against them." But when he
was stopped in his career, he became the most zealous and
active of all the Apostles. No trials could deter him from
prosecuting his Master s work : he counted not his life dear
unto him ; yea, " if he should be offered upon the sacrifice and
service of his brethren s faith," and pour out his blood as a
libation for the Church, he considered it as a ground of most
exalted joy and thanksgiving b .]
3. From these instances we may learn, I say, what
a state of recovery is
[It consists, first of all, in turning to the Lord Jesus
Christ, with deep humiliation, and with lively faith. It con
sists, next, in mortifying all those corruptions which formerly
led us captive, and in devoting all our powers to the service of
our God. In a word, it consists in following the steps of our
adorable Emmanuel, in being " pure as he was pure," and
" perfect as he was perfect." And to this it is the earnest de
sire of our God to bring us : " Wilt thou not be made clean?"
says he ; " O when shall it once be c ?"]
Now, if God really desire to bring us to this happy
state, we should,
II. Inquire, Whence it is that we do not already
enjoy it ?
It is not for want of adequate provision for us on
the part of God
[God himself appeals to us respecting this : " Is there not
balm in Gilead ; is there not a Physician there ? " Has not
God sent us a Physician from heaven, even his only dear Son,
who perfectly knows the extent of our disorders, and is able to
prescribe a remedy for them ? Other physicians find their
a Acts ii. 4147. b Phil. ii. 17, 18. c j er . x iii. 27.
1044. J CHRIST OUR PHYSICIAN. 87
remedies in the productions of nature and of art ; but this
blessed Physician " heals his people with his own stripes :" he
shed his own precious blood for us upon the cross, that it might
be applied, as a sovereign balm, to our souls, to restore us to
perfect health. And now we appeal to all of you : Is there
any want of skill in this Physician, or any want of virtue in
this balm ? Have not thousands and millions of persons, dying
of the malady of sin, experienced a perfect restoration of health
through the application of the blood of Christ to their souls ?
Is there any reason to doubt, but that it would be as effi
cacious for you, as for them? And is not this remedy offered
you " without money and without price ?"
Behold then, ye are witnesses for God this day, that no blame
attaches to him, and that the continuance of your maladies can
in no respect be imputed to him.]
It is altogether owing to yourselves
1. You do not believe that your disorders are so
great and fatal as God has represented them
[That sin has in a measure disordered your souls, you will
readily acknowledge ; but that your diseases are mortal, and
that you must die to all eternity if they be not healed, you do
not believe. We ask only what you would do, if you felt
within yourselves a bodily disorder, which you were certain
would destroy your life in a few hours if a remedy were not
instantly applied ? Would you not send for a physician with
out delay, and be in the utmost solicitude till he arrived for
your relief? Why then is there not all this anxiety about your
souls ? Why are you not seeking the Lord Jesus Christ with
your whole hearts? Our Lord assigns the true reason ; " The
whole need not a physician, but they that are sick ;" and you
feel no need of him, because you are not duly sensible of your
sickness.]
2. You do not like the prescriptions which the
good Physician has appointed for you
[Repentance is regarded by you as a bitter pill, which you
are very averse to take. Faith in the atoning blood of Christ
is so humiliating, that you cannot make up your minds to
submit to it : you think that you may be excused going to him
with all that contrition and self-renunciation which the Gospel
requires. " The living henceforth not to yourselves, but unto
him," and " the having your whole selves, body, soul, and spirit,
sanctified" and devoted to the Lord, is also regarded by you
as an insufferable restraint. You would be far better pleased
to be left in possession of those gratifications which are pleasing
to your corrupt nature, and which foster the most deadly diseases
of your souls.]
88 JEREMIAH, IX. 3. [1045.
3. You hope for some more convenient season for
returning to your God
[You have a general persuasion that you must experience a
change before you go hence ; but you wish to put it off to
some future period. You are too young at present, or have
too many engagements ; and you think a time of sickness will
be more favourable to reflection ; and, as God has shewn mercy
to many in their last hours, you hope he may to you. This
completes what the other errors have begun. This lulls you
asleep in fatal security. If ignorance slays its thousands, this
procrastinating habit slays its ten thousands.]
Having shewn you the true reasons why your health
is not recovered, I would impress the subject yet
further on your minds, by asking two QUESTIONS :
1. Would not the recovery of your souls tend to
your present happiness ?
[Grant that the votary of pleasure obtains all that he seeks
after ; is not he who has his sins forgiven, his corruptions mor
tified, his soul transformed into the Divine image, the sting of
death removed, and a glorious inheritance secured to him, the
happier man ? - We will abide the decision of your own
consciences.]
2. Will not the consequence of dying in your pre
sent diseased state be terrible ?
[Terrible it will be to all ; but most of all to those who
have their diseases faithfully pointed out to them, and the hea
venly Physician brought before them. O how pungent will
that question be to them in the day of judgment, " Why were
not ye recovered, ye, who had the balm of Gilead freely
offered you, and who withstood the most pressing solicitations
to accept of mercy ? " O that ye may be wise in time ! and
that, instead of having then to regret the opportunities you
have lost, you may now be enabled to say with the Psalmist,
" Bless the Lord, O my soul ; who forgiveth all thy sins, and
healeth all thy diseases ! "]
MXLV.
FORTITUDE RECOMMENDED ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH.
Jer. ix. 3. They are not valiant for the truth upon the earth.
IT is by no means uncommon to see men valiant
in their country s cause, or fearless in the commission
1045.] FORTITUDE ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH. 89
of iniquity. But courage on the side of religion is a
quality but rarely seen. This virtue attaches not
itself to strength of nerves, nor is it a necessary at
tendant on constitutional intrepidity. It is a grace,
produced in the heart by the Holy Spirit ; and is
found equally to adorn the weaker as the stronger
sex. The want of natural courage is a fault in those
only who enter into professions where the exercise of
it is essential to a proper discharge of their duty :
but the want of spiritual valour is a crime, for which
we must answer before God : yea, it is a great and
heinous crime, for which we have reason to dread
his heaviest judgments. The prophet, when enu
merating the sins which prevailed among the Jews,
and which caused him to weep over them day and
night, mentions this as one that called for his severest
reprehension ; namely, that when they could " pro
ceed with undaunted effrontery from evil to evil,"
they " were not valiant for the truth upon the earth."
In illustrating these words, we propose to shew,
I. That valour is requisite on the side of truth-
Let " truth" be taken in the lowest sense, as
meaning nothing more than common justice and
equity, and there will still be found need of valour
for the maintenance of it in the world. Let a magis
trate set himself vigorously to reform abuses, and he
will soon find that vice and profaneness will maintain
a violent contest against him, and that he has need of
courage to carry his plans into full effect.
But if we understand " the truth" as comprehend
ing the whole extent of our duty not only as men but
as Christians, our need of valour in maintaining it
will be still more apparent. We stand in need of it,
1. To profess the truth
[Who does not know that a profession of religion subjects
us to contempt ? What was said of the Christians of the first
ages, is equally true at this day ; " We know that this sect is
everywhere spoken against." Men will " gaze strangely at us,
as soon as we cease to run with them into their excess of riot a ."
As soon as we " depart from evil, we make ourselves a prey b ,"
a 1 Pet. iv. 4. b i s ai. li x . 15.
90 JEREMIAH, IX. 3. [1045.
which every one feels himself at liberty to hunt. What the
Gibeonites experienced, when they made peace with Joshua
and with the children of Israel, is a striking emblem of what
must be expected by all who submit to Jesus, and associate
themselves with his people - And does it not require
courage to endure this ? - Verily, there are many who
would find it easier to walk up to the mouth of a cannon, than
to brave the contempt and obloquy to which a profession of
religion would expose them.]
2. To practise it
[Let a person be solicited by his friends to unite with
them in courses which he disapproves ; let him be ridiculed as
indulging needless scrupulosity and preciseness, or perhaps as
hypocritically pretending to more sanctity than his neighbours ;
will he find it easier to be steadfast in his obedience to God,
dissembling no truth, omitting no duty, conforming to nothing
dubious or sinful ? Will he need no courage to stem the torrent,
to disregard the appearances of singularity, and to maintain a
conscience void of offence towards God and man ? ]
3. To recommend and enforce it
[The Gospel enjoins us, not only to " have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather to reprove
them." Now we know what have been the consequences of
such faithfulness in all ages ; " I hate Micaiah, because he doth
not speak good concerning me, but evil :" " The world hateth
me, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil d ."
And is it a light matter to encounter the hatred of our friends,
and relatives, yea, and of the whole world ? When we foresee
these consequences, are we in no danger of withholding the
admonitions and instructions which we ought to give ? Are we
in no danger of " putting our light under a bushel," when we
know what offence will be taken at us, if we suffer it to shine
forth? Are we under no temptation to indulge that " fear of
man which bringeth a snare ?"]
If we cannot recommend, or practise, or even pro
fess, religion, without valour, we can have no doubt
about,
II. The duty of exercising it-
It is a duty we owe,
1. To God-
[God has not told us to obey his commandments only as
far as the world will approve, but to " follow him fully," and
to love and serve him with our whole hearts. Will he then be
c Josh. x. 3, 4. d John vii. 7.
1045.] FORTITUDE ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH. 91
contented to see us " partial in the law?" Will he accept our
plea, if we urge our fear of man as a reason of our not fearing
and obeying him? No : he has bidden us " not to fear man,
who can only kill the body ; but to fear him, who can destroy
both body and soul in hell e ."]
2. To our neighbours
[What will they think of religion, if they see us, who pro
fess it, violating its most sacred obligations through fear of
offending man ? Will they not imagine that it is not worth
contending for ? Will they not be emboldened to shew the
same preference to the world that we do ; and to regard the
opinions of men more than the commands of God ? On the
contrary, Would not a firm, bold, decided conduct tend to con
vince them, that God is worthy to be served, and that " his
loving-kindness is better than life itself ? "]
3. To ourselves
[Our own everlasting welfare depends upon our steadfast
ness in the ways of God. " If we are ashamed of him, he will
be ashamed of us :" " if we deny him, he will deny us;" " if we
draw back, it will be unto perdition ; for his soul can have no
pleasure in us :" " he only that overcometh, shall inherit all
things ;" and " he only that endureth unto the end, shall ever
be saved." If then we have any regard for our own souls, we
must be valiant, and " quit ourselves like men :" for if even
life itself be suffered to stand in competition with his will, our
souls will be forfeited and lost for ever f .]
It is not however sufficient to possess valour : we
should also understand,
III. In what way it should be exercised
Here we are very liable to err : true Christian va
lour should be shewn,
1. In meek and patient sufferings
[Passive valour is by far the most valuable. Would we
see it illustrated ? Let us see how it operated in the Apostle
Paul : " Being defamed," says he, " we entreat ; being perse
cuted, we suffer it." Would we behold the most striking ex
emplification of it that ever existed ? Let us behold Jesus, who
had just before evinced his power over his enemies by striking
them all to the ground with a word, yielding up himself to them,
and led as a sheep to the slaughter. Behold him, " dumb be
fore them, even as a sheep before her shearers ; giving his back
to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the
hair, and not hiding his face from shame and spitting:" " when
e Luke xii. 4, 5. f Matt. x. 39.
92 JEREMIAH, IX. 3. [1045.
he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, lie
threatened not, but committed himself unto him that judge th
righteously :" yes, here was precisely the valour which we are
called to exercise. We must " possess our souls in patience,"
and " let patience have its perfect work." If once we recede
from this ground, we are vanquished. If we would " not be
overcome of evil, we must overcome evil with good."]
2. In firm and steady perseverance
[Obedience to God is the great point : to that we must
adhere at all events. We must resemble Daniel and the He
brew youths, and determine to suffer the most cruel death,
rather than violate the dictates of our conscience^ or neglect
any known duty whatsoever 11 . Next to our blessed Lord, St.
Paul perhaps endured more for the truth s sake than any of the
children of men : in every place, bonds and afflictions awaited
him : but " none of those things could move him, neither
counted he his life dear unto him, so that he might but fulfil the
ministry " committed to him : he was " willing not only to be
bound, but also to die," at any place, at any time, and in any
manner, for his Master s sake : when he had been stoned, and
left for dead, at Lystra, he returned again speedily to that very
city, regardless of his own life, and intent only on executing
the commission which he had received of the Lord Jesus * ?
Thus must we go on, " steadfast, immoveable, and always
abounding in the work of the Lord:" and in such a course we
shall approve ourselves " good soldiers of Jesus Christ."]
We would ADD to what has been said, a word,
1 . Of caution
[Let not any imagine that Christian fortitude at all mili
tates against the duties which we owe to our parents, or to any
that are placed in authority over us. Many are apt to mistake
pertness and forwardness as marks of valour : but " they know
not what spirit they are of;" they are, in fact, displeasing God
as much as man, while they indulge a petulant, froward dis
position. We need look well to ourselves in this particular,
and see that we are not gratifying our own self-will, under a
pretended regard for the commands of God. We should never
forget the respect due to our superiors : and when we are
forced to act contrary to their commands, we should strive as
much as possible to conciliate them in our manner of doing it ;
and shew them, that our opposition to their will is not a matter
of choice, but of necessity.]
2. Of encouragement
[None need to fear, as though they should not be able to
act valiantly in the hour of trial : for God has promised, that
8 Dan. iii. 1G 18. h Dan. vi. 10. J Acts xiv. 8, 19, 21.
1046.1 TRUE AND SUFFICIENT GROUNDS OF GLORYING. 93
we shall not be tempted above our ability to withstand, or with
out a way for us to escape k . We are told of women, who,
under the most grievous sufferings for conscience sake, would
not accept deliverance, when it was offered as an inducement to
recede from their principles 1 . We need not fear therefore but
that " our strength also shall be according to our day m ." God
will " strengthen us by his Spirit in our inward man, unto all
patience and long-suffering with joy fulness :" and " his strength
shall be perfected in our weakness." In the weakest amongst
us shall that promise be exemplified, " They that do know their
God, shall be strong, and do exploits 11 ."]
k 1 Cor. x. 13. ! Heb. xi. 35.
m Deut. xxxiii. 25. n Dan. xi. 32.
MXLVI.
THE ONLY TRUE AND SUFFICIENT GROUNDS OF GLORYING.
Jer. ix. 23, 24. Thus saith the Lord, 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 understandeth and knoweth me,
that I am the Lord which exercise loving -kindness, judgment,
and righteousness, in the earth. &
TO know the Creator is the supreme excellence
and chief good of man. The Jews enjoyed greater
opportunities of obtaining this knowledge than any
people upon earth : yet they neglected to improve
their advantages ; and, like the nations around them,
sought their happiness in the creature, and confided
in it for their security ; having forsaken him who
was their Rock of Defence. They treated Jeremiah s
predictions of their captivity in Bahylonwith contempt.
This the prophet saw and bitterly lamented : and
hoping still if possible to reclaim them and thereby to
prevent their calamity, and to secure to them a perma
nent enjoyment of their privileges, he exhorted them
in the name of God himself to renounce all dependence
on their own wisdom, might, or riches ; and to glory
rather in the knowledge of their God, and an ac
quaintance with him as their Protector and Deliverer.
To us who have a much clearer revelation of God s
a The Author s first Sermon before the University, preached in
1785, now above forty-six years ago, and never before published.
94 JEREMIAH, IX. 3, 24. [1046.
nature and perfections, the exhortation may be applied
with still more propriety and stronger energy.
Let us then (as the text requires) first remove the
false and insufficient grounds of glorying, and then
propose such as are true and sufficient.
The usual grounds of glorying the prophet here
proscribes :
" 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."
It is by no means to be imagined that earthly things
are to be utterly disregarded, and that Christians in
these days are to expect those miraculous gifts of
wisdom and power which were bestowed in the days
of the Apostles, or that we are now called to forsake
our several occupations as they were : this would be
enthusiasm indeed. At the first promulgation of Chris
tianity, it was necessary that the instruments used for
that purpose should be both weak and illiterate, that the
excellency of the power might more evidently appear
to be of God : but the person who should now hope
to speak by inspiration, to work miracles, or live like
the birds of the air, without any thought for the mor
row, would grossly misunderstand the Scriptures, and
become an object of ridicule or pity to all rational and
sober-minded Christians.
Wisdom is highly necessary in religious concerns
and in every department of social life ; it capacitates
us for instructing others ; it enables us to make im
provements in arts and sciences ; it qualifies us for supe
rior usefulness at the bar and in the senate : nor less in
religious exercises ; it gives a deserved pre-eminence
to all who possess it ; and a want of it (especially in
a seat of learning) is deservedly attended with pro
portionable ignominy.
Power also is desirable ; inasmuch as it may be
used for the preservation of due order in society and
most beneficially employed in punishing vice and
rewarding virtue. Nor are riches to be disregarded,
for they afford us many opportunities as well of encou-
1046.] TRUE AND SUFFICIENT GROUNDS OF GLORYING. 95
raging industry, as of relieving the necessitous; and
they give full scope for the exercise of our most bene
volent affections. Each of them has its peculiar uses ;
and each is a precious talent capable of the highest
improvement. Yet however they lay no solid founda
tion tor glorying : and the prophet s injunction is that
we should not glory in them ; by which he means, that
we are not to esteem them too highly, nor to regard
them as the principal objects of our pursuit, nor to
place our chief happiness in them, nor to make them
our trust and confidence.
And indeed what is there in our wisdom wherein to
glory ? The more knowledge we possess, we are only
more fully convinced that we know nothing in com
parison of what is yet veiled from our eyes : besides,
the wisest counsels are often frustrated for want of
power to carry them into execution ; and though we
excelled even Solomon himself, disease or accident
may reduce us in a moment to a level with the
brutes.
What is there in power ? To have it is no little
temptation to exercise it in an unbecoming manner
and for selfish ends : it universally stirs up opposition
in those who are subjected to our authority, and
creates much trouble and anxiety to ourselves in the
dispensing of it.
And what is there in riches ? They often generate
in our hearts covetous and sordid tempers (for it is
seldom that our " riches increase, but we immediately
set our hearts upon them"), they make us proud,
overbearing, and oppressive : yet all the wealth of
the Indies can furnish us with very little more than
food and raiment : and there are so many thousand
ways in which we may be impoverished, that Solomon
observes of riches, " they make themselves wings and
fly away."
What ground then is there for glorying in any, or
all, of these ? There is not any in wisdom ; for it is
limited in its extent, defective in its operations, and
uncertain in its continuance. There is not in might ;
for the very possession of it is dangerous, and the
96 JEREMIAH, IX. 23, 24. [1046.
exercise of it vexatious to ourselves and others.
There is not in riches ; for they are defiling in their
influence, contracted in their uses, and precarious in
their tenure.
Besides all which in the hour of death all our
thoughts perish, our rank and dignity are annihilated,
and our wealth is transferred to another owner.
And in the day of judgment, not all the wisdom, might,
or riches, that ever were possessed by man will be
sufficient to bribe our Judge, withstand his power,
or elude his search.
Let us proceed then to consider what is the true
and sufficient ground of glorying : " Let him that glo-
rieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth
me, that I am the Lord who exercise loving-kindness,
judgment, and righteousness in the earth."
The knowledge of God as far excels all other
attainments, as God, the object of that knowledge,
surpasses all created excellencies. But it is not every
knowledge of God that lays a foundation for glorying.
It is not the knowledge that there is a God ; for that
is common to the evil angels as well as the good.
It is not the knowledge of God from the works of
creation ; for that comes as much under the observa
tion of heathens as of Christians. But it is a know
ledge of God as revealed in the inspired writings.
This is strongly intimated in those two expressions in
my text, " understandeth" and " knoweth," which are
designed to teach us, that it is only in a practical and
experimental knowledge of God that we are to glory;
or in other words, such knowledge as makes us stand
in awe of his majesty, tremble at his threatenings, and
seek an interest in his love and favour. Several rea
sons might be offered for glorying in this rather than
in the forementioned possessions or attainments. I
will assign three which will comprehend them all :
First, because the knowledge of God is not subject
to any of those defects, which are almost inseparable
from wisdom, might, and riches. They are above the
reach of far the greater part of mankind; this is equally
attainable by all : they too often debase the mind; this
1046.] TRUE AND SUFFICIENT GROUNDS OF GLORYING. 97
invariably elevates and ennobles it : they leave us still
longing for something unpossessed; this supplies all
the wants, satisfies all the desires, and fills all the
capacities of our immortal souls : they, through the
depravity of our nature, often become means and
instruments of pride, oppression, and avarice; this
changes the proud, tyrannical and avaricious man into
the image of God in righteousness and true holiness :
they are destroyed at death ; but this is perfected.
Again we may glory in this knowledge of God,
because it transcends all their excellencies. Human
wisdom may enable us to discharge the duties of civil
life with advantage ; but the knowledge of God recti
fies our judgments about things of far greater moment ;
it makes us both see and feel the evil of sin, the
beauty of holiness, the vanity of time, and the im
portance of eternity. It teaches us (which is indeed
the very essence of wisdom) to pursue the best ends
by the fittest means ; to seek a crown of glory by a
renunciation and abhorrence of every known sin, a
firm reliance on the Saviour s merits, and an uniform
obedience to his commands. Power also may be
improved for the good of the community ; but the
knowledge of God endues us with might for better
purposes ; it renders us mighty to resist temptations,
mighty to subdue our evil tempers, mighty to mortify
our lusts and passions, mighty to endure the bitterest
afflictions, and mighty to vanquish the united forces
of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Riches, too, it
is granted, are highly beneficial ; but the knowledge
of God imparts more profitable riches : through It we
are rich in possession, and in reversion too ; it brings
into our souls a sense of pardon, it fills us with a peace
which passeth all understanding, and entitles us to
all the blessings which God himself can bestow : for
Solomon, on making this very comparison, observes
that " wisdom is a defence, and money a defence, but
the excellency of knowledge (I.e. of spiritual know
ledge) is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have
it." And a greater than Solomon still more plainly
affirms, that " to know God, and Jesus Christ whom
VOL. IX. H
98 JEREMIAH, IX. 23,24. [1046.
he hath sent, is eternal life ; "/. e. is the way to it, and
the very beginning and earnest of it.
Once more. We may glory in this knowledge of
God, because it comprehends and unfolds to our view
wisdom, power, and riches that are indeed infinite.
The text particularly directs us to consider God as
exercising loving-kindness (to his friends), judgment
(to his enemies), and righteousness or justice (in the
distribution both of his rewards and punishments).
Now this is a view of God which we have not anywhere,
but in the Gospel of Christ. In his dealings towards
the fallen angels we behold only his judgments ; but
in his dealings with man we behold the exercise of
mercy and loving-kindness, because he accepted the
mediation of his Son on our behalf. The Apostle
directs us therefore to look for the glory of God in
the face of Jesus Christ. The intent of the types and
prophecies in the Old Testament, as well as the
historical and epistolary writings in the New, is to
hold forth Jesus Christ as that illustrious person in
whom the Father would be glorified : He therefore, as
being " the brightness of his Father s glory, and the
express image of his person," is the proper object of
our glorying : and so inestimable is the knowledge of
Him, that Paul (the most learned and powerful, if
not the richest of the Apostles) counted all things as
dung and loss in comparison of it. Now the know
ledge of this our incarnate God comprehends, I say,
and unfolds to our view, wisdom, might, and riches
that are indeed infinite. Infinite wisdom In the
person, work, and offices of our Lord, are contained
mysteries, which, though hid from all eternity in the
bosom of the Father, were displayed with the fullest
evidence upon the cross. It is true that the doctrine
of a crucified Saviour was " to the Jews a stumbling-
block, and to the Greeks foolishness ; but," says the
Apostle, " to them that are called, it is the wisdom of
God ;" or, as he elsewhere terms it, " the wisdom of
God in a mystery :" and so indeed it is ; for it recon
ciles things which, to unhumbled, unenlightened per
sons, would appear contradictory and absurd. It
1046.] TRUE AND SUFFICIENT GROUNDS Ol GLORYING. 99
shews us how sin may be punished, and yet the sinner
saved : and this too not only without countenancing
sin or dishonouring the law, but in such a manner as
to bring more honour to the law, than if it never
had been broken, and to manifest more indignation
against sin, than if the offender had endured its de
served penalty. It shews us also how the divine per
fections unite and harmonize in the great work of
redemption ; how God may pardon those whom he
had threatened to destroy, without any violation of
his word ; and how he may restore rebels to peace,
without any infringement of the demands of justice ;
or, as the Psalmist beautifully expresses it, how
" mercy and truth may meet together, and righteous
ness and peace kiss each other." It shews us further
(which is wonderful indeed) mercy displayed in a way
of punishing sin, and justice in a way of pardoning
it ; yea, more mercy than if the whole world had been
pardoned without any such atonement, and more
justice than if the whole human race had been, like
their predecessors in iniquity, cast into the depths of
hell. In God, as shining forth in the person of his
Son, we behold also infinite might. Jesus Christ is
called by the Apostle " the Wisdom of God and the
Power of God," because that, when mankind had
destroyed themselves, and not a combination of
all created powers could effect their deliverance,
his own arm brought salvation. He sustained the
dreadful weight of their iniquities in his own body
on the tree, and ransomed an apostate world by
his own most precious blood. To all appear
ance indeed he "was crucified through weakness:"
he fell a sacrifice to the envy of the priests, the
treachery of Judas, the cowardice of Pilate, and the
rage of an incensed populace : yet by that very fall
he bruised the serpent s head and triumphed over
principalities and powers. He submitted also to an
imprisonment within the bowels of the earth ; yet soon
burst the gates of death, by which it was not possible he
should be detained, and shewed himself to be "the Son
of God with power by his resurrection from the dead."
u 2
100 JEREMIAH, JX. 23, 24. [1046.
Infinite riches also are manifested in this our adora
ble Redeemer. How glorious, how unsearchable were
the riches of the Father s love, which rather than we
should perish, bestowed, not an angel or archangel,
but his only-begotten Son, yea, gave him up for
rebels, to the most bitter, ignominious, and accursed
death of the cross ! How rich was the Son s compas
sion, to obey that law which we had broken, to hum
ble himself that we might be exalted, to endure the
penalties which we had incurred, and to die that we
might live for ever ! What unbounded mercy ! Inas
much then as this knowledge of God is not subject
to the defects that are in wisdom, power, and riches,
but transcends their excellencies, and comprehends
them all in the highest degree ; we may, we ought
to glory in it : we cannot value it too highly, we
cannot seek it too earnestly, we cannot contem
plate it with too exalted joy, or trust in it with too
confident assurance : this was evidently the sentiment
of the Apostle when he said, " I am determined to
know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified."
And again, " God forbid that I should glory save in
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Here it will be proper to observe the manner in
which the inspired writer prefaces his exhortation in
the text ; " Thus saith the Lord." The voice of the
world is quite different ; even they who are esteemed
the wisest in the world hold up wisdom, power, and
riches as the grand, if not the only, objects worthy of
our pursuit : the whole multitude are following these
with unabated ardour : all their affections are set
upon them : their hopes and fears, their joys and
sorrows, are excited alternately by these, as the loss
or acquisition of them shall give occasion : these
are the things most envied and admired : and, when
obtained, are ever made the ground of glorying.
But the knowledge of God and of his glory in the
face of Jesus Christ is deemed scarce worthy our
attention. If it were at our option to be the wisest,
greatest, and richest person upon earth, but at the
same time destitute of this knowledge ; or to be endued
1046. ] TRUE AND SUFFICIENT GROUNDS OF GLORYING. 101
with it, but at the same time live in a state of poverty,
meanness, and ignorance, how few would shew them
selves like-minded with God in this matter ! Indeed,
how few seek this knowledge at all, or even give it
the least place in their thoughts ! On the contrary,
the generality treat it with contempt ; and too many
seem to apprehend, that we cannot glory in our God,
but we must presently be beside ourselves : but (as
says the Apostle) " let God be true, and every man a
liar ;" let the whole universe combine to extenuate
the guilt of neglecting God, and to exalt wisdom,
power, and riches, as the chief good of man; their opi
nions are of no avail : for " thus saith the Lord,
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 understandeth and knoweth me, that
I am the Lord, who exercise loving-kindness, judg
ment, and righteousness in the earth ;" that I am He,
who will amply and eternally reward those who glory
in me, and will assuredly execute judgment upon
those who idolize the world. While therefore we pay
a just attention to those things which God allows,
and the interests of society require us to pursue, let
us take shame to ourselves for having preferred the
perishing things of time and sense, to an acquaintance
with our God ; let us fear lest we be left to take the
fruit of our choice, and to have our portion only in
this life ; let us receive the united testimonies of
reason and revelation; and, in compliance with their
dictates, let us prize above all things, follow with un
wearied assiduity, and supremely delight ourselves in,
the knowledge of this Saviour ; that through him we
may be mighty in subduing our evil habits, rich in
faith and good works, and wise unto salvation ; so
shall we have cause to glory here, and be partakers
of everlasting felicity in the world to come. Now to
God, &c. b
b The analysis of this is added, to shew how easily the short
skeletons may be formed into entire sermons.
102 JEREMIAH, IX. 23, 24 [1046.
Jer. ix. 23, 24. Thus saith the Lord, 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 understandeth and knoweth
me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving-kindness, judg
ment, and righteousness, in the earth.
WE need no other introduction to our subject than
that of the prophet*
Bearing in mind therefore the Saviour s repeated
admonitions b , we shall
1. Remove the false and insufficient grounds of glo
rying
Wisdom, Power, and Riches, are highly esteemed
amongst men
And, if rightly improved, they certainly are valuable
talents
\Wisdom enables a man to conduct his own affairs with
discretion
It qualifies him also for instructing his fellow-creatures
It may lead a person to make many valuable discoveries
Thus it may profit individuals and the community at large
Might also is useful for the preserving of order in society
And it may be improved to suppress vice, and encourage
virtue
Riches too may serve for the rewarding of industry
Or they may be employed in relieving the necessitous
None of these things therefore ought to be depreciated ]
But they are by no means proper objects of glory-
mg-
To glory in any thing, is, to value it highly, pursue
it eagerly, and seek our happiness in it
But we must not thus glory in Wisdom
[The wisest know that they know but little
Their best concerted plans they often want power to accom
plish
Disease or accident may soon reduce them to a level with
the beasts ]
Nor should we glory thus in Might
[Power is a source of temptation to those who are invested
with it
It indisposes a man to comply with reasonable restraints
a Isai. i. 2. b Mark iv. 9, 23.
1046.] TRUE AND SUFFICIENT GROUNDS OF GLORYING. 103
It generally excites opposition in those who are subjected
to it]
Nor are Riches at all more worthy objects of our
glorying
[Wealth is very apt to produce covetous and sordid
tempers
It frequently renders its possessors proud and oppressive
At best it can furnish us with little more than food and
raiment
And we are liable to be deprived of it in a tnousand
ways c ]
To glory therefore in any of these things would be
absurd d
Having removed these common but insufficient
grounds of glorying, we shall,
II. Propose such as are true and sufficient
The knowledge of God in Christ Jesus is the only
object of glorying
[The knowledge that there is a God is not the knowledge
here spoken of
Nor is it the knowledge of God as He is seen in the works
of creation
But the knowledge spoken of in the text is a view of him
in redemption
It is in the Gospel only that God s loving-kindness to his
friends appears
In that too especially He denounces his judgments on his
enemies e
And in both He displays equally his unspotted righteous
ness f
Not that a speculative knowledge even of this will suffice
The words " understand and know" imply a practical know
ledge ]
c Prov. xxiii. 5.
d Who that considers what Wisdom is, would ever glory in it ; so
limited as it is in its extent so defective in its operations and so
uncertain in its continuance ? Or who in Might, the possession of
which is so dangerous and the exercise of which is so vexatious to
themselves and others ? Or who in Riches, which are so defiling in
their influence so contracted in their benefits and so precarious in
their tenure ? If to this we add, that all these things perish and de
part at death, and are utterly useless in the day of judgment, we can
have no doubt but that the prohibition in the text is as reasonable as
it is decisive.
e Mark xvi. 1C. f Ps. Lxxxv. 10.
JEREMIAH, IX. 23, 21, [1046.
This is a just ground of glorying to all who pos
sess it -
1. It is free from all the defects which are found in
the foregoing grounds
\They render the mind low and grovelling; This elevates
and ennobles it
They never satisfy the soul ; This affords it perfect satisfac
tion "
They may become sources of craft, tyranny, and avarice ;
This always changes us into God s image 11
They end with our present existence ; This is perfected at
death ]
2. It transcends all the excellencies that are in the
foregoing grounds
It imparts more excellent wisdom
[It rectifies our judgments about more important objects
It teaches us to seek the best ends by the fittest means ]
It endues us with more excellent might
[It renders us mighty to mortify our lusts and passions 1
It qualifies us to conflict with all the powers of darkness k ]
It conveys to us more excellent riches
[It puts into our hands " the unsearchable riches of
Christ "-
It makes us rich in possession, and in reversion too 1 ]
3. It comprehends all the foregoing grounds in the
highest degree :
Wisdom
[This knowledge of God unfolds the deepest mysteries
It shews how sin may be punished, and yet the sinner saved
It shews how mercy is exalted in punishing, and justice in
rewarding ]
Might-
[The salvation of a ruined world is a marvellous display
of power
Hence Christ is called " the Wisdom of God, and the Poiver
of God"-
Wo have no idea of almighty power, till we know a redeem
ing God ]
Riches
8 Isai. Iv. 2. h 2 Cor. iii. 18. 2 Cor. x. 3 5.
k Eph. vi. 11, 12. i Eccl. vii. 12. m Col. ii. 2, 3.
1047.] CONTEMPT OF GOD\S RICHEST MERCIES. 105
[Infinite are the riches of divine grace
In the glorious mystery of redemption they are all con
tained
The knowledge of God exhibits them all to our view" ]
In this we cannot possibly glory too much
[We cannot possibly set too high a value on this know
ledge
We cannot pursue it with too much earnestness
We cannot delight in it with too exalted joy
Let us therefore seek to know God as He is revealed in the
Gospel
Let us take encouragement from that declaration of our
Lord?
Let the fixed purpose of our hearts resemble that of the
Apostle q ]
n Eph. ii. 7. 1 Cor. ii. 2. P John xvii. 3. ( i Gal. vi. 14.
MXLVII.
THE CONTEMPT WITH WHICH GOD ? S RICHEST MERCIES ARE
TREATED.
Jer. xiii. 11. As the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so
have I caused to cleave unto tne the whole house of Israel
and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord; that they
might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a
praise, and for a glory : but they ivould not hear.
IT pleased God in former times frequently to in
struct his people by signs, as being more calculated
to awaken the attention of those who were but, as
children, slow to understand the plainest declarations
of his word. Sometimes those signs were represented
to the prophets in visions : as when Ezekiel was taken
up by the hair of his head, and carried to the north
gate of the temple to see all the wickedness that was
transacted in the sanctuary ; the thing was done only
in a vision a . At other times the prophets actually did
the things which were to be signs to the people ; as
when Ezekiel, for the space of three hundred and
ninety days, reclined on his right side, with a repre
sentation of Jerusalem before him, to figure to the
a Ezek. viii. 3.
106 JEREMIAH, XIII. 11. [1047.
Jews the siege that should assuredly be formed against
it by the Chaldeans b . Whether the sign which Jere
miah was here directed to use was in a vision only,
or in reality, commentators are not agreed. Cer
tainly the going repeatedly several hundred miles only
to carry a girdle to the Euphrates and bring it back
again, seems a labour unlikely to be imposed upon
him : but on the other hand, that very labour might
tend the more powerfully to awaken the attention of
the Jews to the subject which was thus emblematically
represented to them : and it is safer, on the whole, to
take literally the Scripture account in all cases where
reason and common sense do not necessitate us to
understand it figuratively .
The sign here used by the prophet was this. He
took a girdle, and, after wearing it some time, carried
it to the river Euphrates, and hid it there in the hole
of a rock ; and then, after a considerable lapse of
time, he went and fetched it back again, and exhi
bited it to the people in its decayed state ; declaring
that they, notwithstanding their present strength and
power, should ere long be reduced to the lowest ebb
of misery by the Chaldeans ; because when God had
formed them for himself, they had refused to adhere
to him, or to regard his overtures of love and mercy.
Such is the explanation given us by God himself in
in the words of our text; which, whilst they elucidate
the emblem used by the prophet, will naturally lead
me to shew you,
I. The honour which God has designed for his
people
The primary use of a girdle is to bind up the gar
ments around the loins-
fin conformity with this idea, God had caused his people
to cleave to him, that they might be, as it were, in continual
contact with him. This he had caused them to do, when he
brought them out of Egypt, and made them altogether depen
dent on himself for direction, preservation, and support. In
b Ezek. iv. 1 17. A most surprising account altogether! See
also Ezek. xii. 2 12. and xxiv. 15 24.
c Such an instance occurs, Jer. xxv. 27
1047.] CONTEMPT OF GOD s RICHEST MERCIES. 107
like manner he may be said to have caused us also to cleave
to him, having in our very birth imposed on us a necessity to
depend upon him for life, and breath, and all things ; for " in
him we live, and move, and have our being." Our proper state
is that of a little infant clinging to its mother, or, as our text
expresses it, " a girdle cleaving to the loins of a man." We
should at all times be " taking hold of God by prayer d ," and
by faith uniting ourselves to him, so as to be one with him,
and he with us. If this was the duty and privilege of the Jews,
much more is it ours ; because our God and Saviour has actually
assumed our nature, and become bone of our bone, and flesh
of our flesh: nay more, by the fuller communication of his
Spirit he " dwells in us," and lives in us, and is " our very
life e ;" so that they who are joined unto him by faith are " one
Spirit with him f ." This then, I say, is the honour which God
designs for us : he would have us all renouncing every kind
and degree of creature dependence, and to live as nigh to him
and cleave as close to him, as a girdle to the loins of a man ;
yea, in spite of every opposition and discouragement, he would
have us " cleave unto him with full purpose of heart g ."]
But a girdle is also of use for ornament
[And to this our text has especial respect. The girdle of
the high-priest was, as it is repeatedly called, "a curious girdle,"
given him "for glory and for beauty 11 :" and our great High-
Priest desires that we should be to him what that curious girdle
was to Aaron. Vile and worthless as we are in ourselves, he
would form and fashion us anew, interweaving in our nature
all the graces of his Spirit, and transforming us into the
very image of our God in righteousness and true holiness.
Surrounded by us, he would esteem himself more richly adorned
than with the brightest jewels 1 , and more enriched than with
all the treasures of the universe k . It appears almost im
pious to say, that such ornaments would be a glory to our
God and Saviour ; yet we will venture to affirm that they
would be regarded so by our Lord himself, who says, " All mine
are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them 1 ."
What a royal diadem is to an earthly monarch, that are we
designed to be to the King of kings and Lord of lords m . As
Christ was " the image of the invisible God," because God who
is invisible in his own nature was visible in him 11 , so are we
according to the measure of grace given unto us: we are to
d Isai. Ixiv. 7. e Col iii. 4. f 1 Cor. vi. 17.
s Acts xi. 23. h Exod. xxviii. 4, 8, 40.
1 Mai. iii. 17. k Exod. xix. 5, 6. with 1 Pet. ii. 9.
1 John xvii. 10. See also John xv. 8. and Isai. Ixi. 3.
m Isai. Ixii. 3. " Col. i. 15.
108 JEREMIAH, XIII. 11. [1047.
" shine as lights in the world, holding forth" in our whole
deportment " the word of life ;" we are made his on purpose
that we may " shew forth his virtues* " we are to be " epistles
of Christ, known and read of all men q ;" and shewing in the
whole of our spirit and temper what the will of the Lord is :
we are to "have the same mind as was in him 1 ," and to "be
changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the
Spirit of the Lord 8 ." This will surely become our state,
if once we cleave, like a girdle, unto him : and all who see
us shall be constrained to " glorify our Father who is in
heaven 1 ."]
Who would conceive,, that when such honour is
offered unto man, there should be found a creature
in the universe unwilling to accept it ? Yet the se
quel of our text leads us to shew,
II. The way in which this honour is contemned
The melancholy testimony that was almost inva
riably borne against the Jews was, that " they would
not hear u
[See how they conducted themselves in relation to the
very oiler before us ! " they refused to hear God s words, and
walked in the imagination of their own hearts, and worshipped
and served other godsV]
And what can be a more just description of our
selves ?
[Unspeakable as the honour is which God desires to con
fer upon us, we will not seek it at his hands : we are, like those
who were invited to the wedding-feast, all with one consent
making excuses, and pleading the urgency of our worldly
affairs as a reason for neglecting our spiritual concerns y . If
we bow not down to stocks and stones, we " worship and serve
the creature more than the Creator 2 ." We have idols in our
hearts ; and to those we dedicate all our powers and faculties,
whether of soul or body. We are justly characterized as
"walking after the imagination of our own hearts a :" each
serves the god that suits him best. One follows all his vicious
propensities, and seeks his happiness in sensual indulgence :
another grasps after riches ; another aspires after honour ;
another affects rather the more refined pleasures of science and
Phil. ii. 15, 1G. Pi Pet. ii. 9. See the marginal reading.
f i 2 Cor. iii. 3. r Phil. ii. 5. s 2 Cor. iii. 18.
* Matt. v. Hi. u Compare with the text, Jer. vi. 16, 17.
x ver. 10. y Luke xiv. 16 20.
z Rom. i. 25. a See Isai. liii. 6.
1047.] CONTEMPT OF GOD s RICHEST MERCIES. 109
philosophy : but all by nature, however differing in their par
ticular pursuits, agree in this, that they " are of the world, and
not of God ;" and that they " seek honour from man, and not
the honour that cometh of God only." They need no exhorta
tion to cleave unto worldly vanities ; that they do naturally of
themselves : and if we could point out to them how to come
in closer contact with the objects of their ambition, and how to
secure to themselves a larger measure of them, we should find
them very attentive to our counsels. But when we exhort
them to cleave only to the Lord, they have no ears to hear us,
no disposition to regard us. In vain do we expatiate upon the
honour which God designs for them ; that appears to them no
better than " a cunningly-devised fable," or at best as a sub
ject that may well be deferred to a more convenient season.
Though we call them to the Most High, none at all will exalt
him b ;" so that God may complain of us as he did of his people
of old, " All the day long have I stretched out my hands to a
rebellious and gainsaying people ."]
ADDRESS
1. In a way of appeal
[We may justly say to you, " What more could have been
done for you than God has done d ? " and wherefore do you so
requite him ? Judge, all of you, between God and your own
souls, and say what such conduct merits at his hands. I will
tell you in God s name what you may assuredly expect. Be
hold the girdle when it was brought back from the river
Euphrates, how " marred and worthless" it was e : see too how
that emblematic judgment has been executed on the Jewish
nation, not only in their Babylonish captivity, but in their
present dispersion, where they are " a hissing and an astonish
ment" to all the rest of the world. So will God s indignation
against you be manifested on account of the contempt you
pour upon him ; according to that express declaration of his,
"Them that honour me, I will honour; and they that despise
me shall be lightly esteemed," As they who made light of his
invitation were "not suffered even to taste of his supper f ," so
you shall never taste of that honour and happiness which he
offers to you : and as they were shut out into outer darkness,
so will you at the last day awake " to shame and everlasting
contempt g ."]
2. In a way of encouragement
[Nothing does God desire more, than to take even the
vilest of mankind, and bind them to him as a girdle. Yes,
there is not one so worthless, but he should be made a
b Hos. xi. 7. c Rom. x. 21. d Isai. v. 3, 4.
e vcr. 7. f Luke xiv. 24. Dan. xii. 2.
110 JEREMIAH, XIII. 1517. [1048.
partaker of this honour, if only he would comply with the invi
tations of his God. O that every one of us might now obey his
voice ; and that he would " make us willing in the day of his
power ! " Would you see more clearly what God would do
for you ? This same prophet tells you without a figure, that
"he will pardon all your iniquities" that ever you have com
mitted, and so load you with his benefits, that all who behold
you shall be filled with utter astonishment at his goodness to
you 11 . Only resist not his strivings with you, but " run after
him when he draws you," and beg him to " fulfil in you all the
good pleasure of his goodness, even the w r ork of faith with
power : then shall the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be
glorified in you, and ye shall be glorified in, and with him,
according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus
Christ 1 ."]
h Jer. xxxiii. 8, 9. * 2 Tliess. i. 11, 12.
MXLVIII.
A CALL TO REPENTANCE 3 .
Jer. xiii. 15 17. Hear ye, and (jive ear ; be not proud : for
the Lord hath spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God,
before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon
the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it
into the shadow of death, and, make it gross darkness. But
if ye tv ill not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for
your pride ; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with
tears, because the Lord s flock is carried away captive.
REPENTANCE is at all times a proper subject to
be enforced ; but more especially on a day professedly
set apart for national humiliation. The words before
us were addressed to the Jews when God was about
to send them into captivity in Babylon : and they may
well be considered as addressed to us, now that his
hand is lifted up for the punishment, and, for aught
we know, for the destruction of our land.
They manifestly contain the prophet s exhortation ;
his arguments to enforce it ; and his determination in
case he should not be able to prevail on the people to
repent.
But the occasion, and the text itself, call rather for
exhortation than discussion. We shall therefore,
a Preached February, 1801.
1048.] A CALL TO REPENTANCE. Ill
though not without a due attention to the order of
the words, proceed to urge upon you the great, the
seasonable, the indispensable duty of repentance
[Know then, that it is " God who speakeih." The words
delivered to you in his name, as far as they accord with his
mind and will, are his words, and are to be received as though
you heard them uttered by a voice from heaven b .
" Hear ye, and give ear" and let not the pride of your
hearts obstruct your attention. Often has God spoken to you
by the dispensations of his providence, and the declarations
of his grace ; yea, moreover, by the still small voice of con
science : but ye, the generality of you at least, have turned
a deaf ear, and refused to hear the voice of the charmer, charm
he never so wisely c . But " be not proud" Ye must hear at
last, whether ye will or not. Let then your stout hearts be
humbled; and receive with meekness the engrafted word d .
In the name of God we say to you, REPENT. " Give glory
to the Lord your God" It is by repentance only that you
can do this 6 . Repentance glorifies all his perfections; his
omniscience that sees your transgressions, his justice that
punishes them, his mercy that pardons them, and his wisdom
and goodness that have provided such a marvellous salvation
for ruined man.
O glorify his omniscience : say, ( Lord, thou art privy to all
the secrets of my heart ; thou knowest that I am inexpressibly
vile f .
Glorify his justice ; and acknowledge, that if he cut you off,
and consign you to the lowest hell, you have no more than
your just desert g .
Glorify his mercy ; and plead it with him as the only, the
all-sufficient ground of your hope and confidence 1 .
Glorify his wisdom and goodness, that have opened a way
for your return to him through the incarnation and death of
his only dear Son. Declare that you have no trust whatever
but in the blood and righteousness of that almighty Saviour 1 .
To persist in impenitence is the certain way to bring down
the heaviest judgments upon your souls. The darkness that
hangs over the nation k , cannot be dispelled in any other way ;
much less can that with which God menaces vour souls. O
b 2 Cor. v. 20. 1 Thess. ii. 13. c Job xxxiii. 14.
d Jam. i. 21. e Josh. vii. 19. Rev. xvi. 9.
f Jer. xvii. 9. Job xl. 4. and xlii. 2, 6.
* Matt. xxii. 12, 13. Rom. iii. 4. Ps. cxliii. 2.
h Ps. li. 1. i Phil. iii. 8, 9.
k Joel ii. 2, 3. perhaps a true picture of our present state.
112 JEREMIAH, XIII. 1517. [1048.
consider " the darkness, the gross darkness," in which they are
involved, who are shut up under judicial blindness and final
obduracy 1 ; or who, under the terrors of a guilty conscience,
" stumble on the dark mountains " of unbelief, and, like the
Jews (who thought they had clean escaped from their pur
suers) are overtaken by the sword of vengeance m , so that
11 while theij look for light, it is turned into the shadow of death"
and they are plunged into " the blackness of darkness for ever
more 11 ."
But repentance may yet avert the storm, both from the na
tion, and from our own souls. Numberless are the declarations
of God to this effect ; and numberless the instances wherein
it has been verified p . But let us remember what kind of
repentance it is which will thus prevail : it is not a mere formal
confession of sin with a partial reformation of the life, but such
a repentance as glorifies all the perfections of the Deity ; such
a repentance as has an especial respect to Christ, who alone
can procure our pardon, and in whom alone we can ever find
acceptance with God.
Would to God that we might prevail with you, and that
you were all, in good earnest, turning unto God ! Could we
once behold this, O how should we rejoice : and how would
" the very angels in heaven rejoice " on your account ! But,
" if ye will not repent," (as it is to be feared too many of you
will not,) " my soul" and the souls of all who are aware of your
condition, "shall weep in secret places for your pride ; yea,
our eyes shall weep sore and run down with tears," on account
of your present and approaching bondage. The godly in all
ages have wept over those who felt no concern for their own
souls q : and w r e trust that there are many, who will lay to
heart the evils which ye are too proud to acknowledge, too
obdurate to deplore. But we entreat you to consider, Is there
one amongst us all, that is not a sinner before God r ? and does
not the broken law denounce a curse against us s ? and if God
be true, will not that curse be inflicted on the impenitent ?
Why then will ye not humble yourselves before an offended
God, a merciful Redeemer ? Alas ! for your " pride" and
stoutness of heart ! How lamentable is it, that you, who have
been baptized into the name of Christ, and are therefore pro
perly " the Lord s flock," should be so " carried captive " by
1 Isai. vi. 9, 10. m This is the literal meaning of the text.
n 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12. Jude, ver. 13.
To nations, 2 Chron. vii. 14 ; and to individuals, Isai. Iv. 7.
P Nineveh, the dying thief, &c.
1 Ps. cxix. 136. Ezra ix. 3. and x. 6. 2 Pet. ii. 8. Rom. ix.
1, 2 ; above all, Luke xix. 41.
r 1 Kings viii. 46. Jam. iii. 2. s Gal. iii. 10.
1049.] THE POWER OF EVIL HABITS. 113
your lusts, and by your great adversary, the devil t ! O think,
it is but a little time and your captivity will be complete ; and,
lost beyond a possibility of redemption, you will be bound in
chains of everlasting darkness 11 . And is not here a cause
for sorrow on your account ? " O that mine head were waters,
and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and
night " for your unhappy state x !
We will not, however, conclude, without once more entreat
ing you to " give glory to the Lord your God ;" that so " your
light may rise in obscurity, and your darkness may be as the
noon-day y ."]
1 2 Tim. ii. 26. > l Jucle, ver. G.
x Jer. ix. 1. y Isai. Ixviii. 8, 10.
MXLIX.
THE POWER OF EVIL HABITS.
Jer. xiii. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard
his spots ? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed
to do evil.
OF any particular acts which we have done amiss,
we have been conscious : they have, as it were, ob
truded themselves upon our notice, and we could not
turn our eyes from them : but of an evil principle
operating within us, we have been strangely insen
sible ; though, if we had been at all observant of our
daily habits, we could not but have both seen and
felt it. It is owing to this that we have, for the most
part, so high a conceit of our own sufficiency for
what is good. We imagine that we have but to make
a resolution, and any change which we propose will
take place of course : but experience shews, that our
habits of sin are not so easily broken, nor our resolu
tions respecting holiness so easily carried into effect.
The truth is, that " the Ethiopian may as soon change
his skin, or the leopard his spots, as we, by any power
of our own, get into a course of what is good, after
having been so long and so habitually accustomed to
do evil."
From the words before us, I will take occasion to
point out,
VOL. IX. I
114 JEREMIAH, XIII. 23. [1049.
I. The power of sin, as inherent in our nature
No wonder that we are entirely led captive by it :
for,
1. It pervades all our faculties, whether of mind or
body
[Our understanding is blinded by it ; our will is rendered
perverse ; our affections are made earthly and sensual ; our
conscience is stupefied ; and our very memory is enfeebled with
respect to every thing truly good. By it, also, is the whole of
our body defiled. St. Paul, with a remarkable particularity,
specifies the subjection of our several members to this evil
principle, from head to foot* : so that what the prophet speaks
of the Jewish people, may well be said of us : "From the sole
of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in us ; but
wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores V The whole man
is corrupt ; insomuch that " every imagination of the thoughts
of our hearts is only evil continually ;" and " all our members
are instruments of unrighteousness unto sin d ."]
2. It finds in us nothing to counteract its in
fluence
[True indeed, man, in his fallen state, possesses both
reason and conscience : but neither of these perform their
office, in opposing the evil principle within us, any farther than
to testify against such flagrant acts as may expose us to shame
before men. I deny not, but that there are at times some
secret stirrings in the mind, even at a very early period of life ;
some remonstrances against sin ; and some intimations that we
ought to serve our God. But these arise not from any rem
nant of good in our fallen nature : they are the fruits of divine
grace, produced by the operation of the Spirit of God upon
the soul ; even of that blessed Spirit who wrought on Samuel,
and John, and Timothy, from the very womb. The Scripture
says expressly, that " in us, that is, in our flesh, dwelleth no
good thing 6 :" we cannot so much as will what is good, and
much less do it, unless God work within us to that end f ; " nor
have we a sufficiency even to think a good thought g ," unless
it be put into our hearts by the only Giver of all good. In
reference to all spiritual exercises, reason and conscience are
rather on the side of the corrupt principle ; justifying, rather
than condemning, the neglect of them ; and substituting in
their place such services as are altogether unworthy of Him
who " claims to be worshipped in spirit and in truth."]
a Rom. iii. 1215. b Isai, i. 6. c Gen. vi. 5,
d Rom. vi. 13. e Rom. vii. 18. f Phil. ii. 13.
e 2 Cor. iii. 5.
1049.] THE POWER OF EVIL HABITS. 115
3. It receives aid from every thing around us
[" All that is in the world" is comprehended by the
Apostle under these three designations ; " the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life 11 ." And what are
these, but confederates of the evil principle within us, giving
it continually fresh scope for exercise, and soliciting it in every
possible way to enslave our souls ? Every thing we see, every
thing we hear, has a tendency to draw us from God, to gratify
our corrupt nature, and to give to the evil principle within us
an advantage against us to our destruction. Even the Saviour
himself, whilst to God s elect " he is made a sanctuary," is, to
those who are destitute of divine grace, " a stone of stumbling
and a rock of offence, yea, as a gin and a snare, whereby
multitudes stumble and fall, and are broken and snared, and
taken 1 ."]
4. It conceals its influence under specious names
[There is not an evil which the corrupt principle does
not lead us to palliate by some gentle name, whilst on vital
godliness it invariably casts reproach. What will it not com
mend to us, under the idea of innocent amusement ? and what
will it not sanction, under the terms conviviality and good
breeding ? Covetousness, worldliness, ambition, yes, and
licentiousness itself, all lose their hateful qualities under the
less offensive terms of prudence, and honour, and youthful
indiscretion.
Is it any wonder, then, that men are led captive by sin and
Satan, and that godliness is in so great a degree banished from
the world ?]
But, to get a just notion of this evil principle, we
must yet further mark,
II. Its power, as augmented and confirmed by evil
habit
Habit is to us as a second nature : and by it, sin is
greatly augmented and confirmed.
1 . Its odiousness is diminished
[I have already said, that there are certain acts of sin
which, notwithstanding their general approbation of it, men
are agreed to stigmatize as evil ; and into these, men do not
plunge themselves, without some checks of conscience, and
some remorse after they have fallen into the commission of
them. And, if a person were warned that he was in danger
of abandoning himself to these, he woul,d be ready to reply,
h 1 John ii. 16. ! Isai. viii. 14, 15. with 1 Pet. ii. 7, 8.
116 JEREMIAH, XIII. 23. [1049.
" Is thy servant a clog, that he should do this thing k ?" But
we see to what lengths of wickedness men will proceed, when
once these restraints are broken through ; and how they will
even come at last to " glory in their shame 1 ." Who that walk
the streets with shameless impudence, or that addict them
selves to theft and robbery till they bring themselves to an
untimely end, would ever have believed, that sin, which, when
first committed, caused in them a blush of conscious guilt,
should ever be carried by them to such a fearful extent, and
be familiarized to them as their inseparable companion ?]
2. Its power is strengthened
[It is of the very nature of habit to strengthen the prin
ciple that is called into action, whether it be good or bad.
The mind, the memory, the judgment, are strengthened by
exercise ; as the bodily organs are also : and they acquire a
facility in doing things which at first are difficult. And thus
it is also with evil habits : a man may have so accustomed
himself to anger, intemperance, impurity, or sloth, that he
shall not be able to withstand the smallest temptation : every
trifle will irritate him ; every opportunity of indulgence
ensnare him ; " his eyes will be so full of adultery, that he
cannot cease from sin m ;" and " on his bed he shall become
like a door upon its hinges," that knows of no motion but from
one side to another". This is placed in a peculiarly strong
point of view by our blessed Lord, who tells us 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 God ." And wherefore
is this ? It is because his habits of indulgence have so enslaved
him, that he cannot overcome them ; nor can any thing but
Omnipotence itself effect his deliverance 11 .]
3. Its opportunities for exercise are multiplied
[Habit calls around us those persons and temptations
that are most subservient to its indulgence. The man of
pleasure moves in a round of gaiety and amusement. The
man who is in the pursuit of wealth, is to be found, wherever
his favourite object may be best accomplished. The man who
affects pre-eminence and distinction, is ever prosecuting his
plans by such methods as lie within his reach. Thus all put
themselves in the very way of temptation, and of indulging the
sin which most easily besets them. If they even fled from the
occasions of sin, they would be in great danger : but when
they accumulate to themselves occasions of falling, and lay
continually stumbling-blocks in their own way, it is no wonder
k 2 Kings viii. 13. 1 Phil. iii. 18, 19. m 2 Pet. ii. 14.
11 Prov. xxvi. 14. Matt. xix. 24. P Matt. xix. 26.
I049.J THE POWER OF EVIL HABITS. 117
that they fall. For, " can a man take fire in his bosom, and
his clothes not be burnt ? or can he walk upon hot coals, and
his feet not be burnt q ?" So if, instead of watching against
temptation, we court it, and rush into it, and familiarize our
selves with it, there can be no hope but that we shall fall and
perish. " A bird hasting to the snare, is not more sure of
ruin than we r ."]
4. The powers whereby it should be resisted are
destroyed
[We have before said, that against enormous wickedness
there are some barriers, arising from conscience, and a desire
of man s applause. But by habits of sin, " the conscience be
comes seared as with a hot iron," and is rendered altogether
incapable of discharging its proper office 8 . A fear of detection,
or of God s displeasure, may sometimes operate to restrain
from great iniquity : but the mind may become altogether
" hardened through the deceitfulness of sin*," till we resemble
those of whom the prophet speaks in a preceding chapter :
" Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved ; thou
hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive cor
rection : they have made their faces harder than a rock ; they
have refused to return 11 ." What can be expected of such
persons, but that they will " wax worse and worse x ," and
continue " treasuring up wrath," till it shall come upon them
to the uttermost ?"]
5. Every thing that is good is put, by it, at an un
approachable distance
[" How shall they DO GOOD that have been accustomed to
do evil?" If " the putting off the old man" be so difficult,
what hope is there of such persons " putting on the new y "?
The loving, serving, honouring of God, are things which come
not into the mind of one who is addicted to the commission of
evil: in this sense, " God is not in all his thoughts 2 ." And
if any man think that of himself he can turn unto the Lord,
and serve him in sincerity and truth, let him first wash an
Ethiopian white ; and then he may hope to accomplish the task
of converting his own soul, and of " creating himself anew after
the Divine image, in righteousness and true holiness."]
LEARN then, beloved,
1. Your need of converting grace
[You need it for the subjugation of sin, and much more
for the implantation of holiness in your souls. Yes, indeed,
<i Prov. vi. 27, 28. r Prov. vii. 22, 23. 9 1 Tim. iv. 2.
t Heh. iii. 13. " Jer. v. 3. * 2 Tim. iii. 13.
y Eph. iv. 2224. z Ps. x. 4.
118 JERRMIAH, XIII. 27. [1050.
Brethren, " you must be born again, and be made new crea
tures in Christ Jesus." No power, but that which formed the
universe at first, can ever make you what you ought to be ; and
what you must be, if ever you would behold the face of God
in peace
2. The difference between sin and grace, as affected
by our habits
[You have seen the terrible effect of habit in relation to
sin. But it is far different in relation to grace : for though it
is true that gracious habits render the exercise of grace more
easy, they will never, in any degree, supersede the need of fear
and watchfulness. Behold David, the man after God s own
heart : he catches but a glimpse of Bathsheba, and what be
comes of all his gracious affections ? See Peter, also, who was
so bold that he would die with his Divine Master : a maiden
does but point him out as a follower of his Lord, and he denies
him with oaths and curses. The truth is, that habits of sin
increase the corrupt bias that is in the soul, and render its
departure from a right line more easy and more certain than it
was before : but habits of grace are only like an augmenting
of a man s power to roll a stone up hill : but if he intermit his
labour, whatever advance he may have made, the stone will
instantly roll down, and he will have all his labour to begin
again. " Let him, then, that thinketh he standeth, take heed
lest he fall a ." Still has the most eminent amongst us " the
flesh lusting against the Spirit, as well as the Spirit lusting
against the flesh b ." Yes, and still has the corrupt principle
within him the force of " a law, which wars against the law of
his mind, and brings him more or less into captivity to the law
of sin which is in his members c ." And this I say to humble
you, and to put you on your guard. Yet, let not any of you
be discouraged : for " the grace of Christ is amply sufficient
for you," if you will but seek it ; " nor shall any temptation
occur to you without a way to escape, that so " you may be
able to bear it d ." Be weak, then, in yourselves, and " strong
in the Lorcl e :" so shall " his strength be perfected in your
weakness V and his name be glorified in your salvation.]
a 1 Cor. x. 12. b Gal. v. 17. c Rom. vii. 23.
d 1 Cor. x. 13. e Eph. vi. 10. f 2 Cor. xii. 9.
ML.
GOD IS DESIROUS OF SAVING MEN.
Jer. xiii. 27. Woe unto thee, Jerusalem f Wilt thou not be
made clean ? When shall it once be?
1050.] GOD IS DESIROUS OF SAVING MEN. 119
THROUGHOUT all the sacred writings we be
hold the goodness and severity of God : sometimes
the one attracts our notice, and sometimes the other ;
and in many places, as in that before us, we are
struck with the union and combination of them both.
Jerusalem was the city of the living God, the resi
dence of his peculiar people ; yet he denounces woe
against them : but at the same time he declares, in
very pathetic language, the ardent desires of his soul
to exercise mercy towards them.
From these most affecting words we shall take oc
casion to shew,
I. The woes which impenitent sinners have reason to
expect
This is a painful, but necessary, subject of our in
quiries
The punishment that awaits sinners is most tre
mendous
[The loss of heaven is one part of it : and who shall declare
how great a loss this is ? - The miseries of hell (which is
the other part) are equally beyond the powers of language to
describe, or of imagination to conceive ]
This, however, the impenitent have but too much
reason to expect
[" Woe unto thee ! " says my text : and this is the voice of
reason a of Scripture 13 of experience
of the compassionate Saviour himself d -What stronger
evidence can any man wish for ? and how blind must he be that
is not convinced by it !]
But however merited and awful these woes are, we
see from the text,
II. How unwilling God is to inflict them
He complains of men s obstinacy in rejecting the
overtures of his mercy
a There must be a difference between the righteous and the wicked.
b Against ten thousand passages to this effect, there is not one
syllable that has an opposite aspect.
c The union of sin and misery is felt by all. Where is there a
sinner that is truly happy ? See Isai. Ivii. 20, 21.
d See how often woe is denounced, Matt, xxiii. 13 16, 23, 25,
27, 29, 33.
120 JEREMIAH, XIII. 27. [1050.
[It is their sin only that exposes them to his displeasure :
were that once removed, he would " rejoice over them to do
them good." And whence is it that they are not cleansed
from it ? Has not God provided such means for their cleans
ing, as should certainly be effectual, if only they were applied?
Has he not opened a fountain to cleanse them from guilt 6 ?
Has he not promised to sprinkle them with water that
should purify and renew their very inmost souls f ?
Yes : but they are averse to that purification : they hate the
very means by which it is to be attained, and the regimen
whereby it is to be preserved - God would gladly effect
the work for them, if only they would submit to it ; but they
will not g . Hence those complaints so often uttered by the
prophets 1 , and by Christ himself 1 ]
He expresses also an impatient longing for an op
portunity to bless their souls
[Long has he waited to no purpose : yet still " he waiteth
to be gracious unto us :" " he stands at the door of our hearts,
and knocks." His address to us is, " Turn ye, turn ye from
your evil ways ; for why will we die, O house of Israel ?"
Every day appears to him an age k : he is at a loss, as it were,
what to do, whether to give us up, or to use any further means 1 .
The complaint in the text is scarcely less the language of
despondency than of compassion ; " When shall it once be ? "
It is as though he said, My patience is almost exhausted :
your return to me is the most earnest desire of my soul : but
I fear I shall be forced, in spite of all my efforts to save you,
to abandon you at last, and to execute the judgments which
you so obstinately provoke. ]
ADDRESS
1. Those who imagine that they have no need of
cleansing
[What child of man has not need to be cleansed from that
taint which we inherit from our first parents? And who has
not contracted much moral defilement by means of actual
transgression ? Let none entertain such proud conceits.
The best amongst us, no less than the worst, need to be washed
in the blood of Christ, and be renewed by his Spirit ; and,
without this cleansing, must inevitably perish.]
e Zech. xiii. 1. 1 John i. 7. f Ezek. xxxvi. 2527.
s Ezek. xxxiii. 11. h Ps. Ixxxi. 11 13. Jer. vii. 23 26.
i John v. 40. Matt, xxiii. 37.
k Hos. viii. 5. Jer. xv. 6. " I am weary with repenting."
1 Hos. vi. 4. and xi. 8. Jer. iii. 4, 19.
m Job xiv. 4. and xv. 14. and xxv. 4.
1051.] GOD S NAME THE SINNER S PLEA. 121
2. Those who are unwilling to be cleansed
[Many are unwilling to part with even the grossest lusts.
What then must we say to them ? Must we speak peace to
them, instead of denouncing woes ? If we were to do so, God
would not confirm our word : so that we should only delude them
to their ruin. But indeed they themselves would not be deluded
by any such assertions : for, with whatever confidence they
utter them themselves, they would not endure to hear them if
uttered from the pulpit.
But it is not gross sin only that must be put away : we must
be " cleansed also from secret faults :" whatever stops short of
this, is ineffectual. The right hand, the right eye, must be
sacrificed ; and the whole heart be turned unto God ]
3. Those who desire the cleansing of their souls
[It is of infinite importance that you seek this blessing
aright. It is not in floods of tears that you are to be cleansed ;
though floods of tears are proper and desirable : it is the blood
of Christ alone that can cleanse from the guilt of sin ; and the
Spirit of Christ alone that can cleanse from the power and
pollution of sin. To apply these effectually, we must embrace
the promises, and rest upon them, trusting in God to accom
plish them to our souls. We must not first cleanse ourselves,
and then embrace God s promises of mercy ; but first lay hold
on the promises, and then, by virtue derived from them, pro
ceed to " cleanse ourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and
spirit"."]
n 2 Cor. vii. 1. with Acts xv. 9.
MLI.
GOD S NAME THE SINNEIl s PLEA.
Jer. xiv. 7. O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do
thou it for thy names sake.
PRAYER is both our duty and our privilege : and
God often suffers trials to come upon his people, in
order to stir them up to prayer, and to manifest him
self to them in a more conspicuous manner as " a God
that heareth prayer." On some occasions, indeed,
he has forbidden his people to intercede with him ;
as when he said to Moses, " Let me alone, that my
wrath may wax hot against these idolaters, and that
I may consume them." But, in such cases, the
122 JEREMIAH, XIV. 7. [1051.
prohibition has not been considered as absolute, but
rather in a qualified sense ; as intimating only, that
any petitions offered under those particular circum
stances could scarcely be expected to prevail ; yet as
implying a permission to the person to make the at
tempt. Certainly Moses understood it thus ; for he,
notwithstanding the prohibition, besought the Lord
for Israel, and enforced his petitions with the most
powerful pleas ; and never ceased from urging his
requests, till he obtained an answer of peace a . The
Prophet Jeremiah, in like manner, was repeatedly
forbidden to intercede for Judah and Jerusalem:
" Pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor
prayer for them, neither make intercession to me :
for I will not hear thee V Yet the prophet could not
forbear ; but urged his pleas with all imaginable ten
derness and compassion . He acknowledged, that
the sins which had provoked God to anger were great
and undeniable : but though he could find no excuse
for Israel, he could find a plea in the very character
of God: and therefore he entreated him to do, for
his own sake, what he could not venture to ask for
theirs.
In respect of outward circumstances, we at this
day do not resemble the Jews ; yet, as sinners, we
need to make the same acknowledgments, and to offer
the same pleas, as are recorded in our text.
Let us then, with a more immediate application of
the passage to our own case, consider,
I. The sinner s acknowledgment
The prophet s confession is precisely such as befits
the world at large
[Verily, their iniquities do " testify against them, even
to their face d ." Their whole lives shew that they have not the
fear of God before their eyes. It is impossible to see their
conduct, and not feel the force of this melancholy truth 6 . If it
be said, that " they cannot serve the Lord ;" I reply, " They
will not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord 1 ." There
a Exod. xxxii. 10 14. b Jer. vii. 16. and xi. 14.
c ver. 7 9. d Hos. vii. 10.
e Ps. xxxvi. 1. f Hos. v. 4, 5.
1051 J GOD S NAME THE SINNER^ PLEA. 123
is much which they might do, and yet will not do. They
might abstain from many things which they wilfully commit ;
and might perform many duties which they wilfully neglect.
They might put themselves into the way of receiving good to
their souls, by reading the Scriptures, and other religious books,
in private ; by a more diligent attendance on public ordinances ;
and by conversation with persons capable of instructing them
in the things of God. But their contempt of all religious
advantages, and the determined preference given by them
to the things of time and sense, clearly prove the language
of their hearts to be, " Depart from us ; for we desire not the
knowledge of thy ways."]
With too great reason,, also, may it be adopted,
even by the best of men
[There is doubtless an immense difference between the
godly and the world at large : for whilst the world are willing
slaves of sin and Satan, the godly resist to the uttermost their
spiritual enemies, and maintain, on the whole, a successful
warfare against them. But though " the Spirit in them lusts
against the flesh, the flesh still lusts and fights against the
Spirit ; so that they neither do, nor can do, the things that
they would g ." I would ask of all, Whether their consciences
do not bear testimony, that yet there is much amiss within
them ; and that they have yet much to deplore, in respect of
commission, and especially in sins of omission and defect ? Who
amongst us have not reason to confess, that, on some occasions,
through impatience or inadvertence, they have been betrayed
into tempers which were unbecoming their holy profession ?
And who, through weakness and infirmity, have not given way
to sloth and negligence in the secret exercises of the closet ?
And who, if they compare their very best duties with the holy
requirements of the Law, and the boundless obligations of the
Gospel, have not reason to blush and be confounded before
God ? Verily, the very best amongst us may well say with
the prophet, " Our transgressions are multiplied before thee,
and our sins testify against us : for our transgressions are with
us; and, as for our iniquities, we know them 11 ."]
But are we, therefore, without hope ? By no means :
for, together with these acknowledgments, we are free
to offer,
II. The sinner s plea
The particular request which the prophet offered
is not specified : but, in accordance with the subse
quent part of his address, we may suppose it to have
g Gal. v. 17. h Isai. lix. 12.
12-1 JEREMIAH, XIV. 7. [1051.
been for the restoration of God s favour. For this
we also may ask, not indeed on account of any thing
that is in us, but solely for the sake of God s honour,
and for the glory of his name.
This plea is open for all
[God s honour is deeply involved in his dealings with us.
His justice and his holiness require him to manifest his ab
horrence of sin, and his indignation against it : but his mercy
inclines him to receive the mourning penitent, and to pardon
his transgressions, however greatly they may have been multi
plied against him : and if he were to spurn from his footstool
a repentant sinner, he would consider himself as acting in a
way that was unbecoming his divine character. He esteems
the exercise of mercy as his highest glory, and his chief
delight. And, when he can find nothing in his creatures
to call forth, or even to justify, his kindness towards them,
he takes the motive from within his own bosom, and shews
mercy towards them for his own name s sake. It was from this
motive only that he brought his people out of Egypt, and
conducted them in safety to the Promised Land. " Not for
any righteousness of theirs" did he display his mercy towards
them 1 ; but, as he repeatedly tells them, " he wrought for his
name s sake k ." Seeing, then, that he has shewn such a regard
for his own honour, it cannot be, but that he should be pleased
when he sees a similar concern in us, and hears us urging it
with him as our only plea. But that we may not found this
on mere conjecture, let me refer you to an instance wherein
this plea was urged exactly in the way that was most pleasing
to God. On an occasion wherein God had appeared to have
forsaken his people, Joshua addressed him in these memorable
words : " O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their
backs before their enemies ? For the Canaanites, and all the
inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us
round, and cut off our name from the earth : and what wilt
thou do unto thy great name 1 ?" Here then we see, that,
however much we may have provoked God to anger, and
whatever reason we may have to fear that he is become our
enemy, we may still approach him with this plea, and enter
tain a good hope that we shall find acceptance with him.]
This plea shall never be urged in vain
[In the instance just mentioned, it was attended with
good success. The Lord immediately answered Joshua, " Get
thee up: wherefore liest thou upon thy face? Israel hath
1 Deut. ix. 5. k Ezek. xx. 9, 14, 22. ] Josh. vii. 8, 9.
1051.] GOD S NAME THE SINNER S PLEA. 125
sinned" 1 ;" and on the putting away of their sin, I will return
in mercy towards them. A yet more striking instance we have
in the intercession of Moses for Israel, when God had deter
mined to consume them on account of their worshipping of
the golden calf. Moses pleaded with him the oath by which
he had bound himself to Abraham and his seed ; and imme
diately " the Lord repented of the evil which he had thought
to do unto them 11 ." Will not, then, the same plea be efficacious
still ; or rather, I should say, be, if possible, far more effica
cious, now that we can plead the name of Jesus ? Hear what
Jesus himself has said : " Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,
that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If
ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it ." Here is no
limitation, no exception : nay more, the very glory of God is
pledged for the fulfilment of this promise, and shall be advanced
in its accomplishment.]
The passage, thus opened, affords me a peculiarly fit
occasion to DECLARE,
1. What should be the effect of sin upon the soul
[That it should humble us, will be universally acknow
ledged. But to many it appears as if it were a proper ground
for dejection and despondency ; and more especially when it
has been committed by one who has been numbered with the
Israel of God. But I would wish the terms of my text to be
very particularly noticed ; for in them the plea is urged in
the very face of all the iniquities that had been committed :
" Though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy
name s sake." Here you will see that conviction of sin is, not
to keep us from God, but to bring us to him. We must on no
account give way to discouragement, as though our sins were
too great to be forgiven, or as though it were presumptuous in
such sinners to draw nigh to God. Presumptuous it would
be, if we were to seek any plea from ourselves : but it cannot
be so when our plea is derived from God alone. One or two
passages of Scripture will place this matter in a clear and
beautiful light. David prays, " For thy name s sake, O Lord,
pardon mine iniquity: for it is great p ." And again, "Ini
quities prevail against me : but as for our transgressions, thou
shalt purge them away* 1 ." Here he makes the greatness of
his sins a reason for his more earnest application to God, and
for his more entire affiance in him. Let us then learn a truth
but little known, and a truth on which our spiritual welfare
most essentially depends ; namely, That sin is a just ground
Josh. vii. 10, 11. n Exod. xxxii. 914.
John xiv. 13, 14. P Ps. xxv. 11. <i Ps. Ixv. 3.
JEREMIAH, XIV. 7. [1051.
for humiliation, but not for discouragement. In our first con
version to God, we must come as the chief of sinners to the
Lord Jesus Christ, and believe in him as both able and willing
to save us to the uttermost. And is there any other way for
us to come to God at a subsequent period? 1 know of none.
Whether our sins be many or few, we may come as sinners,
and we must come as sinners ; founding all our hopes, not on
any righteousness of our own, but on the multitude of his
tender mercies r . The mercy of God is our only hope, from
first to last : and though we may have changed, He changeth
not : nor is the way of access to him through the Son of his
love closed against us. Let me not be misunderstood, as if I
meant by these observations to speak lightly of sin ; for sin,
indulged and unrepented of, will infallibly destroy the soul :
but we must be aware of a legal spirit; and guard against
the idea, that the possession of any personal worthiness entitles
us to God s favour, or that the want of it is a barrier to our
acceptance with him. From first to last our hope is in Christ
alone ; and his name, as it is our only plea, so shall it be
effectual, if it be urged in humility and faith. Let this, then,
be remembered by every mourning soul, that sin is a ground
of humiliation, but not of discouragement. It is not possible
for us to be too deeply humbled : but, on the other hand, it is
not possible to hold fast too strongly our hope and confidence
in God.]
2. What shall surely be effectual to remove it from
the soul
[Prayer, fervent and believing prayer, shall infallibly suc
ceed at last. Where do we find an instance of a weeping
penitent spurned from the footstool of the Lord? Never,
never did a repenting sinner pour out his cries in vain. Only
we must remember the requisites of acceptable prayer. It
must be humble and contrite. We must " acknowledge our
iniquity," and our desert of God s judgments on account of
it s . It must be fervent and persevering, like that of Daniel :
" O my God, incline thine ear, and hear! for we do not present
our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for
thy great mercies. O Lord, hear ; O Lord, forgive ; O Lord,
hearken, and do ; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God 1 !"
It must be offered solely in dependence on God s promised mer
cies in Christ Jesus : " We acknowledge, O Lord, our wicked
ness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against
thee. Do not abhor us, for thy name s sake ; do not disgrace
the throne of thy glory ; remember, break not thy covenant
* Ps. li. 1. s Jer. iii. 12, 13, 25. t Dan. ix. 18, 19.
1052.] A PATTERN FOR NATIONAL HUMILIATION. 127
with us u ." The truth is, that God has solemnly engaged that
" he will not cast out one who comes to him in his Son s
name x ;" and sooner shall " heaven and earth pass away, than
one jot or tittle of his word shall fail."]
u ver. 20, 21. x John vi. 37.
MLIL
A PATTERN FOR NATIONAL HUMILIATION a .
Jer. xiv. 7 9. O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us,
do thou it for thy names sake : for our backsliding s are many;
we have sinned against thee : O the hope of Israel, the Sa
viour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a
stranger in the land, and as a ivay faring man that turneth
aside to tarry for a night ? Why shouldest thou be as a man
astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save ? Yet thou,
Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name :
leave us not.
NATIONAL humiliation is the only mean of avert
ing national judgments : it is that which God himself
has prescribed ; and to which he has often given the
most signal success. The repentance, and consequent
deliverance of Nineveh, a heathen nation,, stands as
an encouragement to all the kingdoms of the earth.
The instances of God s regard to the united supplica
tions of his people are so numerous, that it has ever
been judged expedient to appoint days for general
fasting and prayer, in seasons of great calamity.
Surely such an appointment was never more neces
sary than now! To assist you in improving this
solemn occasion, we shall propose to your imitation
the Jews, who, in a season of grievous drought and
famine, humbled themselves before God. In the words
before us, we see,
I. Their humble acknowledgments
Conscious of having merited the Divine judgments,
they confessed their guilt
And may not we justly adopt their language as
our own ?
a For a Fast-Day Drought, &c.
128 JEREMIAH, XIV. 79. [1052.
[" We have sinned against God " as much as any people
upon earth : " our backslidings have been very many," and
" our iniquities do indeed testify against us." Look through
the land ; see what profaneness everywhere abounds !
We have indeed professed on many solemn fast-days to repent,
and turn unto the Lord ; but our humiliation has not survived
the day appointed for it, nor has any national reformation been
visible amongst us If we enter, every one of us, into
our own hearts, we may see an epitome of all that is passing in
the world: we may say with the Psalmist, "My heart sheweth
me the wickedness of the ungodly b " What ingratitude
for mercies, what impenitence under sin, what unmindfulness
of God s presence, what disregard of his word, what evil dis
positions, corrupt affections, and vile propensities, may be laid to
our charge ! - Let any one say, Whether these and innu
merable other sins, do not testify against him We would
hope that there are but few amongst us who have not resolved,
and for a time endeavoured, to repent : but has not our " good
ness been as the morning-cloud, or the early dew that passeth
away ? " Have not our " backslidings been multiplied?" And
could we have thought, some years ago, that \ve should have
made so small a progress in the Divine life, or, perhaps, that we
should at this day have been as far from God as ever ?
Let us then make these acknowledgments to God with most
unfeigned contrition, and lie before him in dust and ashes.]
With equal propriety also we may imitate,
II. Their mournful expostulations-
Nothing indeed can be more offensive to God than
arrogant expostulations ; but nothing more accept
able than such as are presented with unfeigned hu
mility-
Such were those with which the Jewish penitents
addressed the Lord
[The titles, by which they address the Deity, are expres
sive of the deepest reverence : God is indeed the hope, the
only " hope of his people :" and he is their willing and all-
sufficient " Saviour in the time of trouble." Nor did they
intend to question either his inclination or ability to save them;
but only to say, Wilt thou be like a stranger that cares not for
us ; or like one, who, though mighty in himself, is yet, through
perturbation of his mind, or the insuperable difficulty of the
case, unable to afford succour? Similar expostulations were
frequently used by David d ; and however they may at first
b Ps. xxxvi. 1. Prayer-Book Translation. c Isai. Iviii. 3.
d Ps. xliv. 2327. and Ixxiv. 10, 11.
1052.] A PATTERN FOR NATIONAL HUMILIATION. 129
sight appear expressive of too great familiarity, are indeed the
genuine effusions of a contrite soul ]
Let us approach our God in terms of like import
[To whom can we look as our " Hope," but Jehovah ? and
who but he has been our " Saviour in times of trouble? But,
alas ! He is at present but as " a stranger in the land, or as a
mighty man that cannot save." We have cried to him, and we
are not delivered : though he has graciously interposed on
some occasions, yet still we are left in deep affliction ; nor can
we at all divine what shall be the issue of our troubles. The
greater part of us too, we fear, are no less in doubt respecting
the issue of their spiritual conflicts : If they have ever cried to
God, their enemies yet prevail ; and it is uncertain whether
they shall not finally be overwhelmed by sin and Satan. With
what earnestness, then, should they look to Christ, as to " the
hope set before them," and plead with him as their Saviour in
this hour of need!]
But to their expostulations let us not forget to add,
III. Their fervent petitions
The penitents hefore us seemed conscious as well
of their unworthiness as of their impotency
Hence, both in their petitions and their pleas, they
expressed their entire reliance upon God s grace and
mercy
[Sensible, that if God forsook them, or refused his aid,
they must perish, they cried, " Leave us not ! " "Do thou it"
which we desire : and having no goodness or worthiness of
their own to plead, they entreated him " for his name s sake,"
and because of his presence with them, and his relation to them;
" Thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by
thy name : leave us not ! "]
A more excellent pattern for our imitation we can
not find
[What can we do as a nation, if God forsake us, or with
hold his powerful interposition ? In vain will our fleets and
armies go forth to meet the enemy, if God be not with them,
to succeed their efforts. But can we plead the superior piety
of our nation ? Is there any thing in the land so excellent,
that we can urge it with God as a ground whereon we may
expect his favour ? Alas ! the superior light of which we boast,
and the distinguished blessings which we enjoy, have greatly
aggravated our national guilt : we can therefore ask nothing
but mercy, for mercy s sake. It is true, " God is still (blessed
be his name !) in the midst of us ;" and while our enemies have
VOL. IX. K
130 JEREMIAH, XIV. 20, 21. [1053.
professedly cast off their allegiance to him 6 , we glory in being
" called by his name." In this view we may plead his presence
with us, and his relation to us ; yet not in a spirit of proud
boasting, but of humble and thankful acknowledgment. And
the more God is honoured in the midst of us, the more may
we expect a continuance of his favour towards us.
It is almost needless to observe, that, with respect to our
personal necessities, we must have no other plea than that
before mentioned. Pie must be ignorant indeed who will pre
sume to ground his hopes upon any merit of his own ; though
certainly, if we belong to God, we may plead his past mercies
as a ground on which we hope for the continuance and increase
of them. In this manner therefore let us approach our God ;
and we may rest assured that our supplications shall not go
forth in vain.]
APPLICATION
[Let this day be truly set apart for the humbling of your
souls before God And let the pattern now set before
you be not only approved, but imitated in all its parts. There
is a day coming when we shall either look back upon our pre
sent humiliation with unspeakable comfort, or regret bitterly
that we trifled with God and our own souls. Defer not then
this necessary work. The nation, of which you are members,
demands it of you. Whatever be your judgment with respect
to politics, there can be no doubt but that you have contributed
to augment the guilt of the nation, and are therefore bound
to deprecate the judgments that are hanging over it. The
salvation of your own souls too depends on your unfeigned
repentance ; and the sooner you turn to God in his appointed
way, the sooner will you obtain a sense of his favour, and the
brighter will be your prospects in the heavenly world. Let us all
then turn to Christ, as the Hope of Israel, and the Saviour
thereof: and however unable or unwilling to save we may have
foolishly supposed him, we shall find him both " able and willing
to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him."]
e The time of the French Revolution.
MLIII.
HOW TO PLEAD WITH GOD.
Jer. xiv. 20, 21. We acknowledge, Lord, our wickedness, and
the iniquity of our fathers ; for we have sinned against thee.
Do not abhor us, for thy name s sake ; do not disgrace the
throne of thy glory : remember, break not thy covenant
with us.
1053.] HOW TO PLEAD WITH GOD. 131
" LORD, teach us to pray," was the request of the
Apostles to their Lord and Master : and may Almighty
God teach us to pray, whilst we consider the passage
we have just read. Here is prayer indeed, such as it
becomes us all to offer ; and such as we shall surely
offer, if ever we be duly sensible of our state before
God. It was offered by the prophet in a season of
great affliction. The whole land was in the utmost
distress by reason of a drought, which put a total stop
to vegetation, and destroyed all the fruits of the
earth : and the prophet was assured, that that distress
would speedily become extreme by means of the
Chaldeans, who would invade the country, and deso
late Jerusalem with the sword and famine. Under
these circumstances, he was commanded not to pray
for the people, since the measure of their iniquities
was full a . But, like Moses of old b , the prophet could
not forbear : he first indeed warned the people of the
judgments which God was about to inflict upon them ,
and then, in a most earnest and humble manner,
pleaded with God in their behalf d .
We propose,
I. To explain this prayer of the prophet
His acknowledgments are plain and easy to be un
derstood
[He confesses, as he might well do, the sins of the whole
nation ; as well those contracted by their ancestors, as those
which they had themselves committed : and he entreats God
" not to abhor them" on account of their extreme wickedness.
Now this expression, whilst it marked his sense of their vile-
ness, had particular reference to what God himself had
threatened by Moses, and to what he had promised also in the
event of their humbling of themselves before him 6 . Hence,
in the verse before the text, the prophet asks, " Hast thou
utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul lothed Zion ?"]
His pleas require some explanation
a ver. 10, 11. b Exod. xxxii. 10, 11.
c ver. 15 18. d ver. 19 22.
e Lev. xx vi. 10 12. with 27 30 ; in both of which passages
especial mention is made of famine as connected with God s abhor
rence.
K 2
132 JEREMIAH, XIV. 20, 21. [1053.
[Being exceedingly earnest in his petitions, he offers the
most powerful pleas that could possibly be urged : he entreats
God to have mercy on them for his own sake, and to shew
regard to the honour of his name, the glory of his administra
tion, and the sanctity of his engagements.
The first of these pleas, the honour of God name, is fre
quently urged in the Holy Scriptures f , and is particularly
acceptable to God; who " is jealous for his holy name g ," and
delights to sanctify it" in the sight of an ungodly world h .
The second of these pleas involves in it somewhat of greater
difficulty. The words, " Do not disgrace the throne of thy
glory," are generally interpreted as importing no more than
this ;" f Do not give up the city and temple into the hands of
the enemy. The words will undoubtedly bear this sense : for
both the city and the temple are represented as God s throne 1 ;
and he threatens to give them up into the hands of his enemies
to be polluted and defiled by them k . But, if we attend to the
manner in which this petition is introduced, we shall see that
it is, like that which precedes, and that which follows it, a plea ;
in which view its sense will be, Thou art our King, who art
engaged to provide for and protect thy people ; and if thou
give up the city and the temple into the hands of our enemies,
as thou hast threatened, thy government will be dishonoured ;
and they will say, that thou art not able to afford them the
succour which thou hast promised them. In this view the
passage exactly accords with the plea urged by Moses 1 , and
with that also which Jeremiah himself has urged more fully,
and in the very same connexion, in the preceding part of this
chapter" 1 .
The last of these pleas reminds God of his covenant, which
he cannot, and will not, break. This must doubtless refer to
the covenant of grace, which God made with Abraham and
with all his believing people to the end of time 11 . The national
covenant that was made with Moses was broken, and annulled ;
because all the conditions of it had been violated : but " the
better covenant" which was made with God in Christ, is
" ordered in all things and sure ;" and by it " the promise is
made sure to all the seed p ." That covenant is " confirmed by
the oath of Jehovah, that by two immutable things, in which
it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation
who have fied for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us q ."
f Josh. vii. 9. Ps. Ixxix. 9, 10. e Ezek. xxxix. 25.
h Ezek. xxxvi. 21 23.
1 Jer. iii. 17. and xvii. 12. See this latter in particular.
k Ezek. vii. 21, 22. J Numb. xiv. 13 16. m ver. 7 9.
n Gal. iii. 10. 2 Sara, xxiii. 5. P Rom. iv. 16.
i Heb. vi. 17, 18.
1053. ] HOW TO PLEAD WITH GOD. 133
This covenant God had engaged never to break 1 ; and therefore
the prophet urged the inviolability of it as a motive with God
to fulfil to his people, notwithstanding their un worthiness, all
which of his own grace and mercy he had promised to them.
In this view God himself had promised to regard his covenant 8 :
and in this view the plea in our text may be considered as ex
pressing what is more diffusely stated by the Prophet Isaiah*.]
Having stated what may be considered as the im
port of the prayer, we proceed,
II. To point out some important lessons contained
in it
We shall confine ourselves to two ;
1. The true nature of a sinner s humiliation
[Nothing can give us a more just idea of humiliation than
the prophet s expression of it in our text. It necessarily im
plies an ingenuous confession of our sins, and of our desert on
account of them. Think of the expression, " Abhor us not :"
what a sense of extreme unworthiness does it convey ! Yet is
it not at all too strong : we are all, both by nature and prac
tice, exceeding vile 11 ; and ought, like Job, to " abhor ourselves
in dust and ashes x ." Indeed this will be the state of every one
that is truly penitent: he will look upon himself as " filthy and
abominable y ," and will " lothe himself for all his iniquities, and
for all his abominations 2 ." Every attempt to cloke or palliate
our offences argues a want of humility, and operates to the
exclusion of our souls from the Divine favour. We must be
like convicted lepers in our own estimation, and justify our
God in whatever sentence he may denounce against us a .]
2. The proper grounds of a sinner s encourage
ment
[Though we may justly acknowledge the work of Divine
grace in us, and may give glory to God for whatever change he
may have wrought in our hearts, yet we must not regard any
thing of our own as a ground for our confidence in God : we
must look for all our grounds of encouragement in God alone,
even in his infinite perfections, and in the covenant which he
has made with us in the Son of his love. When David was
overwhelmed with trouble, we are told, " he encouraged him
self in the Lord his God." And this is what we are to do.
In the prayer which the prophet offered, he drew all his
pleasures from the honour and fidelity of his God. And what
r Ps. Ixxxix. 35. s Lev. xxvi. 41, 42. * Isai. Ixiii. 15 19.
u Job xl. 4. x J k xiji. 6> y p s . x i v . 3.
z Ezek. xxxvi. 31. a Ps. li. 4.
131 JEREMIAH, XIV. 20, 21. [1053.
encouragement can we want, if we only contemplate God as
he is revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures ? As a mighty Sove
reign, his grace is his own, and he may grant it to whomsoever
he will ; yea, and his sovereignty will be the more displayed and
glorified, in the communication of grace to the very chief of
sinners, and in making " his grace to abound, where sin has
most abounded." The comfort to be derived from the con
templation of his love and mercy need not be stated ; because
that is obvious to the most inconsiderate mind. But even jus
tice itself affords rich encouragement to a repenting sinner :
for, has not an atonement been made for sin? and has not the
Lord Jesus Christ discharged the debt of all those who trust in
him ? No doubt then, the justice of God, which has been satis
fied by the ransom which his own Son has paid for us, will libe
rate us from our bondage, and restore us to all the privileges
which his own Son has purchased for us. As he can be " a
just God and yet a Saviour," so he will be just to his own Son,
in shewing mercy to us for Christ s sake. Above all, his fidelity
to his covenant-engagements leaves us no ground for fear ; for
never, since the foundation of the world, did one sinner perish
who laid hold on his covenant, and rested in it as " all his salva
tion and all his desire."]
Let me in CONCLUSION be permitted to ask,
1. Have you ever pleaded with God in this man
ner
[Alas ! if God were now to order those w r ho have pleaded
thus with him to be sealed on their foreheads, and all the rest
to be smitten dead upon the spot b , what an awful spectacle
would this place exhibit ! Yet such a distinction will be made
in the day of judgment. Beloved Brethren, consider this :
and "judge yourselves, that ye be not judged of the Lord"
Shall it be said, that such pleadings are not necessary?
What ! were they judged necessary by the prophet for the
averting of temporal judgments ; and shall they not be for the
averting of such as are eternal ? Truly they are necessary for
every child of man : nor can we hope to obtain mercy with
God, unless we seek him thus with our whole hearts.]
2. Have you ever pleaded thus with God in vain
[Never did God turn a deaf ear to one who sought him in
this manner: " Never said he to any man, Seek ye my face in
vain ! " If any say that they have prayed, and yet not received
an answer, we reply, that either they have never pleaded in
this manner the perfections and the promises of God ; or, an
answer has been given, but has been overlooked. God cannot
*> Ezek. ix. 16.
1054.] THE WORD OF GOD PRECIOUS. 135
refuse an answer to a broken-hearted suppliant. He may
answer in a way that we do not expect : or he may delay his
answer with a view to our greater good : but as he has promised
to grant such petitions as are offered up in faith, so will we
affirm, in the presence of the whole universe, that " every one
that asketh, receiveth ; and he that seeketh, findeth ; and to
him that knocketh, it shall be opened ."]
c Matt. vii. 7, 8.
MLIV.
THE WORD OF GOD PRECIOUS.
Jer. xv. 16. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and
thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.
THE commission given to the prophets was often
of a very painful nature ; to harden,, rather than con
vert, their countrymen ; and to denounce judgments,
rather than to proclaim mercy a . Of this kind was the
commission given to Jeremiah b : and for executing it,
he was grievously persecuted and oppressed. Yet,
notwithstanding the nature of his message, and the
consequences resulting from a faithful delivery of it,
he rejoiced in being honoured with an embassy from
the King of kings ; assured that, whatever might be
the final result either to his countrymen or himself,
God would be glorified. But when the prophets were
sent only to denounce judgments, they knew that
there was a secret reserve in the mind of God for the
exercise of mercy, in case the people who were thus
menaced should repent. When Jonah was sent to
Nineveh to declare explicitly that in forty days the
whole city should be overthrown, he had a secret sus
picion, which in the event was verified, that God
would, in case they repented, exercise mercy towards
them. And in like manner, Jeremiah had a hope,
that the faithful execution of his office, even though
it should be unavailing to the generality, would be
productive of good to some ; and therefore on that
account God s word, which he was sent to publish,
a Isai. vi. 912. b ver. 14, 13, 14.
136 JEREMIAH, XV. 16. [1054.
" was unto him the joy and rejoicing of his heart."
Under the Gospel dispensation, ministers are sent, not
so much to thunder out anathemas against the rebel
lious world, as to proclaim to them " glad tidings of
great joy." And the scope of the inspired writings,
as now collected into one volume, is to encourage the
desponding, and to give rest to the heavy-laden. Well
therefore may all, whether ministers or people, when
they take the sacred volume into their hands, say,
" Thy word was found, and I did eat it ; and it was
unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart."
In order to elucidate these words, we shall shew,
I. How the word of God should be received
In the days of Josiah the word of God had been
lost : and, when it was found, it was received with
avidity, as a gift from heaven . We do not however
conceive that any similar event is referred to in the
passage before us. The true light will be cast on our
text, if we consult a parallel passage in the Prophet
Ezekiel, where it was said to him, " Son of man, eat
that thoujindest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the
house of Israel:" and then he ate it, and it was in
his "mouth as honey for sweetness d ." In both the
passages the word is compared to food, which is to
be eaten and digested as the proper nutriment of the
soul. This image is just ; since, like common food,
the word,
1. Is necessary for all
[Who can live without it ? Who can have any just know
ledge of God without it, or have any conception how sinful
man can obtain mercy at the hands of his offended God ? The
greatest philosophers of Greece and Rome were entirely in the
dark on all subjects connected with the soul ; nor could unen-
lighted reason ever have explored those mysteries which the
inspired volume alone has revealed to man. Even at this
present day, notwithstanding the light of revelation, the great
and learned amongst ourselves are still ignorant of divine
truth, if they have not been taught of God by the effectual
application of his word to their souls. It is by the word that
the knowledge of salvation is still communicated to every one
c 2 Chron. xxxiv. 14 18. d Ezek. Hi. 1 3.
1054.] THE WORD OF GOD PRECIOUS. 137
of us : and we must all study it for ourselves, receiving its
testimony with a believing heart, and submitting both our
reason and our passions to its enlightening and sanctifying
influence.]
2. It is suitable to all
[In the sacred oracles there is " milk for babes, and
strong meat" for those of an adult age e . The fundamental
truths are written there so plainly, that "he who runs may
read them :" and so clearly do they mark out the path to hea
ven, that " the way-faring man, though a fool, cannot err
therein," if only he receive its directions with an humble and
contrite spirit. On the other hand, there are in the inspired
volume mysteries which no finite intelligence can fully com
prehend. Not only may the greatest proficients in sacred
literature be always advancing in knowledge, but the very
angels themselves acquire more enlarged views of the manifold
wisdom of God, from the revelation that is made of it in the
Holy Scriptures f . Moreover, so infinitely diversified is the
instruction to be gathered from the sacred volume, that we
can be in no situation in which it does not contain the direc
tions and encouragements most suited to our case.]
3. It is sufficient for all
[" The Holy Scriptures are able to make us wise unto
salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus." We need no ac
quaintance with any other book, nor with any other subject
which is not contained in that volume. Other books doubtless
are useful, and a knowledge of many other subjects is desirable;
but nothing is necessary for salvation which is not contained
in the Holy Scriptures, and easily to be learned from them. A
strange idea is maintained by some, that the Scriptures are
unintelligible to the poor and illiterate ; and that they are
more likely to mislead them, than to guide them aright. But
what a reflection is this on God himself, as having imparted to
us a book altogether unsuited to the end for which it was given !
But there is no ground for any such reflection. There are
doubtless in the Scriptures some things hard to be understood,
and which an unstable person may wrest to his own destruc
tion : but we again affirm, that all which is necessary to be
known is easily to be gathered from the word of God ; and
that, if it be " received with meekness as an engrafted word,
it is able," and shall be effectual, " to save the soul g ."]
Let us now proceed to consider,
II. What effect it will produce
e Compare Heb. vi. 13, 14. with 1 Pet. ii. 2. and Col. iii. 16.
f 1 Pet. i. 12. withEph. iii. 10. g Jam. i. 21.
138 JEREMIAH, XV. 16. [1054.
As the roll, when eaten by Ezekiel, was as honey in
his mouth, so to Jeremiah " the word was the joy and
rejoicing of his heart." In a man that is impenitent and
unbelieving, we acknowledge that the word is calcu
lated to inspire terror : but to one that is of a peni
tent and contrite spirit, it speaks nothing but peace
and joy. This is the proper effect of every part of
the inspired volume ; of,
1. Its declarations
[O, how wonderful are these ! What an exhibition does
the Scripture give us of God s character, and of the way which
he has provided for the salvation of sinful men ! What a stu
pendous mystery does it reveal, of the incarnation and death of
his co-equal, co-eternal Son ! of Christ " bearing our sins in
his body on the tree," and " being made sin for us, that we
may be made the righteousness of God in him ! " Can such
tidings as these reach the ears of a guilty and condemned sin
ner, and not fill him with joy ? Can the voice of pardon reach
the cell of a condemned criminal, and be received with indiffer
ence ? or, if the offers of a free and full salvation were now to
be sent to the regions of the damned, would they excite no
joyous emotions among the unhappy sufferers ? If there be
any, to whom the Gospel comes, that do not rejoice in the glad
tidings, it is because they know not their lost estate, nor have
any desire after reconciliation with their offended God. To
those who know their guilty and undone state, the declarations
of mercy sounding forth in the Gospel are " dearer than thou
sands of silver and gold."]
2. Its precepts
[It may be thought, that, because these are so strict and
holy, they can afford no joy to any : but the very reverse is the
case ; for the true believer will say with David, " Thy word is
very pure ; therefore thy servant loveth it V A redeemed
soul is asking, " What shall I render unto the Lord for all the
benefits that he hath done unto me ? " and in the precepts he
sees what God requires of him, and how he may bring glory to
the God of his salvation. He sees that an attention to these
will perfect his nature, and transform him into the Divine
image : hence " he esteems them concerning all things to be
right 1 ;" and " because they are right, they rejoice his heart,"
and are accounted by him " sweeter than honey, and the
honey-comb k *"]
3. Its promises
h Ps. cxix. 140. i Ps. cxix. 128. k Ps. xix. 8, 10.
1054.] THE WORD OF GOD PRECIOUS. 139
[These are justly called by the Apostle " exceeding great
and precious," more especially because " by them we are made
partakers of a divine nature 1 , and are enabled to cleanse our
selves from all filthiness both of the flesh and spirit, and to
perfect holiness in the fear of God m ." Who can declare a
thousandth part of the joy which a weary and heavy-laden sin
ner experiences in applying to his soul the promises of the
Gospel? With what avidity does he devour them! They
are like the first ripe fig which in the early spring a traveller
sees, and devours, ere any one, however near to him, has time
to claim it n : and the man who knows not this by his own
sweet experience, has yet " to learn what be the very first
principles of the oracles of God."]
4. Its threatenings
[These to the believer are scarcely less precious than the
promises themselves. It was one great excellence of the
Scriptures in the estimation of David, that " by them he was
warned . 1 " He regarded them as a mariner his chart, by which
he is warned of the rocks and quicksands on which he will
infallibly be wrecked, if he deviate from his proper course. Is
there a seaman, who, when in imminent danger, is instructed
by that faithful monitor to avoid destruction, will not adore his
God for the warning that taught him to escape it ? So it is
with all who truly fear God : they love to be warned : they
desire to be put upon their guard : they are afraid of turning
aside in any respect, or of relaxing their efforts in the path of
duty. Like Paul, they contemplate the danger of a relapse as
an incentive to fresh exertions, and " keep their body under,
and bring it into subjection, lest, after having preached to
others, they themselves should be cast-aways p ." In a word,
the believer views the threatenings, as the angels who took
Lot and his daughters by the hand, and, by representations of
their danger, accelerated their escape from the devouring ele
ment : he acquiesces in them as " just and holy ;" and by their
quickening influence he finds them to be " good."]
May we not then LEARN from hence,
1. What enemies to their own souls they are who
neglect the Holy Scriptures !
[Notwithstanding the Scriptures are " the wells of salva
tion, from whence we are privileged to draw water with joy," the
greater part even of the Christian world pay but little attention
to them : any other book of science or amusement is preferred
before them, and, unless in a formal cursory way, they are
1 2 Pet. i. 4. "12 Cor. vii. 1. n Isai. xxviii. 4.
Ps. xix. 11. P 1 Cor. ix. 27.
140 JEREMIAH, XV. 16. [1054.
never read at all. Now what folly is this ! What man in his
senses, when navigating his ship amongst rocks and quick
sands, neglects to consult his chart ? Yet, as if there were no
dangers in the Christian s way, or no great evil to be incurred
by negligence, the generality are quite indifferent about that
book which alone can conduct us safely to a better world.
But let it not be so amongst you : " Search the Scriptures, in
which ye think, yea and know assuredly, ye have eternal life."
" Search them daily," as the Bereans did : " search them as for
hid treasure :" and lift up your hearts to God for the teachings
of his good Spirit, " to guide you into all truth." " He will
open your understandings to understand them," and will work
effectually by them to your salvation. They are the rod of
God s strength, and the sword of his Spirit : and if you read
them in humility and faith, you shall find them " quick and
powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to
the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow ; and they shall discover to you the very thoughts and
intents of your hearts q ." If you will not sit thus at the feet
of Jesus and learn of him, it is in vain for you to number
yourselves among his disciples : but if you will come to him,
you need not be discouraged at your weakness or ignorance ;
for he says, " Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart ;
and ye shall find rest unto your souls."]
2. What an unspeakable blessing is the Bible
Society!
[Though the Scriptures are not with us, as among the
Papists, locked up in a language not generally understood, yet
by the cost of a Bible it has been to a great extent kept out
of the possession of the poor. True it is, that they who have
known the value of the Bible would procure it at any rate : but
those who were unacquainted with its treasures have found it
too costly for them to purchase. But now he that is able to
pay only a part, may have it for that part ; and they who can
really pay nothing, may have it for nothing. Now therefore
the poor may well say, "Thy word is found : yes, it is found ;
and I will eat it." O that there were in all of us such a heart !
and that we were all determined henceforth to feed upon its
precious truths ; and that, like Job, we " esteemed it more
than our necessary foodM" Now God is sending it to all of
us, the poorest as well as the richest, exactly as he did the
manna in the wilderness : he sends it home to our very houses,
and invites us to live upon it. The king upon the throne has
no richer food ; and the poorest amongst us has now a free
access to it, so that he may " eat that which is good, and let
q Heb. iv. 12. r Job xxiii. 12.
1055.] THE DUTY OF TRUSTING IN GOD. 141
his soul delight itself in fatness 8 ." Let us bless God then, who
has put it into the hearts of so many to provide for us such
ample supplies of this invaluable treasure : and let us all,
according to our ability, labour to promote the designs of a
Society, which is the most honourable to God, and most useful
to man, that ever existed upon the face of the earth.]
8 Isai. Iv. 2.
MLV.
THE DUTY OF TRUSTING IN GOD.
Jer. xvii. 5 S. Thus saith the Lord ; Cursed be the man that
trusteth in man, and maketh Jlesh his arm, and whose heart
departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in
the desert, and shall not see when good cometh ; but shall in
habit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and
not inhabited. 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 ivaters, 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.
EVERY created being derives its existence and
support from God: yet man is prone to depend on
the creature rather than on him. Though constantly
disappointed, he still leans on an arm of flesh ; but
such conduct is justly reprobated in the strongest
terms.
We shall consider,
I. The characters that are contrasted
Every man by nature " trusts in man, makes flesh
his arm, and his heart departs from the Lord."
We need not go to heathens or infidels to find per
sons of this description. We need only search the
records of our own conscience.
[In temporal things, we never think of looking above the
creature : if they be prosperous, we trust in uncertain riches,
and take the glory to ourselves ; if adverse, we lean to our own
understanding and exertions, or rely for succour on our friends.
In spiritual things, we seek to establish a righteousness of our
own ; we expect to repent and serve God by our own strength.]
142 JEREMIAH, XVII. 58. [1055.
The true Christian " trusts in the Lord, and makes
the Lord his hope"-
[He trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ as the God of provi
dence : he commits his affairs to him, expecting his promised
aid. He trusts also in Jesus as the God of grace : he renounces
all hope in his own goodness or resolutions : he cordially adopts
the language of the Church of old a ]
These marks afford a sure line of distinction be
tween the nominal and the real Christian
[Both may be moral, charitable, and attentive to religious
duties ; but the regenerate alone trust simply in the Lord.
Not that all the regenerate are alike delivered from self-depen
dence ; nor do the same persons always exercise their graces in
the same degree. There are remains of self-righteousness, &c.
in the best of men ; but the unregenerate allow these things
which are abhorred by the regenerate.]
Nor is this difference between them of trifling im
port.
II. Their respective conditions
Men s eternal state will be fixed with perfect equity.
The conditions of the characters before us are strongly
contrasted :
1. Simply; " blessed," &c. " cursed/ c.
[What can be more important than these declarations?
They are not the dictates of enthusiasm, but the voice of God ;
" Thus saith the Lord." And may we not adopt Balak s words
in reference to God b ? And what can be more reasonable ?
God has given his Son to be our Saviour ; but while some
confide in him, others, by not trusting in him, reject him :
how reasonable then is it that a curse should attach to these,
and a blessing to those ! Such a difference in their conditions
seems the necessary result of their own conduct. Spiritual
life or death are dependent on our trust in the Lord, just as
the life of the body is on our receiving or rejecting of animal
food. Let every one then inquire, which of these conditions
he has reason to expect ?]
2. Figuratively
To mark the contrast more clearly, it is further ob
served, that both the blessing and the curse shall be
Abundant
[The unbeliever " shall be like the heath in the desert ;"
he shall be left in a state of extreme barrenness and wretched-
a Isai. xlv. 24. b Numb. xxii. 6.
1056.] NECESSITY OF KNOWING OURSELVES. 143
ness : and this too amidst all his boasted fulness c . The believer
" shall be as a tree planted by the waters," &c. ; he shall be
made flourishing and happy by rich supplies of grace d .]
Unmixed
[The unbeliever " shall not see when good cometh :" he
receives none of the heavenly dew that falls around him. The
believer " shall not see when heat cometh, but his leaf shall be
green, nor shall he be careful in the year of drought :" he may
experience "heat" and " drought," i. e. heavy afflictions; he
shall, however, not be injured, but benefited by them 6 : free from
all anxiety, he will say as the Church of old f ]
Eternal
[The unbeliever " shall inhabit the parched places in the
wilderness, in a salt land, and not inhabited :" he shall be an
outcast from God in the regions of misery. The believer " shall
not cease from yielding fruit :" his present enjoyments are the
pledge and earnest of eternal happiness.]
INFER
1. How glorious a person must Christ be !
[If he were a mere creature, it would be ruinous in the
extreme to trust in him ; but we are expressly commanded to
trust in him g . He must then be " God over all, blessed for
ever." And this renders him worthy of our fullest affiance :
on him must "hang all the glory of his Father s house 11 ."]
2. How are we all concerned to trust in Christ!
[God regards, not merely our outward conduct, but the
frame of our hearts : on this our present and everlasting hap
piness depends 1 . Let us then trust in him for all temporal
and spiritual aid ; so shall we receive his blessing, and escape
his curse.]
Job xx. 22. d Phil. iv. 19.
e His afflictions lose not their nature, but effect: tribulation, which
fills others with vexation, works patience in him ; the furnace, which
consumes others, purges away his dross. Heb. xii 11.
f Hos. vi. 1. John xiv. 1. h Isai. xxii. 23, 24.
i Conceive Christ as making this declaration in the day of judg
ment. Compare Matt. xxv. 34, 41.
MLVI.
NECESSITY OF KNOWING OURSELVES.
Jer. xvii. 9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and despe
rately wicked : who can know it ?
144 JEREMIAH, XVII. 9. [1056.
A MORE important subject than that before us
cannot occupy the human mind. The knowledge of
ourselves is fundamental to all true knowledge of
religion. Religion is no longer to us what it was to
man in his primeval state, the natural expression of
all the feelings of his soul : it is a remedy, devised
for the restoration of his soul to the favour, and to the
image, of his God : and we must see in what manner,
and to what extent, we are fallen, before we can
understand aright the provision made for our re
covery: we must know our disorder before we can
appreciate the remedy. Behold then what the
Scripture speaks concerning us ! The expressions
in our text are not an eastern metaphor, that must
be softened down ; or a complaint uttered against
one particular individual, whose impieties far ex
ceeded the common standard of mankind : they are
a plain exposition of the state to which the heart of
man is reduced by the fall of Adam: and, however
we may wish, for the credit of human nature, to put
a lenient construction on the terms, we cannot by
any fair means explain them away: they are abso
lutely inflexible ; and we must bow before them, as
containing the infallible testimony of God concerning
us. But it is not without a considerable measure of
fear and diffidence that we enter upon the investiga
tion of a subject so deep, so vast, so occult. When
God himself says, " Who can know it ?" we seem
presumptuous in undertaking to explain it. But we
hope that the acknowledged necessity of every man s
attaining some knowledge of it will plead our excuse
for any attempt which we may make to throw light
upon it ; and that you will supply our defects by
lifting up your hearts to God in prayer, and en
treating him to give you that self-knowledge, which,
even a heathen saw, must descend from heaven.
The subjects then for our present consideration
are, the deceitfulness, and wickedness, of the human
heart :
I. Its deceitfulness
There is perhaps no stronger proof of the deceitful-
1056.1 NECESSITY OF KNOWING OURSELVES. 145
ness of the heart than the power it possesses to hide
its deceits from us. But, that we may present some
what of its deceitfulness to your view, we will dis
tinctly mark it in the three following particulars :
It misrepresents the nature of all things ;
It keeps out of view their tendency ; And
It deceives, not others only, but itself also.
Of course, when we say, " It misrepresents the
nature of all things," we must be understood as
speaking only of the things which concern the soul.
To advert to other things, and to consider how far
the powers of the human mind are enfeebled in
relation to matters of mere science, would be alto
gether beside our purpose.
But where shall we begin our illustration of this
point ? If we look up to God, there is not a perfec
tion of his nature which the unenlightened mind
views aright ; and as for those perfections which he
exercises as the moral Governor of the universe, they
are even held in abhorrence by the carnal mind:
his absolute sovereignty is denied, as though the
exercise of it were an injustice to man : his holiness
and justice are supposed capable of winking at the
commission of sin; and his veracity is impeached,
to make way for the salvation of those who rebel
against him. Some are so foolish and infatuated, as
to " say, There is no God:" and, of those who
acknowledge his existence, there is not one, unless
he have been previously converted by Divine grace,
who entertains worthy conceptions of him in his
heart.
If we turn our thoughts to the world around us;
what is there, that the heart of man views in its
proper light ? Its pleasures ? its riches ? its honours ?
All these, instead of being regarded as snares and
worthless vanities, are perfectly idolized, and are
sought after as constituting the chief happiness of
man.
Look we to morals ? How erroneous are our con
ceptions even of the plainest duties ! Pride, anger,
VOL. IX. L
146 JEREMIAH, XVII. 9. [1056.
revenge, are held forth as noble and honourable ;
whilst the virtues of humility, meekness, forbearance,
and forgiveness, are despised, as indications of a
weak and cowardly disposition. As formerly neither
the Greeks nor Romans had a word in their language
whereby to express the true notion of humility, so
now the very idea of humility, as enjoined in the
Christian code, never enters into the mind of an
unconverted man, unless it be to load it with ridicule
and contempt.
Go we, further, to religion? That is considered as
consisting in little more than a profession of certain
tenets, and an observance of certain forms. The
entire devotion of the soul to God is deemed a foolish
and culpable excess, the effect of needless timidity
or of enthusiastic ardour : and, to countenance these
ideas, harsh and offensive names are used to charac
terize all true piety; whilst every thing contrary to
the Divine commands, is palliated with soft names
and plausible excuses.
In a word, the Scripture itself describes the heart
of man in this precise view, as " calling evil good,
and good evil; as putting darkness for light, and light
for darkness ; as putting bitter for sweet, and sweet
for bitter a ."
Proceed we then, next, to observe, that the heart
keeps out of view the tendency of things. Let us
instance this in relation to sin. Who, on his first
entrance on a sinful course, imagines whither his
vicious propensities will lead him ? He thinks of a
present gratification, but does not consider that sin
is like the letting out of water ; " and that the smallest
breach in a bank opens the way for the most exten
sive inundation. If a thought of our final account
occur to the mind, the heart suggests, that the sin
may be repented of with ease, and that there is no
just reason to be afraid of its consequences; notwith
standing its uniform tendency is, to harden the heart,
to sear the conscience, to grieve and quench the
Holy Spirit of God, and to rivet upon our souls the
a Isai. v. 20.
1056.] NECESSITY OF KNOWING OURSELVES. 147
chains which have been forged by the great destroyer
of mankind. Ask any man who feels the burthen and
the bitterness of sin, whether, when committing it,
he had any idea of its tendency to distress the soul,
and to create, as it were, a very hell within him ?
He will tell you, that, in following his lusts, he
dreamed of nothing but pleasure ; and that whilst he
was tempted with the bait, the hook was only faintly
suspected, or kept entirely out of view. Whatever
be the sin to which we are tempted, the heart sug
gests, that there is no great evil in it ; that God is
too merciful to punish us eternally for such a trifle ;
that it is not possible for us to perish, since all
around us are in the same state with ourselves; or
that, at all events, a dying hour will be quite time
enough for the indulging of any melancholy reflec
tions ; and that a few prayers, then offered, will
answer every end that we can wish. Thus the delusions
of sin, and the wiles of Satan, are all countenanced
by our own evil hearts; and the awful consequences
of transgression are kept out of sight, till it is too late
to avert them. Against this propensity of the heart
we are warned in the Holy Scriptures : If, says God,
a man hearing the curses denounced against him in
my word, " bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall
have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my
heart, then I 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
lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name
from under heaven V
The third mark which we mentioned as shewing
the unparalleled deceitfulness of the heart, is this,
that it deceives, not others only, but itself also. It
is said in our text to be " deceitful above all things."
Riches and other things are said to be deceitful; but
they are so called, only because the heart makes
them occasions of deceiving us : they are themselves
altogether passive in the matter. Of active agents,
Satan is beyond all comparison the greatest deceiver,
b Deut. xxix. 19, 20.
148 JEREMIAH, XVII. 9. [1056.
except the heart : but he, when he is deceiving, is
conscious that he is deceiving: he does not for a
moment imagine that he is speaking truth : but the
heart persuades itself that it is not guilty of any im
position : it is as confident of its own integrity, as if
it were really upright ; and as fully convinced of the
truth of its representations, as if they were really true.
This is the case universally amongst those who are
yet in a carnal and unconverted state. Those who
imagine that religion consists in the observance of
certain forms, are often as free from doubts as any
people upon earth ; and if it be insinuated that they
are blind, they ask with surprise and indignation,
" Are we blind also?" In like manner a ferocious
bloody-thirsty persecutor will actually think, that,
whilst he is killing the Lord s people, "he is doing God
service :" just as the persecuting Saul " verily thought
with himself that he ought to do many things con
trary to the name of Jesus." But further, even the
Atheist, who reduces God to a level with man, per
suades himself that he is right ; " Thou thoughtest
that I was altogether such an one as thyself ." In
deed the same propensity of heart shews itself even
after that we are converted : the Apostles themselves,
when they would have called fire from heaven to
consume a Samaritan village, thought, undoubtedly,
that their proposal was at least an acceptable ex
pression of their zeal : but our Lord told them, that
" they knew not what spirit they were of:" and
Peter, when dissuading his Master from entertaining
any thoughts about sufferings and death, supposed
that he displayed most unexceptionably the tender
ness of his love ; whilst in reality he was, as our
Lord himself told him, no other than an agent of the
devil.
Of this power of the heart to deceive itself, all men
are conscious, in relation to others ; but all overlook
it in relation to themselves. Nothing is easier than
for a spectator to form a tolerably correct judgment
of the motives and principles of others, and to see
c Ps. l. 21.
1056.] NECESSITY OF KNOWING OURSELVES. 149
the obliquity of them, whilst the actors themselves
imagine themselves actuated by the purest feelings.
Justly therefore is it said by Him who cannot err,
that " the heart is deceitful above all things," not
excepting even Satan himself, the great deceiver of
mankind.
We are now to consider,
II. The wickedness of the heart-
But how shall we state it, so as in any measure to
correspond with the description in our text ? We
are almost afraid that we shall be regarded as libel
ling human nature : yet we must declare the truth,
" whether men will hear, or whether they will for
bear." Know then, that the heart by nature is uni
versally wicked, unsearchably wicked, and incurably
wicked.
It is universally wicked, both in all its powers, and
in every exercise of each. We do not say, that there
may not be a considerable portion of comparative
good in men, so that they may be more amiable, and
more worthy members of society than others ; (for
doubtless there is by nature a great difference in
men, as well in their moral dispositions as in their
intellectual powers ;) but there is nothing positively
good in them, in the strict acceptation of the word:
for in the Book of Job it is said, " How can he be
clean that is born of a woman ?" " Who can bring
a clean thing out of an unclean d ? " And our Lord
says, " There is none good but one ; that is, God."
The understanding of man is darkened by sin ; the
will is rendered perverse and obstinate ; the affections
are sensualized : the conscience is made partial and
insensible ; and the whole man is altogether become
abominable ; his heart being the seat of every lust,
the womb from whence every sin proceeds 6 . It must
be remembered, moreover, that man sins by defect,
as well as by a direct and wilful opposition to his
duty ; so that even if we should suppose human
nature to be possessed of all the excellencies which
d Job xiv. 4. and xxv. 4. e Mark vii. 21 23
150 JEREMIAH, XVII. 9. [1056.
its most sanguine advocates can imagine, still we
must all adopt for ourselves the confession of St. Paul,
" In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing."
We are aware that this may appear to go beyond the
truth : but, if any be disposed to entertain such an
opinion, we would ask, What is the meaning of that
declaration, " God saw that the wickedness of man
was great in the earth, and that every imagination of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually f ?"
This testimony, though spoken of men before the
flood, was renewed in reference to men after the
flood : and what can be conceived more decisive of
the point than this ? Not only the thoughts of men,
but the imaginations of their thoughts, yea, and every
imagination of their thoughts, was evil, and only evil,
and only evil continually. This was the testimony of
Him " who searcheth the heart, and trieth the reins:"
we may be well assured, therefore, that this record
is true.
Again The heart is also unsearchably wicked.
Not only are we unable to discover all the evil that
is in the hearts of others ; we cannot even in our
own. Suppose a man to have discovered ever so
much of his own depravity, there will yet be depths
within him unfathomable and unexplored. As Eze-
kiel, in the chambers of imagery, saw on every suc
cessive search more and greater abominations than
before, so will a man to his dying hour find in his
heart many and great evils which he had not so
clearly seen before. Times and occasions will call
them forth ; so that a man will often wonder how
such evils could remain within him, or, if within him,
how they should have continued so long undiscovered.
The truth is, a man could not bear a full sight of
his own heart at once ; it would drive him to utter
despair : nor is any man capable of seeing it all at
once : its deceits are so subtle, its corruptions so
various, and its abominations so inconceivably great,
that none but an infinite capacity can grasp such
immeasurable heights and depths. Well therefore
f Gen. vi. 5. and viii. 21.
1056.] NECESSITY OF KNOWING OURSELVES. 151
has God said, " Who, except the heart-searching
God, can know it ?"
But once more ; It is incur ably evil. Whether or
not, as some have thought, this is the precise import
of the word, it is plain that the idea is strongly con
veyed in our translation, as it stands. Verily our
case, as to any human remedies at least, is desperate.
We call not any case desperate in relation to the
Gospel ; because there is no sin from which the blood
of Christ cannot cleanse us, nor any corruption, which
the Spirit of Christ is not able to subdue. But to
human means the wickedness of our hearts bids de
fiance : they can no more overcome it, than Elisha s
staff in Gehazi s hand could raise the Shunamite s
child to life. No resolutions of ours, no exertions,
can banish it from the soul. We may on many occa
sions restrain its actings ; for even the presence of
a fellow-creature will often impose a more effectual
restraint than the presence of our God : but we cannot
subdue it, we cannot mortify it, we cannot purge it
away : it is like the leprosy in the house, that could
not be in any way removed, but by pulling down the
house altogether. This, it must be confessed, is a
melancholy picture : but it is the very truth of God,
and is known, and felt, to be so, by all who are
taught of God.
Now from this view of our subject we may clearly
SEE
1 . The true ground of the doctrine of the new birth
It is surprising how often the Scripture speaks
respecting the being " born again," the being " be
gotten of God," and " born of God :" which terms
must of necessity import, not merely an outward
change of state or profession in baptism, but an in
ward change of heart, a passing " from darkness to
light," " from death to life." It is to be " born, not
of water only, but of the Spirit also." When that
takes place, we die to sin, and begin to live unto
righteousness : we become " new creatures in Christ
Jesus : old things pass away ; and all things become
152 JEREMIAH, XVII. 9. [1056.
new g ." Baptism is the sign and seal of it, but not
the thing itself. What the circumcision of the heart
was, as compared with the circumcision of the flesh,
that the new birth is, as compared with baptism : it
is the real radical change, of which the external rite
was a type or shadow 11 . Now this change is abso
lutely and indispensably necessary to the salvation of
the soul : " Verily, verily I say unto you," says our
Lord, " except a man be born again, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God." But why so ? why must
every child of man undergo such a change as this ?
For this plain reason ; He is so radically corrupt in
every faculty and power of his soul by nature, as to
be absolutely incapable of enjoying heaven, even if
he were there : having no love to a holy God, nor
any delight in holy employments here, he would be
destitute of them there ; being filthy here, he would
be " filthy still." This, we apprehend, is the exact
meaning of those words of our Lord, " That which is
born of the flesh, is flesh ; and that which is born of
the Spirit, is spirit." Nicodemus not understanding
the nature, or the reasons, of the doctrine which our
Lord had insisted on, our Lord told him, that the
new birth was founded on our unfitness by nature
for the kingdom of heaven ; since that which was
born of the flesh, being only fleshly, was altogether
incapable of spiritual enjoyments; whereas that which
was born of the Spirit being spiritual, it was necessary
to fit us for the exercises and employments of a spiri
tual kingdom. Let us not then deceive ourselves with
vain disputations about words, but let us attend to
things which admit of no doubt. Our hearts are by
nature (f deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked ;" and they must be changed by the operation
of the Spirit of God : we must have " the heart of
R 2 Cor. v. 17.
11 The benefits arising from baptism are great, even as those were
which arose from circumcision. See Rom. ix. 4, 5. But we must not
confound a change of state with a change of nature. The neglecting
to make this distinction is the foundation of all the errors which have
arisen on this subject. See Rom. ii. 28, 29.
1056.] NECESSITY OF KNOWING OURSELVES. 153
stone taken away, and a heart of flesh given to us :"
we must be " renewed after the image of our God in
righteousness and true holiness ;" and therefore we
should not rest one hour in a carnal and unconverted
state ; but should cry mightily to our God for his
effectual grace, saying with David, " Create in me
a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within
me ! " The Lord grant that this prayer may ascend
up before him from every one of us, till we have
obtained an answer to it in the renovation of our
souls !
In the next place, We may SEE from hence,
Our utter need of an interest in Christ
With such hearts as ours, how can we ever dream
of meriting any thing at the hands of God ? To shew
the vanity of any such idea, let us not rest in a general
notion of man s goodness, but descend to particulars,
and try to find some one action that can stand the
test of God s word, some one in which God himself
shall not be able to find a flaw. Let a man search
through the whole records of his life for one such
action ; and if he find one, we will be content that
he shall stand upon that as the foundation of his
hopes, and claim heaven on the ground of his own
merits. But if not one such action can be found by
the best person upon earth, how much less can a
whole series of such actions, from the beginning to
the end of life, be found ! yet nothing less than that
could warrant a claim to heaven on the ground of
our own obedience : one single transgression, how
ever small, is a violation of the law ; and not only
makes void all its promises of life, but renders us
obnoxious to its curses, even to everlasting misery
and death 1 . Let us then discard so vain, so fatal a
delusion : let us be contented to stand on the same
foundation as St. Paul: let us " desire to win Christ,
and to be found in him, not having our own righteous
ness, which is of the law, but the righteousness which
is of God by faith in Christ." We call the Lord
i Gal. iii. 10.
151. JEREMIAH, XVII. 9. [1056.
Jesus Christ, " Saviour :" let us rely upon him as our
Saviour : let us trust in his blood and righteousness
as the only meritorious ground of our hope : and
let us glory in him, as " all our salvation, and all
our desire."
Lastly, Let us SEE from hence,
The importance of self-diffidence and self-distrust
There is an astonishing degree of confidence in
men of every class and every description. The un
godly man, who gratifies all his inclinations, and lives
altogether without God in the world, has no fear that
he shall perish : his sins are no other than venial
frailties, and God neither notices nor regards them.
The man who is a mere formalist, whose religion
consists in a " form of godliness without the power
of it," is equally persuaded, that no harm shall ever
happen to him : he performs his duty, and has no
doubt of his final acceptance with God. The man
whose heart is divided between God and the world,
and who will follow religion only so far as agrees
with his interests and humour, is quite certain that
God is pleased with him, and will accept at his hand
his reluctant and mutilated offerings. The zealous
talkative religionist, who disgraces his profession by
his conceit, his censoriousness, his neglect of his own
proper duties and calling, by his disorderly conduct
both in Church and State, yea, by all manner of evil
tempers and sinful practices, even he also has no
doubt but that his name is written in heaven. And, if
we attempt to expostulate with any of these on their
unscriptural presumption, they are quite offended at
the liberty we take, and are surprised that we dare to
question the certainty of their salvation k . Thus does
Satan blind them all, and " lead them captive at his
will." But let me entreat all to relax somewhat of
their confidence, and to bring their expectations to
k To this effect is that humiliating observation of Solomon, " All
the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes ; but the Lord weigh eth
the spirits." And again, " There is a way that seemeth right unto
a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Prov. xvi. 2, 25.
1056.] NECESSITY OF KNOWING OURSELVES. 155
the test of Scripture. It is certain that many do be
lieve a lie ; and are given over to it by God, as the
punishment of their presumption. What the Apostle
says respecting this, is so awful, that I almost tremble
to repeat his words : yet as they are the words of
God himself, I trust you will hear them, not only
without offence, but with the reverence that is due
to God : " For this cause," (that is, " because men
receive not the love of the truth, that they may be
saved,") " God shall send them strong delusion, that
they may believe a lie, that they all might be damned,
who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in un
righteousness 1 ." What a fearful judgment is this !
and how should we dread the provoking of God to
inflict it upon us ! If then we would not be given
up to judicial blindness, " let us search and try our
ways, and turn unto the Lord our God." Let us be
satisfied with nothing but the clear express testimony
of Scripture : for God has said, " He that trusteth his
own heart, is a fool m ." If we find that we have really
been born again of the Spirit, and been washed from
our sins in the Redeemer s blood ; if there be no sin
which we knowingly indulge, nor any command of
God which we do not endeavour to fulfil ; if we can
call God to witness, that the continued labour of our
lives is to " walk as Christ walked ;" then God forbid
that I should attempt to destroy the confidence of
such persons : they have a right to be confident ;
and instead of distressing their minds with needless
fears, I would exhort them to " hold fast their con
fidence, and the rejoicing of their hope firm unto the
end." But nevertheless I would entreat them to
deal faithfully with their own souls ; and not only to
search them with all diligence themselves, but to cry
mightily unto God in the words of David ; " Search
me, O God, and know my heart ; try me, and know
my thoughts ; and see if there be any wicked way in
me ; and lead me in the way everlasting!" Yea more,
to their dying hour I would urge them to be diffident
of themselves, even when they are most confident in
1 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12. Prov. xxviii. 26.
156 JEREMIAH, XVII. 10. [1057.
God. For even St. Paul felt this to be necessary :
" Though I know nothing by myself," says he, " yet
am I not hereby justified ; but he that judgeth me is
the Lord." There may be self-deceit in us, even
when we are least aware of it : and therefore with all
our might we should guard against it, lest we find
out our delusions, when it is too late to apply a
remedy. Of one thing we are sure, that God will
not fix our state according to our fancied attainments,
but according to our real character in his sight. We
say therefore to all, and with those words we shall
close our discourse, " Be not deceived ; God is not
mocked : 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."
ML VII.
GOD S RULE OF JUDGMENT.
Jer. xvii. 10. / the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even
to give every man according to his ways, and according to
the fruit of his doings.
THE evil of the human heart is far greater than
can be fully conceived either by men or angels. None
but God himself can explore the depths of iniquity
that are within it a . But He will judge the world in
righteousness at the last day; and consequently must
have access to the inmost recesses of the soul, and
must be able to bring forth to judgment all its hidden
abominations. Accordingly, God himself informs us,
that he is actually so occupied, noticing every thing,
and recording every thing, in order that he may re
ward every man according to his deeds : " I the Lord
search the heart, I try the reins, even to give to every
man according to his ways, and according to the fruit
of his doings."
We may here see,
a ver. 9.
1057.1 GOD S RULE OF JUDGMENT. 157
I. The preparation which God is making for the fu
ture judgment
" The eyes of the Lord are in every place, behold
ing the evil and the goodV Nor is he an uncon
cerned spectator of what is done upon earth : on the
contrary, he inspects every thing with the greatest
accuracy ; and therefore inspects it, that he may bring
it forth to judgment, and pass sentence upon it.
1. He continually marks the ways of men
[All their actions he observes, not merely according to
their outward aspect, but according to the principles from
whence they proceed, and the ends for which they are done.
However good a thing may be in itself, it is not really good in
God s sight, unless it proceed from love to him, and be done
with a view to his glory. Our most common actions ought to
be so done : "whether we eat, or drink, or whatever we do, we
should do all to the glory of God c ." Our words also, and our
very thoughts, are scrutinized by him, to ascertain how much
there is of good or evil in them ; and to record the same, as
grounds of our condemnation or acquittal at the bar of judg
ment. Hence it is said by David, " His eyes behold, and his
eyelids try, the children of men d ;" that is, as a man desiring
to inspect a thing with more than usual accuracy, almost
closes his eyes, in order to exclude every other object, and to
fix his attention more intensely on the object before him ; so
does God examine with the utmost possible care the ways of
every human being. This is declared yet more strongly by
Solomon, who says, that God "weigheth the spirits 6 ." Now,
in the spirits of men there is a great mixture of motives and
principles, which need to be analyzed and distinguished.
There is, even in good men, a mixture of faith and of un
belief, of love to God and self-love, of sincerity and hypocrisy.
Hezekiah evinced this, in his treatment of the Babylonish
Ambassadors f ; as did James and John also, when, from zeal
for their Master s honour, they would have called fire from
heaven to consume a Samaritan village g . In fact, there is
imperfection in every thing that proceeds from man. Our very
humiliations have a mixture of pride, and our exultations, of
self-complacency. But " God tries the reins," as a philosopher
assays gold ; and will assuredly declare, at the last day, how
much there was of alloy in the very best action of our lives,
and how much of the purer metal. Moreover,]
b Prov. xv. 3. c 1 Cor. x. 31. d Ps. xi. 4.
e Prov. xvi. 2. f 2 Chron. xxxii. 31. % Luke ix. 54.
158 JEREMIAH, XVII. 10. [1057.
2. He records every thing in the book of his re
membrance
[The thoughts as well as the words of men are recorded
in this book 11 ; and out of these books shall they be judged 1 .
Indeed, they are all " sealed up, as it were, in a bag," in order
to be then brought forth as grounds of God s decision, and as
evidences of his equity k . Nothing will escape his observation.
If there be only " some good thing in any person," he will
discern it, and bring it forth to light, with such tokens of his
approbation as the occasion may require 1 . The sigh, the
groan, the tear, are put to the account of those who love him ;
whilst every advantage that has been abused, and every oppor
tunity that has been lost, will be adduced as swelling the
aggregate of his enemies guilt.]
But this brings me more particularly to notice,
II. The rule by which that judgment shall be deter
mined
The sentence which will be passed on every man
will be in accordance with his works.
This, however, needs to be explained
[We are not to suppose that our good works are put in
one scale, and our evil works in another ; and that, according
to the scale which preponderates, our fate shall be. Nor are we
to imagine that, when we have done a certain number of good
works, the merits of Christ shall be cast, as it were, into the
scale, in order to procure acceptance for them. The way of
salvation is widely different from either of these. We all,
without exception, are sinners, deserving of God s wrath and
indignation. But he has given his only-begotten Son to die
for us ; and will accept to mercy all who come to him in his
Son s name. Those who have believed in Christ will in that
day be approved as having embraced the proffered salvation :
and those who have rejected the Saviour, will be rejected of
their God. But still there will be a great difference as to the
measure of misery or of happiness which these different parties
will inherit. Amongst the righteous, " one star will differ from
another star in glory ;" and amongst the wicked, some will be
" beaten with many stripes, and others with few," according
as circumstances have occurred to extenuate or aggravate
their guilt.]
Rightly understood, this strongly declares the
equity of God s future judgments
h Mai. iii. 16. * Rev. xx. 12, 13.
k Job xiv. 17. 1 1 Kings xiv. 13.
1057.] GOD S RULE OF JUDGMENT. 159
[If salvation had been, not by faith, but by works ; not a
gift of grace, but a debt discharged ; it would have been ac
corded to men precisely on terms corresponding with the rule
which is here established. We are told, that " whatsoever a
man sows, that shall he also reap : he that sows to the flesh,
shall of the flesh reap corruption ; and he that soweth to the
Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. We are fur
ther assured, that, " if we have sowed sparingly, we shall reap
sparingly ; and if we have sowed bountifully, we shall reap
also bountifully 11 ." Due respect, indeed, will be paid to men s
abilities and opportunities ; the widow s mite being as accept
able as the largest gifts of the opulent; and " a cup of cold
water, given" from a right principle, as valuable as the richest
hospitality. In a word, every thing that can affect the quality
of an action will be taken into the account, either for the
increase of our punishment or the augmentation of our bliss.]
BEHOLD, then,
1. What an awful prospect is here opened to the
ungodly !
[There is not a day or an hour in which an ungodly man
is not providing misery for himself, and " treasuring up wrath
against the day of wrath." Now, if we congratulate a person
that is amassing wealth, how should we pity a man that is
amassing misery for himself, even though that misery were but
for a few years! But when we see men "drawing out ini
quity " to an indefinite extent, by adding fresh materials to it,
as they do to a cord or cable , methinks we should weep over
them. To such an one, even the word preached to him for
his salvation "becomes to him a savour of death unto death p ."
Do but reflect on this, my beloved brethren ; and beg of
God that you may henceforth improve every hour of your lives
for the furtherance of that great work which God has given
you to accomplish ; that so, whenever you are called hence,
you may " give up to him your account with joy, and not with
grief."]
2. What encouragement is here afforded to the
righteous !
[Not a day or an hour passes without adding to your hap
piness in the eternal world. The least thing which you do for
God shall be rewarded ; and every trial that you sustain for
him, be recompensed. Moses " looked to the recompence of
the reward ;" and the same may you do also. How would this
thought lighten all your crosses, if it were duly contemplated
m Gal. vi. 7, 8. n 2 Cor. ix. 6.
This is the proper meaning of I sai. v. 18. P 2 Cor. ii. 16.
160 JEREMIAH, XVIII. 6. [1058.
and firmly believed ! Does St. Paul say, " Our light affliction,
which endureth but for a moment, worketh out for us a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory <*?" Whom will
you fear? or rather, What sufferings will you not welcome
for Christ s sake ? Go on then, my brethren, labouring to
"keep a conscience void of offence" towards both God and
man : and let it be your care so to approve yourselves to the
heart-searching God, that, when he shall judge the world, he
may say to you, " Thou hast been faithful over a few things,
be thou ruler over many things." " Enter now into the joy of
thy Lord, thou good and faithful servant ;" and " inherit the
kingdom prepared for thee from the foundation of the world."]
<i 2 Cor. iv. 17.
MLVIII.
THE POTTER S POWER OVER THE CLAY.
Jer. xviii.6. O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this pot
ter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potters
handy so are ye in my hand, house of Israel.
WHILE the grandeur of the heavenly bodies fills
us with a sense of our own insignificance 3 , we may
learn many instructive lessons from the meanest
creatures upon earth. The instinctive wisdom of the
crane or swallow, the provident care of the ant, and
the grateful acknowledgments of the ox and ass, are
proposed to us as models for our imitation b . Nor are
works of art less capable of suggesting useful hints to
a reflecting mind. In the passage before us the pro
phet was commanded to observe a potter forming his
vessels, and to declare to the Jews that they were,
notwithstanding all their boasted strength, as much
subject to the will of God as the clay was to the pot
ter s will. To illustrate this we shall shew,
I. The power of God over us
We can scarcely conceive any greater power than
the potter has over the clay. He forms, or mars, or
varies the shape of his vessels, as he pleases. Such is
God s power over us,
1. Individually considered
a Ps. viii. 3, 4. b Jer. viii. 7. Prov. vi. 6 8. Isai. i. 3.
1058. J THE POTTER S POWER OVER THE CLAY. 161
[Every man is altogether in the hands of God. Our
bodies are instantly brought low, when he sends a fierce disease
to prey upon them. Nor can the physician s aid profit us, till
he be pleased to bless the means prescribed Our souls are
also entirely dependent upon him. When his time is come,
the obdurate relent, the dead arise, the drooping are com
forted, and the weak established. Till then, the Bible is
a sealed book, and the most faithful ministers are only as
sounding brass d .]
2. In our collective capacity
[The most flourishing families, how soon are they brought
low ! And how speedily may they be restored to their former
prosperity 6 ! Nor are the most powerful kingdoms less at his
disposal. He can raise a mighty empire from the most con
temptible beginnings f , or reduce it to utter ruin in a single
hour g . As the smallest motion of the finger suffices to effect
any change upon the potter s clay, so the secret volition of the
Almighty operates with irresistible energy through the whole
creation.]
This truth being universally admitted, we shall
proceed to shew,
II. What effect the consideration of it should produce
upon us
Every perfection of the Deity should occasion some
correspondent emotion in our hearts. The thought
of his unbounded power over us should produce in us,
1. A holy fear
[What our deserts are, both individually and collectively,
none can doubt. To repent then of all our sins, and to turn
to the Lord with all our hearts, is our first duty. This is the
special point inculcated on the Jewish nation by God himself 11 .
And where is the individual who does not feel the necessity of
having it impressed on his own mind? Know then, all of you,
that you are at this instant preparing either for heaven or for
hell. If in your final condition you are " vessels unto dis
honour," the fault will be your own. If happily you prove
vessels of honour, it will be solely in consequence of God s
c Job xxxiii. 1925. d Ps. cvii. 12 20.
e Job i. 18,19. and xlii. 12, 13. f Isai. li. 1, 2. Deut. vii. 7.
e 2 Kings xix. 35. Exod. xiv. 28. If this be the subject of a
Fast Sermon, the circumstances of the nation may properly he ad
verted to in this place, and the duties inculcated under the second
head must have a national, as well as personal bearing.
h Read ver. 7 10. and mark emphatically ver. 11.
VOL. IX. M
162 JEREMIAH, XX. 9. [1059.
electing love 1 , and his new-creating power k . Cry then mightily
to God to tf accomplish for you and in you all the good pleasure
of his goodness, and the work of faith with power,"]
2. A meek submission
[God best knows how to effect in you the purposes of his
grace. For the most part he makes use of afflictive dispensa
tions for our good ; and, of whatever kind they be, we can
have no just reason to complain. If the clay has no right to
complain of the potter who forms of it a vessel such as he
himself pleases, much less can " a living man," who is out of
hell, have right, under any circumstances, to " complain" of
God 1 . Under every trial, of whatever kind it be, we should
say, " It is the Lord : let him do what seemeth him good."]
3. A humble trust
[If only we lie as clay in his hands, we have nothing to
fear m . Both men and devils are with him but as an axe or
saw, with which he accomplishes his own purposes n . We have
only to commit ourselves to him, and we shall have his work
perfected in our hearts, and be made vessels of honour meet
for the Master s use . How weak soever, or worthless we be,
God will glorify himself in our complete salvation 1 *.]
i Acts ix. 15.
k Rom. ix. 21 23. Distinguish between Kar^prio-^utVa by them
selves, and God s agency in a Trpof/rot juao-tv.
i Isai. xlv. 9. with Rom. ix. 19, 20. m Isai. li. 12, 13.
n Isai. x. 15. 2 Tim. ii. 20, 21. P Isai. xl. 2731.
MLIX.
A SOUL UNDER DISCOURAGEMENT.
Jer. xx. 9. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor
speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine
heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones ; and I was weary
with forbearing , and I could not stay.
IF we would see the corruption of human nature
in its true light, we should look at it, not merely as
existing in the worst of men, but as breaking forth
even in the best. A more tender-hearted and pious
man than Jeremiah did not perhaps exist on earth at
his day : yet, under great provocation, he breaks
forth into language most unseemly, both against God
and man. As to the reproachful name by which he
1059.] A SOUL UNDER DISCOURAGEMENT. K>3
designated his persecuting enemy, we may well sup
pose, that, as it was justly merited on the part of
Pashur, so it was denounced only in compliance with
a divine impulse : " The Lord hath not called thy name
Pashur, but Magor-missabib ; " which imported, that
" he should be a terror to himself, and to all his
friends a ." But we cannot offer any such apology for
the language which he afterwards uttered, in re
proaching God himself, and execrating even the day
of his birth b . We behold here the struggle between
grace and corruption, or, as St. Paul expresses it, " the
flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh :" and when we see how awfully an unhal
lowed temper prevailed over this good man, we cannot
but exclaim, " Lord, what is man, that thou art
mindful of him ; and the son of man, that thou so
regardest him?"
In the conflict that is here expressed, we behold,
I. The effects of discouragement on a pious soul-
Doubtless there was abundant occasion for the
prophet to complain. Pashur, the chief governor in
the house of the Lord during the course allotted to
him in the temple, had certainly treated him with
great cruelty and great indignity, " putting him into
the stocks," as a public spectacle to all. Upon this,
the spirit of the prophet was roused ; and he com
plained even against God himself, in whose service
he had been subjected to this heavy trial. " O Lord,
thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived ; " or, as it
is translated in the margin, " Thou hast enticed me,
and I was enticed." God had not deceived him : for
he had told the prophet, in the first instance, " that
all the princes, and priests, and people of the land,
should fight against him." But it is probable that
the prophet had interpreted too strictly the promise
with which God had encouraged him to undertake
the prophetic office ; namely, " They shall not prevail
against thee; for I am with thee, to deliver thee c ."
It seems that he had expected an exemption from
a ver. 3, 4. b ver. 7, 1417. c Jer. i. 18, 19.
M2
164 JEREMIAH, XX. 9. [1059.
actual suffering ; whereas, the promise referred only
to final victory : and, under this disappointment, he
determined to." make no more mention of God, and
to speak no more in his name."
Now, somewhat of a similar spirit is apt to prevail
in us, when we labour under discouragement
1. In our efforts for the good of others
[Ministers, when, after long-continued exertions, they find
that, instead of benefiting others, they have only brought evil
on themselves, are apt to complain, that "they have laboured
in vain, and spent their strength for nought :" and, under these
painful feelings, they either desert their post, or regret at least
that they ever engaged in such an unprofitable employment.
Moses, the meekest of the human race, greatly erred in this
very way d - As did Joshua also, after his entrance into
Canaan e - And in like manner, not only ministers, over
their people, mourn, but parents over their children, masters
over their servants, and teachers over the poor whom they en
deavour to instruct : and too often does their want of success,
and a sad return of evil for good, make them weary of their
labours, and ready to abandon them altogether.]
2. In our exertions for our own souls
[Persons, when first "enticed" or "persuaded "to embrace
the Gospel, fondly imagine that they shall go forward in the
divine life with ease : but when they come to find what con
flicts they have to sustain, and what slow progress they make,
they are greatly discouraged, and almost ready to blame even
God himself, as having disappointed their expectations. They
may not go so far as to say, " There is no hope : I have loved
idols, and after them will Igo f :" but with a mixture of queru-
lousness and despondency, many a pious man will harbour the
thought, " My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is
passed over from my God ff ." And how enervating such an
apprehension must be, it is scarcely needful for me to declare.]
But on the other hand our text exhibits,
II. The effect of piety on a discouraged soul
Jeremiah attempted, for a season, to execute his
rash determination : but he could not persist in his
purpose : for the word of God was like a burning fire
in his bones; so that he could not refrain from de
claring it, as he had done before, if by any means he
d Exod. v. 22, 23. e Josh. vii. 7.
f Jer. ii. 25. s Isai. xl. 27.
1059.] A SOUL UNDER DISCOURAGEMENT. 165
might at last succeed in bringing his audience to re
pentance. And thus will grace work in every soul,
even under the deepest discouragements. It will
operate,
1. To shame our querulous impatience
[When David bad given vent to querulous and unbeliev
ing expressions, he corrected himself, and acknowledged that
they were the fruit of his own infirmity 11 . And we also shall
blush, when we look back upon the dissatisfaction which we
have expressed at the small success of our efforts. What if,
in relation to others, we are constrained to say, "Who hath
believed our report ? " It is nothing but what Prophets and
Apostles have said before us. And, if we cannot benefit
others to the extent we could wish, it should satisfy us that
we have done what we could for them, and for the honour of
our God. If He be glorified, we should be content with any
thing whereby his glory may be advanced 1 . And if he delay
to accomplish in us our desires, we should wait his appointed
time, in meek submission to his will k .]
2. To revive our languid hopes
[Grace will bring to our view the promises of God ; not a
jot or tittle of which can ever fail. It will remind us that God
is the same as ever : his " arm is not shortened, that it cannot
save ; nor is his ear heavy that he cannot hear." " Against
hope, it will lead us to believe in hope ;" and will determine
us, even " though he should slay us, yet firmly and immoveably
to trust in him."]
3. To resuscitate our drooping energies
[Our hands may hang down for a time ; but the operation
of divine grace will raise them up again. Jeremiah \vas weary
with forbearing, even more than he had been with executing
the work that had been assigned him. And so shall we be, if
grace have its perfect work within us. Our labours, both
ministerial and personal, will be renewed ; that at least we
may have the testimony of our own conscience, that whatever
failure there be, it is not for want of exertion on our part to
prevent it. God has said, "Be not weary in well-doing ; for
in due season ye shall reap, if ye faint not." And if he be
with us, we shall, in dependence on his word, go forward,
" steadfast and immoveable, and always abounding in the work
of the Lord."]
ADDRESS
h Ps. Ixxiii. 12 16. and Ixxvii. 7 10.
i Isai. xlix. 5. k Hab. ii, 3.
166 JEREMIAH, XXIII. 6. [1060.
1. Expect discouragements in every part of your
duty
[Who amongst the saints was ever exempt from them ?
and who is not taught to expect them? They are God s ap
pointed means for trying our faith and love, and for increasing
every divine grace within us. If we are soldiers of Jesus
Christ, we must expect conflicts, and pass through them to the
attainment of the crown.]
2. Make them occasions of glorifying God the
more
[If we have fightings without and fears within, we must
go the more earnestly to God for help, and rely the more
firmly on his promised aid. Instead of sinking under discou
ragements of any kind, we must say to every enemy that
obstructs our way, " Who art thou, O great mountain ? Before
Zerrubbabel thou shalt become a plain."]
MLX.
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Jer. xxiii. 6. This is his name whereby he shall be called)
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
THE writings of the Prophets no less than of the
Apostles testify of Christ : nor can we any where find
a fuller exhibition of his character than in the words
before us. As to his origin, he is " a branch from the
root of David ;" and, in his character, " a righteous"
branch. His office is that of " a King;" and, as to
the manner in which he executes that office, "he executes
righteousness and judgment in the land." Look we
for the effects of his administration ? " In his days
Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely."
Lastly, Would we know in what light he is to be re
garded? " This is his name, whereby he shall be
called, The Lord our Righteousness."
In these words the prophet sets forth,
I. The dignity of Christ
The inspired writers never seem afraid of speaking
of Christ in too exalted terms. The prophet, in this
very place, declares,
1060.1 THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 167
1. His essential dignity
[There is frequent occasion to observe that, wherever the
word LORD is printed in large characters, it is in the original
JEHOVAH. Now Jehovah denotes the self-existence of the
Deity, and is a name incommunicable to any creature : yet is
it here assigned to Christ. By comparing similar declarations
in the Old Testament with the expositions given of them in
the New, we know assuredly that this name belongs to Christ ;
and that therefore he is and must be " God over all, blessed
for ever a ."]
2. His official dignity
[The title of Jehovah belongs equally to the Father, to
the Son, and to the Holy Spirit ; but the additional title of
" Our Righteousness" is peculiar to Christ alone. It imports
that Christ has by his own obedience unto death wrought out
a righteousness for guilty man ; and that " this righteousness
shall be unto all and upon all them that believe in him." It is
in this sense that St. Paul speaks of him as " made unto us
righteousness 11 . "
The connexion between the different parts of this compre
hensive name deserves particular notice : for, if He were not
Jehovah, he could not be our Righteousness ; seeing that as a
creature, he could merit nothing; because he would owe to
God all that he could do ; and, " after he had done all, he
would be only an unprofitable servant:" but as he is God, all
which he does is voluntary ; and his divinity stamps an infinite
value upon his work ; so that it may well merit, not for him
self only, but for a ruined world
Such is the dignity of our blessed Lord : He is Jehovah,
one with the Father, in glory equal, in majesty co-eternal :
nor is there one ransomed soul in heaven, who does not ascribe
his salvation to the blood and righteousness of this our incar
nate God.]
While the prophet thus expatiates on the glory of
Christ, he intimates also,
II. The duty of man
Our duty as sinners, and as redeemed sinners,
has especial respect to Christ : and it is summarily
comprehended in the ascribing to Christ the honour
due unto his name. But this must be done,
1. In faith-
a Isai. vi. 5. with John xii. 41. or Isai. xlv. 22, 23. with Rom.
xiv. 10, 11. or Joel ii. 32. with Rom. x. 13, 14. or Mai. in. 1.
with Luke i. 76. b 1 Cor. i. 30.
168 JEREMIAH, XXIII. (?. [1060.
[To compliment Christ with any titles which we do not
believe due to him, would be to insult him, like those who
arrayed him in mock majesty, and cried, Hail, King of the
Jews ! We must fully believe him to be God : we must be
persuaded that we neither have, nor can have, any righteous
ness of our own : and we must be assured, that " He is the end
of the law for righteousness to every one that believe th c ." If
we entertain any idea of meriting any thing at God s hands by
our own obedience, or of adding any thing of our own to his
perfect righteousness, we dishonour and degrade him ; and,
instead of performing our duty towards him, we violate it in
the most flagrant manner : and, though we may be actuated
by a blind zeal for the Father s honour, or for the interest of
morality, we are indeed rebels against God, since he has com
manded that " all men should honour the Son as they honour
the Father," and that they should call him in faith, The Lord
our Righteousness. ,]
2. In sincerity
[As, to give him a title which we do not believe due to
him would be mockery, so, to give it without a correspondent
regard to him would be hypocrisy. Do we believe him to be
Jehovah ? we must regard him with reverential awe, and yield
ourselves up to him in unreserved obedience. Do we believe
him to be the only Righteousness of the redeemed ? we must
renounce entirely our own righteousness, and depend on him
with our whole hearts. Do we view him in his complex cha
racter as Jehovah our Righteousness? We must rejoice in
having such an almighty friend, such a sure foundation. We
must glory in him as " all our salvation, and all our desire."
A less regard to him than this, not only falls below our duty,
but is absolutely inconsistent with any scriptural hope, any
prospect of salvation.]
From this subject we may LEARN,
1. The way of salvation
[There are but three ways in which we can conceive it
possible for any man to be saved ; namely, by works, by faith
and works, or by faith without works ; and the subject before
us plainly declares which is the true one. Are we to be saved
by our works ? No : for God would never have sent his Son
to be our righteousness, if we ever could have wrought out
a sufficient righteousness of our own. Besides, our own works
would then have been our righteousness, and the name here
ascribed to Christ would not have belonged to him. Moreover,
even in heaven itself, instead of ascribing " Salvation to God
c Rom. x. 4.
1080.] THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 169
and to the Lamb," we must have ascribed it to God and to
ourselves.
Are we then to be saved by faith and works ? We still an
swer, No : for in whatever degree we trust in our own works,
in that degree do we rob Christ of his official dignity ; and
assume to ourselves the honour due to him alone. As far as
our own merits are united with his as a joint ground of our
acceptance with God, so far shall we have to all eternity a
ground of glorying in ourselves ; yea, so far salvation will cease
to be of grace ; whereas " it is of faith that it may be by grace,
and that boasting may be for ever excluded d ."
Salvation must then be by faith without works, (not without
works as its fruits and effects; but altogether without them,
as a ground of our acceptance before God:) we must not
endeavour either in whole or in part to " establish a right
eousness of our own," but seek to be clothed in the unspotted
robe of Christ s righteousness. This is the declaration of God
himself 6 ; nor did the Apostles themselves know any other way
of salvation f . We must all therefore desire, with St. Paul, to
be found in Christ, not having our own righteousness, but his,
even his alone g .]
2. The excellency of that way
[What can be conceived more comfortable to man than to
hear of such a salvation as this ? Were we told that we must
work out a righteousness of our own that should be commen
surate with the demands of God s law, who could entertain a
hope of ever effecting it ? If we were required to do some
thing that should be worthy to be joined with the Saviour s
merits in order to render them more effectual for our accept
ance, where should we find one single work of ours that we
could present to God as perfect, and as deserving of so great a
reward? The best man on earth must either sit down in
despair, or live in continual suspense respecting his eternal
welfare. But the righteousness of Jehovah appears at once,
not only adequate to our wants, but to the wants of all man
kind; and, by trusting in that, we find rest unto our souls.
Nor can we devise any other method of acceptance so honour
able to God ; since it refers all the glory to him ; and necessi
tates all the hosts of the redeemed to ascribe the honour of
their salvation to him alone. In spite of all the objections too
that are urged against it, we can affirm that it is eminently con
ducive to the practice of holiness. Can we think of God be
coming man in order to work out a righteousness for us, and
not feel a desire to serve and honour him ? " Can we continue
d Rom. iv. 16. Eph. ii. 8, 9. e Rom. iv. 5.
f Gal. ii. 16. s Phil. iii. 9.
170 JEREMIAH, XXIII. 24. [1061.
in sin that grace may abound? God forbid." An inspired
writer assures us that " the grace of God which bringeth sal
vation teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to
live righteously, soberly, and godly in this present world."
Let us then seek our righteousness in Christ alone ; but let
us shew by our lives, that this doctrine of faith is indeed " a
doctrine according to godliness."]
MLXI.
THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD.
Jer. xxiii. 24. Can any hide himself in secret places, that I
shall not see him ? saith the Lord. Do not I Jill heaven and
earth ? saith the Lord.
MEN universally encourage themselves in sin, from
the hopes of impunity. But they are under a fatal
delusion : for however secret their iniquities may he,
there is One who beholds them, with all their aggra
vating circumstances, and will bring them forth to the
light, as grounds of his righteous indignation. The
false prophets of old imagined that their pretensions
to inspiration would subject them to no danger, pro
vided they could preserve appearances before men ;
but God expostulates with them in the words before
us, and appeals to their own consciences for a testi
mony against them. He appeals to them respecting
the omnipresence of the Deity ; to which important
subject we would now call your attention,
I. In a way of rational inquiry
The Heathen believed their gods to be confined to
particular temples, or to certain districts a : but can
we imagine that JEHOVAH is thus limited ?
Consult reason
[Is God the Creator of the world ? How then can he be
absent from any part of it, seeing that he must have been
present with the whole at the time he formed it ? Is he the
Governor of the world? how then can he be limited to any
place, since he must be every where, to direct and manage
those events, which, without his superintending providence,
would throw the universe into confusion. Is he God ? if he
a 1 Kings xx. 23.
1061.] THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD. 171
be, he must be perfect ; but if he be circumscribed by space,
he must be imperfect ; he must be ignorant of those things
which he cannot behold, and impotent in respect of those
things which he cannot reach.]
Consult Scripture
[The sacred records testify that he is in heaven ; for " he
dwelleth in the high and holy place V Yet they do not limit
him to heaven ; for " the heaven of heavens cannot contain
him c ." He is spoken of as existing upon earth; for " in him
we live, and move, and have our being d ." Yet it is not in any
particular part of the earth that he exists ; for " he filleth all
in alK"]
Consult conscience
[Every man who has ever heard of God has within him a
consciousness that the Divine Being is present with him, and
is privy to his most secret thoughts. In the midst of their
wickedness indeed men try to persuade themselves that God
does not see them f : but in seasons of reflection they cannot
divest themselves of the conviction, that his all-seeing eye
penetrates the inmost recesses of their hearts. What David
confessed with joy, they feel with terror and dismay ; that,
whether they be in heaven, earth, or hell, they cannot for one
moment escape the notice of their God g .
God is said indeed to have dwelt in the temple, and in the
bush ; and to be " far from the wicked :" but all such expres
sions relate, not to his essence, but to the manifestations of his
presence. In every possible view, the appeal made to us in the
text defies an answer, and precludes a doubt.]
Not to rest in mere theories, let the same subject
be considered,
II. In a way of practical improvement
Numberless are the truths which this subject would
suggest to our minds ; but we must of necessity con
fine ourselves to a few of the most important :
1. What folly is it to commit sin under the idea of
secrecy !
[That such folly obtains in the world, is manifest to all.
The thief takes advantage of his privacy to lay his hand upon
his neighbour s property. The adulterer watches for the return
of night, when he may accomplish his wicked purposes without
b Isai. Ivii. 15. c 1 Kin^s viii. 27. d Acts xvii. 28.
e Eph. i. 23. f Gen. iii. 8. Job xxii. 13, 14. Ps. xciv. 7.
e Ps. cxxxix. 112.
172 JEREMIAH, XXIII. 24>. [1061.
detection 11 . Sinners of every description commit in secret what
they would not dare to perpetrate, if they knew that the eyes
of their fellow-creatures were upon them. But whence is this,
unless from the atheistical conceit that God is not privy to their
actions, or from an utter forgetfulness of his presence ? Such
conduct however is folly in the extreme : for God s eyes are
in every place, beholding the evil and the good 1 ." " The
darkness is no darkness to him : the night and the day to him
are both alike :" and, as he observes, so will he also " bring to
light, the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the
counsels of the heart k ," as a ground of that sentence which he
will one day pass upon all the workers of iniquity.
Let this be remembered in reference to all the sins we have
ever committed in secret ; and let it teach us to seek the re
mission of them while yet the day of mercy is continued to us.]
2. How vain are the hopes of the hypocrite !
[It is no very difficult matter to impose upon men : yea,
we may also deceive our ownselves ; but we cannot deceive
God. However specious our conduct may be, he will discern
our corrupt motives and principles, and will judge us according
to the real quality of our actions. There is one way, and only
one, in which we can hide our sins from God ; and that is, by
fleeing to the Lord Jesus Christ for refuge : then, though
God will behold the sinner, he will not behold the sin ;
for it shall all be " blotted out as a morning cloud," and be
" cast behind him into the depths of the sea :" the vilest sinner
in the universe, if he " be found in Christ," shall be " com
plete 1 ," " without spot or blemish" 1 ." Such a hiding-place is
Christ 11 ; and such shall be the felicity of all that believe in
him . But it is in vain to hope that by any other means we
shall escape the wrath of God : for " all things are naked and
open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do ;" and
every sin not purged away by the blood of Jesus shall be visited
with just and everlasting judgments.]
3. How secure are they who put their trust in God!
[Many of the enemies with whom the Christian has to
contend, are hidden from his view : but neither they nor any
of their devices are concealed from the eyes of God. He is
everywhere present to protect his people, and to defeat the
plots of their adversaries. He it is that has given to our ene
mies the strength and wisdom which they exert against us ;
and he engages that " none of the weapons which they form
against us shall prosper P." " Let the weak then say, I arn
h Jobxxiv. 15 17. * Prov. xv. 3. k 1 Cor. iv. 5.
1 Col. ii. 10. m Eph. v. 27. n Isai. xxxii. 2.
Acts x. 43. P Isai. liv. 10, 17.
1062.] FIDELITY REQUIRED IN MINISTERS. 173
strong:" for " if God be for them, who shall be against them?"
Only let them " acknowledge him in all their ways," and
depend upon him in all their trials, and they need not fear q ;
for " his eyes shall run to and fro throughout the whole earth,
to shew himself strong in their behalf 1 "."]
i Ps. xlvi. 1,2. r 2 Chron. xvi. 9.
MLXII.
FIDELITY REQUIRED IN MINISTERS.
Jer. xxiii. 28, 29, He that hath my word, let him speak my
word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat ? saith the
Lord. Is not my word like as afire ? saith the Lord; and
like a hammer, that breaketh the rock in pieces?
OF all the different orders of mankind, there is not
any that is more influential on society than that of
ministers. The prophets of old, if truly faithful to
their God, were means and instruments of diffusing
incalculable blessings through the countries where
they lived. The false prophets, on the contrary,
hardened the people in their wickedness, and brought
down the heaviest judgments on those whom they
misled. Ministers of the present day produce simi
lar effects, only on a more contracted scale. The
prophets, whether true or false, were listened to as
inspired ; and, consequently, as bearing an authority
far beyond what any minister at this time can assume.
But still, as expounders of God s revealed will, we
are listened to with much respect and deference ; and
we are the means of dispensing much good or evil to
our auditors, according as we approve ourselves faith
ful or unfaithful to the office we sustain, and to the
Master whom we profess to serve. This is strongly
intimated in the passage before us ; in which we have,
I. A solemn injunction to all who bear the office of
the ministry
As ministers, the word of God is put into our
hands, and a dispensation is committed to us to
preach it ; and that office we must execute " faith
fully :" we must speak the word,
174 JEREMIAH, XXIII. 28, 29. [1062.
1. Unreservedly, without concealment
[We must " declare unto our people the whole counsel
of God a ," and " not keep back from them any thing that can
be profitable unto themV We are at liberty indeed to con
sider what is suited to the state of our hearers, and what they
are capable of receiving . Our object must be, to benefit
their souls d : and, consequently, we do well to adapt our in
structions to their capacities, administering " milk to babes,
and meat to those who are of full age e ." But in this discrimi
nation we must riot be regulated by carnal policy ; but must
act as before God, " not handling the word of God deceitfully,
but, by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to
every man s conscience in the sight of God f ." Our motto
must be that of the Apostle Paul : " We are not as many who
corrupt the word of God : but as of sincerity, but as of God,
in the sight of God, speak we in Christ g ."]
2. Impartially, without respect of persons
[All idea of pleasing men must be utterly abandoned : for
if we please men, or seek to do so, we cannot be the servants
of Jesus Christ h . St. Peter erred in this respect, when, for
the sake of gratifying the Jewish converts, he inculcated, even
on the Gentiles, the observance of the Jewish ritual 1 . The
fidelity of Paul is that which we ought to follow. He says,
" Our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor
in guile : but as we were allowed of God to be put in trust
with the Gospel, even so we speak ; not as pleasing men, but
God, who trieth our hearts. For neither at any time used we
flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness ;
God is witness : nor of men sought we glory, neither of you,
nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as
the Apostles of Christ k ." Whether we address rich or poor,
we must " use great plainness of speech ; not as Moses, putting
a veil upon our face 1 ;" but, as with unveiled face, exhibiting
before our people the great mystery of godliness, if by any
means " the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, may shine unto them 01 ."]
3. Boldly, without fear
[The prophets of old were enjoined " not to fear the
face of man, even though briers and thorns should be with
them, and they should dwell among scorpions :" and to speak
a Acts xx. 27. b Acts xx. 20. c Mark iv. 33.
d Prov. xi. 30. e 1 Cor. iii. 1, 2. Heb. v. 1114.
f 2 Cor. iv. 2. B 2 Cor. ii. 17. h Gal. i. 10.
1 Gal. ii. 1114. k 1 Thcss. ii. 36. ] 2 Cor. iii. 12, 13.
m 2 Cor. iv. 5, 6.
1062.] FIDELITY REQUIRED IN MINISTERS. 175
boldly all that God had commanded, lest he should, in just
indignation for their cowardice, confound them before their
people n . We must expect to meet with opposition : for who,
amongst the Prophets or Apostles, ever escaped it? Even
our blessed Lord himself, with all his wisdom and grace,
was an object of hatred to an ungodly world : and we must
expect, that " they who hate the light" will hate us who set
it before them . But, however we be menaced, our answer
to every opponent must be, " Whether it be right to hearken
unto you more than unto God, judge ye ; for we cannot but
speak the things which we have seen and heard p ." And, if
we be called to seal the truth with our blood, we must regard
it rather as an honour than a shame 4 , and rather as a ground
of congratulation than a subject of condolence 1 ".]
This injunction is further enforced by,
II. An unanswerable appeal to the whole world-
Here is an appeal,
1. To our judgment
[Every one knows what a light and worthless thing
" chaff is, in comparison of wheat." And is not the applica
tion of this image to the subject before us both clear and
obvious ? Of what use were the assertions of the false pro
phets? They only deceived the people to their ruin. Look,
on the other hand, at the labours of Moses, of David, of
Elijah, of Paul : who can estimate the value of their services ?
So it is, in a measure, with every minister of Christ, who truly
and faithfully discharges the high office committed to him.
He feeds many, he nourishes many, comforts many, yea, and
" saves many souls from death 8 ." God declares, that this
effect should have followed the ministrations of former pro
phets, if they had been truly upright : " If they had stood in
my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then
they should have turned them from their evil way, and from
the evil of their doings 1 ." And though there doubtless is a
great difference between the labours of different men in point
of real efficiency, even whilst substantially they preach the same
truths, yet the labours of those who bring forth a mixed and
mutilated Gospel are not to be compared with those of a faith
ful servant of Christ, who " preaches the truth in love," and
exemplifies it in his life and conversation.]
2. To our experience
n Jer. i. 8, 17. and Ezek. ii. 6, 7. John iii. 19, 20.
P Acts iv. 19, 20. q Acts v. 41. r Phil. ii. 17, 18.
s 1 Tim. iv. 1C. and Jam. v. 20. i ver. 22.
176 JEREMIAH, X.XIII. 28, 29. [1062.
[God s word, if faithfully declared, is " quick and power
ful, and sharper than a two-edged sword u ." Let any one, that
has ever noticed its effects, say, whether it is not " like fire,"
which dissolves the hardest metal ; and " like a hammer, which
breaks in pieces" even adamant itself. Go to the populous
city of Nineveh, and see all orders of men, from the greatest
to the least, dissolved in tears at the preaching of one single
prophet x : or look back to the day of Pentecost, when, by the
preaching of Peter, three thousand persons, with their hands
yet reeking with the Saviour s blood, were converted to the
Lord. Are not these instances sufficient to shew what wonders
the word of God is able to effect? Verily, "it is mighty,
through God, to the pulling down of the strong-holds of sin
and Satan, and to the bringing of even the very thoughts of
men into captivity to the obedience of Christ y ."
Say, then, whether these be not cogent arguments for
fidelity in the exercise of the ministerial functions ? The
exhibition of false doctrines saves no man, benefits no man:
but a simple preaching of " Christ crucified is the power of
God unto salvation" to millions of the human race z . To this,
many of you, I trust, can bear testimony ; yea, and I hope are
living witnesses of its truth ; in that " ye have turned to God
from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for
his Son from heaven, even Jesus, who hath delivered us from
the wrath to comeV]
And NOW,
1. Let me discharge, as I am able, my duty to
you
[" To me is committed the word of God for you ; and
woe is unto me, if I preach it not with all fidelity 1 !" If so
much as one of you should perish through a want of faithful
ness on my part, his blood would be required at my hands .
You must not expect me, therefore, to " prophesy unto you
smooth things," or to " speak peace to you when there is no
peace." No: I must, at the peril of my soul, "speak God s
word unto you faithfully." Now, there are three things which
I do, and must, require at your hands. The first of these is,
repentance - - And I must declare unto you, that
" except ye repent," truly, deeply, and from your inmost souls
repent, " ye shall all, all without exception, perish." The next
thing which I must call for, is faith, even faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ, as the only Saviour of the world And I
must warn you, that without this there is no hope : for " there
u Heb. iv. 12. x Jonah iii. 410. y 2 Cor. x. 4, 5.
z 1 Cor. i. 23, 24. Rom. i. 16. a 1 Thess.i.5, 9, 10.
b 1 Cor. ix. 16, 17. c Ezek. xxxiii. 68.
1063, ] RELIGION NOT A SOURCE OF EVIL. 177
is no other foundation on which any man can build," " nor any
other name given under heaven whereby any man can be
saved." In addition to this, I must also require obedience,
even a spiritual, cheerful, unreserved obedience to every com
mand of God And in the name of Almighty God I
declare, that "without works all your faith is dead," and, that
" without holiness no man shall see the Lord."]
2. Let me call on you to make a due improvement
of my testimony
[True it is, that even " though Paul should plant and
Apollos water," they would, if left to themselves, labour only
in vain. " It is God alone that can give the increase" to the
seed that is sown. But this will be no excuse for you, who
make the word of no avail. If you would pray unto God, he
would hear you : if you would seek his blessing, he would
give it you : if you would desire him to clothe his word with
power, he would accompany it with the Holy Ghost sent down
from heaven. Remember, I pray you, that the word delivered,
if it be not " a savour of life unto life, will become unto you a
savour of death unto death." True it is, that the "fire" burns
but dimly, and the "hammer" is but feebly applied: still, if
God would by his Spirit kindle the flame, it should be sufficient
to burn even to your inmost souls : and if he would reveal his
mighty arm, no rock in the universe should be able to with
stand its force. " He has put his treasure in earthen vessels,
on purpose that the excellency of the power may appear to be
of Him :" and he delights to " perfect his own strength in his
people s weakness." It is this that encourages me to speak ;
and it may well also encourage you to hear. Look to Him,
then, to use his wonder-working rod, as in the days of old;
and to accomplish by it the redemption and salvation of your
souls.]
MLXIII.
RELIGION IS NOT A SOURCE OF EVIL TO THOSE WHO EM
BRACE IT.
Jer. xxv. 5, 6. Turn ye again now every one from his evil way,
and from the evil of your doings And I will do you
no hurt.
SIN is the greatest of all evils ; because it is the
source from which all evils flow. Nor can the mise
ries which it has introduced be ever remedied, but by
a thorough turning unto God. This, Jeremiah tells
VOL. IX. N
178 JEREMIAH, XXV. 5, 6. [1063.
us, was the remedy prescribed by all the prophets*:
and certainly it is the only one that can ever prove
effectual.
The passage, from whence the text is taken, con
tains, in addition to the words which we have cited,
a dehortation or dissuasion from idolatry ; together
with an intimation that a continuance in that sin
would accelerate their ruin, and insure their exclusion
from the promised land : they would persist in it " to
their hurt*." On the contrary, if they would return
to God, he would forbear to inflict upon them his
threatened judgments, and " do them no hurt."
But we omit that which related to the temporal
state of the Jews, in order that we may fix your at
tention more immediately upon that part of the sub
ject which is applicable to all persons in all ages of
the world.
The text consists of,
I. An exhortation
As idolatry was at that time the national sin of the
Jews, so every one has some evil way to which he is
more particularly addicted. We cannot pretend to
trace all the shades of difference that are found in
different men : we will rather arrange the whole under
three great and comprehensive classes ; to one or
other of which, all, except true Christians, belong.
We therefore say, Turn,
1. From profaneness
[That this is a common sin amongst us, needs no proof:
we cannot open our eyes or our ears, but we must be speedily
convinced of it
Let then as many of you as have entertained licentious
principles, or indulged in vicious practices, " turn from the
evil of your doings," yea, turn from it speedily, and with utter
abhorrence.]
2. From worldliness
[While the young and gay are rushing into vice, and
pouring contempt upon every thing that is serious, a great
part of mankind are immersed in worldly cares, and are as re
gardless of religion as their more dissipated brethren
a ver. 4. with the text. b ver. 7.
1063.] RELIGION NOT A SOURCE OF EVIL. 179
True it is, that these persons have more specious grounds on
which to vindicate their conduct, inasmuch as it seems nearly
allied to prudence and diligence. Still, however, while we
highly approve of those virtues, we cannot but condemn a
worldly spirit as evil ; since it is declared to be incompatible
with the love of God c : and therefore we say to all, "Turn
from it," lest you deceive yourselves to your utter ruin.]
3. From formality
[There is a very considerable number of persons, whose
strictness of principle, and correctness of manners, screen them
effectually against any charge of profaneness ; while their indif
ference to riches and aggrandizement shews, that they are not
open, in any great degree, to the imputation of worldliness.
But their religion consists in a mere round of duties, in which
they have no real enjoyment of God, but only a self-righteous,
self-complacent approbation of their own minds
That this also is evil, we cannot doubt, if only we bear in
mind that God requires our hearts^; and that every service, in
which the heart is not engaged, is declared to be vain and
worthless in his sight 6 .
In exhorting such persons to turn from the evil of their
doings, we would by no means be understood to discourage
diligence in attending on divine ordinances, whether public or
private ; but only to guard against a resting in the perform
ance of duties, and a substituting of that in the place of Christ.
In appreciating our religious observances, let us judge of
them by their spirituality, and by our enjoyment of God in
them : and, if they be ever so devout, still let us remember
that they make no atonement for sin, nor do they confer any
obligation whatever upon God : yea, rather the more devout
they are, the more we are indebted to God for that grace
whereby we are so enabled to worship him.]
To confirm the exhortation, God has been pleased
to add,
II. A promise
At first sight the promise appears to be unworthy
of God, and incapable of affording any great encou
ragement to those to whom it is made. But, if taken
altogether abstractedly, it surely is no light matter
for those who deserve all the judgments that God can
inflict, to be assured, that he will never do them any.
hurt : and, if considered in connexion with our fears
c 1 John ii. 1517. d Prov. xxxiii. 26.
e Matt. xv. 8, 9. Compare 2 Tim. iii. 5.
N 2
180 JEREMIAH, XXV. 5, 6. [1063.
and apprehensions, it will be found to contain the
richest consolation. In this view, we observe, God
will do us no hurt in respect of,
1. Our intellect
[When we begin in earnest to be religious, our friends are
ready to suppose that we are, or shall soon be, beside ourselves f :
nor can we altogether wonder at their judgment, when we con
sider how great the change is, (like a river turning back to its
source,) and how unable they are to account for it. But they
may spare themselves their fears ; for God gives his people, not
a spirit of delusion, but " of a sound mind g ." The prodigal s
return to his father s house was the first proof of sanity, not of
insanity : nor has any person a spark of true wisdom in him,
till he begin to fear the Lord h . In conversion, a man is made
to form a correct judgment respecting his most important
concerns ; and not only to view things in the same light that
God views them, but to act agreeably to those views. As
well therefore might the man whose eyes Jesus had opened be
said to have suffered injury in his organs of vision, as a person
thus enlightened in his judgment be said to have suffered in
his intellect 1 .]
2. Our friends
[We are taught to expect, that, on our becoming decided
followers of Christ, " our greatest foes will be those of our own
household k :" and experience accords with the declarations of
Scripture on this head. But are we therefore injured in this
respect ? Our Lord has told us, and experience accords with
that also, that if we lose any friends for his sake, he will repay
us in kind, as it were, an hundred-fold 1 . A merchant who
should part with his goods to such an advantage as this, would
surely not be thought to have sustained any loss. But besides
this recompence in the present world, God himself will be our
friend, both now and for ever. And would not this amply
repay the loss of all earthly friends ?]
3. Our reputation
[Though the whole of our conduct be visibly improved,
yet shall we, on turning to God, be loaded with opprobrium
f See Mark iii. 21. Acts xxvi. 24. 2 Cor. v. 13.
& 2 Tim. i. 7. h Ps. cxi. 10.
1 That people who are insane, may fix their thoughts upon reli
gion, or that a person may become distracted by misapprehensions of
religion, is confessed : but if religion would drive a man mad, the
more religious he was, the more likely to be mad. Who does not
shudder at the consequences that would result from that opinion ?
k Matt. x. 35, 36. * Mark x. 29, 30.
1063.] RELIGION NOT A SOURCE OF EVIL. 181
and contempt ; and though something may be gained by pru
dence, or conceded to us on account of our celebrity in learning,
there is no religious person that occupies the same place in
the estimation of the world that he would do if he were not
religious. If our Lord himself was " despised and rejected of
men m ," and the Apostles were deemed " the off-scouring of all
things 11 ," it is in vain for us to expect honour from man . But
are we therefore without honour? No: our very disgrace,
when so procured, is a very high honour, inasmuch as it assi
milates us to Christ P, and is a testimony to us of our fidelity q .
But suppose that ignominy had nothing to counterbalance it
here, should we have any reason to regret it when Christ " con
fessed us before his Father, and his holy angels ;" and when
they who despised us, shall " awake to shame and everlasting
contempt 1 ?"]
4. Our interests
[The laws of the land certainly afford us a very great
protection. Nevertheless it is no uncommon thing at this day
for children and servants to be called to make very great sacri
fices for the Gospel sake. But be it so : they are forced, like
St. Paul, to serve the Lord " in coldness and nakedness," and
in a privation of all earthly comforts. But are they eventually
"hurt?" What if their spiritual consolations be proportioned
to their temporal afflictions ; have they not made a good ex
change ? Is not peace in the bosom incomparably better than
money in the purse ? The riches of this world are easily ap
preciated : but those which Christ imparts, are " unsearchable."
Their despisers would, at a future day, give all the world for a
drop of water only to cool their tongue. How rich then must
they be who are drinking living waters eternally at the foun
tain head !]
5. Our happiness
[Doubtless the godly have grounds of mourning peculiar
to themselves : but are they therefore losers in respect of hap
piness ? No : their sorrows, if I may so speak, are sources of
joy : they would on no account be without them : they rather
regret that they cannot sorrow more : they mourn because they
cannot mourn, and weep because they cannot weep : and if at
any time they have been enabled to abase themselves before
God in dust and ashes, they look back upon such seasons as
the most precious in their whole lives. But if they have sor
rows unknown to others, have they not "joys also, with which
the stranger intermeddleth not?" Let a promise be applied
m Isai. liii. 3. n 1 Cor. iv. 13.
Matt. x. 24, 25. with John. v. 44.
P 1 Pet. iv. 13. ( i Luke xxi. 13. r Dan. xii. 2.
182 JEREMIAH, XXV. 5, 6. [1063.
with power to their souls, or " the love of God be shed abroad
in their hearts," have they not a very foretaste of heaven upon
earth? Compare their state with that of others, on a dying
bed: follow them in the instant of their departure from the
body : see them welcomed to the bosom of their Lord : con
template their eternal state, in contrast with that of those
who despised them ; and then say whether they have any
reason to complain, that their fidelity to God occasioned on
the whole a diminution of their happiness ?]
ADDRESS
1. Those who are yet following their evil ways
[One question I beg leave to put to you : Will God " do
YOU no hurt ?" Inquire, I pray you : search the sacred re
cords : see w r hat God has spoken respecting sin and sinners :
Will it do you no hurt to bear his wrath, and to drink of the
cup of his indignation to all eternity ? - - We inquire
not, What are the ways you follow ? if you do not turn from
every evil way to God, and devote yourself unreservedly to
your Lord and Saviour, the issue w r ill be the same, whatever
course you take. Your guilt may be more or less aggravated,
and your misery be apportioned accordingly : but, \
entering into the different degrees of punishment, l-_-i t ne a^K,
Will not sin be visited with the wrath of God ? and will thai
do you no hurt ? On the other hand, would not God
do you good, if you would return unto him ? - " Turn
then from all your transgressions ; so iniquity shall not be your
ruin 8 ."]
2. Those who are turning from their evil ways
[Halt not between two opinions : strive not to reconcile
the inconsistent services of God and mammon 1 . " If Baal be
God, follow him : but if the Lord be God, then follow him."
There is a certain kind of turning unto God, by which you
will suffer hurt on every side, and receive no benefit whatever.
If your " heart be not whole with God," no good can accrue
to you, nor can any evil be averted from you. The world will
not approve of you, because you are too precise for them : and
God will not approve of you, because you are not upright
before him. Be not then temporizing and hypocritical, but
open, decided, and consistent characters. " Follow your Lord
fully :" " follow him without the camp, bearing his reproach 11 ."
Thus, though " your life may be accounted madness, and your
end to be without honour, yet shall you be numbered among
the children of God, and have your lot among his saints x ."]
8 Ezek. xviii. 30. t Matt. vi. 24.
u Heb. xiii. 13. * Wisd. v. 4, 5.
1064.1 GOD WILL BE FOUND OF SINCERE WORSHIPPERS. 18<J
MLXIV.
GOD WILL BE FOUND OF SINCERE WORSHIPPERS.
Jer. xxix. 11 13. / know the thoughts that I think toward
you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to
give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and
ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for
me with all your heart.
THE calamities which God inflicts upon mankind
in this world are intended to bring them to re
pentance ; and though he often removes his rod in
anger, when he sees that it produces not the desired
effect, yet he often continues to punish till he sees
that the heart is humbled for its iniquity. Thus he
dealt with the Jews whom he sent captive to Babylon.
They at first despised his chastening, and promised
themselves a speedy return to their native land : but
he declared that their captivity should be protracted
to the end of seventy years ; and that, at the ex
piration of that time, when they should have learned
to acknowledge him, he would again appear for them,
and bring them back in answer to their fervent
petitions. His declaration respecting this suggests
to us two important observations:
I. God s purposes of love and peace shall all in due
time be accomplished-
God has " thoughts of peace" towards many who
never think of him
[Even before the foundation of the world God determined
to remedy the evils which he foresaw sin would bring upon
mankind. When our first parents were ruined, and fled from
his face, he sought them out and communicated to them his
gracious intentions relative to the substitution of his Son, in
their stead. And while the Jews were imbruing their hands in
the blood of his Son, it was his fixed purpose to pour down his
Spirit upon them, and to bring them into a state of reconcilia
tion with himself. And have we not also reason to confess,
that whatever we either possess or hope for is the result of his
purpose and grace which he purposed in Christ Jesus before
184 JEREMIAH, XXIX. 1113. [1064.
the world began a ? Yea, who can tell, but that, at this mo
ment, some careless sinner is the object of his special attention,
and that this is the very hour, wherein his merciful designs
shall be matured and executed ?]
These thoughts of his shall all in due season be
accomplished
[It may be a long time before his eternal counsels are
manifested by visible and correspondent acts. But not one of
his purposes shall ever be frustrated. Paul was " a chosen
vessel unto him," and " separated, in the Divine intentions,
from his mother s womb b : but how long was he suffered to go
on in the most inveterate enmity against Christ and his Gos
pel ! Yet when his hour was come, God stopped him in his
mad career, and transformed a bitter persecutor into a zealous
Apostle. Thus it was that Zaccheus also was made a partaker
of Christ s salvation, when he thought of nothing but gratifying
a foolish curiosity . And thus many of us also received our
first serious impressions, when we were far enough from desir
ing to fear God. And it is a comfortable reflection, that
many, who are yet dead in trespasses and sins, are in the
Divine purpose "predestinated to the adoption of children* 1 ,"
and will one day be " heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ."]
Nor shall any expectations founded upon his word
be ever disappointed
[Improbable as the deliverance of the Jews from Babylon
was, God brought them out at the appointed time. And as
he gave " them an expected end," so will he to all of us.
If an ungodly man begin to look unto the Lord Jesus Christ
for repentance and remission of sins, he shall not look to him in
vain. If an afflicted or tempted soul flee to him for consolation
and succour, the desired aid shall not be withheld. Provided
only we rely on his word, and not on any presumptuous ima
ginations of our own, we may rest assured that he will inter
pose effectually on our behalf.]
But however fixed his purposes may be,
II. They must nevertheless be called forth by the
exercise of fervent prayer-
God has appointed prayer as the means of obtaining
his blessings
[This is the universal voice of Scripture, "Ask, and ye shall
have." Even where God most freely promises his blessings, he
a 2 Tim. i. 9. b Acts ix. 15. Gal. i. 15.
c Luke xix. 4, 5, 9. * Eph. i. 5.
1064.] GOD WILL BE FOUND OF SINCERE WORSHIPPERS. 185
still says, " Nevertheless I will be inquired of by the house of
Israel to do it for them 6 ." We do not say that he never devi
ates from this method of conveying his mercies ; for sometimes
" he is found of them that sought him not, and known to
them that inquired not after him f :" But the earnestness with
which this duty of prayer is inculcated in the text, is of itself
a sufficient proof that we are to expect no blessing without it.
God would have us know, and feel our wants ; and by opening
them before him, get our own hearts affected with them, li
at any time he vouchsafe his blessings to those who have not
sought him, he instantly stirs them up to prayer, which is as
necessary to the welfare of a regenerate soul, as -breathing is to
the existence of a new-born infant.]
Nor should a discovery of his purposes relax, hut
rather quicken, our diligence in prayer
[This was the effect which was produced on Daniel as
soon as ever he learned that the time fixed for Israel s cap
tivity was near its termination g . Nor should it produce any
other effect on us. As well might Hezekiah have declined the
use of food because God had prolonged his life fifteen years,
as we neglect the means of spiritual advancement, if we knew
that God had predestinated us unto life. On the contrary, the
certain prospect of success is our greatest encouragement to
pray, and to comply with any terms which God has pre
scribed.]
If we use these means aright, we may be sure we
shall attain whatsoever his unerring wisdom sees to
be good for us
[God has " never said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye me
in vain h ." On the contrary he will " hearken" to our cry
with parental tenderness, he will discover to the inquiring
soul the riches of his grace, and " enable us to comprehend
with all saints the height and depth of his love which passeth
knowledge." But then we must pray in earnest and, " search
for him with our whole heart 1 " It is not a mere listless peti
tion that will prevail with him ; we may ask and not have, if
we thus ask amiss:" but importunate and believing prayer
shall bring down every blessing which God himself is able to
bestow.]
This subject will be found of peculiar USE,
1. To humble the proud
[Every natural man conceives that his salvation must arise
solely from his own exertions. But here we are taught to
e Ezek. xxxvi, 37. f Isai. Ixv. 1. s Dan. ix. 2 4.
h Isai. xlv. 19. * Lev. xxvi. 40, 41. Deut. iv. 29.
186 JEREMIAH, XXIX. 1113. [1064.
trace all our inclination and ability for what is good to God,
who, in the prosecution of his eternal purposes, imparts both
the one and the other to our souls k . Let us learn, then, to
acknowledge him in all that we have received, and to look
to him for all that we want. And let the hope, that there
may yet be in his heart many undiscovered thoughts of peace
towards us, stimulate us to fervent prayer, and diligent exer
tions.]
2. To awaken the secure
[Some will pervert the truths of God, and say that their
exertions are useless, if God have not thoughts of peace to
wards them ; and superfluous, if he have. But God s decrees
are no rule of action for us, seeing that they are hidden from
us : it is his precepts, which we are to regard ; and if we will
not seek him according to his command, we can have no hope
that we shall ever find him. Will any man then consign him
self deliberately to perdition, because he does not absolutely
know that God has "ordained him unto life?" Should we
not justly blame a man who made the uncertainty of life a
reason for refusing bodily sustenance ? yet he would act as
rationally as the other. Let this then be known; the man
that lives without God, will die without hope ; and, when he
perishes, he must accuse, not the hidden purposes of God, but
his own folly, sloth, and negligence.]
3. To comfort the feeble-minded
[Some, who are diligent in the use of means, are apt to
perplex themselves with doubts respecting the Divine decrees.
But they have within themselves the very best answer to all
their doubts : let them only ask themselves, Whence arose my
desires after God? Whence is it that I am enabled to seek
him in any measure ? The snare will then instantly be broken :
for, the aid they have already received from God, is a far better
ground for concluding that he has designs of peace towards
them, than any remaining imperfections can be, of his purpose
to reject them. Only then wait upon God in prayer, and rest
assured that a praying soul can never perish. Continue to
ask, and you shall have ; for however secret his purposes may
be, his promises are plain and sure : and he says, " Ye shall
find me, when ye shall search for me with your whole
heart."]
k See also Eph. i. 11. and Phil. ii. 13.
1065.1 GOD S GRACIOUS DESIGNS TOWARDS HIS CHOSEN. 187
MLXV.
GOD S GRACIOUS DESIGNS TOWARDS HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.
Jer. xxx. 10, 11. Fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the
Lord; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for lo, I will save
thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity;
and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest and be quiet, and
none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee, saith the
Lord, to save thee : though I make a full end of all nations
whither 1 have scattered thee, I yet will not make a full end
of thee ; but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave
thee altogether unpunished.
THE peculiar importance of these words may be
judged of from hence, that the prophet, without any
apparent necessity, or indeed any visible connexion,
introduces them again, towards the close of his pro-
phecies a . But the subject of them is so consolatory,
and the view which they open to us of God s future
dispensations is so glorious, that they may well be
proposed to our most attentive consideration. Re
specting their primary import we can have no doubt.
They look forward to a period far beyond the return
of the Jews from Babylon, even to that blessed period,
when the whole nation shall be converted to the faith
of Christ, and be restored to the possession of the land
of Canaan b . That such a period shall arrive, we have
the strongest and most unequivocal declarations of
Holy Writ c : and it becomes us all to look forward to
it with confidence and joy.
But we must not so contemplate the future good
of others, as to overlook our own personal and im
mediate welfare. The words before us convey most
comfortable tidings to ourselves ; which therefore we
shall advert to in connexion with the event to which
they more especially refer : and in order to this we
shall deduce from them some general observations.
Observe then,
I. That God has glorious things in reserve for his
chosen people
1. For the Jewish people
a Jer. xlvi. 27, 28. b ver. 8, 9. c Compare Hos. iii. 5.
188 JEREMIAH, XXX. 10, 11. [1065.
[There is certainly mercy in reserve for them : " their
yoke has never been so broken from their neck, but that stran
gers have served themselves of them d ," and do still oppress
them. A season of happiness awaits them, such as they never
experienced in their most prosperous days : " they shall be at
rest, and be quiet, and none shall make them afraid:" and
this outward peace shall be only a shadow of that inward joy
which they shall experience under the protection of their
reconciled God and Saviour, who will be " a little sanctuary
unto them 6 ."]
2. For his people among all nations
[However " far off" his people are, God sees and knows
them f , and will in due season bring them to himself g . No
enemy shall be able to detain them : their bonds shall be
broken, and they shall be " brought into the glorious liberty of
the children of God." O what sweet peace and composure of
mind shall they enjoy, when they are truly brought to the fold
of Christ 11 ! What blessed assurance too shall they possess, not
only of their present interest in the Saviour, but of final vic
tory and everlasting felicity i !
Yet is this but the beginning of blessings : the time shall
come when the saints of all ages, even from the beginning to
the end of time, shall be gathered together, every one of them
freed from all remains of sin and sorrow, and raised to the
fruition of their heavenly inheritance.
Shall we not then, whilst we contemplate the future des
tinies of God s ancient people, consider also our own ; when,
even in this life, such " things are prepared for us as no un-
renewed eye hath seen, or ear heard, or heart conceived k ;"
and, in the ivorld to come, such things as exceed the compre
hension whether of men or angels ?]
Subservient to this great design, God orders every
thing for them in love, so,,
II. That even his darkest dispensations towards them
are intended for their good
This was,, and still is, the case with respect to the
Jews.
[The sending of that whole nation into captivity in Baby
lon was doubtless a heavy judgment : but yet we are expressly
told that God designed it " for their good 1 ." And we doubt
not but that the destruction of their whole estate and polity by
d ver. 8. e Ezek. xi. 16, 17. with Jer. xxiii. 6.
f 2 Tim. ii. 19. e John x. 16. h Ps. xxiii. 1, 2.
1 Ps. xxiii. 46. k 1 Cor. ii. 9. 1 Jer. xxiv. 5.
1065.] GOD S GRACIOUS DESIGNS TOWARDS HIS CHOSEN. 189
the Romans, together with their present dispersion over the
face of the whole earth, is intended for their good also. By the
Babylonish captivity they were cured of idolatry ; and by the
total abolition of the temple worship, all hope of obtaining
mercy by the ceremonial rites and ceremonies is cut off, and
they are " shut up unto the faith that is now revealed." We
trust also that they are preparing to be God s honoured in
struments of evangelizing the world ; seeing that the receiving
of them into the Church will be as life from the dead to the
Gentile world m . We see clearly that there is an immense
difference put between them and all the nations which once
led them captive. The Egyptians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Ro
mans, have ceased to exist as distinct kingdoms ; and have been
lost, as it were, among the people who subdued them : but the
Jews are in every place a distinct people, and are so kept by
God s overruling providence, that he may accomplish more
manifestly his gracious purposes towards them. Many indeed,
like Pharaoh, have sought their destruction ; but they live as
monuments of God s unceasing care and faithfulness.]
And may not we also see the hand of God ordering
and overruling every thing for our good ?
[His chastening hand may have been upon us ; but the
consolations and supports with which he has favoured us have
almost changed the very nature of our afflictions. Besides, he
has, like a skilful Refiner, apportioned our trials to our neces
sities ; and always either increased our strength to sustain
them, or provided for us a way to escape from them. Let any
one of us look back, even the most afflicted amongst us, and
say, Whether God has not corrected always " in measure^ 1 *."
yea, whether his corrections have not " wrought for our good;"
and whether, if our hearts be indeed right with God, they
have not been " working out for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory ?" Yes, "by these has our iniquity
been purged ; and the fruit of them has been to take away our
sin p :" and in all that God may have inflicted on us, he has acted
the part, not of an angry Judge, but of a loving Father q .]
Well may God s people rejoice in such hopes as
these, seeing,
III. That his presence with them is their never-failing
security-
God did not so withdraw from the Jews in Baby
lon, but that he was with them to watch over them,
m Rom. xi. 15. n Isai. xxvii. 7, 8.
Rom. viii. 28. 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. P Isai. xxvii. 9.
1 Heb. xii. 68.
JEREMI VH, XXX. 10, 11. [1065.
and to overrule events for their deliverance at the
time appointed. Thus at this day he hears the cries
of his afflicted people, and only waits till the appointed
time to shew himself strong in their behalf. Thus is
his presence with us our security also.
[He has promised " never to leave us nor forsake us r ." In
our troubles more especially has he engaged to be with us s .
Nor will he ever leave us, till he has accomplished all the good
pleasure of his goodness towards us*. Had it not been for his
presence with his Church and people, their enemies would long
since have triumphed over them : but because " he is with
them to save them," they shall be "more than conquerors"
over all their enemies, and " be saved by him with an ever
lasting salvation."]
APPLICATION
Thrice, in the parallel passage, does God repeat the
exhortation, " Fear not u ." We therefore will address
that exhortation,
1. To those who are afar off
[Look at the Jews in Babylon, or in their present state ;
What can be conceived more hopeless ? - Yet they were,
and shall he delivered. Let none then despair, as if they were
beyond the reach of mercy : for " God s hand is not shortened
that it cannot save ;" and they shall " be brought nigh by the
blood of Jesus," which is able to " cleanse from all sin."]
2. To those who are visited with any great afflic
tion
[You are apt to conclude, that, because you are afflicted,
you are monuments of God s wrath. But God makes these
very afflictions a subject of promise : "I will correct thee in
measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished." He
knows that without these afflictions you would never return
to him, nor ever be purified from your dross : it is because you
are a child, and not a bastard, that he thus visits you with his
chastising rod. It was in this view of his dispensations that
David said, " In very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me."
Faithfulness has respect to a promise : and it is your privilege
to see every one of your afflictions as the fruit of his faithful
ness and love.]
3. To those who are under discouragement of any
kind
r Heb. xiii. 5. s Isai. xliii. 2, 3.
* Gen. xxviii. 15. Jer. xlvi. 27, 28-
1066.] THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 191
[" Fear not, fear not, fear not." It is God s delight to
" bind up the broken-hearted, and to comfort all that mourn;"
and thrice does he renew to you the exhortation, " Fear not."
Only seek to have his presence with you, and you need fear
nothing. Remember the disciples in the storm. Could the/
sink whilst Jesus was in the vessel with them*? Neither can
ye, under your circumstances. If God be for you, none can
be effectually against you. Take him with you then, wherever
you go ; and " the gates of hell shall not prevail against you y ."]
x Mark iv. 37 40. y Isai. xli. 10, 14.
MLXVI.
THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS OUR DUTY TO PROMOTE IT.
Jer. xxx. 17. This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
CONSIDERING how much is spoken in the Holy
Scriptures concerning the present and future state
of the Jewish nation, it is surprising how little they
occupy the attention of the Christian world. As living
witnesses of the truth of our holy religion, they are
indeed often mentioned ; but, as having any interest
in the promises of the Gospel, and as ordained to fill
an exalted station in the Church of God, they are
scarcely ever noticed, so that, to bring the subject
before a Christian audience seems almost to require
an apology ; the very mention of them in that view
being more calculated to excite a smile, than to call
forth the more holy emotions of compassion and love.
Whence this should proceed, I know not ; unless from
that prejudice against them, which from our earliest
infancy we have imbibed, and from an idea that all
efforts for their welfare are visionary and vain. But
this indifference towards them is highly criminal.
We are not to imagine, that, because they are under
God s displeasure, we are discharged from all those
duties which we owe them as men ; or that, whilst
God is making use of men as instruments to inflict
punishment on his offending people, they are not
responsible to him for the dispositions which they exer
cise, and the acts which they perform. Respecting
the Jews in former times, it is said, " All that have
192 JEREMIAH, XXX. 17. [1066.
found them, have devoured them : and their adver
saries said, We offend not ; because they have sinned
against the Lord a ." But was his anger any reason for
theirs ? Was man justified in despising them, because
they were under the chastisement of their offended
God? Assuredly not : for God himself complains of
this very conduct ; " I am jealous for Jerusalem and
for Zion, with a great jealousy : and I am sore dis
pleased with the heathen that are at ease : for I was
but a little displeased ; and they helped forward the
affliction :" (and then, as in the words before my text,
he adds,) " Therefore I am returned to Jerusalem with
mercies*" In all that he inflicts, he himself is just :
but in executing his secret purposes, we are not just,
any more than the Jews were in crucifying their Mes
siah : for though they did only what " God s hand and
God s counsel had determined before to be done,"
it was " with wicked hands that they crucified and
slew him ." This distinction is very strongly marked
in the passage before us. In the foregoing verses
God vindicates his own honour, by shewing, that the
Jews were themselves the authors of their own misery,
in that they had brought it upon themselves by their
great wickedness ; yet he declares, at the same time,
that the contempt poured upon them by their ene
mies was most offensive to him ; and that when he
should have fulfilled his will upon his own people, he
would avenge their cause on those who, not from any
zeal for his honour, but for the gratification of their
own malignant passions, had been the willing, though
unconscious, instruments of his vengeance d .
That we may enter fully into this view of our text,
it will be proper for me to read to you the two verses
immediately preceding it: "Why criest thou for
thine affliction ? Thy sorrow is incurable for the
multitude of thine iniquity : because thy sins were
increased, I have done these things unto thee. There
fore [the word therefore should here, as in many
other parts of the prophetic writings, have been trans-
Jer. 1. 7. b Zech. i. 14, 15.
c Acts ii. 23. and iv. 28. d See Isai. x. 12.
1066.] THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 193
lated t nevertheless >e :] Nevertheless, all that devour
thee shall be devoured ; and all thine adversaries,
every one of them, shall go into captivity ; and they
that spoil thee shall be a spoil : and all that prey upon
thee will I give for a prey : for / will restore health
unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith
the Lord ; because they called thee an outcast, saying,
This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after ;" that is,
I will take occasion, from the contempt that is
poured upon thee, to manifest the regard which, even
in thy lowest state, I bear towards thee, and to restore
thee to my favour : yea, the very complacency which
thine enemies express in the view of thy degradation,
shall call forth my indignation against them, and my
compassion for thee
The words thus explained, will lead us to consider
the treatment shewn to the Jewish people, and the
light in which their conduct is viewed by Almighty
God.
I. We shall notice the treatment that is almost uni
versally shewn to the Jewish people.
We might enter here into an historical view of the
conduct of different nations towards them, and espe
cially since their dispersion by the Romans. We
might state the cruelties inflicted on them by the
different potentates of Europe, not excepting those
of our own country. But this would be unnecessary ;
since it is well known to all, that they have been,
and still are, a proverb of reproach amongst our
selves, as well as in foreign lands : and that, if we
wished to stigmatize any one with a name comprising
every thing that was odious and contemptible, the
e The particle laken, translated therefore, sometimes signifies never
theless, or yet surely. See the note on Isai. xxx. 26 ; and so it is
translated, chap. v. 2. of this prophecy; which sense agrees best with
this place, and connects this verse with the words foregoing : " So it
should be rendered likewise, chap. xxx. 16. and xxxii. 36." See Dr.
Lowth on Jer. xvi. 14. Dr. Blaney thinks it should rather be
translated " after this" It is obvious, that it cannot be used as an
illative particle in this place. Between the other two senses the
author does not undertake to determine ; any further than to say,
that Dr. Lowth s translation is the more agreeable to the context.
VOL. IX. O
194 JEREMIAH, XXX. 17. [1066.
term "Jew" would afford us ample scope for the
exercise of our malignity. Let it suffice to say, that
even in this land, which, in respect of civil and
religious liberty, stands unrivalled amongst the na
tions of the world, and where toleration is carried to
its utmost extent, there has been, within the memory
of many now living, as universal and disgraceful an
opposition to the Jews, as could well be expected
from any civilized community. When the govern
ment of this country had passed an act in their favour,
such was the clamour excited throughout the whole
land, not by the irreligious only, but, I am ashamed
to say, the religious also, that the Parliament was con
strained to repeal, in the following year, the law which
had been enacted ; when that law did nothing more
than concede to them the common rights of humanity,
the rights possessed by the meanest beggar in the land.
Nor is it in respect of civil rights only that they
are so disregarded : their religious interests also are
altogether overlooked. In behalf of the heathen there
have been two venerable societies established in this
land for above a hundred years : but who amongst
us have united together for the benefit of the Jews ?
Within a few short months, also, has there been sent
forth, from the highest authorities in the state, a cir
cular letter , to call forth the exertions of every mem
ber of the community in behalf of the heathen ; but on
behalf of the unhappy Jews, no such effort, yea, no
effort at all, has ever been made : no : they may be
left to perish! " They are the JZion, whom no man
seeketh after," or needs to seek after. What a
striking illustration of our text is this ! and how ex
actly corresponding with the judgment which God,
by his prophet, foretold, as assuredly to come upon
them in their dispersion : " I will cause them to be
removed into all the kingdoms of the earth : and who
shall have pity on thee, O Jerusalem $ or who shall
bemoan thee ? or who shall go aside to ask how thou
doest f r
But there is a point noticed in our text, to which
e In 1815. t Jer. xv. 4, 5.
1066. j THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 195
I wish to draw your more particular attention. The
evil which called forth the animadversion of Jehovah
was, that, whilst the enemies of Zion poured contempt
upon her, they vindicated their conduct in that respect,
and spoke of it as being precisely such as became them
on the occasion : " I will heal thee of thy wounds,
saith the Lord of Hosts, because they called thee an
outcast ; saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh
after ;" this is Zion, respecting whom no one needs to
give himself any concern at all.
And is not this the very way in which we have
conducted ourselves towards the Jewish people ? We
not only despise them, and disregard their welfare ;
but we justify this habit, and see no reason for alter
ing it : we even feel a complacency in the thought of
their degradation ; and, instead of rejoicing, that now,
at last, a society has arisen to seek their welfare, we
regard their attempts as visionary ; and are disposed
rather to deride their efforts, than to afford them our
active and zealous aid. Instead of praying fervently
to God for this people in secret, and then going forth
to exert ourselves for the conversion of their souls,
we give them not so much as a place in our thoughts :
and so far from being ashamed of, or even thinking it
necessary to palliate, our neglect of them, I say again,
we justify it ; and account any frivolous excuse an
ample vindication of our conduct.
On this part of our subject we shall enter more
fully, in another discourse g : but we beg that it may
be particularly kept in mind throughout this present
discourse, because it is the main point on which
the whole turns. Let it be remembered, that we
speak not of persecuting the Jews ; no, nor even of
neglecting them ; but we speak of that self-vindication
which we cherish in the midst of this neglect ; and of
the willingness which we manifest to catch at any thing,
which may, with the smallest semblance of propriety,
appear to justify that neglect. Perhaps, in our whole
lives, we have never once imagined that we were
sinning against God by this conduct, or that he
s See on Zech. xiv. 7.
196 JEREMIAH, XXX. 17. [1066.
beheld it with any marked disapprobation ; much less
have we made it a ground for humiliation before
God, and implored grace from Him to change and
amend our ways.
Such, then, having been our conduct, let me pro
ceed to set before you, as I proposed, under the
SECOND HEAD of my discourse, the light in which it is
viewed by Almighty God.
We can scarcely conceive a stronger expression of
God s indignation against such conduct, than that
which is contained in the passage before us ; since it
not only called forth his displeasure against those
who were guilty of it, but induced him, in a way of
recompence, to declare, that he would restore to his
favour the people who were so contemned.
If, as is probable, we do not see any great evil in
this conduct, let us proceed to investigate it in some
different particulars.
First, mark the inhumanity of it. The Jews, no
less than ourselves, have immortal souls, which must
be partakers of happiness or misery for ever. I know,
that to speak of that whole people as in a state of
guilt and condemnation, is by many deemed un
charitable and severe ; and I am far from censuring
those whose feelings revolt from so terrible a thought.
But, if we believe the Scriptures to be true, we shall
find it impossible to maintain the sentiment which
our charity would dictate. I presume not to say, that
there may not be many individuals, both amongst
Jews and Gentiles, to whom mercy may be accorded
for Christ s sake, notwithstanding they have not a
distinct view of his salvation : but I would ask, What
did St. Paul mean, when he appealed so solemnly to
the heart-searching God respecting his own feelings
on account of his nation : " I say the truth in Christ,
I lie not ; my conscience also bearing me witness in
the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and con
tinual sorro\v in my heart for my brethren s sake 11 ."
Would he have felt all this, if he had believed that
they were in a state of salvation ? Whence could
h Rom. ix. 1, 2.
1066.1 THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 197
his " great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart"
arise, but from the conviction of his mind, that, whilst
they continued to reject the Saviour, they were under
the wrath of God ? And whence arose his unabated
efforts in their behalf, " that by any means he might
save some," if he did not consider them all as in
danger of perishing in their sins ? Permit me, then,
to ask, if they be indeed, nationally considered, in
such a state, are we guilty of no inhumanity, whilst
we use no efforts for their welfare ? Were we to see
a multitude of them shipwrecked, and to refuse to
make exertions for their preservation, when the means
of preserving them were in our hands, there would
be but one sentiment in the whole world respecting
our conduct ; and we ourselves should be amongst
the foremost to condemn those who should so violate
all the feelings of humanity. Yet is not this the very
conduct of which we have been guilty ? We have
seen that unhappy nation sinking into perdition, and
have had at our command that zvhich is sufficient to save
the whole world ; yet have we never tendered to them
our assistance, nor used any means for their salvation.
And in what light Almighty God views this conduct,
we may judge from what he spoke respecting the
Ammonites of old : " An Ammonite or Moabite shall
not enter into the congregation of the Lord ; even
to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the
congregation of the Lord for ever ; because they met
you not with bread and with water in the way when
ye came forth out of Egypt 1 ." Now, if God ex
pressed such indignation against them for not admi
nistering to his people temporal relief, what must he
not feel against us, who, with the bread of life and
the water of life in rich profusion in our hands, have
never stirred one step to supply their wants, or to
make them partakers of our benefits ? The parable
of the good Samaritan is familiar to us all : and there
is but one sentiment amongst us respecting the con
duct of the priest and the Levite towards the wounded
Jew, when compared with that of the Samaritan.
Deut. xxiii. 3, 4.
198 JEREMIAH, XXX. 17, [1066.
And are the Jews of this day less neighbours to us,
than those in our Lord s day were to the Samaritans ?
Yet have we seen the perishing condition of that
whole nation, without any suitable emotions, or any
efforts made by us in their behalf. We may extenuate
our fault as we will ; but, in the sight both of God
and man,, we have been guilty of most grievous in
humanity.
Consider, next, the injustice of our conduct. God
has given to us the Scriptures, not for ourselves only,
but for the whole world also : his command to all
who possess them is, (for we must not limit it to his
immediate disciples,) " Go ye into all the world, and
preach the Gospel to every creature :" and so far was
he from excepting the Jews, that he required a pre
ference to be shewn to them, and particularly enjoined,
that the first offer of salvation should be made to
t/iem\ This preference his Apostles continued to
shew, till the obstinacy of the Jews constrained them
to manifest towards the Gentiles an indiscriminate
regard. But, if we suppose the preference to the Jews
to be no longer enjoined, can we imagine that they
are to be altogether neglected ? Very different will
our judgment be, if we consult what St. Paul has
written on this subject : " As ye in times past have
not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy
through their unbelief, even so have these also now
not believed, that through your mercy they also may
obtain mercy 1 ." The meaning of which passage, I
conceive, is this : God withdrew his mercy from his
ancient people, that he might impart it to you Gen
tiles ; but, in imparting it to you, he never designed
that it should be finally withheld from them : on the
contrary, he now makes you the depositaries of his
word for their good, that, through the mercy vouch
safed to you, they may be led to a renewed enjoy
ment of the blessings which they in former ages ex
clusively possessed. Thus have they a claim upon us :
we are actually " debtors to them :" and, whilst we
withhold from them the blessings which are entrusted
k Luke xxiv. 47. ] Rom. xi. 30, 31. m Rom. xv. 26, 27.
1066.1 THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 199
to us for their use, we are guilty of the grossest injus
tice. Suppose, in a time of dearth, a person of opu
lence should commit to his steward a sum of money
for the relief of persons who were specifically described ;
and that, on inquiry, he should find that his steward
had altogether withheld relief from those for whose
benefit the trust had been committed to him, and
had spent the money on himself: would any one
hesitate to call him an unjust steward ? What then,
if, instead of improving the Gospel for the ends for
which it has been committed to us, namely, that
" through our mercy the Jews might obtain mercy,"
we have been altogether regardless of our trust, and
suffered them all to "perish for lack of knowledge :"
will God account us faithful? Will he not rather
complain of us as unjust stewards ? Will he not
accuse us as having intercepted the flow of his bene
volence towards the objects of his compassion, and
as having robbed them of the benefits which he had
ordained them to enjoy ? Let us not then console
ourselves with the thought, that we have never in
flicted on them any positive injury ; but let us rather
tremble at that sentence which God has denounced
against those who have hid their "talent in a napkin ;"
" Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer dark
ness, where shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnash
ing of teeth."
There is yet another view in which I would place
this conduct. Consider the ingratitude of it. We
were once in as deplorable a condition as the Jews,
or rather in a state far worse : for they do worship
the one true God ; whereas we were bowing down
to stocks and stones. And how did they act towards
us ? The Jewish nation at large, I grant, opposed,
with all their might, the calling of the Gentiles : and
some who were truly pious could not see the Divine
purposes in relation to this matter. But they acted
under a mistaken sense of duty to their God ; (an
excuse which none of us can offer :) and, as soon as
they were fully instructed in their duty, they ac
counted nothing too much to do or suffer, if they
200 JEREMIAH, XXX. 17. [1066.
might but be employed as instruments to " turn us
from darkness unto light, and from the power of
Satan unto God." Most remarkable is that declara
tion of St. Paul, to this effect, to his Gentile converts
at Philippi : " If I be offered upon the sacrifice and
service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all :
for the same cause do ye also joy and rejoice with
me 11 ." To understand this aright, we should bear in
mind, that, when burnt- offerings were presented to
God under the Law, meat-offerings of flour and oil
were consumed with them, and drink offerings of
wine were poured out upon them . "Now," says
the Apostle, " I regard your faith as a sacrifice and
service to the Lord : and if my blood be poured out
upon it as a libation" (that is the meaning of the word
which we translate ( offered, ) " so far shall I be from
complaining of my persecutors, or accounting it hard
that I am called to suffer, that I shall congratulate
myself, and expect to be congratulated by you, on
the honour and happiness conferred upon me." Such
was his love towards the Gentiles. And should there
not be some measure of the same spirit in us, towards
the Jews ? But what self-denial have we exercised
lor them ? or what labour have we endured for their
benefit ? Instead of willingly pouring out our blood
ior them, (as all the Apostles, except John, did for
us,) have we even shed a tear for them before God,
or poured out a prayer for their deliverance ? To us
they have been the greatest benefactors : all that we
know of God and his Christ, we have learned from
them : and all on which our hopes of eternal happi
ness are founded, we derive from them. Do these
things call for no return at our hands ? If we have
received so abundantly of their spiritual things, is it
not our "duty" to impart to them of ours v 1 When
they have manifested such enlargement of heart
towards us, what can we think of ourselves, if we are
so straitened towards them q ?
If any one object, that " the benefits conferred on
n Phil. ii. 17, 18. o Numb. xv. 311.
P Rom. xv. 27. 12 Cor. vi. 1113.
1066.] THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 201
us by pious Jews of former ages lay us under no
obligation to those who are ungodly in the present
day," I would reply, that no one of us would argue
thus in matters of mere temporal concern ; but that,
on the contrary, we should rather feel the claims of
such persons augmented by their very necessities.
Suppose, for instance, that a rich man had disin
herited his own son for some offence, and conferred
all his estates on us, who had no relation to him, and
no claim upon him whatever ; and that, in process
of time, the descendants of his son were reduced to
extreme want and misery; should we regard them
with the same indifference as we might, perhaps, if no
such circumstance had ever occurred ? Should we not
think they had some kind of claim upon our charity ;
and that, out of the wealth so undeservedly conferred
on us, and in the full enjoyment of which we were
living, we should do well to bestow on them at least
the crumbs which fell from our table ? and, if we re
fused them this boon, should we think, or would any
person think, that gratitude "had its perfect work
within us ? Let us judge righteous judgment ;" and
let the verdict which conscience would give in that
case be given in the other ; only w r ith this additional
aggravation, that, whilst the charity which we refused
them would in the one case have diminished our
wealth, in the other it would have enlarged it, and
have enriched us whilst it aided them.
There is yet one more point of view in which I will
place the conduct of which I am speaking. Consider
the impiety of it. What has not our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ done for us ? He has left the bosom of
his Father, and disrobed himself of all his glory, and
assumed our nature (being " made like unto us in all
things, sin only excepted"), and " borne our sins in
his own body on the tree," and " become a curse for
us, that he might redeem us from the curse of the
law," and reconcile us to our offended God. And,
in return for all this, what does he require at our
hands ? What, but that we should henceforth " live
not unto ourselves, but unto him who died for us,
JEREMIAH, XXX. 17. [1066.
and rose again 1 ?" This, methinks, is the least that
we can do. To love him, to serve him, to glorify him
in every possible way, is surely no more than " our
reasonable service." Now, when he would instruct
the Apostle Peter, how to evince his love, and how to
render him the most acceptable service, what direc
tion did he give him ? " Simon, lovest thou me ?
Feed my sheep : feed my lambs." If it be said, that
this was done for the purpose of restoring Peter to
his apostolic office, which he had disgraced and for
feited, I grant it was ; but still it shews, that, to
administer to the spiritual and eternal welfare of the
Lord s people, as far as our respective circumstances
will admit of it, is a suitable expression of our love
to him, and a service most acceptable in his sight.
What then shall we say, if, when we have seen all his
kindred according to the flesh scattered over the face
of the whole earth, we have never endeavoured to
bring one to his fold, or to feed them in the pastures
prepared for them ? May he not justly take up
against us the complaint which he uttered against
his shepherds of old, " My sheep wandered through
all the mountains, and upon every high hill : my flock
was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none
did search or seek after them 51 ." May not the re
proach cast on the Christians at Rome be justly ap
plied to us, " All men seek their own, and not the
things which are Jesus Christ s 1 ?" And may not the
Jews themselves adopt, in reference to us, the lamen
tation of David, " I looked on my right hand, and
beheld ; but there was no man that would know me :
refuge failed me; and no man cared for my soul ?"
I readily grant, that we are not all called to the
pastoral office : but are we therefore freed from all
obligation to use our efforts for the extension of the
Redeemer s kingdom, according to our ability ? Do
we not read of even females who " laboured in the
Lord, yea, and laboured much in the Lord x ?" There
are many things which we all might have done
r 2 Cor. v. 15. s Ezek. xxxiv. 6. Phil. ii. 21.
u Ps. cxlii. 4. x Rom xvi. 12.
1066.] THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 203
towards the recovery of the lost sheep of the house of
Israel. We might, at least, have felt towards them as
the Apostle did, when he said, " My heart s desire
and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be
saved 7 :" yea, like our blessed Saviour, we might
have " wept " over their desolate condition z ; and
with the angel, of whom the Prophet Zechariah
speaks, have pleaded for them : " O Lord God of
Hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jeru
salem 21 ?" But if ?io measure of this love to Christ
have burned in our hearts, we may well doubt whether
we have ever loved him at all, or have ever experi
enced his power and grace upon our own souls. If
St. John s appeal respecting a backwardness to relieve
the temporal necessities of our fellow-creatures be
unanswerable, how much more will it be so, when
applied to the subject before us : " Whoso hath this
world s goods, and seeth his brother have need, and
shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how
dwelleth the love of God in him 11 ?" How indeed !
We may make what profession of piety we will ; but
we shall prove to demonstration, that we have no love
either to God or man in our hearts, if, after this warn
ing, we neglect to seek the welfare of the Children of
Israel.
Thus have I faithfully declared unto you what I
verily believe to be the truth of God : and I appeal
to yourselves, whether I have given an exaggerated
statement, or whether I have declared more than you
you will find to be true, if you will only seriously re
flect upon it as before God. Only let it be remem
bered, that I have not spoken these things respecting
the mere neglect of their welfare, but of the justifica
tion of that neglect, and of the reluctance which is
shewn to make any effort for their salvation. The
retrospective application of it bears upon persons
only in proportion to the information they have pos
sessed; but the prospective application comes with
full weight upon the consciences of us all ; so that I
y Rom. x.l. z Luke xix. 41.
a Zech. i. 12. b 1 John iii. 17.
204 JEREMIAH, XXX. 17. [1066.
may say, as our Lord did to the Jews, " If we had
never been addressed upon the subject, we might
have had no sin : but now we shall have no cloak for
our sin."
If I should attempt to trace this neglect of our
Jewish Brethren to what I conceive to be its true
cause, I must impute it, in a very considerable degree,
to that ignorance of the prophetic writings which so
generally prevails amongst us. They are not studied
amongst us as they ought to be. Because they are
in some parts difficult to be understood, we altogether
wave the consideration of them : or, if we consider
them at all, we involve them in tenfold obscurity, by
interpreting, as relating to the Gentiles, what God
has spoken primarily, if not exclusively, of the Jews.
The truth is, that if, in reading the prophecies, we
kept the Jews steadily before our eyes, such a light
would shine upon the Scriptures as we have never
before seen ; and all the purposes and perfections of
God would be unfolded to us, in a new and most
interesting view. But we keep that people out of
sight, and never make the prophecies relating to them
a subject of our ministrations. Forgive me, if I say,
that to us ministers this guilt attaches in a very high
degree. Our duty has been, to " declare to our peo
ple the whole counsel of God :" and yet we have
passed over this subject, as unworthy of our own
attention, or of theirs : and those mysteries which
caused the holy Apostle to exclaim, " O the depth of
the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God !
how unsearchable are his judgments, and his way s
past finding out !" have been treated by us with
contemptuous silence ; our whole conduct being, in
this respect, one continued comment on our text ;
" This is Zion, an outcast, whom no man seeketh
after." I pray God, that the blood of that unhappy
people may not be laid to our charge, or "be required
at our hands d ."
I cannot, however, exempt from grievous crimi
nality the Church at large, amongst whom exists a
c Rom. xi. 33. d Ezek. xxxiii. 7, 8.
1066.1 TIIE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 205
sad indifference even about their own souls. Too
many amongst us have never truly sought salvation
for themselves : how then could they seek the wel
fare of others ? If they have never " looked on Him
whom by their sins they have pierced/ and never
mourned for their own iniquities, how should they
weep over the Jewish people, or labour to restore
them to the favour of their God ? Here, it is to be
feared, is the root of the evil with the great mass of
nominal Christians: they have not laid to heart their
own wickedness : they have not wept and prayed
over their own perishing condition, nor fled to Christ
for refuge from the curses of the broken law. It is
no wonder, then, that they have left, without any re
morse, their Jewish brethren to perish in their sins.
But shall we continue thus to augment our guilt; and
to " treasure up for ourselves, no less than for them,
wrath against the day of wrath?" In vain shall we
attempt to justify this conduct : for, beyond a doubt,
our God would have us like-minded with himself,
when he speaks of them as still " beloved of him for
their fathers sake 6 ;" and with heart-felt joy contem
plates their restoration to his favour. Hear how he
speaks in the words following my text : " Behold, I
will bring again the captivity of Jacob s tents, and
have mercy on his dwelling-places ; and the city shall
be builded on her own heap ; and the palace shall
remain after the manner thereof: and out of them
shall proceed thanksgiving, and the voice of them
that make merry : and I will multiply them, that
they shall not be few ; and I will glorify them, that
they shall not be small .... and they shall be my
people, and I will be their God f ." Such is the
delight with which God contemplates these great
events : and shall we be indifferent to them ? Shall
we not endeavour to help forward this glorious day ?
Shall not their ignorance move us, and their obduracy
call forth our compassion ? Behold how the prophet
bemoaned their situation in his day : " Mine eye
runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction
Rom. xi. 28. f ver. 18, 19, 22. with Jer. xxiv. 7.
206 JEREMIAH, XXX. 21. [1067.
of the daughter of my people : mine eye trickleth
down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
till the Lord look down upon them, and behold
from heaven g ." THIS is THE FRAME OF MIND WHICH
BECOMES us : and sure I am, that, if any measure of
it be found in us, we shall neglect them no longer.
We shall consider what can be done in their behalf;
and shall not suffer every foolish excuse that can be
offered to warp our judgment, or to paralyze our ex
ertions. We shall bear in mind, what arrears of love
we owe to them, and what a fearful responsibility
hangs over us before God : and we shall lend our
selves to every good work, whereby their minds may
be enlightened, and their souls " subdued to the obe
dience of faith," We shall not account it superfluous
to exert ourselves, because we do not expect " the
nation to be born in a day ;" but shall gladly labour,
in every possible way, for the promotion of their good,
" if by any means we may save SOME." If we may
but gain " one of a city, and two of a tribe or fa
mily 11 ;" yea, if after all our efforts, we may but glean
a small remnant, four or five from the top of the
outermost branches of the olive-tree 1 , we shall ac
count our exertions richly recompensed, and shall
bless our God that we " have not laboured in vain,
or run in vain."
s Lam. iii. 48 50. h Jer. iii. 14. * Isai. xvii. 6.
MLXVII
GOD S REGARD FOR THOSE WHO APPROACH UNTO HIM.
Jer. xxx. 21. Who is this that engaged his heart to approach
unto me ? saith the Lord.
THE history of the Jews is deserving of attention,
not merely as unfolding to our view the gradual in
troduction of Christianity, but as shadowing forth all
the most important parts of the Christian system.
The passage before us primarily relates to the return
of the Jews from Babylon. It foretells, that a ter
rible destruction should come upon their oppressors :
1067.] GOD S REGARD TO THOSE WHO WAIT ON HIM. 207
that they, in consequence of it, should be restored to
their own country, and live under governors of their
own nation, and have the same access to God, in his
worship, as they had enjoyed before the destruction
of their city and temple. But, under these events,
many others of a more sublime nature were typified.
Their governors represented Christ, who should in
due time arise to reign over them ; and their enjoy
ment of Divine ordinances depicted the privileges
which we were to possess under the Christian dispen
sation. To evince this, we will shew,
I. To whom this passage refers
Besides referring to Zerubbabel and the Jewish
people, it refers,
1. To Christ-
[Beyond all doubt he was the Governor who was to arise
from among that people a , and to reign over the house of David
for ever b He " approached unto God" as our Surety
and High Priest on earth, and as our Advocate and Interces
sor in heaven In this glorious work he " engaged
his heart." When first he entered into covenant with the
Father respecting it, he shewed that his whole heart was en
gaged in it c : and, from the moment that he entered upon his
work, he persisted in it, notwithstanding all which he had to
endure in the prosecution of it d ]
2. To his people
[His followers are characterized as " a people near unto
God 6 :" and to them, as the words following the text evince,
the words before us may be applied. They endeavour to
" approach God " in the way that he has appointed : they
" draw near to him with a true heart, in full assurance of
a Compare ver. 9. with Ps. xxii. 28. and Matt. ii. 6.
b Luke i. 32, 33, 68 75. where the whole subject of the chapter
before us is represented as verified in Christ.
c Ps. xl. 7, 8.
d See while yet a child, Luke ii. 46 49. And during his ministry,
he went into the wilderness that he might be tempted, Matt. iv. 1 .
he rebuked Peter for dissuading him from suffering, Matt. xvi. 22, 23.
he longed for his bloody baptism, Luke xii. 50. he resigned him
self to suffer all that was necessary, John xii. 27, 28. nor would he
rescue himself (John xviii. 6 9.), or be rescued (Matt. xxvi. 51 54.),
or come down from the cross, till he could say, "It is finished,"
Matt, xxvii. 42.
e Ps. cxlviii. 14.
208 JEREMIAH, XXX. 21. [1067.
faith." They approach him in the public ordinances and in
their private chambers. They " have boldness to enter into
the holiest by the blood of Jesus:" they come even to the
throne of God : they " stir up themselves to lay hold on him,"
and " will not let him go, until he bless them." In this work
they " engage their hearts :" they know that " the drawing
nigh to God with their lips only is a vain service :" they there
fore labour to " worship him in spirit," and to say with David,
" My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed." Whatever discourage
ments arise, they know that to yield to them must be produc
tive of the most fatal consequences : and therefore they
determine, if they are tempted at any time to say " I am cast
out of the sight of thine eyes," they will not despair; but will
" cry unto God from the very belly of hell f ," assured that
none shall ever seek his face in vain."]
But to understand the passage aright, we must
notice,
II. The peculiar force of the interrogation-
It is not to be supposed that God asks for infor
mation : the inquiry is rather expressive of his most
cordial approbation.
God delighted in the mediation of his dear Son -
[In the prospect of this event, the Father delighted in
him before man had fallen, or the world itself was formed*.
And he commanded his prophet to announce, that he was
" well pleased for his righteousness sake 11 , not only before he
had wrought out that righteousness, but hundreds of years
before he became incarnate. No sooner did the Lord Jesus
enter on his work, than the Father, by an audible voice from
heaven, attested that he was " well pleased with him." The
same testimony he bore, and in the same manner, on two
other occasions : and in all his other dispensations towards
him, he evinced that Jesus was " his elect, in whom his soul
delighted 1 ." If at any time that approbation could be sup
posed to be withheld, it would be while the Father hid his face
from him on the cross, or smote him with the sword of justice:
but in reference to that very period we are told, that " it
pleased the Father to bruise him k ;" and that " the sacrifice
then offered was of a sweet-smelling savour 1 ."
f Jonah ii. 2, 4. e Prov. viii. 22, 23, 30.
h Isai. xlii. 21. ! Isai. xlii. 1.
k Isai. liii. 10. This passage marks the pleasure which God took,
not indeed in inflicting punishment on his Son, but in making him a
substitute for sinful man.
1 Eph. v. 2.
1067. ] fiOI) s REdARD TO THOSE WHO WAIT ON HIM. 209
He delights also in the approaches of a sinner to
his footstool
[" The prayer of the upright is his delight." If in heaven
" there is joy among the angels in the presence of God over
one sinner that repenteth," doubtless that God, in whose pre
sence they are, approves and participates their joy. The
representation given of him in the parable of the Prodigal Son,
both countenances and confirms this sentiment; yea, to such a
degree is he pleased with the supplications of a repenting
sinner, that he would rather withdraw his eyes from every
other object, whether in heaven or on earth, than not direct
them especially towards him. See this exemplified in Saul
of Tarsus : no sooner had that blood-thirsty persecutor begun
to humble himself before his Maker, than God sent a special
messenger to his relief, assigning this as the reason, " Behold,
he prayeth 11 !" Thus at this time, if he see any of his rebel
lious creatures prostrating themselves before him, and earnestly
imploring mercy, he will say, Who is this ? Is this the crea
ture that I beheld so recently in arms against me ? Is this he
who seemed to hurl defiance in my face ? is it he, who now so
humbly engages his heart to approach unto me? He is my
dear son ; he is a pleasant child : my bowels are troubled for
him: I will surely have mercy upon him for evermore . ]
APPLICATION
[Are there any amongst you that can answer to the in
quiry, * Lord, it is I : I find my need of thee : I have engaged
my heart in thy service ; and am determined, through thy
grace, that I will never go back? Let me congratulate you,
my brethren : for " blessed is the man whom God chooses,
and causes to approach unto him p ." Be thoroughly in earnest,
and take care that you do not, after putting your hand to the
plough, look back again.
Are there any who are constrained to say, I would gladly
make such a reply ; but my rebellious heart revolts, and will
not obey the dictates of my judgment? Then I would bid
them to mark the works before the text ; " I will cause him to
draw near, and he shall approach unto me." If any go unto
him, it is not owing to their own superior goodness or strength,
but to the attractive influences of God s Spirit. Adopt then
the petition of the Church of old, and then you may with con
fidence adopt her engagement also, " Draw me, and we will
run after thee q :" "I will run the way of thy commandments,
when thou shalt enlarge my heart 1 ."]
m Isai. Ixvi. 2. n Acts ix. 10, 11.
Jer. xxxi. 18 20. P Ps. Ixv. 4.
1 Cant. i. 4. r Ps. cxix 32.
VOL. IX. P
210 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 3. [1068.
MLXVIII.
GRACIOUS INFLUENCES THE FRUIT OF ELECTING LOVE.
Jer. xxxi. o. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying,
Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love : therefore
with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.
THERE is a most glorious connexion subsisting
between the Lord and his people : He is their God,
even " the God of all the families of Israel ; " and they
are his people, devoted altogether to his service. He
is the God of every individual, as much as if no other
object of his love existed in the whole creation be
sides; and they are his exclusively, and without
reserve. But here two questions arise : How are
they brought into this connexion with him ? and,
From whence does this exalted privilege arise ? Our
text enables us to answer these questions ; and we
will answer them in their order.
I. How are God s people brought into this glorious
connexion with him ?
Our text informs us, that we are " drawn " to it by
the Father himself. We shall therefore answer this
first question by shewing,
1. How he draws them
[The term " drawing" is supposed to import somewhat of
a force that is inconsistent with the free agency of man: and,
were that idea just, we should be found among the first that
would oppose such a doctrine as unscriptural and absurd. But
the drawings of God s Spirit do not in the least interfere with
the liberty of human actions. The drawing of which our text
speaks, is " with the cords of a man, and with the bands of
love a :" it is through the medium of the understanding, the
will, and the affections ; the understanding, as enlightened
with divine truth ; the will, as determined by sound judgment;
and the affections, as engaged by the excellence of those things
which the will is bent to follow. True it is, that we cannot
precisely declare the manner in which the operations of the
Holy Spirit influence the soul ; for we do not even know how
our own spirit acts upon the body : but we know infallibly,
that God does influence the minds of men ; not however by
a Hos. xi. 4.
1068.] GRACIOUS INFLUENCES OF ELECTING LOVE. 211
making them to act contrary to their will, but by making them
" willing in the day of his power V]
2. That their connexion with him is altogether
owing to his influence
[If the most express declarations of Scripture can deter
mine any thing, the point in hand is established beyond a
doubt : for our blessed Lord says, that " no man," whatever
his quality or talents, " can come to him," in the exercise of
true faith, " unless the Father draw him c ." This testimony
is decisive. But the truth of the point established by it is no
less clear, from the representation which the Scriptures give
us of the work which is wrought on the minds of all who are
truly brought to God. It is called " a creation d ," which we
all know to be the work of God ; and a resurrection from the
dead, which is equally beyond any finite power to effect 6 .
Whatever may be supposed to have effected the good work
within us, it is expressly excluded, that God may have all the
glory 1 ". If it be said, that such difficulties exist only in more
abandoned characters, we answer, that the Apostles themselves
put themselves, in this respect, on a level with the vilest of
mankmd g : and thereby fully confirm the testimony of our
Lord above cited.]
The next question that arises is,
II. To what must this exalted mercy be traced ?
Is it any peculiar fitness in this or that man, which
occasions God to single him out as an object to be
drawn by him ; or is the mercy vouchsafed by God
to whomsoever he will, according to his own sove
reign will and pleasure ? We cannot hesitate to
declare, that the whole salvation, from first to last, is
purely of grace.
[St. Paul himself was constrained to say, " By the grace
of God I am what I am :" and, of course, every one else must
do the same. But we cannot but have observed, on many
occasions, how indignantly the natural man revolts from this
doctrine. We do not doubt the sovereignty of God in rescuing
man from destruction rather than the fallen angels ; or in
making the Jews his peculiar people, in preference to all others
upon earth ; or in selecting Isaac and Jacob whilst he rejected
Ishmael and Esau : nor can we doubt that we ourselves, as
b Ps. ex. 3. c John vi. 44. d Eph. ii. 10.
e Eph. ii. 1. with i. 19, 20. f John i. 13. Rom. xi. 1G.
8 Eph. ii. 35. Tit. iii. 3 6.
JEREMIAH, XXXI. 3. [1068.
enjoying the light of revelation, are objects of his sovereign
choice, when we see far the greater part of mankind involved
in midnight darkness : and yet we cannot endure the doctrine,
when applied to the more immediate communication of God s
mercy to our souls. But to God s everlasting love is our
salvation ascribed in our text ; and to that alone can it with
truth or propriety ever be ascribed : "I have loved thee with
an everlasting love ; therefore with loving-kindness have I
drawn thee."]
Now this is the plain doctrine of Scripture
[God does not love us because we first loved him; but
" we love him because he first loved us h ." It was thus also
with the Apostles themselves : " Ye have not chosen me, but
I have chosen you, and ordained you that you should go and
bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain 1 ." To us
the terms, Election and Predestination, almost sound like
blasphemy : but the Apostles did not view them in this light :
they considered every blessing we enjoy as the fruit of God s
electing love, and of his sovereign will predestinating us from
all eternity to the enjoyment of it k -They are par
ticularly careful to exclude all works of ours from forming a
ground of God s electing love, lest we should boast as having
in some degree merited his favour 1 . The whole tenour of the
Scriptures shews, that " God hath compassion on whom he
will have compassion" 1 ;" and that his people are " a remnant
according to the election of grace"."]
And in relation to this subject God is peculiarly
jealous
[How strongly did he guard his people of old against
imagining that his distinguishing favour to them was founded
in any superior goodness of theirs ! In like manner he puts
it to us; "Who made thee to differ? and What hast thou
which thou hast not received? and, If thou hast received it,
why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it p ?" The
whole of his Gospel is purposely designed to cut off all ground
of glorying from man, that God alone may be glorified in all
things through Jesus Christ q .]
ADDRESS
1. To those who cannot receive this doctrine
[Would it not be well to search and examine what is the
real foundation of your objections to it? Nothing can be more
h 1 John iv. 19. * John xv. 16.
k SeeEph. i. 36. and 2 Thess. ii. 13, 14. l 2 Tim. i. 9.
m Rom. ix. 15. n Rom. xi. 5. Deut. vii.7,8.
P 1 Cor. iv. 7. i Rom. iii. 27. Eph. ii. 8, 9. 1 Cor. i. 28, 29.
1068.] GRACIOUS INFLUENCES OF ELECTING LOVE.
clear, than that the doctrine of Divine influences pervades the
Holy Scriptures, and that these influences are constantly
represented as imparted to men according to God s sovereign
will and pleasure : yet the generality of men reject those doc
trines merely because they cannot explain all the difficulties
involved in them. But does the denial of these doctrines in
volve no difficulties ? Yes indeed, and incomparably greater :
nor is there a single doctrine, even of natural religion, and
much more of that which is revealed, that has not some diffi
culty attached to it. But the truth is, that our proud hearts
do not like to be so stripped of all goodness, or to be made so
entirely dependent on God. Here is the root of the whole
controversy : and, when once the soul is humbled in the dust
before God, we shall readily receive God s declarations without
gainsaying, and thankfully accept his mercy as a free un
merited gift.
But it is not wise for persons who are mere novices in reli
gion to be disputing about abstract doctrines: it were better
far to seek after God according to the light they have. All
must acknowledge, that they ought to take God as their God,
and to give themselves to him as his people. Let me then urge
you to do this with your whole hearts : and we have no fear
but that, if once you be enabled to do this, you will say,
" Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but unto thy name be
the praise."]
2. To those who profess to have the experience of
it in their own souls
[Have you been " drawn " by divine grace ? and have
you a good hope that you are of the number of God s elect ?
Then remember for what end he has drawn you, and for what
end he has chosen you : it has been to make you " a holy
and a peculiar people to himself." Has he chosen you ? it is
" that you should be holy*" Has he predestinated you ? it is
" to be conformed to the image of his Son s ." Has he created
you anew ? it is " unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that you should walk in them 1 ." Hence God makes
the consideration of his electing love a motive and a reason for
following after holiness of heart and life : " The Lord had a
delight in thy fathers to love them ; and he chose their seed
after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. Cir
cumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more
stiff-necked 11 ." O, beg of him that you may be enabled thus
to improve the blessings he has conferred upon you. This
will best " put to silence the ignorance of foolish men," who
r Eph. i. 4. s Rom. viii. 29.
1 Eph. ii. 10. u Deut. x. 15, 16.
214 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 79. [1069.
imagine that the doctrines of grace are subversive of morality,
and that the honour which you give to God is only a cloak for
idleness and sin. For this end alone are the drawings of God s
Spirit desirable, namely, to make you more holy, more spiri
tual, more heavenly than any person without those influences
can be. Say then, with the Church of old, " Draw me, and I
will run after thee x ;" and prove, by the steadiness of your
heavenly course, that you do not pray in vain, and that God
does not bestow upon you his grace in vain.]
3. To those who desire to embrace and feel it
[Many there are who wish to submit to the revealed will
of God, and yet never can contemplate his sovereignty without
a fear and dread arising in their souls : but this is occasioned
by their looking only on the dark side of the question, and
thinking what must become of them if they are not elect :
they contemplate sovereignty in connexion only with justice,
and not in connexion with love and mercy. If they turned
their thoughts more to his everlasting love, they would soon
feel its attractive and constraining influence. We do not say
that terror is not often made use of by God to awaken men ;
but it is by " loving-kindness that he draws" them into sweet
communion with himself. Think then generally of his love to
man, in providing redemption for him when he had passed by
the fallen angels without any such gracious provision for their
restoration to his favour : from thence proceed to think more
particularly of his love to you, in having sent you the tidings of
his salvation, and in having given you a desire to possess an
interest in it : and you will then soon find a sweet confidence
springing up in your souls : you will look to him as a Father ;
you will regard him as a Friend ; you will feel encouragement
to cast yourselves upon him, and pleasure in giving up your
selves to his service. Seek only to know how much he has
loved you, and you will soon be constrained to love him, and
to delight yourselves in him.]
x Cant. i. 4.
MLXIX.
THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS.
Jer. xxxi. 7 9. Thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for
Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations : publish ye,
praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of
Israel. Behold, I ivill bring them from the north country,
and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them
the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that
travaileth with child together : a great company shall return
thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplica-
1069."] THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 215
tions will I lead them : I icill cause them to walk by the
rivers of waters in a straight way wherein they shall not
stumble : for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my
Jirst-born.
IT was expressly commanded by God, that all the
males belonging to the twelve tribes of Israel should
go up thrice every year to worship the Lord at Jeru
salem. If we paint to ourselves the concourse which
this would occasion at the appointed seasons, we
may form some conception of what shall take place,
in due season, from every quarter of the world. If
it be said, that the land of Israel will be too small to
hold the numbers that, in that case, would be assem
bled; I answer, that this very circumstance is adverted
to in prophecy, where it is said, " The land shall be
too narrow by reason of the inhabitants ; so that they
shall say, The place is too strait for me : give place
to me that I may dwell a ." That the Jews shall be
restored to their own land, is, I think, as plainly de
clared in Scripture, as any truth in the Bible: though,
if any be disposed to doubt it, I am not anxious to
maintain a controversy respecting it ; because, how
ever important it may be to the Jews, it is to us a
matter of small moment. To me it appears, that the
preceding chapter, together with that before us, is
fully upon this point. But, at all events, the future
conversion of the Jews is absolutely certain, and in
deed is universally admitted : and the multitudes of
converts to the Christian Church in that day will be
a visible accomplishment of the words preceding my
text, which say, that " the watchmen on the Mount
Ephraim will cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion,
unto the Lord our God!"
In reference to the restoration of the Jews, we
have in our text,
I. A command to us
The Most High God is he that speaks to us in this
place ; and he enjoins us here,
1. To take an interest in the welfare of his people
a Isai. xlix. 19, 20.
216 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 79. [1069.
[It is a great reproach to the Christian world, that, from
the close of the apostolic age, they have shewn very little
attention to the Jews. Indeed, they have overlooked the pro
phecies relating to them; and thought little more, either of
God s interest in them, or theirs in him, than if not a word had
been spoken respecting them in Scripture. But God says to
us, " Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief
of the nations." Here it is evident that we ought so to keep in
view God s gracious designs respecting them, as to have our
hearts filled with joy in the contemplation of the blessings
that await them. This is enjoined in other passages of Holy
Writ b and I again say, that we have exceeding great
reason to be humbled, when we look back on our past indif
ference towards them ]
2. To express that interest in every suitable way
[We should give to them the benefit, and to God the honour,
of what the Scripture has revealed concerning them ; " pub
lishing it" wheresoever we go, whether to Jews or Gentiles;
and " praising God for it," as a stupendous display of his
glorious perfections And whilst we endeavour to en
gage their attention to these things, we must, by fervent
intercession, endeavour to engage God also in their behalf.
We should, together with our public efforts, exert ourselves
in secret also, saying, " O Lord, save thy people, the remnant
of Israel." This is especially commanded: we are even enjoined
so to abound in importunity, as " not to give any rest to God
till he arises to make Jerusalem a praise in the earth ." Alas!
how shamefully negligent have we all been in this duty! We
know how fervently Moses interceded for them on many occa
sions; and even prayed to have " his own name blotted out of
the book of God s remembrance," rather than that they should
be subjected to God s heavy displeasure. Let us seek to attain
somewhat of the same spirit ; and " labour fervently for them
night and day in prayer," that they may be restored to the
favour and the image of their God ]
Verily our labour should not be in vain ; since to
this command, without the intervention of a single
word, God adds,
II. A promise to them
In the promise here given, you observe,
1. Their restoration to God
[God himself will, in due season, interpose for their re
covery. However distant they are from him, he can, and will,
b Isai. xliv. 23. and Ixvi. 10 12. e Isai. Ixii. 6, 7.
1069.] THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 217
bring them home to himself and, however discouraging
their circumstances, will work effectually for them. View them
when they came out of Egypt : nothing could exceed their
weakness : yet he brought them out safely, with a mighty
hand and a stretched-out arm. So now, though they be blind,
and lame, and in a state either of pregnancy or actual travail,
he will crown their efforts with success ; yea, and as in that
day, so at the time appointed, a great company shall return
thither." Whatever " mountains be in the way, before Zc-
rubbabel they shall become a plain d " - ]
2. The manner in which it shall be effected
[" With weeping and supplication shall they come ; " as
says the Prophet Zechariah also, " God will pour out upon
them a spirit of grace and of supplication : and they shall look
on Him whom they have pierced, and mourn, and be in bitter
ness, as one is in bitterness for his first-born 6 ." In the whole
of their progress they shall be carried forward with an abun
dance of peace, and joy, and holiness : for God will cause
them to walk by the rivers of waters, in a straight way, wherein
they shall not stumble." The wonders transacted in the wil
derness shall, in a spiritual way at least, be realized again : for
God will guide them by his counsel, and strengthen them by
his grace, and comfort them with the consolations of his Spirit,
till he bring them in safety to his glory ]
3. The pledge that it shall surely be accomplished
[When Moses urged Pharaoh to liberate that people, he
particularly enforced his request with this consideration, that
they were " God s first-born f ." And in that light he still re
gards them, though he has cast them off for a season. To
them, therefore, will he again reveal himself as a father ; and
for them will he again interpose as " his first-born," whom
nothing shall induce him finally to disinherit. As he has
sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth,
so has he sworn that he will not be wrath with them, nor re
buke them ; and that, though the mountains shall depart, and
the hills be removed, his kindness shall not depart from them,
nor the covenant of his peace be removed from them g ."]
APPLICATION
1. Look well to it that you are yourselves restored
to God-
[You have the same need of it as the Jews and
must return in the same way - Inquire, I pray you,
d See Isai. xlix. 911. c Zecli. xii. 10.
f Exod. iv. 12. s ver. 37. with Isai. liv. 9, 10.
218 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 8, 9. [1070.
whether you have come to the Lord Jesus with weeping and
supplication" -and are walking steadily and uniformly
in his holy ways - - This is as necessary for your salva
tion, as for theirs ]
2. Endeavour to help forward the restoration of
your Jewish Brethren
[You have seen that God enjoins you to interest your
selves in their behalf, exerting yourselves with God for them,
and with them for God. To intercede for them in secret, is
your bounden duty, and to labour for them in public -
What you cannot do by your own personal efforts, you
may accomplish through the Society which solicits your
aid- ]
MLXX.
THE CHRISTIAN PILGRIMS.
Jer. xxxi. 8,9. Behold, I will briny them from the north coun
try, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with
them the blind and the lame, the woman with child, and her
that travaileth with child together: a great company shall
return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with sup
plications will I lead them : I will cause them to walk by the
rivers of waters in a straight way wherein they shall not stum
ble ; for I am a father to Israel, and E-phraim is my first
born.*
THE language in which the prophets speak of the
return of the Jews from Babylon, necessitates us to
look to some other event for the full accomplishment
of their predictions. In a measure, they were ful
filled in the conversion of so many myriads to God
in the apostolic age : but they will receive their
final completion in the Millennial period, when all
flesh shall see the salvation of God. In speaking of
those whom God would bring back from their capti
vity, and by whom he would re-establish his worship
upon Mount Zion, the prophet has respect to those
who should come out from their earthly bondage to
serve God in the Church of Christ. He here gives
us a highly figurative description of,
I. Their character
* In the foregoing Discourse this passage is treated more particularly
in reference to the Jews : in this, as applicable to the Church at large.
1070.] THE CHRISTIAN PILGRIMS. 219
If we should select those who were of all others
most incapable of undertaking a journey of many
hundred miles through a trackless desert, we should
certainly fix on those mentioned in the text : yet
those are the persons specified by God as chosen by
him for that very purpose. We cannot doubt but
that something peculiarly important is intended to be
conveyed under this striking representation. It im
plies then, we apprehend,
1. That there are no discouragements which God
will not enable us to surmount
[Persons, when exhorted to begin their journey heaven
ward, are ready to urge the peculiarity of their situation and
circumstances, either as an excuse for their not attempting the
work, or as a reason for procrastination. But however specious
their pleas may be (and certainly none can appear stronger
than those which the persons referred to in the text might
offer), God would have them to know, that, under his auspices,
the feeblest person in the universe may undertake the hardest
services, assured that " through Christ strengthening him he
shall be able to do all things a ." " The blind shall see out of
obscurity and out of darkness b ;" " the lame man shall leap as
an hart c ;" " the travailing woman shall be delivered without
pain" or consequent weakness d ; the very dead shall arise out
of their graves, to perform the functions of life 6 ; nor shall any
thing be impossible to them that believe f .
Let none then excuse themselves on account of ignorance or
weakness, or wait for a more convenient season; but rather let
all with one heart obey the call of God, and go forth " strong
in the Lord and in the power of his might." As on the departure
of Israel from Egypt " there was not one feeble person among
their tribes V so neither shall there be one at this time whose
" strength shall not be according to his day 11 ."]
2. That God has chosen those who are in the most
discouraging circumstances, on purpose that his own
power may be the more displayed and glorified
[If none but the strong and active were to enter on the
Christian course, or none but the moral and the wise were to
embrace the truth, we should be ready to ascribe the glory to.
man. But God has reserved all the glory to himself, by taking
a Phil. iv. 13. b Isai. xxix. 18. c Isai. xxxv. 5, 6.
(! Isai. Ixvi. 7 9. e Ezek. xxxvii. 1 12. f Mark ix. 23.
" Ps. cv. 37. h Deut. xxxiii. 25.
220 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 8, 9. [1070.
the poor and ignorant and vile in preference to others 1 , and by
converting them to himself through the instrumentality of the
weakest means k . Apparent discouragements therefore may
rather operate to increase our expectations of more effectual
aid ; since the weaker we are in ourselves, the more will Christ s
strength be perfected in our weakness 1 . Instead of pleading
our unfitness and imbecility as reasons for declining the path
of duty, we should rather glory in our unfitness, " that the
power of Christ may rest upon us m ."]
Curious as the description of the persons is, it is
not more so than the representation of,
II. Their journey
Many there have been, and infinitely more shall
there hereafter be, even " a multitude that no man
can number," who shall be brought to Zion. But how
shall they come ? Their journey is here described,
1. In its commencement
" Weeping and supplication" well become those who are
" turning from the power of Satan unto God." How can they
reflect on their former bondage without the deepest humilia
tion, or without crying mightily to God for pardon and
deliverance? How can they stir one step towards Zion, and
not be overwhelmed with admiring and adoring thoughts of
God s goodness to them, and entreating that the good work
which he has begun may be carried on and perfected in their
souls? The more ardent their desire is after God, the more
will weeping and prayer abound in their experience 11 .]
2. In its progress
[As the journey from Babylon to Judea was both weari
some and dangerous, especially for persons circumstanced as
the Jews were in their return to Zion, so the Christian s path
lies through many difficulties and dangers. But God pro
mises him the things he so much needs ; refreshing consolation,
and unerring direction.
There are times when the " souls of God s people are dis
couraged by reason of the way ." Their trials and temptations
overwhelm their spirit; and they would " utterly fail," if not
succoured by seasonable communications of grace and peace.
But God has provided a Comforter for them, even the Holy
Ghost, whom he will send into their drooping and desponding
souls, and by whose agency he will revive and strengthen
1 1 Cor. i. 2629. * 2 Cor. iv. 7. l 2 Cor. xii. 9.
m 2 Cor. xii. 10. Zech. xii. 10. witli Jer. 1. 4, 5.
Numb. xxi. 4. Ps. cvii. 4, f>.
1070.] THE CHRISTIAN PILGRIMS. 221
them p . None can be in so distressed a state, but they shall
have " rivers" of consolation at hand for their refreshment 01 .
Is their path peculiarly intricate and slippery? God will
" make their way plain before their face:" " the rough places
shall be plain, and the crooked paths straight." In seasons of
difficulty " they shall hear a voice behind them saying, This is
the way, walk ye in it r ." And if at any time their foot slide,
he will put " his everlasting arms underneath them," and
uphold them that they may not fall.
Of these seasonable communications the Christian may be
assured, because of the near relation in which he stands to God
himself. " God is his father, and considers him as his first
born 8 ." Whatever therefore is suited to that high relation shall
certainly be imparted to him, in such a measure, and such a
manner, as shall most conduce to his eternal welfare.]
ADDRESS
1. Those who are yet in a state of bondage
[Whatever diversity there may be in the states and cha
racters of those who return to Zion, there is not one who does
not see abundant reason to class himself among those men
tioned in the text : and if we have never felt ourselves in a
state resembling theirs, we may be assured that we are yet in
bondage to sin and Satan. Behold then, to such persons we
have a message from God himself: as God s "watchmen, we
would cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord
our GodM" Make no excuses, no delays. The Lord Jesus
Christ has " proclaimed liberty to the captives, and the open
ing of the prison to them that are bound." Be not then like
those in Babylon, who, because of their comfortable settle
ments there, sat down regardless of the Holy Land ; but put
yourselves under the guidance of your Divine Leader ; brave
the dangers and difficulties of the way ; and look to the
honour and felicity of serving him, as an ample recompence for
all that you can do or suffer in the ways of his appointment.]
2. Those who are travelling towards Zion
[Adored be God, who " has brought you out with a mighty
hand and a stretched-out arm!" But beware how you ever
think of returning to your former bondage : for " then will
your last end be worse than your beginning 11 ." You must
expect difficulties : your faith and patience will be tried : it is
" through faith and patience that you must inherit the pro
mises x ." But, when God is for you, you need not care who,
P Isai. xliii. 19, 20. and xl. 29 31. <J Isai. xli. 17, 18.
r Isai. xxx. 21. and xxxv. 8. s Exod. iv. 22, 23.
1 ver. 0. " 2 Pet. ii. 20. x Heb. vi. 12.
JEREMIAH, XXXI. 1014. [1071.
or what, is against you. Only " encourage yourselves in the
Lord your God :" " in the mount of difficulty the Lord^vill be
seen y :" though you are no better armed than Gideon s band
with their lamps and pitchers, you shall put to flight all that
oppose your progress 2 : and though you arenas unfit for exer
tion as a travailing woman, you shall reach in safety the Zion
that is above.]
y Gen. xxii. 14. z Judg. vii. 20, 21.
MLXXI.
THE PREACHED GOSPEL A SOURCE OF BLESSINGS TO THE
WORLD.
Jer. xxxi. 10 14. Hear the ivord of the Lord, ye nations,
and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattereth
Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his
flock. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him
from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore
they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow
together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine,
and for oil, and for the young of the fl,ock and of the herd :
and their souls shall be as a watered garden ; and they shall
not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in
the dance, both young men and old together : for I will turn
their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make
them rejoice from their sorrow. And I ivill satiate the soul
of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied
with my goodness, saith the Lord.
THERE is a beauty and richness in the inspired
volume which is not to be found in any human com
position : and we cannot but consider it as a very
serious injury to the Church,, that the habit of ex
pounding Scripture, which was so prevalent amongst
the Reformers, is now almost wholly laid aside.
Though we may speak many good things from a de
tached portion of Scripture, yet we never can give so
great weight to any passage by our own comments,
as it receives from its own context : and the more
entirely God himself is permitted to speak, provided
there be unity in the subject, the better. Take the
passage which we have just read : it is capable of
being made the ground-work of many discourses ;
but the force and interest which it derives from being
1071.] BLESSINGS FROM A PREACHED GOSPEL.
considered in one connected view, would be lost. It
is an exceedingly beautiful portion of Holy Writ ; in
elucidating which I shall be led to set before you,
I. The event which we are here commanded to pro
claim
You perceive that all " the nations " of the earth,
are called upon to " hear " from God, and to " pro
claim," as from God, to the remotest islands of the
sea, and say, " He that scattereth Israel will gather
him, and keep him as a shepherd doth his flock."
This, beyond all doubt, refers, in the first instance, to
the restoration of the Jews from Babylon. But it
did not by any means receive its full accomplishment
in that ; since instead of their " not sorrowing any
more at all," their sorrows have, by means of their
dispersion by the Romans, been multiplied beyond
measure, and at times almost beyond endurance. But
there is a time coming, and it is now very near at
hand, when God will redeem them from all their
enemies, and restore them to the full possession of
their own land. And a blessed event will that be !
Consider,
1. The manner in which it shall be accomplished
[You well know how a river, with ten thousand tributary
streams, flows into the ocean. But to see it flow up a moun
tain would fill you with utter astonishment. Yet thus it is
that God s ancient people will " flow unto the height of Zion."
" The mountain of the Lord s house shall be established on the
top of the mountains ; and God s Israel, contrary to the course
of nature, shall flow unto it," coming, as it were, from every
quarter of the globe a , in one simultaneous movement, to wor
ship the Lord in Jerusalem, just as all the males in Israel
were wont to do at the three great and stated feasts.]
2. The object which all will have in view
[" They will flow together for wheat, and for wine, and for
oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd." Beyond
all doubt they will be blessed at that time with great temporal
prosperity, perhaps greater than was ever enjoyed even in the
days of Solomon. But under the image of temporal benefits,
no doubt spiritual blessings are principally designed. Indeed,
it must be remembered, that the things here mentioned were
a Isai. ii. 2,
224 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 1014. [1071.
in fact, the chief articles which were presented unto God in
sacrifice ; and consequently they designate those services which
conduced at the same time to the honour of God, and to the
refreshment of man. Under these are comprehended the
word and ordinances of Jehovah, and especially those great
and precious promises of his which minister strength and
comfort to all his waiting people. To have communion with
God in his worship, and to derive from him all the blessings
of salvation, will doubtless be the chief objects of desire
amongst all the people who shall assemble at Jerusalem. And
by this will they obtain a most abundant communication of
spiritual blessings to their souls, insomuch that, from having
hitherto resembled only a desolate wilderness, they will be
come, in all the fruits of righteousness, " like a well watered
garden;" and will from that time "dismiss all the sorrows"
with which for so many centuries they have been oppressed.
This shews, that the prophecy before us has not ever yet been
fulfilled but in a very slight and partial manner; and that its
full accomplishment yet waits for the arrival of the Millennial
age.]
3. The effect which will be produced
[Unutterable will be the joy that will then pervade the
whole nation : " Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both
young men and old together : for I will turn their mourning
into joy, and make them rejoice from their sorrow." In that
all ranks and orders of men will unite ; the priests and the
people vying with each other in the expressions of their joy.
But here also it is evident that this was to take place under
the Christian dispensation. The sacrifices which were offered
under the law, w r ere for the support of the priests only, with
their families : nor was the fat to be eaten even by them :
Tliat must on all occasions be consumed upon the altar :
whereas at the time to which this prophecy refers, " the
priests shall satiate their souls with fatness" and all the people
indiscriminately, together with the priests, (being all of them
a royal priesthood,) shall " be satisfied with the goodness of the
LordV Other things, to whatever extent they may be en
joyed, are empty and unsatisfying : but those who attain
these things shall be so satisfied," as never to thirst after any
thing else . Who can conceive the full import of expressions
like these? ]
II. The interest we have in it
An especial command is issued to the whole Gen
tile world, both to consider, and to proclaim this glad
event. It is our duty to contemplate it,
b Compare 1 Sam. ii. 15 17. with Isai. Iv. 2. c John vi. 35.
107 1.] BLESSINGS FROM A PREACHED GOSPEL. 225
1. As it respects the Jews
[The Christian world has been strangely inattentive to their
duty in this respect, from the apostolic age even to the times in
which we live. In reference to the heathen world, some little
interest has been felt: but the Jewish nation has been almost
wholly overlooked ; and the promises of God in his word which
have referred to their restoration to his favour, have been ap
plied almost wholly to the Gentiles. I cannot but mention in
particular the 60th chapter of the prophecies of Isaiah, which,
if read in connexion with the two closing verses of the preceding-
chapter, one would have supposed must have filled the minds of
all with an eager expectation of the benefits which await the Jews ;
but which has been interpreted as referring almost exclusively
to the Gentiles: yes, and even the 1 1th chapter of the Epistle to
the Romans has interested us as little in behalf of the Jews, as
if, instead of conveying truths as clear and full as language
could express them, it had contained nothing but a mass of
unintelligible jargon. Brethren, we are highly criminal in this
matter. Why has God so strongly called our attention to this
subject, and constituted us his heralds to proclaim it; but to
call forth our desire after this blessed period, and our efforts to
help it forward ? Shall it be said that the accomplishment of
these events must be left to God? I grant that none but
God can accomplish them. But neither can any power less
than his effect the conversion of the Gentiles. Yet was this
any reason why men should not exert themselves to promote
it ? Did " Paul forbear to plant, or Apollos to water, because
God alone could give the increase ? " No : we are to be
" workers together with God," even as the Apostles were.
The souls of God s ancient people should be as dear to us, as
the souls of the idolatrous Gentiles were to the Apostles : and
the advancement of the Redeemer s kingdom, whether amongst
Jews or Gentiles, should call forth our utmost efforts, in a
dependence upon God for his promised blessing.
I call upon you then, in the very name and with the autho
rity of God himself, to unite, every one of you in his sphere,
according to your respective abilities, to help forward this
great and glorious event.]
2. As it respects ourselves
[Though in its primary meaning this passage refers to the
Jews, the whole tenour of it shews that it belongs to us under
the Christian dispensation. (The mourning of Rachel for her
children, mentioned in the words following my text, was ful
filled in the slaughter of the babes of Bethlehem.) To us is
promised, no less than to God s ancient people, a transition
from bondage to liberty, from sin to holiness, from sorrow to
joy. We are wandering from the fold of God, and need to be
VOL. IX. Q
226 JEREMIAH, XXXL 1014. [1071.
" gathered, and kept by the Good Shepherd," even by him
who " ransomed us" with a price, and " laid down his life for
the sheep" -We too, in coming to Zion, the heavenly
Jerusalem, may expect a full enjoyment of all the same bene
fits ; all of us, as "a royal priesthood," being partakers of
God s altar, and living upon the sacrifice there offered
Absurd and impious beyond measure are the modes adopted
amongst us for expressing our joy at the glad tidings of re
demption : (carnal feastings and dances are very ill suited to
express the feelings of a soul redeemed by the incarnation and
death of the Son of God :) but to " delight our souls in fat
ness," and to " satiate ourselves with the goodness of the
Lord," is the employment which I would commend to every
one of you to the latest hour of your lives ]
On a review of this subject we are naturally led to
INQUIRE,
1. Whence is it that the Gospel produces so little
effect in the present day ?
[The glad tidings of redemption through, the blood of
Christ are professedly proclaimed by all who have entered into
the ministerial office : yet in many places no change whatever
is wrought in the manners and habits of the people. What can
be the reason of this? Has the Gospel lost its power ? No: but
there is some essential defect in the ministration of it: in many
places the doctrine of the cross is not made sufficiently promi
nent ; yea, in some, it is kept almost out of sight; and no other
use is made of the atonement and righteousness of Christ than
to supply the defects of man s obedience. And where Christ
is more fully preached, he is often represented as purchasing
only a pardon for our past sins, and then as leaving us to
" maintain our warfare at our own cost," and work out our sal
vation by our own arm : whereas the Scripture speaks of him as
not only redeeming his people, but " gathering them" by his
own care, and " keeping them" by his own power through faith
unto everlasting salvation d . Now a mutilated Gospel is in
reality no Gospel : salvation must be preached as altogether of
grace through faith : the whole glory of it belongs to God: nor
will he ever honour any ministry that robs him of it.
But even where the Gospel is most faithfully preached, it
produces, in comparison of the apostolic age, but little effect.
The reason of this we apprehend to be, that our hearers, being
Christians in name, and educated in a profession of Christian
doctrines, are ready to imagine that they are Christians in deed,
and that they have a saving acquaintance with the Gospel :
they are, like the Laodiceans of old, " rich and increased with
d 1 Pet. i. 5.
1072.] THE REFLECTIONS OF A PENITENT. 227
goods, and have need of nothing" in their own estimation, and
unconscious that " they are wretched, and miserable, and poor,
and blind, and naked 6 :" and whilst they continue so uncon
scious of their need of a Redeemer, it is not to be wondered at
that they are so little affected with the tidings of redemption.
O remember, that a " ransom" implies captivity, and " re
demption " bondage : and beg of God to shew you what slaves
you have been to sin and Satan, in order that you may appre
ciate as you ought the Gospel of Christ. " The whole need not
a physician, but they that are sick:" and till you feel your
disorder, you will despise the remedy.]
2. What is to be done in order to render it more
effectual ?
[In hearing the ministers of Christ, we do not sufficiently
bear in mind whose word it is that they preach unto us, or
the deep interest we have in it : we rather consider them as
performing an official duty when they deliver a discourse, and
ourselves as having performed our duty when we have heard
it. But we must have far other views of the Gospel than
these : we must consider the word we hear, as God s word,
and as God s word to ourselves in particular. We must con
sider God as looking down with pity upon us in our destitute
condition, and saying, " Deliver him from "going down into
the pit; for I have found a ransom." We must regard him
as longing for our happiness, and seeking to fill us with his
richest consolations. In a word, we must view the Gospel as
Jeremiah did the ropes and other materials which Ebed-melech
let down to extricate him from the dungeon, where he must
otherwise have perished. He needed no persuasion to fit the
materials to his arms, in order to secure the proffered deliver
ance f : so we should thankfully embrace the salvation of Christ,
regarding it as altogether the fruit of his love, and the effect of
his power. Did we but attend the ordinances in such a frame
as this, they would soon prove " the power of God to the sal
vation" of our souls.]
e Rev. iii. 17. f Jer. xxxviii. 9 12.
MLXXII.
THE REFLECTIONS OF A PENITENT.
Jer. xxxi. 18 20. I have surely 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. Surely after that
Q2
JEREMIAH, XXXI. 1820. [1072.
I was turned, I repented ; and after that I ivas instructed, I
smote upon my thigh : I was ashamed, yea, even confounded,
because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim
my dear son ? is he a pleasant child ? for since I spake against
him, I do earnestly remember him still : therefore my bowels
are troubled for him ; I will surely have mercy upon him,
saith the Lord.
THERE is a wide difference between ostentatious
sanctity and true piety. Hypocrites always endeavour
to attract the attention of the world. The true peni
tent, on the contrary, affects privacy and retirement :
though cheerful before men, his sorrows are deep
before God : were his groanings overheard by the
world, he would probably be made an object of pity
or derision ; but God beholds him with pleasure and
complacency 1 . Ephraim, or the ten tribes, are repre
sented in the text as penitent ; the secret working
of their minds is here opened to our view : and this
accords with the experience of every repenting sinner.
God then declares how acceptable such repentance
is in his sight.
The passage naturally leads us to consider,
I. The reflections of a true penitent
We first see the state of his mind in the beginning
of his repentance
He reflects on his incorrigibleness in the ways of
sin
[Men seldom turn to God, till subdued by heavy afflic
tions : nor does the rod at first produce any thing but im
patience. The penitent calls to mind his perverseness under
such a state. He compares his conduct with an untamed
heifer b . He laments that there is such enmity in his heart
against God.]
He pleads with God to turn and convert his soul
a Isai. Ixvi. 2.
b The bullock, while unaccustomed to the yoke, rebels against the
will of his master : though nourished and supported by him, it will
not subserve his interests : when chastised, it rebels the more ; yea,
repeated strokes serve only to inflame its rage, and to call forth its
more strenuous resistance : nor will it ever submit, until it be wearied
out, and unable to maintain its opposition. Thus the sinner gene
rally fights against God.
1072.] THE REFLECTIONS OF A PENITENT.
[He feels the necessity of divine grace to change his heart .
He therefore cries to God, " Turn thou me." He ventures
like the prodigal to address God as his God. He urges this
relation as a plea to enforce his request.]
We next see the state of his mind in the progress of
his repentance
He reflects upon the progress he has made
[He has felt very pungent grief on account of his iniquities d .
Through the remonstrances of his conscience he has been
" ashamed." He has been " even confounded" by discoveries
of his own corruptions. His constitutional propensities, which
were the reproach of his youth, are still his burthen, and his
grief 6 .]
But he gives the glory of his advancement to God
alone
[He had cried to God for the gift of converting grace.
He now acknowledges that grace to have come from God.
He ascribes his deeper insight into the corruptions of his own
heart to the illuminating operations of God s Spirit. Thus he
adopts from his heart the confessions of Job f , and of Paul s ]
How acceptable to God such a penitent is, appears
from,
II. The reflections of God over him
The penitent can scarcely find terms whereby to
express his own vileness ; but God accounts no
honours too great for such a person-
He owns the penitent as a " dear and pleasant
child"-
[The lower thoughts we have of ourselves, the higher God
has of us. While we are confounded before him, he "rejoices
over us with joy." While we are saying, " Surely such an one
as I cannot be a child of God," He delights in testifying that
c John vi. 44.
d This is the import of that significant action of " smiting upon
the thigh :" see Ezek. xxi. 12.
e The expressions of his grief rise in a climax ; he repents, he
smites on his thigh ; he is filled with shame ; he is confounded before
God. This, though an afflictive process, is a salutary and blessed
experience ; as it argues deeper self-knowledge, and an increasing
view of the purity of God s law.
f Job xl. 4. g 1 Cor. xv. 10.
230 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 30. [1073.
we are his children 11 . God appeals, as it were, to our con
trition, in proof that we are his.]
He further expresses his compassionate regard for
him
[The chidings and rebukes of God are all in love 1 . But
the afflicted penitent is apt to complain with Zioii of old k
God however never feels for us more than when he hides his
face from us. Like a tender parent, he longs to renew to us
the tokens of his love 1 . The contrite soul may apply to itself
those gracious declarations" 1 ]
He promises to manifest his mercy towards him
[God never will despise the broken in heart 11 . No past
sins, however heinous, shall be remembered against them .
For such God has prepared a glorious inheritance in heaven p .]
He grants to him all that he himself could possibly
desire
[What more could the penitent ask of God than an
assurance of his adoption into God s family, a declaration of
God s love towards him, and a promise that he shall find mercy
at the last day ? Yet these are all expressed in God s reflec
tions over Ephrairn. What inexpressible comfort should this
administer to drooping penitents !]
APPLICATION
[Can God testify of us as of Ephraim in the text ?
If he cannot, we must expect shame, confusion, and agony at
the last day q . If he can, we are assured of happiness both in
this world and the next 1 .]
h The force of these positive interrogations is the same as if they
had been expressed negatively : they import a strong affirmation :
see 1 Sam. ii. 27, 28.
1 Heb. xii. 6. k Isai. xlix. 14. 1 Isai. xlix. 15, 16.
111 Isai. liv. 7, 8. n Ps. li. 17. Isai. i. 18.
P Matt. xxv. 34. <i Dan. xii. 2. and Matt. xiii. 49, 50.
r Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6.
MLXXIII.
THE SURE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN.
Jer. xxxi. 30. Every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth
shall be set on edge.
POPULAR sentiments, even when they become
so general as to be reduced to a standing proverb,
1073.] THE SURE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN. 231
are not therefore to be received as true : they must
be tried, exactly as if they were the suggestions of
any solitary individual ; since the direction given us
by God himself is, " Prove all things, and hold fast
that only which is good a ." There was amongst the
Jews an established proverb, " The fathers have
eaten sour grapes, and the children s teeth are set
on edge." The Prophet Ezekiel, as well as Jeremiah,
mentions this b : and both of the prophets declare, that,
whatever ground for it had existed in past times, God
would in future visit with his judgments offenders
themselves, and not deal with men in a way that
should involve the innocent with the guilty. True it
is, that, in the very Decalogue itself, he had said, that
he would " visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children unto the third and fourth generation of them
that hate him :" but his dispensations henceforth,
and especially " in the latter days," should bear rather
the stamp of individuality, in accordance with men s
personal habits ; responsibility attaching to those only
whose conduct should merit his displeasure : " Every
one should die for his own iniquity ; and every man
that should eat the sour grape, his teeth should be
set on edge."
In considering this solemn declaration, I shall
notice it,
I. As an answer to the prevailing sentiment of that
day
It must be confessed that there was ground for
this sentiment
[God, in his conduct towards the whole human race, had
given occasion for it. Our first parents sinned ; and all their
posterity became heirs of their guilt and misery. " By one
man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, even over those who had not
sinned after the similitude of Adam s transgression 11 :" yes,
" by one man s disobedience many were made sinners ; and by
the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemna
tion 6 ." This alone, methinks, would justify the proverb,
a 1 Thess. v. 21. b ver. 29. with Ezek. xviii. 2 4.
c Exod. xx. 5. d Rom. v. 12 14. e Rom. v. 18, 19.
032 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 30. [1073.
" The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children s teeth
are set on edge."
But besides this, God, in his dealings with his own peculiar
people, had, on many occasions, caused the children to suffer
for the iniquities of their parents. At the general deluge,
and at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha, the new-born
infant suffered no less than the most abandoned parent ; as
was the case also when Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with all
their respective families, went down alive into the depths of
the earth. There were instances, also, wherein the offenders
themselves had either been removed from this world, and their
survivors were left to suffer for their iniquities ; or where the
offender himself escaped, whilst others were punished on his
account. It was in David s days that a famine of three years
was sent to punish Saul s violation of the engagements which,
many hundreds of years before, had been made with the
Gibeonites f : and, for David s numbering of the people,
seventy thousand of his subjects were slain, whilst he himself
was spared 8 . Manasseh, too, had been taken to his rest, when
for " his iniquities, which the Lord would not pardon," the
whole nation of Judah was carried into captivity in Babylon 11 .
And even in the dispersion of the Jewish nation by the
Romans, and in all the calamities they have suffered to this
time, " on them has come all the blood shed upon the earth,
from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias
son of Barachias, whom they slew between the temple and the
altar 1 ." The people, who murdered their Messiah, said, " His
blood be on us and on our children;" and, verily, his blood
has been on their children, even to the present hour.
In truth, constituted as the world is, there is a necessity
that the happiness of children should, to a very great extent,
depend on their parents. It is scarcely possible but that, both
in our civil and social relations, evil should arise from this
source; since the welfare of subjects must, of necessity, be
affected by the conduct of their governors ; and the welfare
of children by the conduct of their parents.]
But though in some respects this proverb was true,
yet, as uttered by them, it was false and impious
[In this proverb the Jews intended to exculpate themselves,
and to cast refections upon their God. They wished it to be
understood that they were not suffering for their own sins, but
for the sins of others ; and that God dealt hardly with them, in
making them amenable for sins which they had not committed.
But, not to mention that a man himself is in some respect
f 2 Sam. xxi. 1, 6. g 2 Sam. xxiv. 10, 15.
h 2 Kings xxiii. 26, 27. and xxiv. 3, 4. * Matt, xxiii. 35.
1073.] THE SURE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN. 233
punished in his children, where is there, on the face of the
whole earth, a person who has not merited all that has ever
come upon him? and who has not reason to acknowledge
that " God has punished him far less than his iniquities have
deserved k ?" Whatever may have been the primary occasion
of our troubles, there is abundant ground for them within our
selves: " A living man can have no just reason to complain 1 :"
for, if we had had our just desert, there is not one amongst
us that would not have been in the very depths of hell, long,
long ago. Those who have been partners in iniquity may, and
will, reproach each other in that place of torment ; but none
shall be able to reproach their God : every one of those un
happy spirits shall be constrained to say, " True and righteous
are thy judgments, Lord God Almighty" 1 :" and the day that
is appointed for assigning to men their respective doom, is on
this very account declared to be " the day of the revelation of
the righteous judgment of God 11 ." This proverb, therefore,
when uttered with a view to justify man as innocent, or to
reproach God as unjust, must be regarded as profane and
impious in the extreme.]
The answer given to it in my text is singularly
important,
II. As a declaration of God s established rule of pro
cedure in all ages
Sin, by whomsoever committed, shall not go un
punished. It shall be followed with evil,
1. In this world
[" A sour grape," whether eaten by one or many, " will
set the teeth on edge : " and sin, whether of a more open or
secret kind, will be followed with evil to the soul. Let the
profligate and abandoned sinner, the drunkard, the whore
monger, the adulterer, say, whether what he has followed with
such avidity, and regarded as such a source of exquisite de
light, has not, in the issue, been productive of pain ? Let the
injury which he has sustained, in his name, his health, his
property, be taken into the account, and he will be constrained
to acknowledge that " the way of transgressors is hard ." We
may appeal with confidence to every sinner in the universe ;
" What fruit had ye, even at the time, of those things whereof
ye are now ashamed ? " Verily, not an hour had elapsed after
your sweetest gratifications, before they were embittered with
shame, and fear, and self-reproach.
k Ezra ix. 13. J Lam. iii. 39. m Rev. xvi. 7.
n Rom. ii. 5. Prov. xiii. 15.
JEREMIAH, XXXI. 30. [1073.
But, not to confine ourselves to the licentious profligate, let
us ask of the man who, whilst externally moral, is yet under
the influence of evil tempers, Who ever harboured envy in
his bosom, and did not find it " as rottenness in his bones P"?
Or, who ever gave way to anger, malice, revenge,^ and did
not experience in his own soul a disquietude, that of itself was
sufficient to shew the hateful character of the dispositions he
indulged ?
Let us, however, pass by the positive violations of God s Law,
and notice only those which, for distinction sake, I will call
negative. Suppose a person to be " blameless " as Paul him
self, in relation to outward sin, but only to be lukewarm in
relation to the course of life prescribed by the Gospel : sup
pose him to be observant of all " the forms of godliness, but
yet destitute of its power : " will that man be happy ? No, in
truth : he is wicked in God s estimation : and " there is no
peace to the wicked q ." " Throughout his whole life," he is,
and must of necessity be, " in bondage to the fear of death r :"
and to speak to him of death and judgment, is to rob him of
all the false peace that he enjoys.
Then I say, that even in this world " no man can eat the sour
grape without having his teeth set on edge;" so indissoluble
is the connexion between sin and misery ; and so irreversible
is God s decree, that " it shall be ill with the wicked 8 ."]
2. In the world to come
[Here there may be mitigations of the pain which sin
brings with it : but hereafter the misery of sinners will be
unmixed and unabated to all eternity. God cautions us not
to deceive ourselves with any false hopes respecting this : "Be
not deceived ; God is not mocked : for whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap : he that soweth to the flesh,
shall of the flesh reap corruption ; but he that soweth to the
Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting 4 ." It matters
not who he be : he may be the first monarch upon earth ; yet
shall not his earthly dignity protect him : for God has said,
that " though hand join in hand, he shall not go unpunished 11 ."
Whatever be the inequalities of God s dispensations now ; some
suffering in consequence of the sins of other men, whilst the
perpetrators of those evils escape with impunity ; in that \vorld
to which we are hastening, " every man shall bear his own
burthen x ," and shall " receive from God according to his works :
to them who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for
glory and honour and immortality, God will give eternal life ;
P Prov. xiv. 30. Q Isai. Ivii. 21. r Heb. ii. 15.
8 Isai. iii. 11. t Gal. vi. 7, 8. u Prov. xi. 21.
x Gal. vi. 5
1073.] THE SURE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN. 235
but to those who are contentious, and obey not the truth, but
obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and
anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth eviK"]
To all of you then I SAY
1. Contemplate, not so much the immediate, as
the more remote, consequences of sin
[Sinful indulgences no doubt bring with them a present
gratification ; but it is the part of wisdom to inquire what the
ultimate effects of them will be. A man with a cup of poison
in his hand would not consider whether its contents were
pleasant to his taste, but whether it would not soon be pro
ductive of agonies and death. Now we are told respecting the
sinner, that " though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though
he hide it under his tongue ; though he spare it, and forsake
it not, but keep it still within his mouth ; yet his meat in his
bowels is turned; it is the gall of asps within him 2 ." To the
truth of this every soul of man must bear witness : and most of
all is the truth of it felt in that land from whence no traveller
returns. Is it not madness, then, to purchase any momentary
gratification at so vast an expense ; knowing, as we do, that if
we repent of it, our sorrows must be proportionably great ; and
that, if we repent not of it, they must be infinitely greater to
all eternity ? I pray you, Brethren, bear in mind the instruc
tion in my text, and calculate well the evils that will ensue, ere
you venture any more to taste forbidden fruit ]
2. Contemplate the provision which God has made
for those who repent them of their sins
[You have heard that men may suffer for the sins of
others. But know, that they may also be benefited by the
sufferings of another. Yes, my Brethren, if in Adam you
died, in Christ you may be made alive ; and through the suf
ferings of your adorable Lord you may be not only delivered
from the sufferings which you yourselves have merited, but
may be made partakers of a glory and felicity which you could
never otherwise have obtained. If, then, you have been ready
to apply to yourselves that proverb, " The parents have eaten
sour grapes, and the children s teeth are set on edge," now
apply to yourselves the converse of it, which is contained in
the Gospel ; where you are told, that Christ died, the just for
the unjust a ;" and that " by his stripes you may be healed b ."
Wonderful, indeed, is this truth, and well calculated to re
concile us to the loss which we sustained by the first Adam.
Yes, know that the Son of the living God " has become a
y Rom. ii. 6 9. z Job xx. 12 14.
a 1 Pet. iii. 18. b 1 Pet. ii. 24,
286 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 3134, [1074.
curse for us c ;" and that-" God has made him, who knew no
sin, to become sin for us, that we, who had no righteousness,
might be made the righteousness of God in him d ." O, bear
in mind this stupendous mystery, which must for ever silence
every murmur against those dispensations which appear to us
so dark, and which have given rise to the proverb before us.
Know, of a surety, that " if you die, it is for YOUR OWN ini
quity ;" but if ever you be saved, it is for the righteousness
of your incarnate God. Rely then on him. Look to him
to remedy all that your own iniquities have brought upon you :
and thus, where sin has abounded, grace shall much more
abound ; and as sin hath reigned unto death, so shall grace
reign, through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ
our Lord 6 .]
c Gal. iii. 13. d 2 Cor. v. 21. e Rom. v. 20, 21.
MLXXIV.
THE NEW COVENANT.
Jer. xxxi. 31 34. Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that
I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel, and with
the house ofJudah : not according to the covenant that I made
with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to
bring them out of the land of Egypt ; (which my covenant
they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the
Lord :) but t/iis shall be the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel ; After those days, saith the Lord, I will
put my law in their inward parts, and ivrite it in their hearts;
and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And
they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every
man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all
know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them,
saith the Lord : for I will forgive their iniquity , and I will
remember their sin no more.
THOUGH there is among us a general idea that
Christianity is founded on the Jewish religion, yet
the specific difference between them is very little
understood. It would be well for us to have clear
views of this subject : for unless we know the com
parative excellency of the new covenant above that
which it superseded, we can never justly appreciate
the great advantages we enjoy. In the passage
before us, the Mosaic and Christian covenants are
contrasted; and the abolition of the one, and the
1074.] THE NEW COVENANT. 237
establishment of the other, are foretold. But before
we enter on the comparison between the two, it will
be necessary to observe, that there are, properly
speaking, only two great covenants ; under the one or
other of which all the world are living : the one is
the Adamic covenant, which was made with Adam in
Paradise, and which is entirely a covenant of works ;
the other is the Christian covenant, which, though
made with Christ, and ratified by his blood upon
the cross, was more or less clearly revealed from the
beginning of the world. It was first announced in
that promise, " The seed of the woman shall bruise
the serpent s head." It was afterwards more plainly
opened to Abraham, and afterwards still more fully
to Moses. The Mosaic covenant, properly speaking,
was distinct from both of these : it was not alto
gether a covenant of works, or a covenant of grace ;
but it partook of the nature of both. As containing
the moral law, it was a re-publication of the covenant
of works : and as containing the ceremonial law, it
was a dark and shadowy representation of the cove
nant of grace. It was a mixed covenant, designed
for one particular nation ; and given to them, in order
to introduce the covenant under which we live. Of
that the prophet says, that it should in due time be
superseded by a new and better covenant ; and the
Apostle, quoting this whole passage, says, that " it
had then waxed old, and was vanishing awayV
In order to give a clear view of this subject, we
shall state,
I. The blessings of the new covenant
These being specified by the prophet, and copied
exactly by the Apostle, we shall adhere strictly to
them, without attempting to reduce them to any
other order than that which is here observed. In the
new covenant then, God undertakes,
1. To write his law in our hearts
[This is a work which none but God can effect. The
kings were commanded to write a copy of their law, each one
a Heb. viii. 8 13.
238 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 3134. [1074.
for himself: but, though they might write it on parchment,
they could not inscribe it on their own hearts. This however
God engages to do for all who embrace the new covenant. He
will make all the laws which he has revealed, agreeable to us :
he will discover to us the excellency of them ; and " cause us
to delight in them after our inward man." He will make us
to see, that the moral " law is holy and just and good," even
while it condemns us for our disobedience to its commands ;
and that " the law of faith " also (that is, the Gospel) is a
marvellous exhibition of God s mercy and grace, and exactly
suited to the necessities of our souls. He will engage our
wills to submit to his ; and dispose our souls to put forth all
their energies in obedience to his commands. This he has
repeatedly promised b ;" and this he will fulfil to all who trust
in him.]
2. To establish a relation between himself and us
[By nature we are enemies to him, and he to us. But
on our embracing of this covenant, he will " give himself to us
as our God, and take us for his people." In being our God,
he will exercise all his perfections for our good ; his wisdom to
guide us, his power to protect us, his love and mercy to make
us happy, his truth and faithfulness to preserve us to the end,
In taking us for his people, he will incline us to employ all our
faculties in his service. Our time, our wealth, our influence,
yea, all the members of our bodies, and all the powers of our
souls, will be used as his, for the accomplishment of his will,
and the promotion of his glory. We may see this illustrated
in the life of the Apostle Paul. God took as much care of
him, as if there had been no other creature in the universe ;
and he devoted himself to God, as much as if his faculties had
not been capable of any other use or application. The effects
of this relation are not indeed equally visible in all the Lord s
people : but the difference is in the degree only, and not in
the substance and reality.]
3. To give us the knowledge of himself
[There is a knowledge of God which cannot be attained
by human teaching ; a spiritual experimental knowledge, a
knowledge accompanied with suitable dispositions and affec- \
tions. But this God will give to those who lay hold on his /
covenant : " He will reveal himself to them, as he does not
unto the world." He will " put them into the cleft of the
rock, and make all his glory to pass before their eyes ;" and
proclaim to them his name, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful
and gracious , &c. He has promised, that " all his people
b Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. c Exod. xxxiii. 1823. and xxxiv. 57.
1074.] THE NEW COVENANT. 239
shall be taught of him d ," " the least as well as the greatest,"
yea, the least often in preference to the greatest 6 . And in
proof that this promise is really fulfilled to all who receive the
Gospel, St. John declares it to be a known acknowledged fact :
" We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us
an understanding to know him that is true f ."]
4. To pardon all our iniquities
[Under this new covenant, we have access to " the foun
tain opened for sin and for uncleanness ;" and by washing in it
" we are cleansed from all sin g ." Whatever transgressions we
may have committed in our unregenerate state, they are all
put away; " though they may have been as scarlet, they have
become white as snow ; though they have been red like crim
son, they are as wool" ]
Hitherto we have spoken only in a general way of
the blessings of the new covenant : we proceed to
notice them more particularly, while we state,
II. The difference between the old and new cove
nants
We have already observed, that by " the old cove
nant" is meant the Mosaic covenant, made with the
Jews on Mount Sinai. Between this and the Gospel
covenant there is a wide difference. They differ,
1. In the freeness of their grants
[The Mosaic covenant imposed certain conditions to be
fulfilled on the part of the Jews ; and on their fidelity to their
engagements all the blessings of that covenant were suspended 11 .
But we find no condition specified in the new covenant. Must
we attain the knowledge of God, and become his people ; and
have his law written in our hearts? true: but these are not
acts of ours, which God requires in order to the bestowing of
other blessings upon us ; but blessings which he himself under
takes to give. If any say, that repentance and faith are con
ditions which we are to perform, we will not dispute about a
term ; you may call them conditions, if you please ; but that
which we affirm respecting them is, that they constitute a part
of God s free grant in the Gospel covenant ; so that they are
not conditions, in the same sense that the obedience of the
Jews was the condition upon which they held the promised
land: they are, as we have just said, blessings freely given us
by God ; and not acts of ours, whereon to found our claim to
other blessings.
d Isai. liv. 13. John vi. 45. e Matt. xi. 25. 1 Cor. i. 2629.
f 1 John v. 20. g 1 John i. 7. h Exod. xxiv. 6 8.
240 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 3134. [1074.
It is worthy of observation, that the Apostle, mentioning
this grant of the new covenant, particularly specifies, that God,
"finding fault until the Jews for their violations of the old
covenant, says, " I will make a new covenant 1 ." Had he said,
" Commending them for their observation of the inferior cove
nant, God said, I will give you a better covenant," we might
have supposed, that it was given as a reward for services per
formed : but when it was given in consequence of the hopeless
state to which their violations of the former covenant had
reduced them, the freeness of this covenant appears in the
strongest light.]
2. In the extent of their provisions
[We shall again notice the different blessings as the}^ lie in
our text. God wrote his law upon tables of stone, and put it
into the hands of those with whom his old covenant was made :
but, according to his new covenant, he undertakes to put it
into our imvard parts, and to write it on our hearts. What a
glorious difference is this ! and how beautifully and exultingly
does the Apostle point it out to his Corinthian converts k !
God established indeed a relation between himself and his
people of old: but this relation, though nominally the same
with ours, was by no means realized to the same extent. To
true believers amongst them he was the same that he now is :
but what was he to the people at large, with whom the cove
nant was made ? He interposed for them doubtless, on many
occasions, in an external way ; and they externally acknow
ledged him : but his communications to us are internal, and
our devotion to him is real and spiritual.
Under the old covenant, God revealed himself to his people
in types and shadows; and the ceremonies which he appointed
were so dark and various, that they could not be known to the
generality, unless the people carefully instructed each other.
On this account it was commanded that the children should
inquire into the reason of various institutions (as that of the
passover, and the feast of unleavened bread, and the redemp
tion of the first-born); and their parents were to explain
them 1 . But with us, there are only two institutions, and
those the plainest that can be imagined ; and the great truths
of our religion are so interwoven \vith our feelings, that a
person whose desires are after God, needs no other teaching
than that of God s word and Spirit; and though the instruc
tions of ministers, of masters, and of parents, are still extremely
useful, yet may a person obtain the knowledge of God and of
salvation without being indebted to any one of them : and it is
a fact, that many persons remote from ordinances, and from
1 Heb. viii. 8. k 2 Cor. iii. 3.
1 Exod. xii. 26, 27. and xiii. 8, 14, 15.
1074.] THE NEW COVENANT. 241
instruction of every kind, except the blessed book of God, are
often so richly taught by. the. Spirit of God, as to put to shame
those who enjoyThe greatest external advantages 1 ".
The forgiveness of sins which was vouchsafed under the old
covenant, was not such as to bring peace into the conscience of
the offender : (" the sacrifices which he offered, could not make
him perfect as pertaining to the conscience 11 :") nor indeed
were any means appointed for the obtaining of pardon for
some particular offences : but under the new covenant, " all
who believe are justified from all things, from which they
could not be justified by the law of Moses :" and, " being
justified by faith, they have peace with God p ," " a peace that
passeth understanding," " a joy unspeakable and glorified."
How glorious does the new covenant appear in this con
trasted view ! and what reason have we to adore our God for
the rich provisions contained in it !]
3. In the duration of their benefits
[The annual repetition of the same sacrifices under the
old covenant was intended to intimate to the people, that their
pardon was not final : had their guilt been perfectly removed
by them, the Apostle observes very justly, that " they would
then have ceased to be offered ; because the worshippers would
have had no more conscience of sins:" but, inasmuch as the
sacrifices were annually renewed, they were, in fact, no more
than " a remembrance of sins made every year q ." But under
the new covenant God engages to " remember our sins and
iniquities no more:" they are not only forgiven by him, but
forgotten; not only cancelled, but " blotted out as a morning
cloud r ;" not only removed from before his face, but " cast
behind his back into the depths of the sea 8 ." His former
people he put away, " though he was an husband unto them:"
but to us his " gifts and callings are without repentance 1 ."
This is particularly marked by the prophet, in the verses
following our text 11 ; and by an inspired Apostle, in his com
ment on the very words we are considering. He is shewing
the superiority of Christ s priesthood to that appointed under
the law : and he confirms his position from this circumstance ;
that the sacrifices offered by the Levitical priests could never
take away sin, and therefore were continually repeated;
whereas Christ s sacrifice, once offered, would for ever take
away sin, and " perfect for ever all them that are sanctified."
He then adduces the very words of our text ; and says, that,
m See 1 John ii. 27. where the Apostle manifestly refers to the
expressions in our text. n Heb. ix. 9. Acts xiii. 39.
P Rom. v. 1. <i Heb. x. 13. r Isai. xliv. 22.
8 Mic. vii. 19. l Rom. xi. 29. u ver. 3,5 37.
VOL. IX. R
242 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 3134. [1074.
in these words, " the Holy Ghost is a witness to us;" for that,
in promising first, that " the law should be written in our
hearts," and then, that " our sins and iniquities should be
remembered no more," he had attested fully the sufficiency of
Christ s sacrifice, and given ample assurance, that those who
relied upon it should never have their sins imputed to them x .
It is needless to multiply words any further upon this sub
ject ; for the old covenant, with all its benefits, was to continue
only for a limited period ; whereas the new covenant is to con
tinue to the end of the world ; and its benefits to the remotest
ages of eternity.]
INFER
1. The folly of making self-righteous covenants of
our own
[Why did God give us another covenant, but because the
former was inadequate to our necessities ? Shall we then be
recurring to the old covenant, or forming new ones of our own
upon the same principle? Take your own covenants, and
examine them, and see what grounds of hope they afford you.
We will give you leave to dictate your own terms : say, if you
please, " You are to repent and amend your lives : and on those
conditions God shall give you eternal life :" Can you repent,
can you amend your lives, by any power of your own ? Have
you agreed with God what shall be the precise measure of
your repentance and amendment ? Have you attained the
measure which you yourselves think to be necessary, so that
you can say, My conscience witnesses for me, that I am fully
prepared to meet my God ? If not, see to what a state you
reduce yourselves : you need none other to condemn you : for
God may say, " Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee."
O be not thus infatuated : cast not away the Lord s covenant
for such delusive projects of your own : but, instead of depend
ing on your own weak endeavours, go and lay hold on that
better covenant, which provides every thing for you, as the
free gift of God in Christ Jesus.]
2. The blessedness of those who obey the Gospel
[You have " a covenant which is ordered in all things,
and sure? :" and you have a Mediator, who, having purchased
for you all the blessings of this covenant, will infallibly secure
them to you by his efficacious grace, and all-prevailing inter
cession. Place then your confidence in him. Employ him
daily (if I may so speak) to maintain your interest in it ; and
give him the glory of every blessing you receive. Your enjoy
ment of its benefits must be progressive, as long as you continue
x Heb. x. 1118. v 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.
1075.1 THE CHURCH S SECURITY. 243
in the world Let your desires after them be more and
more enlarged : and in due time you shall enjoy them in all
their fulness. It is in heaven alone that you will fully possess
them : but there you shall perfectly comprehend the meaning
of that promise, " Ye shall be my people, and I will be your
God 2 ."]
z Rev. xxi. 3.
MLXXV.
THE CHURCH S SECURITY.
Jer. xxxi. 35 37. Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun
for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the
stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the
waves thereof roar ; The Lord of Hosts is his name : If those
ordinances depart from me, saith the Lord, then the seed of
Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for
ever. Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured,
and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will
also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done,
saith the Lord.
THE study of the prophecies is most instructive.
We are apt to read them as though they did not
concern us : whereas in them we see the purposes of
God unfolded to us ; and, by a comparison of them
with past and passing events, we see God so order
ing every thing in heaven and earth, that all should
be accomplished in their season. Into futurity, also,
we gain an insight. And shall not that, which so
interests Jehovah himself, as to be predicted by him
in terms the most solemn that can possibly be ima
gined, interest us? Behold, how the Almighty here
describes himself in all his majesty and glory ! behold,
too, the solemnity of his assertions, equivalent, in
fact, to oaths ! And to what has all this respect ? It
has respect to his Church and people, for whom he
has the richest mercies in reserve, and to whom he
pledges himself that these mercies shall be vouch
safed in due season. Let us contemplate, then,
I. The promises here made to God s Church and
people
244 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 3537. [1075.
Certainly they refer,
I. To God s ancient people, the Jews
[To them he here promises, that, whatever they may
suffer, they shall not be lost, as other nations have been,
amongst their conquerors; but shall be preserved a distinct
people, even to the end ; and shall, notwithstanding all that
they have done to provoke him utterly to cast them off, be
restored once more to his favour, as in the days of old.
The manner in which these promises are made deserves
particular attention. Who is it that pledges himself for the
accomplishment of these things ? It is no other than the
Creator and Governor of heaven and earth. And what
assurance does he give that they shall be fulfilled? He
declares that the heavenly bodies shall sooner be annihilated,
than his word be forgotten; and that never, till we had
measured the highest heavens, and penetrated to the inmost
recesses of the earth, should one jot or tittle of it fail.
And if we look into their history, we find every thing ful
filled hitherto. In their captivity in Babylon, their national
character was still preserved ; and after it, they were restored
to their own land. So at this hour, though for above seven
teen centuries they have been scattered over the face of the
whole earth, they are still a peculiar people as much as ever :
and if we knew for certainty where the ten tribes are, I think
they also would be found to have retained so much of their
original character, as clearly to distinguish them from all the
people amongst whom they sojourn. Nor can we doubt for
a moment but that God will again manifest himself to them,
as in former days. He has not cast them off for ever : " they
are still beloved of him for their fathers sakes :" and " his
gifts and calling to them are without repentance a ." Forsaken
as they are at present, it is but for a little moment : for as
God, by the rainbow in the heavens, has given a pledge that
his oath relative to any future deluge shall be fulfilled ; so has
he sworn that his kindness shall not ultimately depart from
Israel, or his " covenant with them ever be dissolved b ."J
2. To the Christian Church-
[To apply the passage exclusively to the Church of Christ
is shamefully to pervert it. Yet we must not withhold from
her, her share of the blessings which God has promised to her.
Throughout all the prophecies, the Church of God, previous to
the coming of the Messiah, and subsequent to the establish
ment of his kingdom upon earth, is considered as one ; that
which first existed being the foundation, and that which
was afterwards erected being the superstructure, of the same
a Rom. xi. 28, 29. i> Isai. liv. 710.
1075. J THE CHURCH S SECURITY. 245
heavenly temple : and the promises made to it, so far as they
respect it in its former state, will have a literal accomplishment ;
and, so far as they pertain to it in its latter state, a spiritual or
mystical accomplishment. In this latter sense we may pro
perly apply to the Christian Church the prophecy before us.
For it has enemies, even as Israel of old; yet " shall not the
gates of hell ever prevail against it." Notwithstanding it has
often been at a very low ebb in the world, yet is it preserved
by the power of God : and though, for its degeneracy, God s
wrath might well break forth against it to destroy it, yet is it
preserved for good, and shall at a future period be greatly ho
noured of the Lord ; being extended far and wide, and being
established over the face of the whole earth. For the accom
plishment of this, we have the same security as the Jewish
Church has for the fulfilment of the promises made to her,
namely, the promise and the oath of Almighty God: and we may
be as sure that the honour reserved for her shall be accorded
to her in due time, as if we saw it imparted before our eyes.
As sure as God himself is true, " all the kingdoms of the world
shall become the kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ ;" and
" the whole earth, both of Jews and Gentiles, shall be one fold
under one Shepherd," " there being only one Lord, and his
name One."]
But to enter fully into these promises, we should
consider also,
II. The use which is to be made of them by indivi
dual Believers
They certainly may be applied by believers to
themselves, for the comfort of their own souls. The
promise that was made, in the first instance, to Is
rael, relative to the possession of the promised land ,
is represented by St. Paul as applicable to every be
liever, throughout all ages : " The Lord hath said, I
will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we
may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will
not fear what man shall do unto me d ." And the con
firmation of these promises by an oath 6 was intended
by God to administer consolation to us, no less than
to those to whom they were immediately delivered ;
as St. Paul further assures us : " God, willing more
abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the
immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath ;
c Deut. xxxi. 0. d Heb. xiii. 5, 6. e See Note b .
246 JEREMIAH, XXXI. 35-37. [1075.
that, by two immutable things, in which it was impos
sible for God to lie, we might have a strong consola
tion, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the
hope set before us f ." Yet I must confess that they
are to be used with caution. We should be careful,
1. As to the persons to whom they belong
[It is the believer alone who is really interested in the
promises of God. What part or lot in them has the unbe
liever? None at all. It is "in Christ alone that they are
made over to us :" and we must be " in Christ," before they
can truly belong to us. Before we take hold, then, on any
particular promise as belonging to us, we should ask ourselves,
whether we have really come to Christ, and are living by faith
upon him ? There are many who speak with extreme bold
ness on this subject, as though every promise in the Bible must
be fulfilled to them, whilst yet they have never truly repented
of their sins, nor ever experienced a thorough change of heart
and life. There are in some a surprising hardness, and bold
ness, and confidence, which, in my estimation, mark them as
lying under a very desperate delusion : and the more confident
they are, the more I tremble for their state. The promises of
God s blessed word are for the humble, the broken, the con
trite : they are entitled to take to themselves every promise in
the word of God : but, where these dispositions are wanting,
faith is a mere phantom, and confidence a delusion. Let this,
then, be well and clearly ascertained. " Examine carefully
whether ye be in the faith." " Prove and try your ownselves,"
and, when that point is satisfactorily determined, then take to
yourselves every promise of the Lord : and look upon all that
he has promised, as your inalienable, everlasting inheritance.]
2. As to the extent to which they are to be ap
plied
[A distinction must be made between that which, in the
first instance, was personal or temporal, and that which was
intended for the Church at large. The promises are not to
be applied to ourselves, any further than as our circumstances
accord with those of the persons to whom they were made : and
the accomplishment of them is to be expected chiefly, if not
exclusively, in a spiritual view. Take, for instance, the pro
mises made to Moses and to all Israel, under the peculiar
difficulties to which they were reduced : it would be perfectly
absurd to expect the fulfilment of them to ourselves at this
day, any further than a correspondence of circumstances ren
dered them applicable to our own case. If this rule be not
f Heb. vi. 17, 18.
1075.] THE CHURCH S SECURITY. 241
attended to, we shall both raise in ourselves the most unwar
rantable expectations, and subject God himself to the imputa
tion of violating his own word.]
3. As to the use that is to be made of them when
so applied
[Doubtless they are intended to comfort and encourage
the Lord s people, under all their trials. But they are not in
tended to supersede the exertions of any, or to foster in them
any undue security. God will not work, but by means : and
he expects us to use the means, as if we were labouring to
accomplish every thing by our own unassisted efforts ; whilst
yet we renounce all confidence in ourselves, and rely only upon
him. Take, for instance, the promises in our text. Are we
to hope that God will keep us as a peculiar people, unless we
" come out from the world g ," and endeavour to " keep our
selves unspotted from it h ? " Or are we to assure ourselves
that " God will not cast us off for all that we have done," if
we never humble ourselves for our past sins, or endeavour to
avoid sin in future ? The great use of the promises is, to con
vey to us those blessings which in ourselves we are unable to
attain : and, if we improve them not for these ends, we do but
deceive ourselves, and betray to ruin our own souls.]
Lay down, therefore, for yourselves the following
RULES :
1. Seek to gain Christ himself, as your portion
[" The promise of life," and of every thing pertaining to
it, " is in Christ Jesus 1 ." And if we apprehend him, we
become possessed of every thing that is good, in title at least,
if not in actual possession : for " all things are ours, if we are
Christ s k ." " In him all the promises of God are Yea, and in
him Amen 1 ," sure, irreversible, eternal. Our first object,
therefore, must be to obtain an interest in Christ. And I can
never too strongly inculcate this : for if, " instead of entering
into the fold by the door, you climb up some other way," you
will only deceive yourselves to your ruin" 1 .]
2. Embrace his promises with humility
[By humility, I do not mean a hesitation whether you
shall rely upon them, or a doubting whether you are worthy
to embrace them. Those are the actings, not of humility, but
of pride and unbelief. For who in the whole universe is
worthy ? Or what humility is there in questioning the truth
of God? It is, as unworthy, that you are to lay hold of them,
s 2 Cor. vi. 17. h Jam. i. 27. 2 Tim. i. 1.
k 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. J 2 Cor. i. 20. m John x. 1, 9.
248 JEREMIAH, XXXII. 3742. [1076.
and to plead them before God in faith and prayer : and, pro
vided only you embrace them as unworthy, and regard them
as made to you only in Christ, and for Christ s sake, you can
never place too strong an affiance in them : " the stronger you
are in faith, the more will you give glory to God n ." But that
against which I wish to guard you, is, the hardness of which I
before spoke. Truly, there is, amongst some professors of
religion, a mode of speaking about their own interest in the
promises which is disgusting in the highest degree, and, I
really think, impious. Their want of reverence for God shews,
that they are deluded by the devil, who has appeared to them
under the semblance of "an angel of light ." I wish not to
rob you of one atom of joy : but I would have you always to
" rejoice with trembling 11 :" and, however strong your faith
may be, I would say, " Let him that thinketh he standeth,
take heed lest he falH :" " Be not high-minded, but fear r ."]
3. Improve them all with care
[What will be the effect of the promises on the Jews, in
the day that they shall be restored to the Divine favour ?
" They will come with weeping ; and with supplication will
God lead them 8 ." Nor shall this frame be incompatible with
joy: on the contrary, it shall be a prelude to joy 1 ," even as
the seed-time is to the harvest" : and it will be followed with
holiness as its never-failing attendant x . Hear what St. Peter
says : " God has given to us exceeding great and precious
promises, that by them we may be partakers of a divine
nature, and escape the corruptions that are in the world
through lust y ." Only improve them to this end, and you can
never rely on them too strongly, or plead them too confidently
before God. To all of you, then, I would say, having so
many and great promises, Dearly beloved, let us use them to
their proper end, even to " cleanse ourselves from all filthiness
of the flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of
God 2 ."]
n Rom. iv. 20. 2 Cor. xi. 14. P Ps. ii. 11.
<i 1 Cor. x. 12. r Rom. xi. 20. s ver. 8, 9.
1 ver. 12, 13. u Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6.
x Ezek. xxxvi. 25 28. y 2 Pet. i. 4. z 2 Cor. vii. 1.
MLXXVI.
THE FUTURE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS.
Jer. xxxii. 37 42. Behold, I will gather them out of all coun
tries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my
fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto
1076.] THE FUTURE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 249
this place, and I will cause them to dwell in safety : and they
shall be my i^eople, and I will be their God : and I will give
them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever,
for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I
will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not
turn away from them, to do them good ; but I will put my
fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea,
I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them
in this land assuredly ivith my whole heart and with my whole
soul. For thus saith the Lord; Like as I have brought all this
great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the
good that I have promised tliem^.
AMONGST the numberless manifestations of
God s mercy in the Scriptures, we cannot but be
particularly struck with this, that scarcely ever do we
find any awful denunciation of God s wrath against
his offending people, but there is some gracious pro
mise annexed to it, as an encouragement to them to
repent. In the whole preceding part of the chapter
before us, God declared his determination to give up
Jerusalem into the hands of the Chaldeans. Yet be
hold, at that very time does God open to his people
the most consolatory prospects of an ultimate restora
tion to their own land, and of numberless attendant
blessings to be poured out upon them.
In considering the passage which we have just read,
I shall have occasion to shew you,
I. What blessings God has in reserve for his chosen
people
These correspond exactly with the state in which
they were at the time when the promise was made.
They had grievously departed from God ; and, on
account of their iniquities, they were doomed to be
cast off, and to be sent into captivity in Babylon.
But, as God had graciously determined to temper
judgment with mercy, he here promises to them,
1. A restoration to their own land
[A restoration from Babylon is doubtless the point here
primarily intended : and that was vouchsafed to them at the
a There is a Discourse on this text : but this is inserted, in order
to illustrate its bearing on the Conversion of the Jews.
250 JEREMIAH, XXXII. 3742. [1076.
ex
xpiration of seventy years, according to the predictions of the
prophet respecting it. But the terms in which this is declared
almost necessarily lead our minds to a restoration yet future;
because it was from Babylon alone that the first deliverance
was vouchsafed, whereas the promise relates to a deliverance
" out of all countries, whither they have been driven : " and it
speaks of their being caused to " dwell safely;" whereas they
experienced but little of peace and safety after their first re
storation : they were grievously harassed, from time to time,
by the kings of Syria and Egypt, and their other neighbours,
till at last they were subdued, and utterly destroyed, by the
Romans : but at their restoration from their present dispersion,
they will enjoy a state of peace and prosperity far beyond all
that they ever experienced in the most favoured periods of
their history: Jerusalem, instead of being defended, as for
merly, against enemies, by ramparts of man s construction,
" will be inhabited as a town without walls ; because the Lord
will be a wall of fire round about her, and the glory in the
midst of her V This is repeatedly and distinctly promised :
" Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities : thine eyes
shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall
not be taken down ; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be
removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken: but
there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers
and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither
shall gallant ship pass thereby :" that is, she shall be alike
inaccessible to enemies of every description, by reason of the
effectual protection afforded her by Jehovah. And in this
happy state shall they continue, " planting vineyards, and
drinking of the wine thereof; and making gardens, and eating
of the fruit of them ; and being so securely planted in their
land, as never again to be pulled up, and rooted out of it d ."]
2. A renewed acknowledgment of their relation to
him
[During their captivity in Babylon, and still more in their
present dispersion, they are like a repudiated wife, whom her
husband will no more acknowledge. To apprise them of God s
determination to put them away, the Prophet Hosea was
instructed to " call his son Lo-ammi ; " for, says God, " ye are
not my people, and I will not be your God e ." Their connexion
with Jehovah being thus dissolved, their enemies have been
able to oppress them, and indeed have grievously oppressed
them in every nation where they have been scattered. But
the time is coming, when God will again shew himself in their
b Zech. ii. 4, 5. c i sa j. xxxiii. 20, 21.
d Amos ix, 14, 15. e Hos. i. 8, 9. and ii. 1, 2.
1076.] T.HE FUTURE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 251
behalf, and renew to them all the wonderful interpositions
which he vouchsafed to them in former days. At least ten
times is this promise in our text repeated to them by the
prophets, that " they shall again be God s people, and he
their God;" or, as it is very emphatically said, " a God unto
them f ." Nor can any language more fully depict the blessings
contained in this promise, than that of the Prophet Isaiah :
" Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man
went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a
joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of
the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings : and thou
shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer,
the Mighty One of Jacob. The sun shall be no more thy light
by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto
thee : but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light,
and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down;
neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be
thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be
endedC ]
3. A spirit of piety poured out upon them
[" One heart and one way" have distinguished the Lord s
people in all ages of the world : nor can either the heart or
the way be more justly described, than in those comprehensive
words, " The fear of God," This disposition belongs not to us
by nature, nor is this conduct found in any natural man : it is
the gift of God, who " by his Spirit convinces us of sin," and
reveals a Saviour to us, and inclines us to devote ourselves
unreservedly to his service. There are many points, of subor
dinate moment, in which the children of God may differ : but
in these things they all agree : " as face answereth to face in
a glass, so in these respects doth the heart of man to man."
All, without exception, feel themselves to be guilty and undone
sinners; all cleave unto the Lord Jesus Christ as their only
hope ; and all walk before God, in a way of holv, tender, and
affectionate obedience. And this marks their character to
the latest hour of their lives. They would no more divest
themselves of the fear of God, than of love, or joy, or confi
dence, or any other gracious affection whatsoever. And this
holy state of mind will eminently distinguish the Jews in the
latter day. It will be given to them " for their own good,
and for the good of their children after them:" for, in truth,
this kind of piety, whilst it invariably exalts the person in
whom it is found, will always display itself in a diligent atten
tion to the rising generation. At present, the children of the
Jews are neglected in a very extraordinary degree: but it will
f Heb. viii. 10. s Isai. Ix. lf>, 10, 19, 20.
252 JEREMIAH, XXXII. 3742. [1076.
not be so in that day : for, like Abraham of old, the parents
will " command their children, and their households after
them, to fear the Lord ; " and the whole nation, for many suc
cessive generations, will be " an holy people unto the Lord."
Here it will be proper to observe, that this diffusion of piety
will not precede, but follow, their restoration to their own
land : at least, so, I think, the Prophet Ezekiel has plainly
intimated; saying, " When I have brought them again from
the people, and gathered them out of their enemies lands, and
am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; THEN
shall they know that I am the Lord : neither will I hide my
face any more from them ; for I have poured out my Spirit
upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God h ." But in
that day, I hesitate not to say, they, even the whole nation,
will be eminently holy; since " THEN God will sprinkle clean
water upon them, and they shall be clean : from all their fil-
thiness, and from all their idols, will he cleanse them : a new
heart also will he give unto them, and a new spirit will he put
within them : he will even put his Holy Spirit within them,
and will cause them to walk in his statutes, and to keep his
judgments, and do them: and they shall dwell in the land
which he gave to their fathers ; and they shall be his people,
and he will be their God 1 ."]
As we speak with confidence respecting their final
possession of these blessings, it will be proper to
shew,
II. What security they have for the enjoyment of
them
In the behalf of this desolate and outcast people
are pledged,
1 . The veracity of God
[God will make a covenant with them ; not like the covenant
which he made with them in former days, wherein the possession
of his blessings was suspended upon their fidelity to God, and
which, being violated by them, was utterly dissolved; but he will
make one, which, in consequence of God s undertaking every
thing for them, as well as for himself, shall never be broken,
but shall endure for ever. This may well be called a Covenant
of Grace ; for in it God gives all, and man receives all : God
engages, not only that he will not depart from his people to do
them good, but that he will put his " fear in their hearts, that
they shall not depart from him." And here I would particularly
h Ezek. xxxix. 25 29.
1 Ezek. xxxvi, 24 28. and Jer. xxiv. 6, 7.
1076.] THE FUTURE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 253
call your attention to the way in which he undertakes to
keep them : it is not through the medium of a bold, presump
tuous unhallowed confidence, such as you see in many profes
sors of religion, and such as betrays itself in rash, unscriptural
assertions : it is by " putting his fear into their hearts," and
causing them to " walk humbly before him," and to " work out
their own salvation with fear and trembling." I would that
this matter were better understood in the Christian world ; and
that they who profess to believe with Abraham, would, with
Abraham, " fall upon their face before God," and walk before
him with a perfect heart k .
That such a covenant shall be made with them in that day,
is fully declared in the chapter preceding our text : " Behold,
the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah : not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the
day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the
land of Egypt ; which my covenant they brake, although I was
an husband unto them, saith the Lord : but this shall be the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those
days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts,
and write it in their hearts ; and I will be their God, and they
shall be my people 1 ." The interest also which " their children"
shall have in this covenant is further declared : " They shall
dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant,
wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein,
even they, and their children, and their children s children, for
ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.
Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them ; it shall
be an everlasting covenant with them : and I will place them,
and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of
them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them ;
yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people : and the
heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when
my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore."]
2. The power of God
[At their first espousal to God, " he rejoiced over them
to do them good:" and since his rejection of them for their
unfaithfulness, "he has rejoiced over them to bring them to
nought"." But at the period we are now speaking of, he will
again " rejoice over them to do them good;" as says the
Prophet Zephaniah, " The Lord thy God in the midst of thee
is mighty : he will save ; he will rejoice over thee with joy ; he
will rest in his love ; he will joy over thee with singing ." It
k Gen. xvii. 1 3. ] Jer. xxxi. 31 33. with Heb. viii. 8 10.
m Ezek. xxxvii. 25 28. n Deut. xxviii. 63. Zeph. iii. 17.
254 JEREMIAH, XXXII. 3742. [107(3.
appears, at present, as if the obstacles to the accomplishment
of all these promises were absolutely insurmountable : but " if
God will work, who shall let it?" He says, " I will plant them
in this land assuredly, with my whole heart, and with my whole
soul." Shall it then fail of its accomplishment in due season?
" Is there any thing too hard for the Lord ? " Has he scat
tered them according to his word, and preserved them a sepa
rate people, notwithstanding their dispersion ; and shall he not
gather them again, and " bring upon them all the good that
he has promised them ? " If all the obstacles that men or
devils can ever raise against it were united in one common
mass, I would say to them, " Who art thou, O great moun
tain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain 1 ."]
LEARN, then,, from hence,
1. What zee, if we are the Lord s people, may ex
pect for ourselves
[It is not to the Jews, as Jews, that the spiritual promises
are made ; but with them as believing in the Messiah, and as
submitting to the government of David their prince. If this,
then, be our character, they are made to us ; and we, substi
tuting the heavenly for the earthly Canaan, may take to our
selves all these great and precious promises, expecting assuredly
that God will thus exert himself for us, till he has put us into
the full possession of all the blessedness of heaven. If we have
been brought from our wanderings " to Mount Zion, the
heavenly Jerusalem q ," then are we interested in this covenant,
and God will confer upon us its choicest blessings ; regarding
us as " his peculiar treasure," and exerting for us his Almighty
power, " to keep us from falling, that in due season we may
be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with
exceeding joy r ." Learn, my beloved Brethren, to realize these
glorious expectations, and to enjoy in your own persons what
you anticipate in behalf of your Jewish brethren.
Fix your eyes steadily on that good land in which God has
assuredly determined to plant you ; and contemplate him as
engaging, " with his whole heart, and with his whole soul," to
effect his gracious purpose. I say, view this whole work of
grace in its commencement, its progress, its consummation;
and, if your conscience bears witness that he has " given you
a heart and a way to fear him," then rely on him to preserve
you from ever departing from him, and to complete for you in
heaven what he has begun on earth : for " faithful is He that
hath called you, who also will do it 8 ."]
P Zech. iv. 7. q Heb. xii. 22.
r 1 Pet. i. 5. Jude, er. 24. 1 Thess. v. 24.
1076. J THE FUTURE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 255
2. What encouragement we have to labour for our
Jewish brethren
[The object which we have in view is, not their restoration
to their own land (that, I conceive, we may well leave in the
hands of Providence, without presuming to interfere with it),
hut their conversion to Christ, and the everlasting salvation
of their souls. Compare their present state of degradation
and ruin with those periods of their history when God vouch
safed to them the manifestations of his love and favour ; and
say whether we should not wish to restore them to their former
happiness and honour? Yet I conceive that the blessedness
that awaits them will as far exceed all that their forefathers
ever enjoyed, as that of their forefathers surpassed any thing
that was experienced by the heathens around them. Indeed
we are told, that " the light of the moon shall be as the light
of the sun, and the light of the sun be sevenfold, as the light
of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach
of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound 1 ." " Come,
then, to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against
all the enemies of our God" and of his Christ. Had you to
attempt the work of their conversion without Divine assistance,
I readily grant that you might well be discouraged : but when
you see what God has promised them, and to what an extent
his veracity and power are pledged to effect it, methinks you
should all be animated with a holy ambition to become God s
honoured instruments for their welfare. The indifference
which has been shewn in relation to this work for seventeen
hundred years may well fill us with astonishment : and even
yet the Christian world is not alive to it as they ought to be.
A very small measure of zeal in this great cause is regarded as
extravagance. But shall Almighty God engage in it " with
his whole heart and with his whole soul," and shall we be
lukewarm ? Arise, I say, to your duty. Your God is
already gone out before you : there is already " a stir among
the dry bones ;" and the time is fast approaching, when we
may hope to see them " arise a great army." Let zeal for God
and love for man have their perfect work among you. Be like-
minded with God himself, and in every possible way " rejoice
over them to do them good" so shall the time be
hastened forward, and " the kingdoms of the whole world,
both of Jews and Gentiles, become the kingdom of our God
and of his Christ."]
1 Isai. xxx. 26.
256 JEREMIAH, XXXII. 3941. [1077.
MLXXVIT.
SALVATION IS OF GOD, FROM FIRST TO LAST.
Jer. xxxii. 39 41. I will give them one heart, and one way,
that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and
of their children after them : and I will make an everlast
ing covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them
to do them good ; but I iv ill put my fear in their hearts, that
the?/ shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them
to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly,
with my whole heart, and with my whole soul 11 .
THERE is not any thing more common than for
persons, who treated with contempt God s threatened
judgments, to sink under them in the most abject
manner, as soon as they begin to feel them. The
Jews would not be persuaded for a long season that
God would ever deliver them into the hand of the
Chaldeans : but when they found that his word was
ready to take effect, they were overwhelmed with
grief and despondency. To preserve them from run
ning to this extreme, and to shew them that the
Divine judgments would be tempered with mercy, the
prophet was inspired to foretel their future restoration
to that very land from whence they were about to be
carried captive. But it is evident that this prophecy
has respect to a far greater deliverance, even to the
redemption of the world from sin and Satan, and the
restoration of sinners to their forfeited inheritance.
A near prospect of the punishment which their sins
have merited, often brings them, with a very quick
transition, from presumption to despair : but, for
their encouragement, God teaches them to look to
him as an all-sufficient helper, and to rely on him for
the carrying on of the good work wherever he has
begun it. In this view of the passage we may notice,
I. The means of our conversion
In our natural state we are afar off from God, going
astray like sheep that are lost. In order to recover
us,
a The preceding Discourse on this text shews its bearing upon the
Conversion of the Jews : this its reference to the Christian Church.
1077.] SALVATION IS OF GOD. 257
God puts his fear into our hearts
[While unconverted, we " have no fear of God before our
eyes:" we all walk after the imagination of our own hearts,
seeking happiness in various ways, according as we are led by
our different inclinations or situations in life. But in conver
sion, God " gives us one heart and one way," By these words
we do not so much understand, an unity of affection and pur
suit, in opposition to the multiplicity of desires with which
every carnal mind is distracted (though doubtless that idea is
included in them) as, that oneness of sentiment and action that
pervades all who are the subjects of divine grace. As on the
day of Pentecost, so, in every age and place, Christians, as far
as they are taught of God, are of one heart and mind. The
prejudices of education do indeed make a difference between
them with respect to some matters of less importance ; and an
undue stress laid upon these things too often prevents that
close union and communion that should subsist between all
the members of Christ s mystical body : but, with respect to
the grand point of fearing God, there is no difference among
them : all, without exception, have " one heart and one way,"
in that they desire above all things, and earnestly endeavour,
to walk in the fear of God all the day long ]
This is to the unspeakable benefit of ourselves, and
of all connected with us
[Too often are men dissuaded from entertaining this fear,
lest it should prove injurious to them; but none ever received
it into their hearts without looking back upon all their former
life with shame and sorrow : yea, they have ever considered
the season of their first submission to it as the most blessed
era of their lives; and, instead of regretting that they ever
yielded to its influence, they invariably wish to have their
whole souls subjected to its dominion. And as they find it thus
for their own good, inasmuch as it enlivens their hopes, and
purifies their hearts, so is it for the good of their children,
yea, and of all connected with them. It makes them better
in every station and relation of life, whether as parents or
children, masters or servants, rulers or subjects : it leads them
to fill up their various duties to the honour of God ; and to
communicate, to the utmost of their power, the same blessed
disposition to all around them.]
The same divine agency, that first converted us,
proves afterwards,
II. The source of our perseverance
"It is not in man to direct his own steps:" our
progress in the way of duty depends on,
VOL. ix. s
258 JEREMIAH, XXXII. 3941. [1077.
1. The engagements of God s covenant
[God has entered into covenant with his Church and
people, and undertaken to preserve them from apostasy. Nor
is this covenant liable to be broken, like that which he made
with the Israelites in the wilderness a : it is and will be " ever
lasting," because God himself engages to do all which is re
quisite for our support. " He will not depart from us to do
us good ;" he may, like a wise parent, sometimes frown, and
sometimes chastise ; but, while he acts in this manner, he does
it for our good, no less than when he lifts up the light of his
countenance upon us. He has said that, " if we break his
statutes, and keep not his commandments, he w r ill visit our
transgression with the rod, and our iniquity with stripes ;
nevertheless his loving-kindness will he not utterly take from
us, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail; his covenant will he
not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lipsV
" He engages further that we shall not depart from him."
Here, doubtless, is the greater danger, seeing we have a heart
" bent to backslide from him ;" and, if left by him for one
moment, we should relapse into all our former sins. But he
knows how to establish the wavering, or restore the fallen ;
and thus to " perfect his own strength in our weakness." He
may leave us for a season, as he did Hezekiah, that we may
know what is in our hearts: but he assures us, that our
" steps shall be ordered by him," and that our " light shall
shine brighter and brighter unto the perfect day:" he will
so " draw us, that we shall run after him ;" and so " keep
us from falling, that an entrance may be ministered unto us
abundantly into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ."]
2. The exertions of his power
[God speaks of himself in language accommodated to
our low apprehensions of his nature, and declares that he will
exert all his power, and find all his delight, in doing us good.
His people, after their dismission from Babylon, laboured
under many difficulties in rebuilding their city and temple;
yet, through the good providence of God, they surmounted
all. Thus shall we meet with many obstructions before we
arrive at the Paradise above : but God will regard us as trees
of righteousness, and " will plant us in that land assuredly
with his whole heart and with his whole soul." Who then
shall defeat his efforts, or disappoint his aim? " If God be
for us, who can be against us? " In vain shall earth and hell be
confederate against us ; for " hath he said, and will he not do
it? hath he spoken, and will he not make it good? " He will
a Jer. xxxi. 31, 32. b p s . l xxx i x . 3134.
1077.] SALVATION IS OF GOD. 259
never cease to work, till he has fulfilled in us all his good plea
sure, and " perfected that which concerneth us:" " he will
keep us by his own power through faith unto salvation."]
We may OBSERVE from hence,
1. How suitable is the way of salvation!
[Foolish and ignorant men would be better pleased with
a gospel that left them to earn, either wholly or in part, their
own salvation. But, alas ! how ill adapted would such a
Gospel be to us, who are " insufficient of ourselves even to
think a good thought ! " How much more suitable is the pro
mise in the text, wherein God undertakes to do every thing
in us, and for us ! Let us then receive thankfully what God
offers freely. Let us embrace " a covenant that is ordered in
all things and sure ; " and rejoice in serving God, who so
rejoices in saving us.]
2. What effectual care is taken that we should not
turn the grace of God into licentiousness !
[There are, it must be acknowledged, some who abuse
this doctrine, (for what is there, however excellent, which men
will not abuse ?) and take occasion from it to rest in a state of
worldliness and sloth. But the very promise gives us a suffi
cient antidote against the poison it is supposed to convey :
it tells us indeed, that God will keep us from departing from
him ; but it tells us also, that he will do this by " putting his
fear into our hearts. " This destroys at once all delusive hopes ;
inasmuch as it shews us, that, if we be not living habitually in
the fear of God, we are actually departed from him, and con
sequently can have no ground whatever to expect salvation at
his hands. Let the carnal and slothful professor of religion
well consider this. His abuse of this promise cannot invalidate
its truth ; but it may deceive his soul to his eternal ruin. Be
it ever remembered, that the very same fear which God puts
into our hearts in our rirst conversion, must continue to operate,
and that too with increasing activity, to the end of our lives ;
and, that we have no longer any reason to think our past
experience to be scriptural, than while we cultivate that fear,
and endeavour to " walk in it all the day long." We do not
mean that every occasional backsliding should subvert our
hopes ; but, if ever the fear of God cease to be the leading
principle in our hearts, or to stimulate us to further attain
ments in holiness, we may be sure that we have deceived our
own souls, and that our religion is vain. May God keep us
all from such a fatal delusion for his mercy s sake !]
260 JEREMIAH, XXXIII. 3. [1078.
MLXXVIII.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER.
Jer. xxxiii. 3. Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew
thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
IT is curious to observe in what different estima
tion the same persons are held by their fellow-crea
tures and by God. We may certainly be allowed to
say, that there was not, at the time referred to in
our text, a more holy person upon earth than Jere
miah ; yet by his countrymen was he held in such
abhorrence, as to be deemed worthy only of impri
sonment and death. God, on the contrary, honoured
him with the highest tokens of his regard. As a
friend (so to speak), he repeatedly visited him in pri
son ; he encouraged him to inquire into his most secret
counsels, and confided to him the most stupendous
mysteries both of his providence and grace.
We need not however confine our attention to
Jeremiah : for the words, though primarily addressed
to him, may well be applied to all who suffer for right
eousness sake, and to all who are truly devoted to
their God. In this view, they accord with many other
passages of Scripture ; and contain a most important
truth, namely, that prayer is the necessary and effectual
means of obtaining divine knowledge.
I. It is necessary
God is always represented as the fountain of light
and truth
[He is " the Father of lights :" and whatever light there
is in the whole creation, it is all derived from him. There are
indeed amongst us stars of greater and smaller magnitude ; but
all in themselves are opaque, and destitute of any native lustre :
they shine only by a borrowed light, and are glorious only in
proportion as they reflect a greater or less portion of Jehovah s
beams. Even where their knowledge is only in arts and
sciences, it must be traced to God as its author ; much more
must it be so, when it pertains to things which the natural
man is not able to receive. " In the hearts of all that are
wise-hearted, I have put wisdom " 1 ."]
a Exod. xxxi. 3, 6.
1078.] THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER. 261
Those who would obtain knowledge from him
must seek it by prayer
[This is God s command. He needs not indeed to be pre
vailed upon by our solicitations, as though he were of himself
averse to grant us his blessings ; but still it is our duty to pray
unto him ; and he teaches us to expect his blessings only in the
discharge of this duty : " Ask, and ye shall have ; seek, and
ye shall find :" " If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God;
and it shall be given him." We are far from saying that prayer
is the only mean of obtaining knowledge ; for we must read,
and meditate, and search after truth, as much as if all depended
on our own unaided exertions : but we say, that our exertions
without prayer will be of no avail : we must " search for know
ledge, as for hid treasures ;" but we must also " cry after it,
and lift up our voice for understanding :" when we combine
the two, " then shall we find the knowledge of God : for the
Lord giveth wisdom ; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and
understanding^"]
Nor is this an arbitrary, but a wise and gracious
appointment
[By this means our hearts are prepared for the reception
of divine knowledge. If we could obtain it purely by our own
study, we should pride ourselves in it, as having made our
selves to differ from those around us : but when we have been
made sensible that it is God alone who " openeth the eyes of the
understanding," we learn to acknowledge him in our gifts, and
to humble ourselves in proportion to the benefits we have
received at his hands. We are stirred up also to improve our
knowledge as a talent committed to us, and to diffuse, for the
benefit of others, the light with which God has irradiated us.]
As all are invited to ask, so every prayer shall be
heard and answered.
II. It shall be effectual
The things which God shewed to Jeremiah, related,
not merely to the return of the Jews from Babylon,
but to Christ and his spiritual kingdom : and, respect
ing Christ, "he will shew great and mighty things
unto all that ask him."
1. To the ignorant
[Little do the world imagine what great and glorious
things are known to those whom they despise ; things, " which
prophets and kings in vain desired to see," and " which angels
b Prov. ii. 1 6. c ver. 1416.
262 JEREMIAH, XXXIII. 3. [1078.
themselves desire to look into." It is possible enough that the
truths themselves, as a system, may be known to the ungodly :
but, in their use, their excellence, their importance, they are
known to those only who are taught of God. To these God
has revealed the source and depth of their own depravity; the
suitableness and sufficiency of Christ s atonement ; the fulness
of grace that is treasured up in him ; and the blessedness of all
those who experience his salvation. These things, " great and
mighty" as they are, are brought to their minds "with power,
and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance :" and, by the
revelation of them to their souls, they are " made wise unto
salvation."]
2. To the enlightened-
fit is not at first only that " God brings us into marvel
lous light :" there is, in the spiritual, as well as the natural
world, a progress from the glimmering of the early dawn to the
splendour of the noon-day sun. Job had known much of God
by the hearing of the ear ; but far more when he could say,
" Now mine eye seeth thee." And Moses had bright discoveries
of Jehovah on various occasions ; but brighter far, \vhen God
was pleased to " proclaim to him his name," and " make all
his glory pass before his eyes." Thus, however advanced the
believer may be in knowledge and in grace, there are in God,
and in the wonders of his redeeming love, heights and depths
and lengths and breadths, of which he has yet no adequate
conception. Not that any fresh truths shall be revealed to him,
much less any which are not contained in the Holy Scriptures :
but the same truths shall be applied to his soul with a clearness
and energy vastly surpassing any thing he has before expe
rienced, provided he give himself unto prayer, and wait upon
God for the teachings of his Spirit: " The light of the moon
shall be to him as the light of the sun ; and the light of the
sun seven-fold, as the light of seven days d ."]
We shall CONCLUDE this subject with a word,
1 . Of reproof
[Scarcely any subject is so reprobated by ungodly men,
as this. They consider the influences of the Holy Spirit as
chimerical ; and all expectation of answers to prayer, as en
thusiastic and absurd. They have never experienced these things
themselves ; and therefore they suppose that no one else can.
But they have never used the means; how then should they
attain the end ? Suppose a person to affirm, that, with the help
of glasses, he could see things invisible to the naked eye : would
not any one, refusing to make the experiment, be justly deemed
d Isai. xxx. 26.
1078.] THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER.
unreasonable, if he denied the possibility of such a thing, and
imputed the affirmations of the other to vanity and folly ?
Every one knows, that objects dimly seen, may be made clearly
visible by the use of glasses : and why may not the acquisition
of an humble contrite frame be equally useful to the eye of our
minds ? There is not any one so ignorant, as not to know, how
passion and interest distort the objects that are seen through
them; and that they who are under their influence, view
things very differently from what they appear to an impartial
judge. Thus then it is in spiritual things : " whilst the eye is
evil, the whole mind is dark ; but when it is single, the whole
is full of light :" and when God, by removing our earthly and
carnal dispositions, presents heavenly objects to the soul in
their true character, they shine with a lustre inconceivable to
the blind ungodly world. Would any then ascertain whether
God will teach his people ? let him pray : but let him pray
with sincerity, with fervour, and with faith : these are the
requisites of effectual prayer 6 ; - and prayer thus
offered, shall never go forth in vain.]
2. Of encouragement
[Many are discouraged because they have not those mani
festations of God to their souls, which they have heard, and
read of, in the experience of others. But have they mortified
their in-dwelling lusts as much as others ; and been as con
stant and importunate in prayer ? But be it so : " God gives
to every one severally as he will :" yet none shall ever say,
that they have sought his face in vain. Our talent may be
small ; our capacity narrow and contracted : yet have we no
cause to despond : for God has said, that " he will reveal to
babes and sucklings the things which he has hid from the wise
and prudent : and if only we were more conscientious in look
ing to God for his blessing on the ordinances ; if, before we
come to them, while we are under them, and after we have
returned from them, we were earnest in prayer for the in
fluences of his Spirit ; we should not so often return from
them empty and unedified. God would hear us, and " would
answer us, and would shew us great and mighty things, which
we know not." Our private meditations also on his blessed
word would be attended with " an unction which should teach
us all things f ." He would " open our understandings to
understand the Scriptures." " At the very beginning of our
supplication" would he send his Holy Spirit to instruct us g ;
yea, " before we called, God would answer : and while we
were yet speaking, he would hearV]
6 See Ps. cxlv. 18, 19. Jer. xxix. 12. Jam. i. 5 7.
f 1 John ii. 20, 27. s Dan. ix. 20 23. h Isai. Ixv. 24.
264 JEREMIAH, XXXIII. 6-9. [1079.
MLXXIX.
CONVERSION OF THE JEWS A MATTER OF IMPORTANCE TO
GOD AND MAN.
Jer. xxxiii. 6 9. Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and
I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of
peace and truth. And I will cause the captivity of Judah
and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as
at the first. And! will cleanse them from all their iniquity,
whereby they have sinned against me ; and I will pardon all
their iniquities^ whereby they have sinned, and whereby they
have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name
of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the
earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them : and
they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the
prosperity that I procure unto it.
THE more fully the subject of the restoration and
conversion of the Jews is considered, the more im
portant it will appear. The prophetic writings are
full of it ; and the obscurity of those writings arises in
a great measure from the gross perversion of them, of
which even pious ministers have been guilty, through
a long succession of ages. Those whose office has
been to interpret them, have almost universally ap
plied them spiritually to the Gentiles; overlooking
the plain literal meaning of them, as addressed to the
Jewish people : and by this means, not only has the
attention of the Christian world been drawn from the
Jews, but it has been drawn also even from the pro
phecies themselves, because of the impenetrable veil
that has been cast over them.
That the passage before us relates to that subject,
no one can entertain a doubt. And that it has never
yet been fulfilled, is equally clear ; not only because
the ten tribes of Israel are combined with Judah, but
because the effects which are here announced as to
be produced by the event, were never, in any degree,
produced by the return of the Jews to Babylon. The
different nations of the earth were never led to fear
and tremble by reason of the goodness and prosperity
which were then procured unto the Jewish nation.
1079.] THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 265
We must therefore, of necessity, look forward to a
future period for the full accomplishment of this pro
phecy.
In discoursing on this prophecy, I shall consider,
I. The event predicted-
Respecting the restoration of the Jews to their own
land, I say little ; because, though it seems as clearly
revealed as any event in all the book of God, there
are some who doubt whether the prophecies relating
to it are to be understood literally ; and because, in
labouring for the welfare of that people, we have no
respect whatever to any thing but the conversion of
their souls to God.
In the passage before us God promises to them,
1. A discovery of his will-
fin the whole of their civil and ecclesiastical polity, they
are in the state described by the Prophet Isaiah ; " The whole
head is sick, and the whole heart faint : from the sole of the
foot even to the head there is so soundness in it ; but wounds,
and bruises, and putrefying sores a ." But God promises here,
that he will " restore health unto them, and cure them, by
revealing unto them the abundance of peace and truth."
To enter fully into the meaning of these words, we must
bear in mind, that, in the writings of Moses, the way of salva
tion is revealed only under types and shadows ; and that,
even by the strictest observance of them, " the Jews could not
be made perfect as pertaining to the conscience b :" conse
quently, under existing circumstances, when they are pre
cluded from a possibility of observing the law, they cannot
by any means obtain rest unto their souls. They cannot by
repentance ; because rivers of tears could never wash away
one sin. They cannot by good works ; for their best works are
imperfect, and can never atone for sin, and purchase an eter
nity of bliss. And, as for any rites prescribed by their Rab
bins, in addition to the Mosaic Ritual, they are held, as the
superstitious ordinances of the Pharisees were, in utter abhor
rence by Almighty God. All the Rabbins in the universe,
therefore, cannot tell an afflicted and tempest-tossed Jew how
he may obtain peace with God and in his own conscience.
But when God shall take away the veil that is on the hearts
of that people, " he will reveal unto them the abundance of
peace and truth." He will shew them, that every shadow in
their law is derived from Christ, who is the substance. Had
a Isai. i. 5, 6. b Heb. ix. 9.
266 JEREMIAH, XXXIII. 69. [1079.
they a temple, an altar, a high-priest, a sacrifice, a sanctuary ?
These are all contained in Christ, who is the one great sacrifice
for sin, the priest that offers it, the altar on which it is pre
sented, the sanctuary " in which dwelleth all the fulness of
the Godhead bodily," and in which it comes up with accept
ance before God. There is not any single ordinance, or even
a vessel in the sanctuary, which was not intended to shadow
him forth, and with which he does not, in some respect or
other, correspond : so perfectly did Moses execute the divine
command, " in making every thing according to the pattern
shewn to him in the mount." This being discovered to the
Jews by the clear light of the Gospel, they will see " an
abundance of truth;" such as we, who are little conversant
with the law, have scarcely any conception of. And from the
fulness of Christ, so richly displayed before them, they will
have " a peace which passeth all understanding," yea, such
" an abundance of peace," that it will " flow down like a river."
All that can disturb their minds shall be put far from them by
the discovery of Christ. Are they oppressed with guilt, and
apprehensive of punishment ? They shall see that he has by
the one offering of himself upon the cross, made a full, perfect,
and sufficient sacrifice for sin, and completely reconciled them
to their offended God. Do they feel their need of a perfect
righteousness wherein to stand before God ? They shall see
that he has wrought out a righteousness for them by his own
obedience unto death ; and that " that righteousness shall be
unto all, and upon all, who believe in him." In a word, they
shall see in him an accomplishment of what the prophet Daniel
has foretold: " He shall finish transgression, and make an end
of sin, and make reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in for his
believing people everlasting righteousness ." And, in the
view of these things, they shall " rejoice in him with joy un
speakable, and full of glory."]
2. A manifestation of his favour
[God promises in my text, and again in ver. 11, "to build
them as at the first." This necessarily carries us back to the
time when he redeemed them out of Egypt, and " brought
them forth with a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm."
Let us call to mind all the wonders that were then wrought
in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the Wilderness ; let us
remember how God went before them in the pillar and the
cloud ; how he fed them with manna from heaven, and with
water from the flinty rock ; how he appeared to them on
Mount Sinai, and gave to them his law ; how he protected
them from every enemy, and brought them in safety to the
promised land ; how he subdued before them seven nations,
c Dan. ix. 24.
1079.] THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 267
greater and mightier than they ; and, above all, how he dwelt
in his sanctuary, and manifested to them his favour, so as he
never had done to any people upon earth : let us call all this
to mind, and then we shall have some faint conception of the
blessings which he has in reserve for his outcast people. I
doubt not, but that, in a temporal view, as far as similar inter
positions shall be found necessary for them, they shall expe
rience them at the hands of God d : but in a spiritual view, I
am perfectly sure that none of these things shall be wanting
unto them : they shall be delivered from their spiritual bond
age ; they shall " eat of Christ, who is the spiritual meat, and
drink of that spiritual drink, even of that rock which will fol
low them, which is Christ Jesus e ;" and at last have an abun
dant entrance ministered unto them into the everlasting
kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ f ." We may
stretch out our imaginations to the uttermost, and grasp all
that was ever done for that people in the days of old ; and we
may be sure that it shall all be renewed to them in the latter
day with ten-fold advantage s : " that nation shall then sing as
in the days of her youth, when she came up out of the land of
Egypt"-"]
3. A communication of his grace
[What is there that any sinner in the universe can need ?
That shall, in the richest abundance, be imparted unto them.
Do they need " the pardon of their iniquities ? " So fully shall it
be vouchsafed, that " all their sins shall be cast into the depths
of the sea ;" not into the shallows, from whence they might be
brought again ; but into the depths, where they shall never
again be found 1 . Do they need the renovation of their natures
after the Divine image ? This also shall be vouchsafed unto
them ; for, not in my text only, but in numberless passages of
the prophetic writings, does Grod promise to them this ines
timable blessing k . Thus fully to this purpose speaks the
Prophet Ezekiel : " I will take you from among the Heathen,
and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your
own land. THEN (N. B. THEN) will I sprinkle clean water
upon you, and ye shall be clean : from all your filthiness, and
from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will
I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you ; and I will
take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give
you an heart of flesh ; and I will put rny Spirit within you,
and cause you to walk in my statutes ; and ye shall keep my
jiidgments, and do them 1 . In a word, nothing shall be wanting
d Isai. xi. 16. e i Cor. x. 3, 4. f 2 Pet. i. 11.
g Jer. xxx. 18 20. h Hos. ii. 15.
1 Compare Mic. vii. 19. with Jer. 1. 20. k Jer. xxxii. 30 42.
1 Ezek. xxxvi. 24 27.
268 JEREMIAH, XXXIII. 69. [1079.
to the completion of their happiness ; " their cup shall be full,
and overflow" with joy.]
From the event itself, let us proceed to consider,
II. The vast importance of it
If we were to contemplate only the happiness of
that people, the temporal, spiritual, eternal happiness
of millions living, and of millions arising in every
successive age, methinks we should need no more
to mark the importance of the event that is here pre
dicted. But we are content to wave the contempla
tion of this part of our subject altogether, and to limit
our views to the points more especially referred to in
our text. Mark,
1. The interest which God himself has in it
[God says of it, " It shall be to me a name of joy, a
praise, and an honour before all the nations of the earth,
which shall hear all the good that I do unto them." Of course,
when we speak of God rejoicing in it, we merely accommodate
ourselves to the language of Scripture, in which God conde
scends to speak after the manner of men ; in order that by
conveying to our minds such ideas as we are able to compre
hend, he may produce on us such impressions as the subject
calls for. Behold, then, to God it will be a source of joy ;
and in him will be realized the description of the Father in
the Parable, receiving, and rejoicing over, his repentant son.
Hear how the prophet represents this matter : " Be ye glad,
and rejoice for ever in that which I create : for, behold, I
create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I
will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people : and the voice
of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of
crying 111 . So also, in another place, in yet stronger terms :
" Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken ; neither shall thy
land any more be termed Desolate : but thou shalt be called
Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah : for the Lord delighteth
in thee, and thy land shall be married. For, as a young
man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons (thy restorers) marry
thee : and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall
thy God rejoice over thee 11 ." Moreover, this event will greatly
tend to the honour of God. His power and goodness are
seen by all people, in the \vorks of creation : but in the restor
ation of his outcast people, his glory will shine forth as in its
meridian splendour, before all the nations of the earth. It
m Isai. Ixv. 18, 19. See also Zeph. iii. 17. Isai. Ixii. 4, 5.
1079.] THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. 269
will be seen of all ; because, the Jews being dispersed over all
the world, and the motion amongst them being simultaneous
throughout the earth, the attention of all will be fixed upon
them, and the glory of God appear upon them. In that event
shall all his perfections shine forth ; and especially his mercy
and love, his truth and faithfulness. Greatly as he was mag
nified in their deliverance from Egypt, he will be far more
exalted in that day; because the work will be infinitely more
extensive, and the effects produced upon them be incom
parably more glorious. For in that day, " the people shall
be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever; the
branch of his planting, the work of his hands, that he may be
glorified ." In a fore-cited chapter, this is very strongly and
beautifully marked. Of all that a king possesses, there is
nothing so dear to him, nothing with which his honour is so
intimately connected, as his crown; yet such shall the Jewish
people be, in the estimation of their God: " Thou shalt be a
crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in
the hand of thy God p ." Yes, he will hold them forth before
the whole world, as the dearest objects of his love, and the
brightest monuments of his glory.]
2. The interest of the whole world involved in it
[At this wonderful sight will all the nations of the earth
" fear and tremble." At their coming out of Egypt, was some
what of this effect produced on the surrounding nations 1 : and
amongst those who shall desire to retain them in bondage,
will the same terror prevail, at the period that we are now
contemplating. " According to the days of thy coming out
of the land of Egypt," says God, " will I shew unto him mar
vellous things. The nations shall see, and be confounded at
all their might : they shall lay their hand upon their mouth ;
their ears shall be deaf: they shall lick the dust like a serpent,
they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth:
they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear be
cause of thee r ." But on immense multitudes will a far different
effect be produced : they, indeed, shall " fear and tremble for
all the goodness and for all the prosperity that God hath pro
cured unto his people ; " but it will be with a holy, reverential
fear, such as that which is invariably signified by those words
in the epistles of the New Testament, even such as is imported
in that injunction, " Work out your salvation with fear and
trembling." Yes, in every place will this effect be produced.
It will not merely attract the attention of the whole world,
but will create within them a desire to know and serve that
Isai. Ix. 20, 21. and Ixi. 1 3. P Isai. Ixii. 3.
1 Exod. xv. 15, 16. r Mic. vii. 15 17.
270 JEREMIAH, XXXIII. 69. [1079.
God who has done such things for them. In every place will
the beholders be filled with wonder; and with the deepest
conviction will cry out, as the worshippers of Baal did before
them, " The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God!"
Then will be fulfilled what the Prophet Zechariah has spoken :
" Ten men shall take hold, out of all languages of the nations,
even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying,
We will go with you ; for we have heard that God is with
you 8 ." To this event St. Paul evidently refers, when he says,
" If the fall of the Jews be the riches of the world, and the
diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much
more their fulness? If the casting away of them be the
reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be,
but life from the dead 1 ?"
Now, let the restoration of the Jews be considered in this
light ; and what shall we tliink of it, or what terms shall we
ever find whereby to express its inconceivable importance?
Surely we are highly culpable in this matter. We do not
study the Holy Scriptures in reference to this event: and,
when we meet with it, we pass it over without any serious
reflection, or accommodate it to ourselves as the only persons
interested in it. But is this right? Should we be so indif
ferent to the welfare of God s ancient people ? or, if we account
that of so little consequence, should we be regardless of the
honour, and, if I may so express myself, the very happiness of
God? And should the conversion and salvation of the whole
world be of so little value in our eyes ? I call you, Brethren,
to blush and be confounded, because of your past insensibility;
and now to rise, as fellow-workers with God, to the per
formance of your duty.]
But, that I may IMPROVE the subject for the good of
all, I would entreat you to take occasion from
it to consider
1. What blessings you yourselves enjoy
[It is said, " The Law was given by Moses, but grace and
truth came by Jesus Christ^" Hence it appears, that if you are
believers in Christ, these blessings are already yours: you are
" brought nigh to God," having been rescued from the sorest
bondage : and through a discovery of Christ, as revealed in the
Gospel, you enjoy in your souls " an abundance of peace," and
joy, and holiness, and, by anticipation at least, of glory also.
You are shining as lights in a dark world ; and are a source
both of joy and honour to your God, and of conviction and
consolation to those around you. In you, the millennial period
s Zech. viii. 23. * Rom. xi. 12, 15. John i. 17.
1080.1 DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD CONDEMNED. 271
is, as it were, begun. O, rejoice ye, and shout for joy; and
endeavour, in every possible way, to glorify the God of your
salvation
2. What reason you have to seek the welfare of
your Jewish brethren
[Behold with what glorious consequences it will be fol
lowed! Though, for argument sake, I have waved all con
sideration of the Jews themselves, methinks you will not agree
to dismiss them from your minds. The recollection of what
their ancestors, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself, have done
for you, will never suffer you to be indifferent about the salva
tion of their souls. But, if we could suppose such a malignant
disposition in you towards that unhappy people, shall the
glory of God and the salvation of the whole world have no
effect upon you ? I call you then, every one of you, to exert
yourselves, in whatever way the Lord may enable you, for the
restoration of his outcast people. Make known to them the
Gospel, whereby all other blessings shall flow down into their
souls ; and, as they are the appointed reapers of the Gentile
world, go forth to hire them for the work; that, as their
ancestors reaped the first-fruits, these may be the happy means
of gathering in the whole harvest.]
MLXXX.
DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD CONDEMNED.
Jer. xxxv. 13, 14. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of
Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my
words? saith the Lord. The words of Jonadab the son of
Rechab,that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are
performed ; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their
fathers commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto
you, rising early and speaking ; but ye hearkened not unto
me.
THE service of God is called, by St. Paul, " a
reasonable service :" and that it is most reasonable,
appears, as from numberless other arguments, so
especially from this, that we ourselves exact of our
fellow-creatures that very kind of service which God
requires from us. A father expects to be honoured
by his children ; and a master to be feared and
272 JEREMIAH, XXXV. 13, 14, [1080.
obeyed by his servants : and God, acknowledging
the equity of those expectations, says, " A son ho-
noureth his father, and a servant his master : if I
then be a father, where is my honour ? and if I be a
master, where is my fear a ?" It is true, that, in
respect of the degree in which these dispositions are
required, there must be an infinite distance between
what is due to God and to man : but if the smallest
measure is due to man, much more is the greatest
measure due to God : and if we are to obey man in
any thing, much more ought we to obey God in every
thing.
This is put in a very striking point of view in the
chapter before us, where God brings forth the
Rechabites, and their obedience to the commands of
Jonadab their progenitor, to shame the Jews who
were disobedient to his commands.
The Rechabites were originally Kenites, descended
from Hobab the father-in-law of Moses b : and, be
cause they had no inheritance in Israel, it is gene
rally thought that they still continued aliens from
the commonwealth of Israel. But we apprehend,
that, at some period subsequent to the division of
Canaan, they had embraced the Jewish faith ; be
cause Jehonadab, the very person spoken of in our
text, was the person whom Jehu took up into his
carriage, saying, " Come, see my zeal for the Lord :"
and, had he not been reckoned amongst the true
Israelites at that time, we conceive that Jehu, at the
very moment that he was usurping the throne of
Israel, would not have courted so publicly his alliance
and support : nor do we think that Jeremiah would
have taken the Rechabites " into the house of the
Lord," and " into the chamber of a man of God," if
they had not been possessed of the full privileges of
Israelites. The circumstance of their having no
inheritance in Israel will sufficiently account for their
being called " strangers " there, and for their wishing
to avoid the jealousies and contentions which the
acquisition of wealth might occasion. But however
a Mai. i. 6. b 1 Chron. ii. 55. c 2 Kings x. 15, 16.
1080.] DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD CONDEMNED. 273
this might be, the complaint which was founded on
their obedience, is the same, and is deserving of very
peculiar attention.
Let us consider this complaint,
I. Simply
Jonadab had enjoined on his posterity not to build,
or plant, or sow, or even to possess houses or vine
yards ; but to dwell in tents, and to drink no wine :
and they had been observant of his injunctions now
for the space of three hundred years. But on occa
sion of the Chaldean invasion, they had fled to Jeru
salem for safety d : and the Prophet Jeremiah set
wine before them, and invited them to refresh them
selves with it. This was done by God s command,
not with a view to tempt and ensnare them, but for
the purpose of displaying their adherence to the
commands of their father, and of putting to shame
the whole Jewish nation for their disobedience to the
commands of God. At first sight, this appears to be
an insulated fact, in which we have little concern ;
but there is in reality, at this day,
1. The same regard for the commands of men-
fit should seem as if a reverence for tradition were inhe
rent, as it were, in our very nature ; since we find it equally
prevailing in every quarter of the world.
It is universally found in relation to civil and political insti
tutions. However different the forms of government may be
which obtain amongst the various nations of the world, there
exists amongst the natives a partiality in favour of it, insomuch
that they are ready to fight, and even to die, in its defence.
Republics, and monarchies, whether limited or absolute, are
on a par in this respect : whichever has been established, has
on that account a great pre-eminence in the estimation of the
people.
This zeal for what has been handed down from our fore
fathers obtains, if possible, yet more strongly in reference to
religious ordinances. There are many of the same traditions,
and the same fixed adherence to them too, amongst the dif
ferent religious orders of the Papists at this day, as obtained
formerly amongst the Rechabites. Rites, which God never
d yer. 6 11.
VOL. IX. T
JEREMIAH, XXXV. 13, 14. [1080.
enjoined, are venerated even beyond the plainest command
ments of our God. In like manner, amongst us Protestants,
every sect has its peculiar dogmas, which are adhered to from
generation to generation, with a scrupulous and superstitious
exactness. Notwithstanding it is manifest that there are pious
men of every denomination, and that God may be served and
honoured by one as well as by another, yet all are disposed to
look with pity or contempt on each other, and to claim to
themselves an exclusive conformity to the Divine will. Some,
even in their dress and in their language, affect a singularity
which they transmit to succeeding generations, and impose as
distinctive badges of their community. And all these points
of difference form, in the minds of each community, as great a
barrier between them and others, as the self-denying habits
of the Rechabites did between them and the house of Israel.]
2. The same disregard for the commands of God
[To all of every denomination God says, as to his people
of old, " Return ye now every man from his evil way." But
who regards him ? Do drunkards, whoremongers, adulterers,
and profane swearers, attend to his voice, or set themselves in
earnest to amend their ways ? Do the votaries of pleasure, or
the people who are absorbed in the cares of this world, relax
their pursuit of earthly things, and begin to set their affections
on things above ? Do those who rest in a mere formal round
of duties without feeling any of the power of godliness,
renounce their proud self-righteous conceits, and humble
themselves before God as guilty and undone sinners ? Do they
receive with gratitude the glad tidings of salvation, and flee
with becoming earnestness to the Lord Jesus Christ as their
only hope ? Do not sinners of every class retain their habits
as much as if they had never been called upon to renounce
them? We ask of every individual, Have you turned from
that particular way, in which, from inclination or habit, you
have formerly been led ; and have you truly, and penitently,
and unreservedly, given up yourselves to God? We put this
question to the decent and the moral, as well as to those who
have given a freer scope to their corrupt appetites ; Have the
commands of God had any considerable influence on your
minds? ( Have you truly studied them, with a view to find out
your departures from them, and with a determination of mind
to conform yourselves to them to the very utmost of your
power ? As for any partial change adopted with a view to
advance your character or interest in the world, we inquire
not about it : your change must be founded on the authority
of God, and be commensurate with his commands, or it is
of no value in his sight : the conversion must be from sin to
holiness, from the world to God : nothing less than that is
1080.] DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD CONDEMNED. 275
required by God : and in this view of our duty, we ask again,
1 Has not God the same ground of complaint against us, as he
had against his people of old, that however observant we may
have been of the commands of men, we have not hearkened
unto him ? ]
But let us consider the complaint more minutely,
II. With its attendant aggravations
In our text, there is an evident contrast formed
between the obedience of the Rechabites and the
disobedience of the Jews. We notice more particu
larly,
1. The authority from which the different com
mands proceeded
[That which the Rechabites obeyed was human; that
which the Jews disobeyed was divine. Yes : it is the God of
heaven and earth, whom we also have set at nought. He
created us for himself; yet have we considered ourselves as
independent of him. He has preserved us every moment, yet
have we lived in continued rebellion against him. He has
redeemed us with the blood of his only dear Son ; yet have we
poured contempt on all the wonders of his love, as well as on
the terrors of his offended Majesty. Let us only reflect on
what we must all have observed, times without number : We
tell a person, that such or such a line of conduct is contrary to
God s revealed will; and we produce little, if any effect upon
him : but if we tell him that such a conduct will destroy his
prospects in the world, or expose him to shame and contempt
among his fellow-creatures, we at least excite very strong
emotions in his mind, even if we do not prevail to change his
deportment. The truth is, we are all very sensibly alive to
the displeasure of men, but lamentably indifferent to the dis
pleasure of God; and man s authority weighs abundantly more
with us than the authority of the Most High.]
2. The commands themselves
[Whatever propriety there might be in the commands of
Jonadab, they were certainly not necessary for the salvation of
his descendants. But the commands of God are absolutely ne
cessary, both to our present and eternal welfare. Which of them
is there that can be dispensed with ? Which of them is there
that can be lowered or relaxed, without dishonour to God, and
injury to man ? Consider more particularly the commands
relating to the Gospel : they are like commands to the blind,
to see ; to the deaf, to hear ; to the lame, to walk ; to the
leprous, to be clean; to the dead, to arise and live for ever.
T 2
27<i JEREMIAH, XXXV. 13, 14. [1080.
Which of these commands would the person afflicted desire to
dispense with ? O ! the horrible ingratitude of despising the
Gospel of Christ ! See, Brethren, what sad reason there is for
God s complaint against us !]
3. The manner in which they were enforced
[The one injunction of Jonadab, that had been given three
hundred years before, was all that had operated on the minds of
his descendants ; even though it had been merely suggested as
a matter of expediency, without being enforced by any sanc
tions whatever. But God s commands have been, and still are,
renewed from day to day, by ambassadors sent for that express
purpose, and authorized to assure us, that eternal happiness
and eternal misery depend on the regard which we pay to them.
What an amazing aggravation of our guilt is this! Verily,
whatever excuses we may make for our conduct now, our
mouths will be shut in the day of judgment; yea, and the
whole house of the Rechabites will rise up in judgment against
us and condemn us.]
ADDRESS
1. To those who regard man, and not God
[God himself rewarded the Rechabites for their adherence
to the customs of their forefathers ; and thereby expressed his
approbation of an attention to rules, which have been derived
from authority, and established by time. Whether the rules
pertain to civil or religious duties, provided they do not mili
tate against the law of God, or prove burthensome to the con
science, we conceive it is right to conform to them. But no
punctuality in the observance of them can stand in the place
of obedience to God. We may be zealous patriots, active par
tisans, strict religionists, and yet never render unto God any
spiritual service, or take one step in our way to heaven. God
must have the heart ; Christ must be the one ground of our
hope and confidence ; the Holy Spirit must guide and sanctify
our souls ; or else we shall remain in the gall of bitterness, and
in the bonds of iniquity. Let those, then, who are disposed to
value themselves on their regularity and zeal in the observance
of human ordinances, remember, that they are building on a
foundation of sand ; and that they only build upon a rock, who
hear and do the commandments of their God 6 .]
2. To those who regard God, and not man
[Though none would go so far as to say that religion
supersedes all human obligations, and justifies a contempt of
e Matt. vii. 2427.
1080. J DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD CONDEMNED. 277
all established usages, there are many who act as if this were
the real sentiment of their hearts. At the commencement of
the French Revolution, this observation was verified to no
small extent in our own land : many who should have been
" the quiet in the land " were as eager as any to subvert that
constitution, which has since approved itself the admiration
and envy of the world. And it is still too often found, that
persons professing a love for religion, neglect the duties of their
place and station, and violate the most established usages of
the society to which they belong. But such persons little
think what spirit they are of, or what injury they do to the
souls of men. The people who know not God will of course
lay the greatest stress upon the observance of their own pecu
liar laws and maxims ; and will blame, not the conduct only
that violates them, but religion itself, as countenancing that
conduct. On this account, St. Paul was careful to " give no
offence in any thing." He consulted the prejudices of men,
and conformed to their views and habits as far as he con
scientiously could, " becoming all things to all men, that he
might by all means save some." This is the conduct which we
all should imitate : this is the life by which we should adorn
our holy profession : this is the way to put to silence the
ignorance of foolish men, and to " win by our conversation "
those who would never have been won by the written or
preached word. Let the Apostle s exhortation then be the
rule of our conduct ; " Whatsoever things are honest, just,
pure, lovely, and of good report, if there be any virtue, if there
be any praise, think on these things."]
3. To those who feel an united regard for both
[It is well indeed if you have learned to " render unto
Caesar the things that are Caesar s, and unto God the things
that are God s." And we would wish every religious person
to attain such a measure of consistency, as to be able to say
both to the godly and ungodly, What have ye, which I have
not ? and, What do ye, which I do not ? " Are ye Hebrews ?
so am I : are ye Israelites ? so am I." This kind of con
sistency will in due time create an influence over the minds of
many ; and may recommend religion to generations yet un
born. We would not indeed wish any one to be burthening
himself or others with superstitious observances : but to adopt
the spirit of Jonadab s injunctions will be of incalculable
advantage to us all. Self-denial and deadness to the world are
amongst the most important duties of Christianity ; and to live
in the habitual exercise of these will be an effectual preserva
tive from temptation. That we shall be tempted to violate
our principles and our engagements, must be expected : both
the world and the flesh will, as it were, " set pots of wine
278 JEREMIAH, XXXVI. 27, 28. [1081.
before us, and say, Drink ye wine." But, if we have learned
to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts, we shall have
our answer ready at hand, My Father, and my God, has for
bidden it : and I will do only the things that please him.
Thus bear in mind your vows and obligations to your God,
and you shall " never be led away by the error of the wicked,
nor fall from your own steadfastness."]
MLXXXI.
JEHOIAKIM BURNS THE SACRED ROLL.
Jer. xxxvi. 27, 28. Then the word of the Lord came to Jere
miah, (after that the king had burned the roll, and the words
which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah,) saying, Take
thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words
that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah
hath burned.
TRUTH has peculiar force, when it is embodied,
and exhibited in action. A speculative view of it
may perhaps be derived as well from abstract state
ments ; but its practical efficacy is exceedingly en
hanced by a sight of it in actual operation. For
instance : the enmity of the carnal mind against
God is acknowledged by us in general terms ; but we
are more forcibly impressed with a conviction of it,
when we behold such a display of it as is contained
in the chapter before us. We should scarcely con
ceive that any man could deliberately commit such
flagrant impiety, as that of which king Jehoiakim was
guilty, in destroying those prophecies which he be
lieved to have proceeded from Almighty God. It
does not appear that Jehoiakim doubted of the inspi
ration of Jeremiah : yet, because he did not like the
subject of his prophecies, he cut them in pieces, and
burned them in the fire. His folly in this act was as
great as his impiety : and we shall find it by no means
an uninstructive event, whilst we take occasion from
it to notice,
I. The enmity of man s heart against the word of
God
1081.] JEHOIAKIM BURNS THE SACRED ROLL. 279
It is not the act which we propose to dwell upon,
but the disposition : the act was insulated, and pecu
liar to this wicked king ; but the disposition is com
mon to all mankind. The very same disposition
may be, and frequently is, evinced in a variety of
ways :
1. By denying the Divine authority of the Scrip
tures
[Infidels pretend a want of evidence, as the ground of
their rejecting the Holy Scriptures: but they wish the Scrip
tures not to be true, because they wish to hold fast those
opinions and practices which the Scriptures condemn. Their
own pride and conceit are gratified in finding objections to the
Divine authority of the Bible : and they require such demon
strations of it as the subject itself does not admit of. They
lay a very undue stress upon some difficulties which they cannot
explain ; and reject evidences, which would satisfy them on
every other subject under heaven. The true ground therefore
of their unbelief is, not that there is not evidence enough to
satisfy a candid inquirer, but that " they love darkness rather
than light ; yea, they hate the light, and will not come to the
light, lest their deeds should be reproved a ."]
2. By explaining away all its fundamental truths
[To reject the Bible altogether would, in the eyes of
some, be a shocking impiety ; but they will without hesitation
discard every mystery contained in it. The doctrine of original
sin, and of the total corruption of human nature, they will not
admit; but will assert, that man is neither so depraved nor
so weak as the Scripture represents him. They are equally
adverse to the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith :
they will have it, that, in bestowing salvation, God has respect
to some goodness, either seen or foreseen, in the children of
men ; and that, in some degree at least, our good works must
form the meritorious ground of our salvation. The influences
of the Holy Spirit also are derided by them, as visionary and
enthusiastic; and instead of looking to the Holy Spirit to
guide them into all truth, and to sanctify them throughout,
they persist in placing some confidence in their own wisdom
and their own strength to accomplish the good work in their
souls. And their whole study of the Holy Scriptures is
directed to this end, to explain away what God has asserted,
and to maintain their own errors in opposition to him. But
in all this, there is the same disposition exercised as in the
a John iii, 19 21.
280 JEREMIAH, XXXVI. 27,28. [1081.
avowed infidel : and he must be ignorant indeed, who does
not know, that in these pretended believers of the Scriptures
there is generally found the most acrimonious hostility against
the truth itself, and against all who maintain it.]
3. By entertaining doubts of its utility to the
poor
[Would to God that Papists alone had broached this im
pious sentiment ! But, alas ! it is found amongst Protestants
also : nor are there wanting those who have given it as their
decided opinion, that it would have been better for the world
if St. Paul had never written one of his Epistles. To put the
Scriptures into the hands of the poor, they think highly inex
pedient ; because they apprehend that the poor are more likely
to be led into error by them, than into truth. But what a
reflection is this upon God himself, who gave them by inspira
tion, and declared them to be " profitable for men s instruction
in righteousness 1 ;" and commanded every man to "search"
them, in order to the finding of eternal life c ! To soften down
this impious notion, some would select a few parts to circulate
among the poor, and would keep back the rest : in other words,
they would do exactly what Jehoiakim did ; they w r ould cut
out page after page, and suffer none to be read which was dis
tasteful to their minds. Jehoiakim was afraid that his people
would make a bad use of Jeremiah s roll, and therefore he
burned it : and these have the same fears about the greater
part of the sacred volume ; and therefore they would keep it
out of the hands of the poor. The acts of the two are dif
ferent ; but their dispositions are the same.]
4. By setting its precepts at defiance
[Strange as it may appear, there are many, who, whilst
they believe the Scriptures to be from God, and assent to the
doctrines contained in them, are yet determined to go on in
sin : they know they are wrong, and perhaps intend at some
future period to amend their doings ; but proceed they \vill in
their own ways, whatever may be the consequence. The world,
the flesh, and the devil have such a hold upon them, that
nothing can prevail upon them to seek after God. They
despise alike the mercies and the judgments of their God; and
say in their hearts, " As for the word that thou hast spoken to
us in the name of the Lord, we will not regard it." In short,
they live in the very spirit of Jehoiakim ; believing the word
to be inspired, and yet " casting it behind them," with a de
termination to fulfil their own desires in opposition to it.]
5. By reviling and persecuting those who embrace
it
b 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. c John v. 39.
1081.] JEHOIAKIM BURNS THE SACRED ROLL. 281
[There is nothing that shews a more rooted aversion to
the word of God than this. The next step to the destroying
of Jeremiah s roll was, to send for Jeremiah who dictated, and
Baruch who wrote it, to destroy them also : for we cannot doubt
but that if the Lord had not hidden them, the enraged monarch
would have put them to death. And are not multitudes at
this day of the very same spirit? Are there not many who
hate the faithful ministers of God s word, and account them
" the troublers of Israel," and the greatest pests of society?
Yes ; at this day, as much as in the apostolic age, would Paul
and his colleagues be regarded as " the filth of the world, and
the offscouring of all things d ."
Nor are ministers alone thus treated : the same hatred ex
tends to all who embrace the Gospel in sincerity, and walk
according to its holy precepts : they, no less than their teachers,
are called by all manner of opprobrious names, arid that too
solely on account of their fidelity to Christ. Precisely as Abel
was hated by Cain for his piety, and Isaac was derided by
Ishmael for his faith in God, " so now all who are born after
the Spirit are persecuted by those who are born after the
flesh e ." And what does this prove, but that faith itself, and
piety too, yea and God himself also, are objects of hatred to
the ungodly world ; and that the language of their hearts is,
" Prophesy not unto us right things ; prophesy unto us smooth
things ; prophesy deceits : and make the Holy One of Israel to
cease from before us f ."]
That the same enmity which raged in the king of
Judah against the word of God, exists in us, appears
most clearly in the foregoing particulars. We now
proceed to point out,
II. The folly of indulging it
Justly is the indulgence of this spirit compared to
the setting of thorns and briers in battle array against
the devouring element of fire s . For,
1. We cannot change one declaration in all the
Scriptures
[We may dispute against every truth in the Bible ; but we
cannot alter one. We may deny all the scriptural representa
tions of our guilt and helplessness, and of the necessity of
being washed in the Redeemer s blood, and renewed by his
Spirit; and we may designate them by what terms we will;
but they will still continue true : our sophistry may deceive
d 1 Cor. iv. 13. e Gal. iv. 29.
f Isai. xxx. 9 11. e Isai. xxvii. 4.
JEREMIAH, XXXVI. 27, 28. [1081.
both ourselves and others ; but it cannot invalidate the truth
of God, or induce him to deviate from one word that he has
spoken. He will say to us, " What I have written, I have
written;" and " sooner shall heaven and earth pass away, than
one jot or tittle of my word shall fail." If by disputing against
the word of God, or even by casting it into the fire, we could
put ourselves into a better situation with respect to it, there
would be some excuse for us : but we may as well immure
ourselves in a dungeon, and deny the existence of the sun : the
sun would still shine, though we should not choose to see it ;
and would still cheer the hearts of those who felt its refreshing
beams, though we excluded ourselves from any participation of
its genial influence. So will all the great doctrines of the
Gospel continue, though we should shut our eyes against
them: "the Scripture cannot be broken;" nor "can our
unbelief make the faith of God of no effect 11 ." Every thing
else is " as grass, which withereth and falleth away; but the
word of the Lord endureth for ever: and this is the word
which by the Gospel is preached unto you 1 ."]
2. We cannot prevent the execution of one threat
ening
[We are very apt to deceive ourselves in relation to this;
and to think, that our unbelief will be an excuse for our dis
obedience. But error is not innocent, especially when it is
wilful: much less can it induce God to reverse all the judg
ments which he has denounced against sin and sinners. Let
us look to fact. The antediluvians scoffed at Noah, and at all
his warnings respecting the approaching deluge : but did the
deluge not come? or did they escape when the time for
executing the threatened judgment was arrived? " Ahab
hated and imprisoned Micaiah for not speaking good con
cerning him, but evil;" and ordered him to be fed " with the
bread of affliction and the water of affliction, till he should
return from the war in peace." But did he return in peace ?
Did he survive the battle, in which Micaiah had told him he
should die? Did his determined opposition to the word of
God screen him from the predicted vengeance ? Thus will it
be with all who disbelieve the sacred records : they will learn
too late by their own experience, what they would not be
lieve upon the testimony of God : dying in unregeneracy and
unbelief, they will be excluded from the kingdom of heaven,
and " the wrath of God will abide upon themV O the folly
and madness of plunging ourselves into everlasting misery,
when, if we would but turn unto the Lord, we might secure
the everlasting enjoyment of his kingdom and glory!]
h Rom. iii. 3. i 1 Pet. i. 24, 25. * John ffi. 3, 36.
1081.] JEHOIAKIM BURNS THE SACRED ROLL. 283
3. We accumulate on our own heads the judg
ments which we despise
[The contempt with which men treat the word of God is
itself a great and grievous sin, and adds exceedingly to that
load of guilt which we have contracted by all our other offences.
How indignant was God with Saul on this account! " Because
thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord hath rejected
thee from being king 1 ." In like manner, it was no slight expres
sion of his displeasure which he used towards those who, in
opposition to his commands, went down into Egypt ; " They
shall know," says he, " whose word shall stand, mine or theirs" 1 ."
But more particularly mark God s message to king Jehoiakim:
to what an ignominious death he was doomed for his impiety ;
besides that, on the contents of this roll being again written,
" there were added unto them many like ivords" Let it be
considered, that, whilst we are setting at nought the word of
God, we are not only insuring, but increasing those very
"judgments which we puff at," and actually " treasure up
wrath against the day of wrath." Well does God say of all
such persons, " Lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord ;
and what wisdom is in them 11 ?" Let these words then sink
down into the ears of all that hear them : if ye persist in saying,
" I shall have peace, though I walk after the imagination of
my heart ; the Lord s anger will smoke against you, and he
will blot out your name from under heaven ."]
If now we would know how to conduct ourselves in
reference to the word of God, let us LEARN,
1. To tremble at the word ourselves
[This is the disposition which God approves. He ap
proved of it in king Josiah, under circumstances similar to those
in the history before us p ; and he will look with complacency
and delight on all who manifest it in their conduct q . O that
there might be in all of us such a heart! for if we " receive the
word with meekness, we shall find it able and effectual to save
our souls."]
2. To use all diligence in making it known to
others
[When Baruch had written the words from Jeremiah s
mouth, he went and read them in the ears of all the people.
Then he read them also in the presence of the princes : and the
princes went and read them to the king. All this was right :
1 1 Sam. xv. 23. )!1 Jer. xliv. 28. n Jer. viii. 9.
Deut. xxix. 19, 20. P 2 Kings xxii. 8, 10, 11, 18, 19, 20.
<i Isai. Ixvi. 2.
284 JEREMIAH, XLII. 20,21. [1082.
and we should do well to imitate this conduct. To those who
possess not the word of God, we should carry it : and as now
there are plans for diffusing that word throughout all the world,
we should labour, each according to his ability, to advance that
blessed work. Moreover we should read it to those who are
not able to read ; or, at least, should procure them instruction,
that they may read it for themselves. Nor should we be afraid
to shew our veneration for it in the presence of kings and
princes, or to suggest to them the necessity of attending to it
themselves.]
3. To deal faithfully with those who pour con
tempt upon it-
fit is spoken to the reproach of these princes, that though
they made intercession to the king not to burn the roll, they did
not rend their clothes, either through a fear of God s judgments,
or through, an abhorrence of his impiety. And truly, when we
can see the contempt with which the Holy Scriptures are treated
by all around us, and not weep for the dishonour done to God,
or for the injury which men do to their own souls, we shew
that we ourselves are far from valuing the Scriptures as we
ought. " Rivers of tears ran down David s cheeks," when he
observed how men transgressed the laws of God : and is there;
not the same occasion for us to weep ? Do we believe indeed
that every word of God is true, and feel no pity for those who
are exposed to all the curses that are contained therein ? O
seek a compassionate regard for man, and a holy zeal for God !
and let none ever be ashamed to attest this truth, that " the
fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil, is
understanding r . "]
r Job xxviii. 28.
MLXXXII.
DISSIMULATION REPROVED.
Jer. xlii. 20, 21. Ye dissembled in your hearts, ivhen ye sent me
unto the Lord your God, saying, Pray for us unto the Lord
our God; and according unto all that the Lord our God shall
say, so declare unto us, and we will do it. And now I have
this day declared it to you ; but ye have not obeyed the voice
of the Lord your God, nor any thing for the which he hath
sent me unto you.
THE office of a minister,, if it abound with conso
lations, abounds with trials and afflictions also. When
1082.] DISSIMULATION REPROVED. 285
he is instrumental to the turning of men to right
eousness, and " sees his children walk in truth, he
has the sublimest joy" of which, in his present state
of existence, he is capable : but to find that he only
" labours in vain," and to behold those of whom he
had begun to entertain some pleasing hopes, making
shipwreck of their faith and of a good conscience, is
inexpressibly painful : such scenes as these renewed,
as it were, in the Apostle s mind, all the pangs of
childbirth, so that " he travailed in birth again with
his converts, till Christ should be completely formed
in them." The Prophet Jeremiah was very unfortu
nate in this respect : he had at all times to deal with
an untoward people ; and actually experienced more
kindness from the enemies of his nation, than he did
from the people unto whom he ministered.
The particular circumstances under which he was
at the time referred to in our text, deserve to be con
sidered. Johanan and the captains of the Jewish
forces having rescued their countrymen from Ishmael,
who was carrying them captive into the land of the
Ammonites, were doubting whether to continue in
Canaan, where they feared the vengeance of the
Chaldeans, or to go into the land of Egpyt, where
they hoped to find both safety and abundance. In
this strait they applied for instruction to Jeremiah,
with apparent sincerity, but (as our text informs us,
and the event proved,) with real dissimulation. We
propose to consider their conduct,
I. As exemplified in them
Their dissimulation was indeed most vile and
flagrant
[In their application to the prophet, there zvas the greatest
expression of piety : they entreated his prayers to God for
them, and promised to follow implicitly whatever direction he
should give them from the Lord. They declared most solemnly,
that no consideration of ease or interest should induce them to
deviate from his injunctions ; and they even called God himself
to be a witness between the prophet and them, and to visit
upon them their iniquity, if they should neglect to perform
their promise a
a Read ver. 1 6.
286 JEREMIAH, XLII. 20, 21. [1082.
By the prophet, God returned to them a most gracious answer.
He directed them what to do ; and encouraged them by the
strongest assurances of his own protection ; promising to return
in mercy to them himself, as well as to dispose the heart of the
king of Babylon to shew mercy to them : at the same time he
warned them plainly, that if they would follow their own ways
in opposition to his counsel, he would bring upon them all the
calamities which they were so anxious to escape b
They however, by their determined rejection of God s counsel,
betrayed in the most open manner their own hypocrisy. Instead
of hearkening to God s voice, they, " the proud among them"
especially, denied that the message which was delivered to them
proceeded from God : they imputed it to the ill-will of Baruch
towards them c ; and told the prophet plainly, that they would
not follow his injunctions 1 . Accordingly they, in express
violation of their own engagements, went down into Egypt,
and there found, as God had declared unto them, " whose
word should stand, his or theirs ."]
From this view of the history, we are led to make
the following remarks :
First, How little do men know of their own hearts !
[In all the professions which they made of their readiness
and determination to obey their God, they thought themselves
sincere; and doubtless \vould have been exceedingly indignant,
if the prophet had in the first instance charged them with
hypocrisy. Thus Peter, when he so vehemently declared, that,
though all others should forsake their Lord, he never would,
conceived that nothing could ever induce him to recede from
his purpose : and thus we also persuade ourselves that we shall
prove superior to all temptations, till the time of trial comes,
and we shew by our unfaithfulness, how little w r e knew of our
own hearts.]
Next, What an enemy to man s happiness is
pride !
[It was " the proud men" in particular who denied the
inspiration of the prophet, and who ascribed his message to a
conspiracy which he and Baruch had entered into to deceive
them. To the same malignant principle of pride does the holy
Psalmist ascribe the contempt with which ungodly men treat
every thing that relates to God : " The wicked through the
pride of his countenance will not seek after God f ." Yes, this
is at the root of infidelity : men pretend that there is a want
of evidence of the Divine authority of the Scriptures, and
b Read ver. 719. Jer. xliii. 13. d Jcr. xliv. 16.
e Jer. xliv. 28. f Ps. x. 4.
1082.] DISSIMULATION REPROVED. 287
exclaim against the Gospel as the invention of priestcraft
or enthusiasm : but the truth is, they are too proud to submit
to the yoke of Christ, and to receive salvation as the unmerited
gift of God.]
Once more ; How awful is the issue of unbelief!
[Plain were the warnings which they received ; and bitter
was the experience which the unbelieving Jews had of God s
fidelity to his threatenings. Thus also it was with the Jews
who came out of Egypt, all of whom perished in the wil
derness, with the exception of two only. And thus it shall
be with unbelievers, whoever they may be : they shall find
to their cost, " whose word shall stand, whether God s or
theirs." " Their unbelief shall never make the word of God
of none effect :" of his word, not one jot or tittle shall ever
fall to the ground.]
From this general view of their conduct, let us
turn to the consideration of it,
II. As imitated by us
It may properly be said of all who attend upon the
preaching of the Gospel, that they virtually acknow
ledge the relation that subsists between them and
their minister : they look to him as God s ambassa
dor, to declare to them the Divine will respecting
them; and they profess their readiness to obey the
Divine mandates, whatsoever they may be ; and in
every instance wherein they are wilfully disobedient,
they are, in truth, like the Jews in our text, dissem
blers with God. But there are some particular
occasions on which our hearers place themselves
precisely, as it were, in the same situation with them
whose conduct we are considering :
1. Under conviction of sin
[Those who hear the Gospel faithfully administered,
rarely escape without having the word at one time or other
brought home to their conscience, and being constrained to
make some resolutions of amendment. When such emotions
are excited, the heart, which was before stout, is softened ;
and the ear, which was deaf to all the precepts of the Gospel,
becomes opened to receive instruction. On such occasions
men will even condescend to request a remembrance in the
prayers of their ministers, and to desire instruction relative to
the commands of God. Like those on the day of Pentecost,
they will cry, " Sir, what must I do to be saved ?"
288 JEREMIAH, XLII. 20, 21. [1082.
For persons in such a state the faithful minister feels deeply
interested : and, whilst he implores the blessing of God upon
them, he points out to them the only way of life and salvation.
He shews them, that, " if they will be Christ s disciples, they
must deny themselves" in reference to all their former lusts
and evil habits ; that they must " take up their cross daily ;"
and not only bear with patience the contempt and hatred of
an ungodly world, but rejoice that they are counted worthy to
suffer for their Redeemer s sake ; and that they must " follow
Christ" in the whole of his spirit and conduct, " walking in all
things as he walked."
But this, to the generality, appears too strait a path : they
reply, as our Saviour s hearers did, "This is an hard saying;
Who can hear it ? " and like them also, " they go back, and
walk no more with us :" thus proving, by their inconstancy,
that all their former professions were no better than dissimu
lation before God. O let those who have " tasted of the good
word of God, and the powers of the world to come," examine
their own hearts, and see in what light they are viewed by
God, if they have not followed up their convictions, and
devoted themselves truly to their Lord and Saviour!]
2. Under some heavy trial or affliction
[Affliction has a tendency to plough up, as it were, the
fallow-ground of man s heart, and to prepare it for the recep
tion of the good seed. The loss of a wife, or husband, or child,
or of some friend that was as one s own soul, is often the means
of embittering to us all that this world can afford, and of
directing our attention to a better world, where alone true
happiness can be found. A succession of any other painful
events will also produce a similar effect.
Religious company and conversation will, under such circum
stances, be not only tolerated, but often desired and delighted
in ; and the most hopeful appearances of sound conversion
will ensue. " They will pour out a prayer, when God s chas
tening is upon them ;" yea, says God, " in their affliction they
will seek me early."
But in most cases the impression is but of short duration ;
and the vows which they made in trouble are soon forgotten.
They are like metal taken out of the furnace, which soon
returns to its former hardness. Thus it was with the Jews :
; When God slew them, then they sought him, and returned
and inquired early after God, &c. ; nevertheless they did but
natter him with their mouth, &c. ; for their heart was not right
with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant g ." And
P Ps. Ixxviii. 3437.
1082. J DISSIMULATION REPROVED. 289
thus it is with too many also amongst ourselves ; " their good
ness is only as the morning dew, and as the early cloud that
passeth away."]
3. At the approach of death
[The most hardened of men are, for the most part, sof
tened at the prospect of death ; so that even the most
abandoned criminals, under a sentence of condemnation, are
thankful for the services of a pious minister, listening eagerly
to his instructions, and uniting fervently with him in his
prayers. Indeed the common practice of mankind has sanc
tioned the idea of sending for a minister, to counsel and to
pray for the sick and dying.
On those occasions we hear much regret expressed by the
generality, on account of the sad neglect of which they have
been guilty ; and many purposes formed of turning unto the
Lord, in case their lives should be prolonged.
But, when such persons are unexpectedly restored to health,
how rarely do we find that they fulfil their promises, and
devote themselves to God according to their vows ! Truly, we
need not look to the Jews for examples of dissimulation ; for
there is not a family, or scarcely an individual, that does not
furnish an instance of it amongst ourselves. Human nature
is the same in all ages : and wherever pride and unbelief reign,
there will be disobedience, obduracy, and ruin.]
Let me now ADDRESS,
1. The disobedient amongst you
[Consider the relation that subsists between us. As your
minister, it is my duty to pray for you, and to declare to you
with fidelity the whole counsel of God. Suffer me to ask, how
you have improved the opportunities you have enjoyed ? If
some few have answered the gracious designs of God respecting
them, have not the great mass continued in their sinful habits
even to this hour, instead of turning truly and unreservedly to
the Lord their God? What then have their whole lives been,
but one continued course of dissimulation with God ? And
what must the issue be of such conduct ? O, before it is too
late, remember how often you have been admonished " not to
lean to your own understandings," nor to " trust in an arm of
flesh;" but to obey implicitly God s revealed will, and to
cleave unto the Saviour with full purpose of heart! The Lord
grant that now at last you may become obedient to the faith ;
and that, instead of being a swift witness against you, I may
have you as my joy and crown of rejoicing in the day of
judgment !]
VOL. ix. u
290 JEREMIAH, XLIV. 16, 17. [1083.
2. Those who are hesitating what course to pur
sue
[Do not " consult with flesh and blood," but go to the
Lord your God, who, if you are upright in your requests, will
surely make known his will unto you. The counsel of God s
ministers may indeed be asked ; but they must no further be
followed than they speak agreeably to the written word. That
word you are to consult, every one of you for himself; and, if you
pray unto God for his Spirit, " he will guide you into all truth."
But beware of dissimulation : beware also of delay. Defer not
unto the morrow what God requires to be done to-day : but
" to-day, while it is called to-day, harden not your hearts, as
in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness."
If you listen to pride and unbelief, you see in the history be
fore us, whither they will lead you. The ungodly world may
promise you safety in following their ways ; but safety is to be
found only in an unreserved obedience to the commands of
God, and especially that command of living by faith in his dear
Son, and devoting yourselves to him as his redeemed people.
" Believe then in the Lord, so shall ye prosper ; believe his
prophets, so shall ye be established."]
MLXXXIII.
THE IMPIETY OF UNGODLY MEN.
Jer. xliv. 16, 17. As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us
in the name of the Lord> we will not hearken unto thee : but
we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our
own mouth.
ONE would scarcely conceive it possible that
human beings should be so depraved as to utter the
words which we have just read. Yet, if this be not
the language of men s lips at this day, it is, to a very
great extent, the language both of their hearts and
lives : and one advantage which we derive from the
history before us is, that, whilst we see how far the
impiety of men will carry them, we learn to form a
correct estimate of their conduct. Perhaps in the
whole world we should not find one who would jus
tify them ; though thousands will justify themselves in
following their example. Permit me, then, to hold
up this picture before your eyes, in hopes that, as in
1083.] THE IMPIETY OF UNGODLY MEN. 291
a glass you may recognise your own countenances,
and fall under the conviction which your judgment
calls for at the hands of others. With this view, I
will endeavour to set before you,
I. The impiety of that people-
To behold this in its just light, we must look back
to the preceding chapters, and mark distinctly,
1. Their voluntary engagements
[After the King of Babylon had carried the Jews into
captivity, he permitted a small remnant to return ; and placed
over them a governor of their own nation, Gedaliah by name ;
and to him flocked a considerable number, who had fled to
Moab, and Ammon, and Edom, for refuge from the Chaldeans,
that they might once more enjoy peace in their own land,
under his protection " 1 . But Ishmael, who was of the seed
royal, envying Gedaliah this honour, conspired against him,
and slew him; and then forced the people to follow him, with
an intention to deliver them into the hands of the Ammonites 1 .
Johanan, a friend of Gedaliah, had suspected Ishmael s inten
tions; and had offered to defeat them, by secret assassination.
And as soon as Ishmael had accomplished his murderous
designs, Johanan followed him, and prevailed on the people
to return with him. But when he had brought them back
as far as Bethlehem, he was afraid of settling there, lest the
Babylonish monarch, whose viceroy had been destroyed, should
come and wreak his vengeance on him and the people, who
had been altogether innocent in the matter: he contemplated,
therefore, the seeking a refuge in Egypt, where he thought he
should be altogether out of the reach of the King of Babylon .
But, being doubtful what the Lord s will respecting it might
be (for God had forbidden them ever to return to Egypt d ), he,
at the head of all the people, from the least to the greatest,
came to Jeremiah, and intreated him to seek direction from
the Lord ; and pledged themselves, in the most solemn man
ner, to obey his voice, whatever it might be, or whatever might
be its aspect on their present comfort 6 .
Now, in all this, especially I mean in referring the matter
to God, Johanan acted in a manner that was truly becoming ;
for his fears were certainly well grounded ; and, in a matter
of such difficulty, it became him to request the intercession of
God s highly-favoured servant, the Prophet Jeremiah, and to
seek, by all possible means, direction from God. But, behold,
a Jer. xl. 712. b Jer. xli. 2, 10. c Jer. xli. 17, 18.
d Deut. xvii. 16. e Jer. xlii. 16.
u 2
292 JEREMIAH, XLIV. 16, 17. [1083.
what a sudden change took place in all the people ! Instead
of fulfilling their engagements, they manifested,]
2. Their deliberate violation of them
[After ten days, God was pleased to declare, by the pro
phet, that Johanan and the people must remain in their own
land : at the same time assuring them, that he would overrule
the heart of the king of Babylon to favour them f ; but that,
if they would go into Egypt, the very evils which they appre
hended, should follow them thither, to their utter destruction g .
Now, viewing their previous and solemn engagements, one
would naturally suppose that they would instantly comply with
the direction given them. But, instead of that, they deny that
God had given any such direction to Jeremiah; and assert,
that Baruch had stirred him up to feign this message from the
Lord, on purpose to deliver him and all the people into the
hands of the Chaldeans 11 ; and therefore they would proceed to
Egypt, at all events. This purpose they immediately carried
into execution ; and not only took all the people with them,
but forced Jeremiah also, and Baruch, to accompany them
thither l .
A more flagrant act of rebellion than this can scarcely be
conceived. Yet behold,]
3. Their self-vindicating effrontery
[The people, both men and women, but the women more
especially, betook themselves to idolatry, and offered incense
to the Queen of heaven. Being reproved for this by the pro
phet, they boldly asserted, that the service of Jehovah had been
altogether unprofitable to them ; that their former prosperity
had arisen from their worship of the Queen of heaven ; and
their later adversity had resulted from their neglect of her.
The truth was, as the prophet told them, the very reverse
of this : whilst they had served the Lord, he had prospered
them ; but when they departed from him to their idols, they
had constrained him to follow them with his judgments, even
to that very hour. But they were bent upon vindicating
themselves and their own ways ; and plainly declared to the
prophet, that " as for the word which he had spoken to them
in the name of the Lord, they would not do it ; but would
certainly do whatever they themselves chose," however offensive
it might be to God, or however injurious to their own interests.
They had engaged to worship the Queen of heaven ; and her
they would worship, whatever God or his prophet might say
in opposition to it: for they had found it their interest to
serve her; and serve her they would k .]
f Jer. xlii. 12. e Jer. xlii. 1317. h Jer. xliii. 1 4.
5 Jer. xliii. 57. k ver. 1719.
1083.] TH E IMPIETY OF UNGODLY MEN. 293
Not doubting what your judgment must be respect
ing them, I now proceed to point out,
II. The resemblance that exists between them and
us
Is it asked, Where shall we find any amongst us
like them? I answer, Look at,
1. The profane sinner
[See his engagements at the baptismal font : see them
voluntarily renewed at the time of his confirmation : all here
is well : and if these engagements are adhered to, all will be
well, both in time and eternity. But behold, when we call
upon them to fulfil their duties, our word, though spoken in
the name of the Most High God, has no effect: the generality,
if they listen to it for a moment, " take no earnest heed to it:"
they hear it " as the word of man only, and not as the word
of God." Some will speak out plainly in the very language
of our text : and though all arrive not at such a height of
impiety as to utter this with their lips, millions all around us
declare it by their lives. We call upon them to " renounce the
world, the flesh, and the devil ;" to " believe all the Articles
of the Christian Faith ;" and to " keep God s holy will and
commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of their
life." But who will regard us ? Who will carry into effect any
one of their own promises ? Who, when called upon to act up
to his engagements, does not deny that God has required it
at his hands ? And who does not even vindicate his own ways,
as necessary to his welfare in the world, and as alone conducive
to his present happiness ? Verily, we may behold in the Jews
a just picture of the Christian world ; professing all that is
good, and determinately following their own evil ways.]
2. The self-righteous formalist
[Hear him joining in our Liturgy, and you will say,
There is a repentant sinner, cleaving to the Lord with full
purpose of heart. But tell him in private what a sinner he is ;
tell him what contrition becomes him ; tell him how entirely he
must renounce all self-confidence, and rely solely on the Lord
Jesus Christ ; and you quite offend him He deserves not
such heavy judgments : he needs not seek for mercy in this
humiliating way. It may be well enough for publicans and
harlots to abase themselves in this manner; but he needs it
not ; nor will he consent to accept of mercy on such terms as
these. In vindication of themselves, persons of this descrip
tion will cast reflections on religion, as depriving men of all
happiness, and as a source of all the sorrow and melancholy
that are found in the religious world. In vain we tell them,
JEREMIAH, XLIV. 16, 17. [1083.
that it is sin alone which is the cause of sorrow, and ignorance
alone that is the source of melancholy to persons seeking after
God. In vain we tell them, that religion, properly understood
and practised, is a spring of the purest and most lasting joy.
The very comparison which the Jews made between Jehovah
and the Queen of heaven, these persons will make between
true piety and their own formal services : God s ways being
condemned as productive only of evil ; and their own com
mended, as replete with good.]
3. The hypocritical professor
[He, if you will believe his words, is all that you could
wish: but if you examine his actions, he is like fruit, fair to
look upon, but rotten at the core. Press him on the side of
his besetting sins, and you shall find him, in deeds, if not in
words, as determined a transgressor as either of the foregoing
characters, I know not whether he be not the least hopeful of
them all. His very " conscience is seared ;" and " even the
light that is in him is darkness." Whether his sin be pride,
or worldliness, or intemperance, or impurity, he finds excuses
for all ; or, if self-condemned, " turns the grace of God into
licentiousness." Ah ! what shall I say to such persons ?
These, above all, resemble Johanan and the Jews. They
make the greatest professions of piety, and sin against the
greatest light and knowledge ; and cast most dishonour upon
God whilst vindicating themselves. Verily, such persons,
above all, have need to go along with me in my last considera
tion ; namely,]
III. The certain issue of such conduct
The Jews would venture upon the line prohibited,
and prosecute their own ways, in defiance of the
judgments with which they were threatened. But
God told them that " they should see whose word
should stand, his or theirs 1 ."
I ask then, How did it fare with them ?
[Did not Divine vengeance follow them ? Could Pharaoh
afford them the protection which they sought ? yea, did not
both he and they fall under the Chaldean yoke, and speedily
experience all the calamities that had been predicted 1 " ?]
And how shall it fare with you ?
[Is not the time coming when the Lord will say, " Bring
hither those that were mine enemies, who would not that I
should reign over them, and slay them before me n ?" Yes;
1 vcr. 28. m ver . 12, 13, 14, 29, 30. n Luke xix. 27.
1083.] THE IMPIETY OF UNGODLY MEN. 295
you may vindicate yourselves as you will, and be as confident
as you please; but " God s word shall stand, and not yours ;"
and the day shall surely come, when your pride, and unbelief,
and rebellion, shall meet with their deserved recompence at
the hands of God It was the boast of the Jews that
they had antiquity and authority on their side . But what
did it avail them that " they had kings and princes on their
side," and that they did nothing but what was done daily " in
the streets of Jerusalem? " Did this lessen their guilt, or screen
them from punishment? So, then, know ye also, that how
ever broad the way be wherein ye walk, it will lead you to
destruction; and that " though hand join in hand, the wicked,
how great or numerous soever they be, shall not go un
punished."]
Let me now ADDRESS,
1. Those who disregard our testimony
[Whether it be in deeds only, or in words also, that ye
reject our word, know ye of a truth, that it shall come to pass,
and " a difference shall be put between him who serveth God,
and him who serveth him not." What this prophet said to
those who " refused to be ashamed of their abominations,"
and to every one of his instructions replied, " We will not
hearken," that I say to you : " In the day that God shall visit
for sin, ye shall be cast down, and perish p ." You may say, as
boldly as you will, " Let us break his bands asunder, and cast
away his cords from us:" but God laughs at your pride q ; for
" he sees that your day is coming." May God Almighty
awaken you from your security, ere it be too late !]
2. Those who tremble at the word of God
[This is a state of mind which becomes every sinner in
the universe 1 . Cultivate it, I pray you, more and more : and,
in any engagements which you may enter into with God, un
dertake nothing in your own strength. Be assured, that of
yourselves you can do nothing ; and that all your ability, even
for the most acknowledged duties, must be from the Lord
alone. Yet, whatsoever ye have vowed unto the Lord, remem
ber to pay it : " It were better never to vow, than to vow and
not pay." At the same time, take the word of God as your
guide : whatsoever He commands you, do it, without consider
ing what its effect may be on your present interests. In an
obedient attention to God s will you need fear no evil : for
" who is he that shall really harm you, if ye be followers of
that which is good 8 ?" But, if you will dissemble with God,
ver. 17. P Jer. vi. 1517. 1 Ps. ii. 3, 4.
r Isai. Ixvi. 2. * Jer. xlii. 11, 12. with 1 Pet. iii. 13.
296 JEREMIAH, XLV. 5. [1084.
" be sure that your sin will find you out." " Fear not man,
therefore, who can only kill the body; but fear Him who can
destroy both body and soul in hell : yea, I say unto you,
Fear Him."
MLXXXIV.
WE MUST NOT SEEK GREAT THINGS.
Jer. xlv. 5. Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek
them not.
WORLDLINESS is a great and common evil : and
it is often manifested in those from whom we should
least expect it. The sons of Zebedee solicited the
highest posts of honour in their Master s kingdom,
immediately after he had been foretelling his cru
cifixion : and all the disciples disputed about pre
eminence even at the last supper, just after they had
been warned, that one of them would betray his Lord.
Thus Baruch, when he had been writing in a book
all the prophecies of Jeremiah,, wherein God s deter
mination to destroy the Jewish nation had been
repeatedly declared, was promising himself years of
ease and affluence ; and was afraid to write another
copy of the prophecies, lest the king, who had de
stroyed the former copy, should put him to death.
Jeremiah therefore was ordered by God to reprove
him ; to tell him what had been the secret thoughts
of hisheart a , and to warn him against indulging such
an unbecoming spirit b .
The prohibition in the text being applicable to all
in every age, we shall shew,
I. When we may be said to seek great things for
ourselves
In direct reference to the text itself we observe,
that this may be said of us,
\, When the objects of our pursuit are great
a ver. 3.
b To see this connexion, read the thirty-sixth chapter, and then
the forty-fifth, which, in the series of Jeremiah s prophecies, ought to
follow it,
1084. ] WE MUST NOT SEEK GREAT THINGS. 297
[Things are great or small by comparison only ; since
that which would be great for a peasant, would be altogether
worthless in the eyes of a king. But they may universally be
called " great," when they far exceed our present condition :
and, in that case, an aspiring after them subjects us to the
censure in the text. The world indeed universally commend
ambition : but worldly ambition is very opposite to the self-
denying doctrines of Christianity. It was always discounte
nanced by our Lord c ; and is universally reprobated by his
Apostles d : and, wherever it rules in the heart, it indicates a
carnal and worldly mind 6 .]
2. When we seek even moderate things with eager
ness
[There is an important distinction to be made between
industry, and eagerness : the one relates to the activity of the
body ; the other to an excessive desire of the mind : the one
is not only proper, but necessary, in our respective spheres f ;
the other is universally sinful, when it relates to earthly things.
What can our Lord mean by repeating, no less than four
times, that solemn injunction, " Take no thought 8 ?" Doubt
less it is not to be taken literally in the strictest sense : but,
allowing for the utmost latitude of interpretation, he must
mean, that we should take no anxious thought even for the
most moderate, or most necessary, comforts. In perfect agree
ment with this are the directions of his Apostles 11 : conse
quently, the indulging of an eager desire after any thing
pertaining to this life, exposes us to the reproof contained in
the text.]
3. When we seek any thing merely for ourselves
[We are not at liberty to make self in any instance the
chief end of our actions. There is One above us, even God,
whose honour we should seek, even in the most common
offices of life 1 . To be lovers of our own selves is a mark of a
reprobate mind k : and whatever we do under the influence of
such a spirit, whether the action be of a civil 1 or religious" 1
nature, it is not acceptable to God. Though therefore we do
not aspire after great things, yet, if we seek any thing merely
for ourselves, and without any higher end than our own ease,
interest, or honour, we are altogether wrong, and deserving of
the severest censure.]
c Matt. viii. 20. John vi, 15. Matt. vi. 19 21.
d Phil. iii. 19. Col. iii. 2. e Rom. viii. 5.
f Rom. xii. 11. Eccl. ix. 10. s Matt. vi. 25, 28, 31, 34.
h 1 Cor. vii. 32. Phil. iv. 6. * 1 Cor. x. 31.
k 2 Tim. iii. 2. 1 Hos. x. 1.
m Zech. vii. 5, 6.
298 JEREMIAH, XLV. 5. [1084.
To vindicate the reasonableness of this prohibition,
we shall proceed to shew,
II. Why we should not seek them
That the reasons may more distinctly appear, we
shall shew,
1. Why we should not make great things the objects
of our pursuit
[An aspiring after riches or honours necessarily supposes
that we expect to find happiness in the enjoyment of them.
But it is certain that even the whole world (supposing we
could possess it) could never make us happy". What folly
then is it to be seeking to " fill our belly with the east wind ! "
Besides, the more we possess of this world, the more we are
exposed to temptations. Who does not see that the having
the means of gratifying our evil inclinations operates as an
inducement to indulge them? and that an elevation of rank
or character has a tendency to strengthen the pride of our
hearts? Are there not then temptations enough in our way
without our seeking to increase them? Shall we " load our
selves with thick clay p " when we are about to run a race ; or
make the way to heaven tenfold more difficult than it is al
ready 1 ? They to whom God has given great things, may
doubtless enjoy them : but the man who seeks them, labours
for that which will ultimately involve him in utter ruin r .]
2. Why we should not seek even moderate things
with eagerness
[No man is eager after any thing but in consequence of
the love he feels towards it : his eagerness therefore to it must
imply a love of it. Now an attachment to any of the things
of time and sense, especially such an attachment as stimulates
us earnestly to pursue them, argues a want of true love to
God s : for to love both God and mammon is impossible 1 .
Moreover, such an eagerness shews, that we have no just value
for our souls : for if we had once learned to appreciate the
soul aright, the whole world would appear as nothing in com
parison of it u . Will any one then justify a conduct that
involves in it such consequences ? As long as the love of God,
n Luke xii. 15. Job xv. 2.
P Hab. ii. 6. Q Matt. xix. 23, 24.
1 1 Tim. vi. 8, 10. Ot t /3ou\o/zej/oi 7r\ovre~ii>. The willing and
desiring to be rich has this fatal tendency, without any determination
to get rich at all events.
s 1 John ii. 15. * Matt. vi. 24.
u Matt. xvi. 26. Phil. iii. 7, 8.
1084.] WE MUST NOT SEEK GREAT THINGS. 299
and a care for our own souls, be our bounden duty, so long
must the eager pursuit of any earthly vanity be incompatible
with the Christian character.]
3. Why we should not seek any thing merely for
ourselves
[We are not our own, but God s. He both formed x and
redeemed y us, that we might glorify his name : and he repre
sents his faithful servants as seeking, not their own things, but
the things of Jesus Christ 2 . Are we then at liberty to rob
God of his glory ? and to defeat the great end both of our
creation and redemption? Besides, our fellow-creatures also
have a claim upon us. We are commanded not to "seek
every man his own, but every man another s wealth a . Ought
we then to deprive them of their right? Doubtless we may
without impropriety labour in our respective callings to pro
vide for ourselves and families ; but we must take care that,
in doing this, we have a view to God s honour, and the general
welfare of mankind. Else our labour is mere selfishness, that
contracts and hardens our hearts, while it violates every obli
gation to God and man.]
ADDRESS
1. Those who are seeking only the things of this
world
[What have you gained by all your past exertions ? You
are pleased, perhaps, with your success, and have your pride
gratified : but are you really happier than you were before you
possessed your present honours and emoluments? Perhaps
we may rather ask, Have you not, together with your means
of self-indulgence, multiplied also your vexations and disap
pointments ? But supposing you to be unusually favoured in
these respects, we still ask, What comfort will these things
afford you in the hour of death, and the day of judgment?
Will they not then at least, whatever they may now do, appear
to be lighter than vanity itself? Then in the name of God,
" Seek them not."
If however you be determined to seek great things, we will
change our voice, and say, " Seek them : " yes, seek them :
only take care that they be truly great. Be not contented
with the poor pitiful things of time and sense : let your ambi
tion rise to the very throne of God, and all the glory of
heaven. Seek the favour of God : seek an union with Christ :
seek an abiding fellowship with him: seek such discoveries of
his love as produce in you a perfect conformity to his image.
x Isai. xliii. 21. y 1 Cor. vi. 20. 2 Cor. v. 15.
z Phil. ii. 21. a Phil. ii. 4. and 1 Cor. x. 24.
300 JEREMIAH, XLVII. 6, 7. [1085.
In pursuit of such things, you cannot aim too high ; your
eagerness cannot be excessive ; your very selfishness becomes
a virtue. Other things that you acquire, are for yourselves and
heirs ; these shall be for yourselves alone, and that, for ever
and ever.]
2. Those who profess to seek higher and better
things
[Many a Baruch is to be found in the house of God :
even the people who are truly beloved of the Lord, may need
reproof for being too much cumbered about earthly things b .
If then such a character be present, let him consider the text
as applied to himself in particular ; Seekest thou great things
unto thyself? thou, who professest to be dead to the world ?
thou, who pretendest to walk in the steps of Christ ? thou, who
boastest that thou hast God for thy portion ? How dishonour
able is such conduct ! O " remember whence thou art fallen ;
and repent." Remember what was the root of Demas apos
tasy ; and know that the same root of bitterness, if nourished
in your hearts, will bring forth the same malignant and destruc
tive fruit. The best, the only antidote to this poison is, " the
love of Christ shed abroad in your hearts d ." As a sight of the
meridian sun unfits our organs of vision for beholding for a
time, any inferior objects, so will a sight of Christ efface the
beauty of all sublunary things ; or, to use the language of
inspiration, " by the cross of Christ, the world will soon be
crucified unto us, and we unto the world 6 ."]
b John xi. 5. with Luke x. 41, 42. c 2 Tim. iv. 10.
d 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. * Gal. vi, 14.
MLXXXV.
THE MEANS OF TERMINATING WAR.
Jer. xlvii. 6, 7. O thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be
ere thou be quiet ? Put up thyself into thy scabbard ; rest,
and be still. How can it be quiet, seeing the Lord hath given
it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea-shore ? there
hath he appointed it.
THOUGH the two nations of Judah and Israel
were the primary objects of attention to the prophets,
yet many other nations were referred to in their pro
phecies ; and the most important events respecting
them were circumstantially foretold. The chapter he-
fore us relates to the Philistines : and it was written
1085.] THE MEANS OF TERMINATING WAR. 301
at a time when they had recovered the power, of which
David had deprived them. It foretells the invasion of
their land by the Chaldeans, together with the long
continuance of the conflict, which should end in the
subjugation of them and their allies.
We shall not confine our attention to them, but
take the text as expressing generally,
I. The evils of protracted war
War is a tremendous evil
[It is so even in its commencement : the distress of the
Philistines at the approach of the invading army is very
strongly depicted a : and doubtless the representation is suited
to any other country that is similarly circumstanced
What then must be the miseries attendant on a protracted
warfare ! the desolations must spread far and wide ; the
slaughters be multiplied ; famines be produced ; perhaps pes
tilence also be generated. But who can enumerate the miseries
which war brings in its train ?
Well might the prophet desire its speedy termina
tion
[Humanity alone, independent of patriotic feelings or pri
vate interests, would make one desire to see the sword restored
to its scabbard. Some who fatten on the spoils of war, or
whose ambition is insatiable, may wish to have these fatal con
tests protracted ; but every one who regards either the tem
poral or spiritual welfare of mankind, will ardently wish for
the termination of them. The days described by the prophet
will be desired, infinitely beyond any national aggrandizement,
or personal advancement 13 .]
Whilst all acknowledge the evils of war, few seem
to be aware of,
II. The reason of its continuance
War is one of those judgments with which God
punishes the sins of men
[We are apt to look only to second causes, instead of
acknowledging, as we ought, the First Great Cause. Doubt
less the passions of men are the immediate sources from
whence the calamities of war arise : and men are strictly
a " The men cry and howl :" and the fathers are so terrified and
enfeebled, as either to forget their own children, or to be afraid to
look back for them. ver. 2, 3.
b Isai. xi. 69.
302 JEREMIAH, XLV1I. 6, 7. [1085.
amenable, both to God and their fellow-creatures, for the
evils, which, by their undue exercise of those passions, they
inflict upon the world. But God, who accomplishes his own
purposes without at all infringing on the liberty of the human
will, renders those passions subservient to his own designs ;
and employs men as his agents, as a man employs an axe in
the execution of any w r ork which he chooses to effect . Man
is the instrument ; but God is the real author of the work
that is done d .]
Till he has effected his own purposes by it, no
human efforts can bring it to a close
[What are his ultimate designs, is known to himself
alone : but whatever " his counsel be, it shall stand ; and he
will do all his will." He had " given the sword a charge
against Ashkelon and the sea-shore ; and therefore it could not
be quiet," till it had executed its commission. He puts a cup
into the hand of different nations; and it must go round,
till they have all drunk of it. In vain will any refuse it :
taste they must, yea and drink too, even to the dregs, if God
has so decreed 6 . And, as we ourselves have been his instru
ments, to carry war to coasts which were, according to human
appearances, most secure ; so may we have it brought to our
own shores, notwithstanding the security we appear to enjoy ;
and, if " God has so appointed," no power or policy of men
will be able to avert the storm : we have partaken largely of
the sins of other nations ; and we must expect to partake also
of their punishments f .]
But what is impossible with man,, is possible with
God ; who has mercifully declared to us,
III. The means of its termination
The intention of God s chastisements is to bring us
to repentance
[God has no pleasure in correcting the children of men :
on the contrary, "judgment is his strange act," to which with
reluctance and difficulty he proceeds. But he tells us plainly,
that he will proceed, till he has accomplished his gracious
ends ; yea that, if we hold fast our iniquities, he will increase
his chastisements seven-fold g . On the contrary, he promises,
that if we humble ourselves before him, he will remove them h .
When his rod does not produce the desired effect, he com-
c Jer. li. 2023. a l sa i. x . 14, 15.
e Jer. xxv. 15, 16, 17, 27, 28. f Ezek. xxiii. 3135.
e Lev. xxvi. 27, 28. i L ev . xxv j. io 24.
1085.] THE MEANS OF TERMINATING WAR. 303
plains of us 1 , and expresses the deepest regret that we have
not suffered him to exercise the mercy which was in his heart
towards us k . In a word, his message to the whole world is
this, " Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgres
sions ; so iniquity shall not be your ruin 1 ."]
On the attainment of his end, he will instantly re
move his judgments from us
[What an example is given us, in his mercy towards the
inhabitants of Nineveh ! How did he regard even the humi
liation of Ahab, though he knew it to be only external, selfish,
and partial 01 ! This then is the way to terminate the cala
mities of war. Sin is, as it were, the target, at which God
shoots his arrows. The sword is drawn, " to avenge the
quarrel of his covenant :" let that quarrel be composed, and
"the sword will be returned to its scabbard; it will rest, and
be still."]
Having considered the means of terminating the
calamities of war, and of averting the judgments of
God from our land, we would, in
CONCLUSION
Suggest some hints respecting those heavy judg
ments, which God has denounced against sinners in
another world, and respecting the best means of avert
ing them from our souls
[That the sword has a charge against impenitent sinners,
is certain" nor, however secure they may think them
selves, shall they be able to escape it "Except they
repent, they must all inevitably perish P." Moreover, if it be
once drawn out against a person in the eternal world, it shall
never be returned to its scabbard. Think then whether it
have not received a charge against you. It is true, you are
not mentioned by name ; but you may be as clearly marked
by character, as if your very name were specified. Possibly
enough your works are such as to determine your state,
beyond any possibility of doubt q : or, if not, your want of
regeneration and conversion may no less clearly mark you as
monuments of God s displeasure r Know then, that in
Christ only can you obtain pardon and peace : " There is no
other name given, whereby you can be saved." Seek then
i Zech. vii. 11, 12. k Ps. Ixxxi. 1316. * Ezek. xviii. 30.
m 1 Kings xxi. 29. n Ps. vii. 11 13. and ix. 17. and xi. 6.
Prov. xi 21. P Luke xiii. 3, 5. q Gal. v. 1921.
r John iii. 3, 5.
304 JEREMIAH, L. 4,5. [1086.
" to be found in him :" and know for your comfort, " if your
life be hid with Christ in God," it will be out of the reach of
God s avenging sword ; and " when Christ, who is your life,
shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory."]
MLXXXVI.
REPENTANCE DESCRIBED.
Jer. 1. 4, 5. In those days, and at that time, saith the Lord, the
children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah
together, going and weeping : they shall go, and seek the
Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their
faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to
the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.
THESE words refer to the Jewish people., and to
a period yet future. The junction of Israel with
Judah took not place in any great degree at the re
turn of the Jews from Babylon ; nor was their return
signalized by any such piety as is here described.
But, at the time ordained of God for their restoration
from their present dispersion, the whole Scriptures
attest, that a very extraordinary spirit of piety shall
be poured out upon them ; and that, in the remem
brance of all their past sins, they will be filled with
the deepest contrition before God a . But among the
Gentiles, also, will the same holy ardour be expressed
in returning to the Lord b : and therefore we will not
confine our attention either to the one or to the
other ; but rather regard the words before us as ex
pressive of genuine repentance wheresoever it exists ;
and as consequently declaring,
I. Our duty
Of the Jews, it is said, " They shall go and seek
the Lord their God."
Now this is a duty,
1. Of universal obligation
[There is not a man in the universe to whom it does not
appertain. There is no man who has not sinned, " in depart
ing from the living God;" and consequently, there is no man
a Jer. xxxi. 9. b Isai. ii. 3.
1086.] REPENTANCE DESCRIBED. 305
who does not need to seek his favour, and to implore mercy
at his hands. The king upon the throne is not so elevated,
but that he needs to turn to God in this way : nor is the
meanest subject in his realm so insignificant, as that this can
be dispensed with at his hands.]
2. Of prime and indispensable importance
[There are many duties binding upon all, and all im
portant in their place: but this is " the one thing needful;"
the one thing, without which no man can have peace with
God, or peace in his own conscience, or any hope of happi
ness in the eternal world.]
But in this passage we see also,
II. The manner in which it should be performed
We must all seek the Lord,
1. With deep humiliation of soul
[The Jews will look on Him whom they have pierced, and
mourn, and be in bitterness, as one that is in bitterness for his
first-born. But if they were the agents in the crucifixion of our
Lord, our sins were the procuring cause ; yea, and we have
even " crucified the Son of God afresh," by continuing in our
sins. And who amongst us has not also " done despite unto
the Spirit of grace," " resisting" his sacred motions, till we
have even " quenched" them in our souls? It is not, surely,
necessary that we should have committed flagrant acts of
immorality, in order to call for humiliation before God : the
whole state of our souls, from the first moment of our exist
ence to the present hour, shews how totally we have fallen
from God, and what contrition becomes us in our return to
him. The man that thinks a less measure of shame and sor
row becomes him, because he has not been guilty of any
atrocious crime, has yet to learn the exceeding sinfulness of
sin, and the desert of every child of man before God. Me-
thinks it is scarcely necessary to remind you, that you must
" sow in tears, if you would reap in joy ; and that they only
who go on their way weeping, bearing precious seed, can ever
hope to come again with rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with
them c ."]
2. With diligent inquiries after the way of life
[The Jews, dispersed throughout the world, will have to
make many inquiries, when once they have set out towards
the promised land. And we also, at this time, need to " ask
the way towards Zion," even after " our faces are directed
c Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6.
VOL. IX. X
306 JEREMIAH, L. 4, 5. [1086.
thitherward." There is but one way, that is, the Lord Jesus
Christ; who says, " I am the way, the truth, and the life; no
man cometh unto the Father but by me." But we do not
readily find that way: we have many paths which nature
points out, and which we greatly prefer : we would come to
God in a way of self-righteousness and self-dependence,
instead of relying solely and exclusively on the Lord Jesus
Christ. Besides, at our first seeking after God, there will
arise many doubts respecting the precise path in which it is
our duty to proceed, and in relation to which the more ex
perienced Christian may be well qualified to instruct us. To
avail ourselves of all possible information, is our wisdom; and
especially to seek direction from God in prayer : and it is in
answer to such inquiries only that we can hope to " hear a
voice behind us, saying, " This is the way; walk ye in it."]
3. With a fixed determination of heart to give our
selves unreservedly unto God
[This is implied in entering into covenant with God. A
man may make a promise, which yet he has no deliberate
determination to keep : but if he enter into a solemn covenant
with God, as Josiah did d , he shews that he is altogether in
earnest, and that he is engaged in a transaction which it is his
solemn purpose " never to forget." In this way should every
penitent approach his God ; solemnly giving up himself to
him in his secret chamber ; and openly also, at the table of
the Lord ; from henceforth renouncing all other lords, and
cleaving only to his God and Saviour, in newness of heart and
life. In truth, the real penitent will not be content to go to
heaven alone. He will propose to those around him to unite
in the blessed work in which he has engaged. In perfect
accordance with the Church of old, he says, " Draw me ; and
we will run after thee :" that is, * Draw me, O God ; and I will
never willingly come to thee alone. ]
And now let me ASK,
1. Who amongst you are inclined to make this
proposal ?
[Verily, there is a sad want of zeal, even in multitudes of
whom, in the judgment of charity, we should say, They are
in the way to heaven. We do not find that holy boldness for
the Lord, which every penitent should feel ; nor that compas
sion for man, which a just sense of our own danger would
naturally inspire. We affect prudence ; or, in other words,
we shun the cross which a more decided conduct would bring
upon us. But so did not St. Paul, or any of the saints of
d 2 Chron. xxxiv. 31.
1087.] GOD S MERCY TO HIS PEOPLE. 307
old. They imparted to others the light they had received;
and sought to introduce others to the Saviour whom they had
found . Let us go and do likewise : and if this zeal will
characterize the piety of the latter day, let it not be found
wanting in the religion which we profess.]
2. Who amongst you would accede to it, if made ?
[We wish to lower the standard of true repentance.
1 Surely, a less measure of humiliation will suffice for me ; nor
can such diligence and self-devotion be required of me. But
that which will be the duty of men in the latter day, must be
our duty now : and therefore settle it in your minds, that we
must be wholly for God, if we would obtain favour at his
hands ; and that, " whatsoever our hand findeth to do, we
must," if we would succeed, " engage in it with all our
might."]
e Johni. 3,545.
MLXXXVII.
GOD S MERCY TO HIS PEOPLE.
Jer. 1. 20. In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the
iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none;
and the sins ofJudah, and they shall not be found: for I will
pardon them whom I reserve.
THE promises of God in his word are said to be
" exceeding great and precious a :" and, in truth, they
are so great, that we are apt to feel a jealousy re
specting them, as though they were not sufficiently
guarded : they are apt to appear to us too free, too
full, too unqualified, too fixed. Hence we would
clog them with limitations and conditions : we would
confine them to objects in whom should be found
some antecedent worthiness, and suspend the per
formance of them upon the faithfulness of man. I
mean not, by this observation, to say, that great cau
tion is not to be used in the application of them to
individual persons ; for I well know, that men may
easily deceive themselves respecting their own per
sonal interest in them : but I mean to say, that God s
blessings are his own ; that he has a right to confer
a 2 Pet. i. 4.
X-J8
308 JEREMIAH, L. 20. [1087.
them on whomsoever he will ; and that he both does,
and will, bestow them according to his own sovereign
will and pleasure, without respect to any previous
goodness in man, or any dependence on man s
strength for the performance of conditions previously
imposed upon him. See to whom the promise in my
text is made. It is made to the Jewish people, in
their present dispersion. For, if we suppose it to
have been in part accomplished by the two tribes
renouncing idolatry upon their return from Babylon,
yet it can be only in part that it can have been ful
filled at that time ; because it is evident that, since
the return of the Jews from Babylon, "their sins
have been found," and visited too, in wrathful indig
nation, for many hundreds of years. At a period,
however, that is fast approaching, God s elect among
them shall be restored to his favour, and be made
partakers of everlasting felicity in his immediate
presence.
In considering these words, I shall notice,
I. The extent of God s mercy to his chosen people-
God s people are constantly represented as a rem
nant
[Such they have been in all ages of the world ; and at
different periods they have been " a very small remnant :"
but, whether more or less numerous, they are, as the Apostle
calls them, " a remnant according to the election of grace b ."
It is, in fact, for the sake of God s elect that are yet unborn,
that the wickedness of many who are now living is endured.
God says, respecting many a corrupt and worthless plant,
" Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it c ."]
For them, however, God designs the richest
mercy
[When he returns unto them in mercy, which, at his ap
pointed period, he will do, he will vouchsafe to them blessings
far beyond any that he conferred upon his people of old. To
those who approached him with their sacrifices, he dispensed
a pardon for some sins only, and that only till the time should
come for a renewal of the same sacrifices: but to his remnant
who believe in Christ, and seek acceptance through his all-
b Rom. xi. 5. c Isai. i. 9. and Ixv. 8.
1087.] GOD S MERCY TO HIS PEOPLE. 809
atoning sacrifice, he imparts a full and perfect remission of all
sin ; so that, whatever iniquity they may have committed in
their unconverted state, it shall be altogether and for ever
cancelled : "it shall be blotted out, even as a morning cloud,"
which passes over the earth, and is seen no more ; and it shall
be " cast behind God s back d ," never to be seen again ; and
" into the very depths of the sea e ," from whence it shall never
be recovered. In a word, he covenants with them to " remember
their sins no more;" so that, whoever may " search for them,
they shall be found no more" for ever f . God will henceforth
view them, not as they are in themselves, but as they are in
Christ, " without spot or blemish g ." Clothed in his perfect
righteousness, they are presented faultless before God, and
they are so regarded by God himself to their exceeding joy V]
In further noticing this glorious promise, I must
proceed to mark,
II. The interest which the Jews have in it
We ought not to overlook this; which is, in fact,
the direct object which God himself has in his view-
fit is evidently spoken respecting the Jews : and though
we do right in applying it to God s elect people generally, we
do exceeding wrong in overlooking those to whom it primarily
belongs. We are ready to think that the conversion and sal
vation of the Jews is a subject in which we have no interest :
and on this account, w r e almost grudge the mention of it in a
Christian assembly. On the conversion of the Gentiles we are
at liberty to expatiate : but a few words on the restoration
of God s ancient people will be deemed more than sufficient,
unless the particular occasion demand for it a distinct and
formal consideration. But we err exceedingly in this, and
cast a veil over numberless prophecies, which, if duly explained,
would open to us all the mysteries of God s love, to the very
end of time.]
As applied to the Jews, the promise should fill us
with unutterable joy
[It is plain that it primarily belongs to them. And
should it not be an occasion of joy to us to reflect, that
amongst them God has a remnant, " whom he has reserved
for himself," and to whom the promise in my text will be ful
filled in its utmost extent? I call upon you, then, to con
template this blessed event ; and to hasten forward, by all
d Isai. xxxviii. 17. e Mic. vii. 19.
f Jcr. xxxi. 31 34. with Heb. x. 14 17. * Eph. v. 27.
h Jude, ver. 24.
310 JEREMIAH, L. 20. [1087.
possible means, the destined period. Even supposing that
their national conversion were not near at hand, I should say,
it is nearer than it was in the Apostle s days ; and that if he,
at that distant period, laboured to the utmost to turn to the
faith of Christ the remnant of God s hidden ones among them,
much more should we do it now : and therefore I commend
to you this part of my subject, as deserving at all times the
deepest attention 1
But that we may bring home the promise to our
selves, let us consider,
III. The effect which the contemplation of it should
produce on us
Have we any hope that we are of the number of
God s elect ? Let the thought of his promised mercy
fill us with,
1. Humiliation
[Can we reflect a moment on the thought that our sins
are thus blotted out, and not stand amazed at the riches of
God s sovereign grace ? Truly, we should be altogether lost
in wonder, love, and praise : and the more assured our hope
is, that God has forgiven us, the more determined we should
be never to forgive ourselves. We should go softly all our
days, in the remembrance of our sins ; and should " lothe our
selves for our abominations," in proportion as we hope that
" God is pacified towards us k ."]
2. Gratitude-
[What bounds should there be to our thankfulness before
God ? Methinks our language day and night should be, " What
shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me ?"
This, at all events, we should do : we should shew our indig
nation against sin, which is so hateful in his eyes ; and take
occasion from his mercies to devote ourselves to him in a way
of holy and unreserved obedience 1 .]
3. Affiance
[St. Paul well says, " If God spared not, his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him
also freely give us all things ?" The same conclusion would
I draw from that perfect forgiveness which God vouchsafes to
his believing people : Has he so blotted out our iniquities, and
1 If this be a Sermon for the Jews, it should here be shewn that
the time then present was peculiarly proper for a fuller consideration
of the subject.
k Ezek. xvi. 03. 1 Rom. xii. 1.
1088.1 GOD S MERCY, AND OUR SINFULNESS. 311
will he refuse us strength to resist and mortify sin in future ?
Has he rescued us thus from all the powers of darkness, and
will he again suifer them to pluck us out of his hands ? No :
we may ask with confidence, " Who shall lay any thing to the
charge of God s elect," or condemn so much as one of his be
lieving people ? In all that he has done, in redeeming us from
death, he has given us a pledge of what he will hereafter do ;
and never will he suffer any one to " separate us from his love
in Christ Jesus our Lord 111 ."]
m Rom. viii. 32 39,
MLXXXVIII.
GOD S MERCY CONTRASTED WITH OUR SINFULNESS.
Jer. li. 5. Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God,
of the Lord of Hosts ; though their land was fitted with sin
against the Holy One of Israel.
THE peculiar people of God in their most afflictive
circumstances have a sure prospect of a happy deli
verance. But his enemies in their most prosperous
state are only like beasts fattening for the slaughter.
The Jews were reduced to the lowest ebb of misery
in Babylon, on account of their multiplied iniquities :
yet did God promise to restore them to their native
land. On the contrary, the Babylonians, who were
exalted to the highest pitch of grandeur, were in
due time to be altogether extirpated. Both these
events were foretold by the prophet in this and the
preceding chapters : and,, in the text, he appeals to
the Jews that they had not been forsaken, notwith
standing the abundant cause they had afforded for an
utter dereliction
From these words we shall take occasion to con
sider,
I. The provocations we have given to God,
1. In our national capacity
[All " sin," of whatever kind, is properly and primarily
" against the Holy One of Israel a ." Now there is no sin,
whether against the first or second table of the law, which has
* Ps. li. 4.
JEREMIAH, LI. 5. [1088.
not abounded in this land - - Nor is there any rank or
order of men, from the highest to the lowest, that have
not yielded up themselves as willing servants to sin and
Satan - - Even the flock of Christ itself, both the pastors
who watch over it, and the people who compose it, have con
tributed in no small degree to the tremendous mass of iniquity,
that has incensed our God against us - ]
2. In our individual capacity
[Since a sight of others sins rarely begets any true humi
liation in us, let each of us in particular search out his own.
Let our thoughts, words, and actions be strictly scrutinized.
Let those sins which are more immediately against God, be
inquired into ; our pride, our impenitence, our unbelief, our
ingratitude for temporal blessings, and especially for the un
speakable gift of God s dear Son ; our obstinate resistance of
God s Holy Spirit, together with all our neglect of duties, or
our coldness in the performance of them ; let these be counted
up, and be set in order before us ; and the very best of men
will see cause for the deepest humiliation ; yea, we shall
wonder that we have not long since been made like to Sodom
and Gomorrha.]
Having taken a view of our sins, let us contrast
with them,
II. The mercies God has vouchsafed to us
Justly have we deserved to be entirely abandoned
by our God
[The history of the Jews shews us what we ourselves
deserve. He himself bids us go to Shiloh, and see what he
did to it for the wickedness of his people 13 . Indeed the whole
of his dealings with them in their Assyrian and Babylonish
captivity, and in their present dispersion, may teach us what
we might well expect at his hands ]
But he has not dealt with us according to our
desert
[He has " not forsaken us" as a nation. In proof of this,
we appeal to the comparative lightness of our troubles the
signal interpositions with which we have been favoured in the
midst of our troubles and lastly, the happy termination of
them, by a seasonable restoration both of peace and plenty .
Nor has he forsaken us as individuals. He is yet calling us
by his word, and striving with us by his Spirit. And we behold
b Jer. vii. 12. with 1 Sam. iv. 10, 11.
c October 4, 1801, on a Thanksgiving for peace and plenty.
1089.] DUTY OF ACKNOWLEDGING GOD s MERCIES. 313
amongst us the evident tokens of his presence, in that sinners
are yet awakened to repentance, and saints are edified in faith
and love.]
ADDRESS
1. Let the long-suffering of God be gratefully
acknowledged
[We should " account the long-suffering of God to be
salvation d ." Let us not, however, rest in carnal mirth ; but
let his temporal mercies to our land, and his spiritual mercies
to our souls, call forth our liveliest gratitude and our devoutest
praise.]
2. Let it also be practically improved-
fin the words immediately following our text, the prophet
says, " Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every
man his own soul." It was the duty of the Jews to cast off
their bondage as soon as God should open a way for their
escape. Thus must we also cast off the servitude in which we
have been detained, and go forth from amongst all the enemies
of God. If we continue in sin, we must take our portion with
the ungodly. But if we give up ourselves unreservedly to
God, he will blot out our past iniquities in the blood of his
Son, and make us partakers of an everlasting salvation.
d 2 Pet. iii. 15.
MLXXXIX.
DUTY OF ACKNOWLEDGING GOD S MERCIES.
Jer. li. 10. Come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the
Lord our God !
THE prophets, whilst foretelling future events,
are often transported in spirit to the period of which
they speak ; and are enabled to see, as it were, the
events themselves actually passing before their eyes.
Hence, if they speak of the rise or fall of kingdoms,
they behold the armies marching to their destination,
engaging in the conflict, and either conquering or
conquered, according as the Governor of the universe
has fore-ordained. This is peculiarly manifest in
relation to the destruction of Babylon ; which is more
frequently and more fully predicted than any other
event, except those which immediately relate to
314 JEREMIAH, LI. 10. [1089.
God s chosen people a . It is of that event that the
prophet speaks in the chapter before us, as he has
also done in the preceding chapter. Having said in
the foregoing verses that God would " send fanners
to Babylon, to fan," to destroy her, though the event
was not to take place for sixty years, yet he says,
" This is the time of the Lord s recompence ;" and
then exclaims, " Babylon is suddenly fallen and
destroyed! howl ye for her!" He then speaks of
the deliverance of the Jews from their captivity as
already effected, and calls on them to declare in Zion
the wonders which God had wrought for them : " The
Lord hath brought forth our righteousness (that is,
our deliverance ) : come, and let us declare in Zion the
work of the Lord our God."
It is not of future events that we are now called
to speak, but of things accomplished, as it were,
before our eyes, and of things that demand our most
grateful acknowledgment.
Let us consider,
I. What is that work which we are now called to
declare
At no period of our history had we ever more rea
son to bless and adore our God than at this day b .
The mercies vouchsafed to us have been exceeding-
great and numerous. We cannot enter into them
indeed very fully ; but we will suggest some distinct
heads, under which they may be arranged for your
own more easy and profitable contemplation of them.
Consider them then as agricultural and commercial,
political and religious. Consider,
1. The agricultural
[Heavy was the pressure on all the lower orders of society,
by reason of the clearness of provisions, throughout the last
year : and, if the late harvest had been as unproductive as that
which preceded it, their distress would have been at this hour
exceeding great. But God in his mercy vouchsafed to us a
a See the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of Isaiah throughout,
and especially chap. xiv. 4 12.
b This was preached on Jan. 13, 1813.
1089.] DUTY OF ACKNOWLEDGING GOD s MERCIES. 315
very abundant harvest, so that now all may " eat and be satis
fied, and bless the name of their God." True it is, that other
things still continue at a high price : but that very circumstance
only shews us the more forcibly, how rich a mercy it is to have
plenty of that which is " the staff of life." In enumerating
then the mercies for which we have now peculiar reason to be
thankful, let us not be unmindful of that in which the great
mass of the community are so deeply interested, and which is
perhaps the first of all national blessings.]
2. Commercial
[To abridge and to destroy our commerce has been the
incessant labour of our enemies : and to such a state was it
reduced, that it could scarcely be carried on to any extent,
without involving all the persons engaged in it in the guilt of
perjury. The whole continent almost was closed against us :
and whatever was surreptitiously introduced there, was sub
jected to such peril, as to prove a most serious discouragement
to all commercial enterprise. But now, within these few weeks
only, the whole continent is anxious to receive our goods : our
manufactures are revived ; our people, who during the last year
were almost in a state of insurrection on account of the want
of work, are employed ; and a good prospect is opened to us of
increased and permanent prosperity. This, whether viewed in
its aspect on individuals or the nation at large, is another
blessing, which ought on no account to be overlooked.]
3. Political
ly Who that looks back to the earlier period of the French
Revolution, and recollects what sentiments of insubordination
and sedition pervaded the land, must not be surprised at the
change that has taken place in relation to those things ? For
merly the cry of liberty and equality was raised in almost every
place, to instigate the people to throw off all submission to the
Government : and such was the delusion by which the minds of
many were blinded, that thousands were panting to destroy
the constitution, and to establish a democracy in its place.
The same bloody scenes as took place in France were preparing
for this land also ; and so great and general was the infatuation,
that many, even of religious characters, were ready to help
forward the designs and efforts of those who sought our ruin.
But now the excellence of our constitution is duly appreciated;
the persons who were once ready to subvert it have now seen
their error ; and perhaps there is scarcely a man in the land
who would not willingly die in its defence. Nor is this change
peculiar to us : it is now seen in every part of Europe; and those
very people who banished their former Rulers, and overturned
all their former establishments, are now desirous of returning
316 JEREMIAH, LI. 10. [1089.
to the state they have forsaken, and are actually fighting for
the restoration of their former Governments. Thus has order
taken the place of anarchy, and respect for constituted autho
rities banished from amongst us the demon of discontent.]
4. Religious
[With a contempt for all ancient institutions, there went
forth an utter disregard of Revealed Religion. Infidelity
stalked abroad, as it were, at noon-day. It no longer blushed
to shew its face, but obtruded itself upon the attention of all ;
and reviled, as enemies to sense and reason, all who dared to
maintain the cause of God in the world. Philosophy forsooth
was deemed a safer guide than the voice of inspiration ; and
the \vord of God itself was held up to ridicule, as a composition
of falsehood and absurdity. How different is the state of things
amongst us at this time ! The Holy Scriptures are revered
and honoured to a degree altogether unprecedented and un
known in this country. All ranks and orders of men amongst,
us not only receive the sacred volume as true, but stand forth
to advocate its cause, and to extend the knowledge of it to
every quarter of the globe. If we judged from the zeal exerted
for the diffusion of the Holy Scriptures, we should be ready to
think that the Millennial period were already come. But,
though we cannot yet congratulate ourselves on such an exten
sive change as this, we nevertheless behold a most astonishing-
increase of true religion in the land. We are happy too to
declare, that a similar spirit is rising in other lands ; and that,
" whilst God s judgments have been poured out so awfully and
so extensively upon the earth, the inhabitants thereof have been
learning righteousness ."
These then are mercies which may well " be declared in
Zion," and which we are now called in a more especial manner
to commemorate.]
Having drawn your attention to some of those
mercies which deserve especial notice at this time,
I proceed to shew,
II. In what manner we should declare them
Since these mercies are so great and numerous, let
us all unite in IMPROVING them as we ought to
do:
1. Let us acknowledge God in them
[W 7 ho is it that "hath wrought all these deliverances for
us ? " Is it our own hand, our own arm, that hath effected
them ? Who is it that gave us such a rich abundant harvest ?
c Isai. xxvi. 9.
1089.] DUTY OF ACKNOWLEDGING GOD s MERCIES. 317
We must be blind indeed, if we see not the hand of God in
it d - Who is it that hath opened all the ports of the
continent to our manufactures ? Backward as men are to trace
the operation of God in such things, there is scarcely a person
in the land that does not say, " This is thine hand ; and thou,
Lord, hast done it e ! " And must we not trace the revolution
of sentiment to the same source ? Who but God can " still
the madness of the people ? " It is he, arid he alone, that
" turneth the heart, whether of princes or of people, whither
soever he will f ." Above all, to whose agency must we refer
that great work of dispelling the clouds of infidelity, and of
making his light to shine into the hearts of men ? Truly, none
but He "who commanded the light to shine out of darkness"
at the first creation of the world, is sufficient for these things g
In reference then to every thing that has been done for us, we
must say, " Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy name
be the praise ! "]
2. We must adore him for them
[It is not a cold and speculative acknowledgment only
that we are called to make : our hearts should be warmed with a
sense of God s mercies: and our lips be devoutly occupied in his
praise. The first effect indeed which they should have upon our
minds is, to fill us with wonder and admiration of the Divine
goodness 11 : but when we have, as it were, recovered from the
overwhelming sense of his goodness, then should we declare it,
and publish it with all the powers of our souls. Look at David,
when recounting the mercies God had vouchsafed to Israel 1 :
such is the language which well befits us on the present occa
sion ; yea, we should " make our boast in God all the day
long, and praise his name for ever and ever k ." In this way
" we must declare his work, if we would wisely consider of his
doing 1 ."]
3. Let us, by anticipation, bless God for the yet
richer mercies which he has in reserve for us
[We began with observing, that " the deliverance" from
Babylon was yet distant, at least sixty years, though the pro
phet spoke of it as already accomplished. So may we look
forward to the blessings which are made over to us by the sure
word of promise, and may even now bless God for them as
though they were already possessed. As Abraham rejoiced at
the prospect of the day of Christ, just as if he had actually
d Hos. ii. 8. Ps. Ixv. 913.
e Ps. cix. 27. and xliv. 3. Isai. xlv. 7.
f Prov. xxi. 1. Ps. Ixv. 7. & 2 Cor. iv. 6. and v. 5.
h Ps. xl. 5. i Ps. xcviii. 18.
k Ps. xliv. 7, 8. i Ps. Ixiv. 9.
318 JEREMIAH, LI. 10. [1089.
seen it with his eyes, so may we do, and so we ought to do, in
reference to his future advent to reign on earth. Then will
peace and plenty, and truth and righteousness, prevail through
out the world. Then shall men " beat their swords into
ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, and they
will learn war no more." Then " Judah will no more vex
Ephraim, nor Ephraim envy Judah," but all will " sit harmoni
ous and contented under their own vine and fig-tree." " The
wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down
with the kid : " nor shall any hurt or destroy in God s holy
mountain. Then, whilst plenty abounds in every place,
" the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the
waters cover the sea." O what a day of wonders will that be !
It is our privilege to look forward to it, and even to see it
now, as it were, before our eyes. See how the prophet, who
lived almost three thousand years ago, beheld it, and gloried
in the sight"! and shall not we, who are almost on the very
eve of that day? We have no doubt but that all these events,
which have been taking place in the world these twenty years,
are preparing the way for the promised advent of our Lord.
Let us then anticipate it with joy and gratitude : let us adore
our God for giving such prospects to sinful man : and let us
endeavour to hasten it forward by every possible exertion in
the cause of Christ.]
m Amos ix. 13 15. n Isai. xlix. 12, 13. and Ix. 1, 4, 8.
Isai. lii. 9, 10.
LAMENTATIONS.
MXC.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT REMEMBERING OUR LATTER
END.
Lam. i. 9. She remembereth* not her last end,- therefore she
came down wonderfully.
TO men in general nothing appears sinful but that
which violates in the grossest manner some positive
command, and interrupts in a very high degree the
welfare of society. But God considers an unpro
fitable servant as meriting the same doom as the dis
honest ; and informs us, that an unmindfulness of
our latter end will bring his judgments upon us, no
less than a determined commission of every thing
that is evil.
The Prophet Jeremiah is lamenting the sore bond
age under which his country groaned in Babylon, and
is assigning the reasons for which God had thus re
jected her. But in doing this, he does not fix on any
one particular sin, however great ; but on that which
had pervaded all ranks of people, their unmindfulness
of their latter end.
In his words we read,
I. Their sin
This is the common sin of all mankind
[Moses had forewarned the Jews of the things that should
come upon them in the latter days : but they had never duly
considered his predictions, nor laboured to avert the threatened
calamities. Thus has God warned us also of the miseries
which the wicked shall endure in another world : but we will
a It should rather be, remembered.
320 LAMENTATIONS, I. 9. [1090.
not regard his admonitions. The gay, the worldly, the am
bitious, are intent on their several pursuits ; but none says
" Where is God my Maker b ?" Even those who profess some
regard for religion, are yet, for the most part, very little
engaged in a preparation for eternity : their zeal, in the pur
suit of heavenly things, bears no proportion to the importance
of their object, or even to the labours which others use for the
attainment of worldly vanities.]
Nor let this be thought a venial matter
[This it was, which brought down Jerusalem : and it will
involve us also in the heaviest calamities. And well it may :
for it is a contempt of God our Maker. In this view he him
self complains of it c ; and he represents all his attributes and
perfections as dishonoured by it d . It is also a contempt of
Christ our Saviour. He had even " died, to purify us unto
himself a peculiar people zealous of good works :" but, by
our indifference, we make light of his mercies 6 , and trample
on his blood f . Finally, it is a contempt of our own souls. The
most avowed enemies of God and his Christ profess to have
some regard for their immortal souls : but God, who will not
put a wrong construction upon our actions, tells us, that " he
who refuseth instruction, despiseth his own soul g ." Indeed
this is but too manifest ; since the man who remembers not
his latter end, practically says, Give me the things which
my body most affects ; and, as for my soul, I care not for it :
if my soul can be saved, notwithstanding my indulgence of
the body, it is well : but if their interests clash, I will gratify
my body, though at the peril, yea, to the certain destruction,
of my soul.
Can that then be light and venial, which involves in it such
awful consequences? Surely, though no flagrant crime were
ever committed, this alone would be sufficient to bring upon
us God s eternal wrath and indignation.]
The evil of such conduct will abundantly appear,
if we notice,
II. Their punishment
The downfall of Jerusalem was a fit emblem of that
which awaits impenitent transgressors
[Let us only compare the departure of Israel out of
Egypt, guided, protected, and supported by God himself,
b Job xxxv. 10. Ps. xiv. 2, 3. c Ps. x. 4 6, 11, 13.
d His majesty, Ps. xii. 4 ; his omniscience, Job xxii. 13, 14 ; his
justice, Ps. xciv. 7 ; his goodness and forbearance, Rom. ii. 4.
e Luke x. 16. f Acts xiii. 3841. Heb. x. 28, 29.
g Prov. xv. 32.
1090.1 NOT REMEMBERING OUR LATTER END. 321
and their establishment and increase in the land of Canaan,
with their miserable condition when they were carried captive
to Babylon : " How was the gold become dim, and the most
fine gold changed ! " Thus wonderful will be our destruction
also, if we continue to forget our latter end.]
God himself warns us that our destruction will be
great if we neglect our souls-
fit will be sudden^ 1 tremendous * irreme
diable k and eternal l
Let us reflect on the change experienced by the Rich Man
in the parable" 1 ; and we may conceive a little of that surprise
and horror that will seize on us in the instant of our departure
from the body.
Let us also, if we would escape this doom, regard the
solemn warning, and the compassionate advice, which God
himself has recorded for our instruction 11 .]
We may IMPROVE this subject yet further,
1. For the warning even of real Christians
[We will suppose that your concern for your souls is such
as to secure eternal happiness : yet a declension in holy zeal
will produce a proportionable declension both in your graces
and your comforts . Let those who have ever experienced
the blessedness of living nigh to God, and of being on the
wing for heaven, compare it with the darkness and misery of
a drooping and deserted state ; and they will see enough to
make them watchful against spiritual decays, and increasingly
mindful of their eternal interests.]
2. For their comfort and encouragement
[There is a truth, not expressed indeed, but evidently
implied in the text, namely, That all who remember their
latter end, shall be wonderfully exalted. And what an en
couraging truth is this. Let any one view Lazarus at the
Rich Man s gate, and in Abraham s bosom p , and he will see
what a wonderful exaltation awaits the righteous at their
departure hence. Even here the children of the devil, as soon
as ever they believe in Christ, become " sons and daughters of
the Lord Almighty q :" but hereafter they shall reign with him
as partners of his glory r . Let this hope then animate the
Christian in his difficulties, and stimulate us all to more abun
dant diligence in our heavenly calling 8 .]
h Ps. Ixxiii. 1720. 1 Thess. v. 3. Jer. xxiii. 1720.
k Prov. xxix. 1. ! 2 Thess. i. 7 9. m Luke xvi. 19, 23.
n Deut. xxxii. 18, 20, 29. Ps. xxx. 7. Cant. v. 2 6.
P Luke xvi. 20 22. Q 2 Cor. vi. 18.
r Rom. viii. 17. s 1 John iii. 3.
VOL. IX. Y
LAMENTATIONS, III. 22,23. [1091.
MXCI.
THE VIEWS OF A SAINT IN HIS AFFLICTIONS.
Lam. iii. 22, 23. It is of the Lord s mercies that ive are not con
sumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every
morning : great is thy faithfulness.
IT is in affliction chiefly that the children of God
attain to any considerable eminence in religion. By
trouble, they are led to realize their principles ; and
to seek at the fountain-head those consolations which
the broken cisterns of this world are no longer able
to supply. If David had never been an object of
persecution to his enemies, we may well doubt
whether he would ever have soared as he did in hea
venly contemplations,, or evinced such transcendent
piety as glows throughout his Psalms. Jeremiah was
a man deeply conversant with trouble ; as he says :
" I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of
his wrath a ." But what sublime lessons does he teach
us in the words which we have just read ! Truly we
may see in these words,
I. The views of a saint under affliction
A man undisciplined in the school of affliction
pores over his troubles, and thereby greatly disquiets
his own soul. But a man who is taught of God will
have his mind very differently occupied. He will
delight rather in contemplating,
1. The lightness of his affliction, in comparison of
his deserts
[Who, that calls to mind the multitude of his past trans
gressions, must not justify God in all his dispensations, how
ever painful they may be to flesh and blood? " Shall a living
man complain, (he will say,) a man for the punishment of his
sins b ?" No: he will acknowledge that hell itself is his proper
portion; and that any thing short of that is far " less than his
iniquities have deserved ." Instead, therefore, of complaining,
like Cain, that " his punishment is greater than he can bear d ,"
he will say, " It is of the Lord s mercies that I am not utterly
consumed, even because his compassions fail not."]
a ver. 1. b ver. 39. c Ezra ix. 13. d Gen. iv. 13.
1091.] THE VIEWS OF A SAINT IN HIS AFFLICTIONS. 323
2. The multitude of the mercies yet continued to
him
[An ungodly man, because he is bereaved of some com
forts, will overlook all the others which he is still privileged to
possess. But a real saint will think how much worse his state
might have been, and how many blessings are still continued
to him. He will say, My troubles are few ; but my mercies
are greatly multiplied: " they are new every morning." His
rest by night, his comforts by day, and, above all, his constant
access to God in prayer, and the rich communications of grace
and peace .received from him, these things, T say, will fill him
with holy gratitude, and turn all his sorrows into joy.]
3. The unchangeableness of God under all his dis
pensations
[The saint will not regard God as an arbitrary Governor,
that orders every thing from caprice; but as a covenant God,
who has engaged to provide for his people whatever may con
duce to their best interests. Hence, under the pressure of
his troubles, he will call to mind that God has said, He would
" correct his people in measure, and not leave them altogether
unpunished 6 ." In this view, he acknowledges that " God in
very faithfulness has afflicted him f ." Indeed, the faithfulness
of God is that which, in such seasons, he contemplates with
peculiar delight : " 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 g ."]
In opening to you these views, I wish particularly
to mark,
II. The beauty of religion as displayed in them
Philosophy will do much to produce a resignation
to the will of God. Indeed, common sense teaches
us that it is in vain to murmur and repine at our
troubles, and that the more patiently we bear our
trials, the more we diminish their force. But the
views which we have been considering, produce far
more exalted effects. Behold,
1. How they compose the mind
[You see in this afflicted saint a meek submission, far
different from any that philosophy can produce. Behold how
e Jer. xxx. 11. f Ps. cxix. 75.
8 Ps. xlii. 5, 11. and xliii. 5. thrice.
Y 2
LAMENTATIONS, III. 22,23. [1091.
he kisses the rod, and blesses the hand that smites him ; and
sees nothing but mercy, where an ungodly man would have
noticed nothing but severity and wrath. Thus " he enjoys a
light in the midst of darkness 11 ;" and realizes the parable of
Samson ; " Out of the eater he brings forth meat, and out of
the strong he brings forth sweet."]
2. How they elevate the soul
[Behold the prophet, how he soars above self, and rises
superior to all the dictates of sense. He forgets, as it were,
his trials, in the contemplation of his mercies ; and overlooks
the chastisement, by reason of the love from whence it pro
ceeds. This is a nobility of mind to which no philosopher
ever could attain, and an elevation of sentiment which nothing
but divine grace could ever inspire.]
3. How they honour God
[Here the darkest dispensations are acknowledged, as the
fruits of a wisdom that cannot err, of a love that knows no
bounds, of a fidelity that can never change. Methinks, if there
were no other end for which afflictions were sent, this were
sufficient to reconcile us unto all ; for if they lead to such dis
coveries of God, and such an ascription of praise to him, they
more than compensate for all the pain that they occasion
during the pressure of them on our minds.]
ADDRESS
1. To those who know but little of affliction
[A slight and superficial religion may satisfy you at pre
sent ; but you will find it of little service when you come into
trouble : nothing but deep piety will support you then. If
you would be prepared for trials, you must get a sense of
your own exceeding sinfulness, and of the wonderful mercies
vouchsafed to you through the sufferings of the Son of God.
Then the heaviest trials will appear light, yea, as nothing in
comparison of your deserts, and nothing in comparison of the
obligations conferred upon you.]
2. To those who have been brought into deep
waters
[Look not on your afflictions as tokens of God s wrath,
but rather as expressions of his love. There is a need for
them, else they never would have been sent; and if they
operate to purify your souls from dross, you will have reason
to be thankful for them to all eternity. Be not, then, so
h Mic. vii. 8, 9.
1092.1 THE GOODNESS OF GOD TO SUPPLIANTS. 325
anxious for the removal of your trials, as for the sanctification
of them to your souls. Make but the improvement of them
which is suggested in my text, and you will have reason to
adore God for them as the richest blessings that could be con
ferred upon you.]
MXCII.
THE GOODNESS OF GOD TO SUPPLIANTS.
Lam. iii. 25. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to
the soul that seeketh him.
" THE earth," we are told, " is full of the good
ness of the Lord a :" and indeed it is not possible to
behold the universe at large, or to inspect with ac
curacy any thing that is contained in it, without
being convinced that God is good to all, and that
his tender mercy is over all his works V But to the
humble suppliant he manifests his goodness in a
more especial manner, as we are informed in the
words before us : from which we shall take occasion
to notice,
I. The character here given of the Deity
The humble suppliant is an object of his peculiar
regard. To him he will pay attention,
1 . In a way of merciful acceptance
[He may have sinned grievously, and for a long season ;
yea, he may have equalled even Manasseh himself in his
iniquities, and yet find mercy with the Lord, provided he seek
for it in humble, earnest, and believing prayer - He
may have even backslidden from God, and fallen grievously,
after having long professed himself a servant of God ; and
yet, on his repentance, God will heal his backslidings, and
love him freely d There are no bounds to the mercy
of God towards returning penitents 6 ]
2. In a way of friendly communication
[Let any soul " draw nigh to God, and God will draw
nigh unto him f :" and let him " open his mouth ever so wide,
a Ps. xxxiii. 5. b Ps. cxlv. 9. c 2 Chron. xxxiii. 12, 13.
d Jer. iii. 22. Ps. xxxii. 5. e Isai. i. 18.
f Jam. iv. 8.
326 LAMENTATIONS, III. 25. [1092.
God will fill it g ." Does he need direction in difficulties? God
will cause him to " hear a yoice behind him, saying, This is
the way; walk thou in it h ." Is he in deep affliction? God
will afford him such a measure of support and consolation as
his necessities shall require 1 . Does he need peculiar supplies
of grace and strength ? God will give him " grace sufficient
for him k ," and " strength according to his day 1 ."]
3. In a way of gracious recompence
[Not a sigh or groan shall pass unheeded by Almighty
God m , nor a tear fall without being treasured up in his vials".
And at the last day he will bear testimony to all the efforts
which the contrite soul has made , and will compensate it
with an eternal weight of glory ; not indeed as a reward of
debt, but as a reward of grace, which he has promised to all
who seek him in his Son s name p .]
And now what language will be sufficient to ex
press,
II. The encouragement afforded by it
To enter fully into this would occupy us too long.
I will confine myself therefore to the hints suggested
in my text. Surely this view of the Deity may en
courage all of us,
1. To seek him with earnestness
[Were God regardless of the prayers of the poor desti
tute, we might well sit down in despair. But " he invites to
him the weary and heavy-laden ;" and says, " Call upon me
in the time of trouble, and I will hear thee, and thou shalt
glorify me q ." We may well therefore go to him, and " pour
out our hearts before him," and plead with him, yea, and
" wrestle with him," as Jacob did, determining " not to let
him go until he bless us." This, so far from offending him,
will rather be most acceptable to his Divine Majesty ; because
he bids us " seek him with our whole hearts" and with our
whole souls 1 ]
2. To wait for him with patience
[God may have many wise and gracious reasons for de
ferring his answers to our prayers : he may wish to embitter
sin to us ; to humble our souls more deeply ; to make us more
sensible of our need of mercy, and of our entire dependence
e Ps. Ixxxi. 10. h Isai. xxx. 21. * Isai. li. 3.
k 2 Cor. xii. 9. 1 Deut. xxxiii. 25. m Ps. xii. 5.
11 Ps. Ivi. 8. o 1^. i xv j_ 2 .
i John vi. 37. Rom. iv. 5. q Ps. 1. 15.
1 1 Chron, xxii. 19. Ps. cxix. 2.
1092.] THE GOODNESS OF GOD TO SUPPLIANTS. 327
on his grace. He may choose this way of weaning us from
the world, of quickening us in all our duties, of advancing
our attainments in the divine life, and of fitting us for greater
usefulness to our fellow-sinners. He may delay his answers,
so long as to make us doubt whether he has not " forgotten
to be gracious unto us, and shut up his loving-kindness from
us in displeasure." But, knowing his character, we should
never abandon ourselves to despair, but " tarry his leisure ;"
and determine, if we perish, to perish at the foot of the cross,
crying for mercy in Jesu s name. However long " the vision
may tarry, we should wait for it," in a full and perfect con
fidence that " it shall not tarry " one single moment beyond
what God in his wisdom sees to be the fittest time s . Of this
we may assure ourselves, that " none shall ever seek his face
in vain."]
APPLICATION
1. Let none of us, then, neglect the duty of
prayer
[Prayer is indispensably required, in order to our ob
taining of the Divine favour 1 And " if we have not,
it is either because we ask not, or because we ask amiss u ."
Brethren, remember, I pray you, what you have at stake; and
trifle not in your approaches to the Most High God, as if he
could be deceived by formal and heartless petitions. Could it
once be said of you, " Behold, he prayeth !" we should have
a good hope respecting you : but if you live not nigh to God,
in the exercise of fervent prayer, we must declare to you, that
God s goodness, so far as it respects you, will speedily come
to an end, and be turned into wrathful indignation : for he
has said, that " he will pour out his fury upon all who restrain
prayer before him, and call not on his name*."]
2. Let us, in particular, exercise faith in prayer
[A man " who asks with a wavering mind, can receive
nothing of the Lord y ." Believe that " he is good," according
as he has said, to all who " call upon him in spirit and in
truth." You are authorized to expect at his hands whatever
you ask, provided the conferring of it will tend to your wel
fare, and to the honour of his name z . His promise to you is,
" All things, whatsoever ye shall ask, believing, ye shall re
ceive a ." " Be strong, then, in faith, giving glory to him;"
and " never be straitened in yourselves, since you need never
fear that ye shall be straitened in him :" for, as he is able, so
is he also willing, to give you exceeding abundantly above all
that you can ask or even think."]
8 Hab. ii. 3. * Matt. vii. 7, 8. u Jam. iv. 2, 3.
x Jer. x. 25. y Jam. i. 6, 7. z 1 John v. 14, 15.
a Matt, xx i. 22.
328 LAMENTATIONS, 111. 2729. [1093.
MXCIII.
THE BENEFIT OF EARLY AFFLICTIONS.
Lam. iii. 27 29. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke
in his youth. He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, because
he hath borne it upon him. He putteth his mouth in the
dust, if so be there may be hope.
THERE are in the Holy Scriptures many passages
which appear strange and paradoxical, but which do
indeed contain the most important truths. " It is
better to go to the house of mourning than to the
house of feasting," says Solomon : and again, " Sor
row is better than laughter a ." These, taken in con
junction with our text, tf It is good for a man that
he bear the yoke in his youth," are as much opposed
to the general sense of mankind, as any assertions
can be : yet, the more they are considered, the more
just and important will they be found. The truth is,
that men judge of things only by their reference to
time ; but God s estimate is formed with a more im
mediate reference to eternity. If we consider only
the operation of natural causes, we may see that the
declaration in our text is just : for it is a common
proverb, that practice makes easy ; and the earlier
we are initiated into any art or science, the greater
progress in it may be expected : but trials are indis
pensably necessary for the exercise of many of the
Christian virtues : faith is called forth by difficulties ;
meekness and patience by provocations ; forgiveness
by injuries : so that a growth in these graces may be
considered as materially advanced by early and long-
continued occasions for their exercise. But, such is
the corruption of our nature, that we need trials to
purge it away : it is by fire that even good men must
be refined from their dross : and, if we are called to
experience afflictions in early life, we may hope our
improvement will be proportionably great. In con
firmation of this sentiment, we propose to shew the
benefit of early afflictions,
;l Eccl. vii. 2, 3.
1093.1 THE BENEFIT OF EARLY AFFLICTIONS. 329
I. In a general point of view-
David, who had had a long and early experience
of troubles, confessed " it was good for him that he
had been afflicted 13 ." And beyond a doubt, much
benefit may be reaped,
1. From temporal afflictions
[The loss of health, of friends, of property, are heavy
afflictions - yet, if duly improved, they may become
real blessings to the soul. Illness in early life, though in
many respects to be lamented and deprecated, tends exceed
ingly to counteract the vanity of the youthful mind, and the
ardour of youthful passions. It renders a person sober,
thoughtful, temperate, and willing to listen to subjects of a
more serious cast ; and keeps him from innumerable snares
and difficulties, to which a buoyant spirit and a vigorous con
stitution would have exposed him.
Bereavements also (whether of friends or property), and
disappointments in life, give us an early taste of the empti
ness of the world, and the vanity of all created enjoyments.
They have a tendency to direct the mind to higher pursuits,
and to make us seek satisfaction, where alone it can be found,
in the knowledge, the service, and the enjoyment, of God.
The more we are made to feel that the creature is only a
broken cistern, the more shall we be disposed to seek our
consolation in the fountain of living waters.]
2. From spiritual afflictions
[These are far heavier than any which mere temporal
things can ever produce. " A man may sustain any trial
respecting earthly things ; but a wounded spirit who can
bear?" Yet are the groans and mournings of a deserted soul
far preferable to the mirth and gaiety of a thoughtless sinner.
A fear of God s wrath, though so distressing to the soul, has
indeed a kindly influence upon us. How does it embitter to
us the remembrance of former sins ! How does it dispose us
to desire true repentance, and to long for an interest in the
Saviour ! What a different aspect does the sacred volume bear
under such a state of mind ! and how tremendous its threaten-
ings; how glorious its promises! how happy they to whom
those promises are made ! In a word, an apprehension of
God s wrath assimilates the mind thus far to the mind of God
himself; since it invariably inspires this thought, " Happy art
thou, O Israel, O people saved by the Lord !"]
3. From afflictions for righteousness sake
b Ps. cxix. 71.
330 LAMENTATIONS, III. 2729. [1093.
[These are often very deeply felt. A person who has
embraced the Gospel feels in himself a change that should
rather recommend him to the favour of the world : his tem
pers, his dispositions, his habits, his conduct, are all greatly
improved; and yet he finds, that he is become an object of
dislike, perhaps too of indignation and abhorrence. This is
painful to the young disciple: when he begins to love his
fellow-creatures, then he himself begins to be hated by them.
His former habits, if ever so licentious, exposed him to a little
blame perhaps, but not to hatred : but his love to the Gospel
exposes him to all manner of hatred and contempt. This, I
say, is painful ; but yet it is very beneficial to his soul. He
would be ready, like Lot, to linger in Sodom ; but these per
secutions tend to drive him out. They serve in a very peculiar
manner to confirm in his mind the principles of the Gospel ;
because he is taught in that very Gospel to expect the treat
ment which he has received, and to bear his cross after Christ.
He finds too in the Gospel, that to suffer for righteousness
sake is a matter for self-congratulation ; that he is to " rejoice
in it, and leap for joy ;" to account it the highest honour ;
and to expect from it the richest reward. Thus a new set of
feelings are brought into his soul ; a set of feelings as far
superior to any that he ever before experienced, as the most
refined sensations of the soul are above the lowest appetites of
a beast.]
But we will proceed to notice this subject,
II. In that particular view which is specified in the
text-
There are two things in particular to which our
attention is called, and which are of the greatest
possible advantage to the soul ;
1. Seclusion from the world
[When there is nothing to oppress the mind, we are apt
to be off our guard, and to degenerate into a dead and worldly
frame. We too easily mix with worldly company, and are
thereby led to adopt their sentiments, and to drink into their
spirit. But when trouble comes upon us, we lose our relish
for society: we affect retirement rather, that we may muse
over the subjects of our grief; or, as our text expresses it,
" We sit alone, and keep silence ." O, who can estimate the
benefits arising from this source? By communing with our
own hearts in their secret chamber, we attain a knowledge,
which is not to be gained either from men or books, the
knowledge of our own hearts. In these seasons too we gain
c Jer. xv. 17.
1093.1 THE BENEFIT OF EARLY AFFLICTIONS. 331
such views of God, of his goodness, his mercy, his power, his
grace, as are acquired only in the school of affliction. It is on
these occasions also that the Lord Jesus Christ particularly
endears himself to our souls, and communicates to us the
abundance of his grace. In persons thus instructed there is
for the most part a maturity of wisdom and of spiritual under
standing that is rarely found amongst those who have never
experienced the discipline of adversity. In comparison of
others, they manifest the beauty and sweetness of religion in a
high degree ; excelling others as much as the experienced
mariner does the man who has never combated a storm.]
2. Submission to God
[" Tribulation worketh patience, experience, and hope."
By directing the thoughts inwards, it leads us to see, what
abundant occasion there is within us for Divine chastisements,
and how much more lenient they are than we deserve ; and
they dispose us to say, " I will bear the indignation of the
Lord, because I have sinned against him d ." At first, perhaps,
nature revolts, and is impatient ; but after a season, when we
have " listened to the rod, and to Him that has appointed it,"
we become desirous only that it may drive out the folly that
is bound up in our hearts. Then " we put our mouths in the
dust," as penitents that are " dumb before God ; " and we
wait God s time, " if so be there may be hope," and his
purpose may be ultimately accomplished, and the trials be
sanctified to our eternal good. What a blessed state is this!
like Aaron, " to hold our peace;" like Eli, to say, " Let him
do what seemeth him good ; " like Job, to bless the Lord ; and,
like David, to say, " Thou in very faithfulness hast afflicted
me ! " Surely to learn such lessons as these in early life is most
desirable : and, if they cannot be learned without affliction,
there is no affliction so severe, but that it will be richly recom
pensed by such an attainment.]
ADDRESS
1. Those who have experienced no particular
affliction
[Whilst, on account of God s forbearance towards you,
you have reason to be thankful, you have great reason also to
fear: for, " if we are without chastisement, we are bastards,
and not sons." At all events, there is much danger lest you
become sad witnesses of that truth, " The prosperity of fools
destroys them." Be watchful against the vanity of your
deceitful hearts, and beg of God to augment towards you the
communications of his grace in proportion to your peculiar
necessities.]
d Mic. vii. 9.
332 LAMENTATIONS, III. 3133. [1094.
2. Those who are called to bear the yoke
[Remember that your trials are the fruit of God s love to
your souls : for " whom he loveth, he chasteneth : " and,
instead of thinking your lot hard, learn to " glory in your
tribulations," and to " take pleasure in your distresses 6 ." It
was not an ignorant or enthusiastic man that said, " We count
them happy that endure ; " and who from that conviction
exhorts us, " My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into
divers temptations f ." Only take eternity into the account,
and all your trials will appear light and momentary in the
view of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory
which they are working out for you g .]
e Rom. v. 3. 2 Cor. xii. 10.
f Ps. xciv. 12. with Jam. i. 2, 12. and v. 11.
g 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18.
MXCIV.
COMFORT FOR THE AFFLICTED.
Lam. iii. 31 33. The Lord ivill not cast off for ever: but
though he cause grief, yet ivill he have compassion according
to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict wil
lingly , nor grieve the children of men.
THE Prophet Jeremiah was, perhaps, above all
other prophets, a man of sorrows, and acquainted
with grief. It is possible, indeed, that in this chap
ter he may speak in part as a representative of the
Hebrew nation ; but still there is so much which has
an immediate reference to himself, that we cannot
but consider it as a record of his own experience a .
At all events, the consolations which he administers,
whether they refer to himself in his individual capa
city, or to the people collectively, are suited to every
person under heaven, whilst under the pressure of
any trouble. To enlarge upon all the various topics
which he adduces, would lead me too far, and would
be the work of a large volume rather than of a single
discourse. I shall content myself with noticing the
subject so far only as it presents itself to us in the
words which I have read : wherein you see,
a ver. 1 20.
1094.J COMFORT FOR THE AFFLICTED. 333
Beyond a doubt, it is " God who causes grief-
fit is remarkable that the prophet does not merely affirm
this (though that would be an ample security for the truth of
the position) ; but he takes it for granted ; " Though he cause
grief (which it must be acknowledged he does), yet will he
have compassion." To this truth the whole Scripture bears
record. God expressly asserts it: "I form the light, and
create darkness : I make peace, and create evil : I the Lord do
all these things^ 3 ." Yea, so plain and undeniable is this truth,
that the Prophet Amos appeals to us respecting it : " Is there
evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it c ?" Whatever
we may imagine, " affliction comes not forth of the dust,
neither doth trouble spring from the ground d :" but, whoever
be the instrument that brings it upon us, God is in reality the
Author of it ; all creatures being only " as the axe or saw in
the hands of Him that uses it," for the effecting of his own
purposes e .]
It is no less our duty than our privilege to ac
knowledge this
[It is our duty : for we are not to conceive of any thing
as left to chance. This would be no better than Atheism.
In fact, no man can for a moment indulge such a conceit,
but through a total ignorance of God; leading him to ima
gine, that to attend to such numerous and minute concerns
would be a trouble to God : whereas, He is as able to order
every thing in heaven and earth, as he was to create the uni
verse at first. And surely to have such a view of him, is an
inestimable privilege; because, if nothing be done but by a
God of infinite wisdom and goodness, nothing can be done
which shall not issue in his glory and his people s good.
Whoever, then, be the immediate agent, it is our wisdom to
trace every thing to the first great Cause of all ; even as Job
did, when, under all his complicated afflictions, he said, " The
Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away : blessed be the
name of the Lord f !"]
On this truth depends,
II. The consolation that is provided for us under
it
This is stated, as it were,
1. In answer to our fears
[When our trials are heavy and accumulated, we are
ready to fear that they are sent in anger and will issue 11
b Isai. xlv. 7. c Amos iii. 6. d Job v. 6.
e Isai. x. 15. f Joh i. 21.
334 LAMENTATIONS, III. 3133. [1094.
destruction. But God assures us, that " he does not afflict
willingly, or grieve the children of men" without necessity.
There is, if I may so speak, a " needs be" for them^; some
evil to be corrected, or some good to be administered. Earthly
parents are sometimes led by caprice, and " correct their chil
dren for their pleasure ;" but God never does it but "for our
profit, that we maybe partakers of his holiness 11 ."
As for our trials issuing in our destruction, the very reverse
is God s intent in sending them : he sends them " to humble
us, and to prove us, and to do us good at our latter end 1 ." Did
he intend " to cast us off for ever," he would rather say,
"They are joined to idols: let them aloneV But it is not
so that God deals with his people. " He will not cast off his
people, because it hath pleased him to make them his people 1 ."
" He will visit their transgression with the rod, and their ini
quity with stripes : but his loving-kindness will he not utterly
take from them, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail : for once has
he sworn, by his holiness, that he will not lie unto David," the
great Head and Representative of all his people.]
2. In accordance with our hopes
[What does the afflicted soul desire but this, that " though
God cause grief, yet will he have compassion ? " This is what
God does in the midst of the very chastisements he inflicts.
" His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel," even when
for their iniquities he had delivered them into the hand of
their enemies 11 . Nor will he measure out his compassion ac
cording to our merits, but " according to the multitude of his
own mercies" Nothing less than this, indeed, will satisfy the
afflicted soul : nor, indeed, will any thing less satisfy our com
passionate God, who " in all our afflictions is himself afflicted ;
and who, in his love and in his pity, will effect our complete
redemption ." The entire view of his dealings with us may be
seen in his conduct towards his people of old : " Many times
did he deliver them : but they provoked him with their coun
sel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless, he
regarded their affliction when he heard their cry : and he re
membered for them his covenant, and repented according to
the multitude of his mercies?" " In a little wrath, he may hide
his face from us for a moment ; but with everlasting kindness
will he have mercy upon us q ."]
APPLICATION
Let us endeavour,
1. To get just views of the Divine character
s 1 Pet. i. 6. h Heb. xii. 10. i Dent. viii. 16.
k Hos. iv. 17. } 1 Sam. xii. 22. m Ps. Ixxxix. 3235.
n Judges x. 16. o i sa i. j^ 9. p p s> ^ 4345.
a - Isai. liv. 7 10.
1094.J COMFORT FOR THE AFFLICTED. 335
[There can be no comfort to the soul whilst we view
God as a vindictive Judge. As long as we are really desiring
his favour, we are authorized to regard him as a loving Father,
who seeks only the welfare of our souls. If we see a hus
bandman prune his vine, or a workman chisel his stone, or a
goldsmith put his gold into the fire, we are at no loss to
account for their conduct, even though, to the eye of sense, it
may appear severe : to improve the vine, to beautify the stone,
to purify the gold, to bring forth from the furnace a vessel meet
for the Master s use, are, in our minds, an ample vindication
of the apparent severity. Let us, then, conceive of God as
wise, and good, and gracious, and as personally interested in
our welfare ; and then we shall never murmur at any of his
dispensations; but shall say, under the most painful trials,
" It is the Lord ; let him do what seemeth him good."]
2. To make a suitable improvement of afflictive
dispensations
[Every " rod has a voice, which we ought to hear, as well
as Him also that has appointed it r ." Would we but listen
attentively to God speaking to us in the night-season of afflic
tion 8 , verily, we should learn many invaluable lessons. We
often acquire a more just and comprehensive and endearing
knowledge of God in one hour of adversity, than we had pre
viously gained in whole years of prosperity 1 . Those who are
accustomed to behold fine paintings, know that there is a
point of view, in which if we are placed, we shall see every
figure, as it were, standing out of the canvass. Now God is
sometimes pleased to call us to this point, that we may have
richer views of his Divine character. The ascent to the place
may be difficult, and attended with pain ; but the subsequent
views will richly repay all our labour. Let us then especially
seek to improve in our knowledge of God, and in an admira
tion of his adorable perfections. And if there be in us any evil,
which God has discovered to our view, let us put it away,
though it be dear to us as a right eye, or apparently necessary
to us as a right hand. If our afflictions do but " yield us the
peaceable fruits of righteousness, we shall never have reason
to complain, however much we may have been exercised by
thern u ." Only let them " purge away our dross and our tin x ,"
and we shall bless God for the furnace by which this blessed
change has been effected. "The trials that have been pro
ductive of so great a blessing will issue in praise and honour
and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ V and through the
countless ages of eternity 2 .]
r Mic. vi. 9. s Ps. xvi. 7. * Job xxxvi. 8 10.
u Heb. xii. 11. * Isai. i. 25. y 1 Pet. i. 6. 7.
z Rev. vii. 1317.
336 LAMENTATIONS, III. 5457. [1095.
MXCV.
THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER.
Lam. iii. 54 57. Waters flowed over mine head; then I said,
1 am cut off. I called upon thy name, Lord, out of the
low dungeon. Thou hast heard my voice : hide not thine ear
at my breathing, at my cry. Thou dreiuest near in the day
that I called upon thee : thou saidst, Fear not.
THE Prophet Jeremiah was inferior to none in a
compassionate regard for his country,, whose cala
mities he bitterly deplored : yet was there no one
more injuriously treated than he. He might well say
of himself, " I am the man that hath seen affliction
by the rod of his wrath a ." Of his grief, on account of
his country s sufferings, and of the sad returns which
his enemies made to him, he speaks in the preceding
context, and in terms peculiarly tender and pathetic :
Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water, for
the destruction of the daughter of my people. Mine
eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any
intermission, till the Lord look down from heaven.
Mine eye afflicteth mine heart, because of all the
daughters of my city. [Yet] mine enemies chased
me sore, like a bird, without cause. They have cut
off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon
me." The working of his mind, in this afflictive
situation, he delineates in the words of our text :
from which we may notice,
I. To what a state God s most favoured servants may
be reduced
[Jeremiah, for his fidelity in declaring God s purposes
respecting that rebellious people, was cast into a dungeon,
where he sunk in the mire, and was left to perish b . And in
tins situation he altogether despaired of life, and said, " I am
cut off," " I am cut off out of the land of the living!" Dis
tressing as this situation was, it may yet be expected to be
endured by the faithful ministers of God in every age. Peter,
in his day, was laden with chains in an inner prison, without
the slightest hope of surviving the day appointed for his
execution . Paul and Silas also, with their backs lacerated
a ver. 1 . b Jer. xxxviii. 4 6. c Acts xii. 6.
EFFICACY OF PRAYER.
337
1095.]
with scourges, and their feet made fust in the stocks, " had the
sentence of death in themselves," arid expected nothing but a
speedy and a cruel death 1 . And we, too, are warned by our
blessed Lord, that we must be ready to lay down our lives for
him ; and that on no other condition can we hope for a
favourable acceptance with him in the last day.
But there are other troubles yet more afflictive than these,
to which every child of God is exposed, and under which he
may be brought into the depths of despondency. There are
seasons of temptation and spiritual desertion, in which the
soul is led to say, with Heman, " My soul is full of troubles;
my life draweth nigh unto the grave. Thou hast laid me in the
lowest pi^ in darkness, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard
upon me ; thou hast afflicted me with all thy tvaves. Lord,
Why castest thou off my soul ? why hidest thou thy face from
me? I am afflicted, and ready to die. While I suffer thy
terrors, I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me ;
thy terrors have cut me off^" Here was a man of consum
mate piety, and yet thus bereft of consolation, and almost of
hope. And such afflictive visitations are experienced by many
at the present day. When the spirits have been broken by
a long train of misfortunes, and disease of body has still
further enfeebled the mind, it is not uncommon for Satan to
make a fierce assault upon the soul, and, by his fiery darts, to
inflict on it a deadly wound, such as causes it to despair even
of life. The Saviour himself, in the depths of dereliction,
cried, " My (rod, my God! why hast thou forsaken me?"
It is not to be wondered at, therefore, if his followers also
be called to taste of that cup which he drank even to the
dregs.]
In the Prophet s experience, however, we see,
II. What remedy is open to them
[" I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low
dungeon : hide not thine ear at my breathing and my cry."
Affliction drove him not from God, but to him : and though
his overwhelming calamities disqualified him for that kind of
orderly address which, in a season of calm reflection, he might
have presented at the throne of grace, yet, by sighs and cries,
he made known his desires to the Lord, who understands the
language of the heart, though not expressed in clear and ap
propriate terms by the lips. To the same effect David says,
" I opened my mouth and panted ; for I longed for thy com
mandments^" by which I understand, that his desire to fulfil
the commands of God was too great for utterance ; so that he
d Acts xvi. 23, 24. e Ps. Ixxxviii. 3, G, 7, 11 16.
f Ps. cxix. 131.
VOL. IX. Z
338 LAMENTATIONS, ILL 5457. [1095.
was constrained to express it only by deep sighs and ardent
aspirations. Thus it was with the prophet at this time, when
looking to his God with humble breathings and with fervent
cries. Like Jonah at the bottom of the sea, he cried, " I am
cast out of thy sight ; yet I will look again toward thy holy
temple s."
Now, this is our proper remedy at all seasons : " Call upon
me in the time of trouble, saith the Lord; and I will hear thee;
and thou shalt glorify me." Nor need we be discouraged
because we are not able so to compose our minds as to pour
out our hearts in fluent and connected petitions. Abrupt cries
are fitly suited to occasions of great extremity. Our blessed
Lord himself, when in an agony in the garden of Gethsemane,
cried thrice to his heavenly Father, repeating the same words h .
It is not the fluency of our expressions that God regards, but
the sincerity of our hearts : and, for the most part, when " his
blessed Spirit makes intercession in us" with more than ordi
nary power, it is not by diversified and rhetorical language,
but " by groans which cannot be uttered 1 ." Whatever there
fore our trouble be, and however desperate our condition, let
us " give ourselves unto prayer k ;" and not doubt but that
God, who " heareth the ravens," will " hear the voice of our
weeping 1 ," and "fulfil the desire of our hearts 111 ." If we do
but " look unto him, we shall be lightened 11 ."]
The answer he received will lead us to contem
plate,
III. The efficacy of that remedy, whensoever ap
plied
[In his despondency, the prophet had said, " Thou hast
covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass
through ." But he found to his joy, that nothing could inter
cept either his communion with God, or his communications
from God : for " God drew nigh to him, and said, Fear not."
What marvellous condescension was here ! Whilst man was
treating him as " the offscouring and refuse of the people P,"
God regarded him with all the tenderness of a Father, and
bade him to fear nothing that man could do against him. And
will God be less gracious to us, in our extremities ? No : " he
will surely hear the cry of the poor destitute, and will not
despise their prayer q ." Hear the experience of David, and in
him of the Messiah also : " Save me, O God ! for the waters
8 Jonah ii. 4. h Matt- xxvi. 44. [ Rom. viii. 26.
k Ps. cix. 4. i Ps. vi. 8. m Ps. cxlv. 19.
n Ps. xxxiv. 5. ver. 44. P ver. 45.
i Ps. cii. 17.
EFFICACY OF PRAYER. 339
1095.]
are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is
no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods
overflow me. I am weary of my crying : my throat is dry :
mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. Deliver me out of
the mire, and let me not sink : let me be delivered from them
that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the water-
flood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up ; and
let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. I am poor and
sorrowful : let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high."
Having thus pleaded with God, and obtained an answer of
peace, he adds, for the encouragement of all future suppliants,
" The humble shall see this, and be glad; and your heart
shall live that seek God : for the Lord heareth the poor, and
despiseth not his prisoners*" " Hear ye this," then, all ye who,
from whatever circumstances, are brought into deep waters !
" Call upon the Lord out of the depths 8 ;" and you shall soon
be able to adopt the grateful recollections of David, and say,
" The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of un
godly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed
me about ; the snares of death prevented me. In my distress
I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God : he heard my
voice out of his temple, arid my cry came before him, even
into his ears."
But let me more particularly call your attention to the con
solatory voice of God in my text: " Fear not." Were you
really in the hands of your enemies, you might well fear : but
they, as well as you, are in the hands of God, who can " make
even the wrath of man to praise him." Here is " a weapon
formed against you," and " a waster" ready to wield it for your
destruction : but they can effect nothing without God ; since
the very smith who formed the weapon, and the waster that
threatens your destruction, are the work of his hands, and owe
to him all the skill and power of which they are possessed.
What then can they do against Him ; or against those who
are under his protection 1 ? Know, that to every soul that
trusteth in him is this word addressed ; " Fear thou not; for
I am with thee : be not dismayed ; for I am thy God : I will
strengthen thee ; yea, I will help thee ; yea, I will uphold
thee with the right hand of my righteousness."]
r Ps. Ixix. 1, 2, 3, 14, 15, 29, 32, 33. * Ps. cxxx. 1.
4 Isai. liv. 1517.
E Z E K I E L.
MXCVI.
COMMISSION GIVEN TO MINISTERS.
Ezek. ii. -1. Thou shalt say -unto them, Thus saith the Lord
God.
ASTONISHING is the patience which God has
exercised in all ages towards his rebellious creatures.
After their wickedness had attained such an height
that he was constrained to pour out his indignation
upon them at the Deluge, he still deferred his judg
ments an hundred and twenty years, that, if possible,
he might reclaim the world by the ministrations of
Noah. At a later period, when he had chosen to
himself a peculiar people, and with mighty signs and
wonders had brought them forth out of Egypt, and
they requited all his kindness with nothing but mur-
murings and disobedience ; though their provoca
tions were beyond all conception great, he bore with
them for the space of forty years, and would not
utterly take away his loving-kindness from them.
Again, when he had sent his people into captivity for
the multitude of their iniquities, and especially for
despising all his reproofs, and persecuting all his
prophets 3 , he still would not altogether abandon
them, but sent his servant Ezekiel to preach to them
in the land whither they were carried captive. In
the words of our text we are informed what Ezekiel
was commissioned to say unto them : it was empha
tically this; " THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD." We do
a 2 Chron. xxxvi. 1C.
1096.] COMMISSION GIVEN TO MINISTERS. 341
not suppose that this was the whole of Ezekiel s
message ; but it was a peculiarly important and em-
phatical part of it : it was that which above all other
things characterized the end and object of his mis
sion. It is particularly to be noticed, that no specific
message is annexed to these words; and that they occur
twice also in the following chapter precisely in the
same way b . Can we suppose that so peculiar a
commission should contain in it no more than what
appears upon the surface ? Surely it must be ac
knowledged to be either very defective, or very com
prehensive. To say that it was defective, would be
to arraign the wisdom of God himself : we shall do
well therefore to search into its real and extensive
import. Three things then were evidently implied
in it (which indeed are implied also in the commis
sion given to ministers at this day) ; namely,
I. To declare God s will
[God has declared it unto us And ice are to de
clare it unto others with fidelity and affection - When
objections are made to the word delivered, we must produce
our warrant from the Holy Scriptures, and remind them
whose word it is ; " Thus saith THE LORD GOD." Witli
this we ourselves are to be satisfied; and we must require
others to regulate their views by the infallible dictates of
inspiration ]
II. To assert His authority
[We find men in a state of rebellion against God
We, as his ambassadors, are to offer them terms of recon
ciliation If our terms be thought too humiliating, we
must declare that God will never offer them any other ; and
that unless they accept these, they must inevitably perish
While we encourage them by representations of God s
mercy and love, we must also intimidate them with exhibitions
of his justice, his power, and his truth ]
III. To seek, notwithstanding all our discourage
ments, the salvation of their souls
[We must expect, that, if we discharge our duty aright,
we shall meet with many and great discouragements : " briers
and thorns will be with us ; yea, we shall dwell among scor
pions" But " nothing is to move us," " nor should we account
b Ezek. iii. 11, 27.
342 EZEKIEL, VII. 59. [1097.
even our lives dear unto us, so that we may but^fulfil our
ministry," and be " pure from the blood of all men" -
The saving of souls is the work committed to us ; and we must
prosecute that work, " whether men will hear, or whether they
will forbear" - ]
LEARN from hence,
1. The importance of the ministry
[God has ceased to impart his mind to men in a way of
immediate revelation. His written word is that by which he
now instructs the world : and he has set apart an order of men,
whose duty it is to make known his revealed will. They are
" not to teach for doctrines the commandments of men," but
simply to declare what God himself has spoken. In the exe
cution of their office they are God s ambassadors, yea, if we
may so speak, his representatives: they speak to men "in
Christ s stead ;" and the word they deliver, is "not theirs, but
God s." Whilst then, on the one hand, we magnify our office,
we ought, on the other hand, to say, " Who is sufficient for
these things ? "]
2. The duty of those who are ministered unto
[When a minister is proclaiming, " Thus saith the Lord
God," the people should " tremble at the word ;" and, whilst
he " declares the whole counsel of God," it becomes them to
" receive it with meekness" and simplicity. They should not
be offended at his fidelity, but be thankful for it. They would
not commend a watchman, who should leave a family to be
burnt in their beds, rather than alarm them with the cry of
fire ; or a sentinel, who should suffer a camp to be surprised
by their enemy, because he would not alarm them by giving
notice of their approach : much less then should they approve
of those who " prophesy smooth things," and " speak peace
unto them, when there is no peace." " Those who have God s
word, must speak God s word faithfully ;" and those who hear
it, should obey it cheerfully, and without reserve.]
MXCVII.
APPROACHING END OF GOD s FORBEARANCE.
Ezek. vii. 5 9. Thus saith the Lord God : An evil, an only
evil, behold, is come. An end is come,- the end is come: it
watcheth for thee ; behold, it is come. The morning is come
unto thee, thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come ;
the day of trouble is near, and not the sounding again of the
mountains. Noiv will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee,
1097.] APPROACHING END OF GOD s FORBEARANCE. 31-3
and accomplish mine anger upon thee; and 1 will judge thee
according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine
abominations. And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I
have pity : I will recompense thee according to thy ivays, and
thine abominations that are in the midst of thee ; and ye
shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth.
EZEKIEL is perhaps the most terrific writer of all
the prophets : there is a force and energy in his de
nunciations which can find no parallel : his repetitions
are so frequent, as to present before the view of the
reader the very judgments which he predicts. In
the chapter before us we are made to see, as it were,
the Chaldean army in the very act of desolating the
city and temple of Jerusalem, and of carrying into
captivity all who should survive the mortality occa
sioned by pestilence, by famine, by the sword a . In
fact, the siege commenced within three years of these
predictions, and terminated in their most exact ac
complishment. It is not our intention to enter into
the, consideration of this prophecy as it relates to the
Jews : we shall rather take occasion from it to ob
serve in general,
I. That the final execution of God s judgments is
fast approaching
The period for the execution of them is certainly
fixed in the Divine counsels
[" Known unto God are all his works from the founda
tion of the world." Nothing is left to chance : every thing
takes place " according to the determinate counsel and fore
knowledge of God." We are ready to consider things as
depending altogether on those by whose agency, or whose
authority, they are done. But men are only instruments in
God s hands : they are his sword, and the staff of his indigna
tion ; and they only carry into effect what " his hand and his
counsel have determined before to be done." The elements in
like manner all "fulfil his will." It was at the precise time
that he had ordained, that the waters deluged the earth, and
that fire and brimstone consumed the cities of the plain. As
in the self-same night that had been foretold four hundred and
thirty years before, God brought his people out of Egypt ; so
at the precise period fixed by him were they carried captive to
a See the foregoing chapter.
344 EZEKIEL, VII. 59. [1097.
Babylon, and dispersed all over the world at the destruction of
their ecclesiastical and civil polity by the Romans. The time
also for the day of judgment is fixed, though it is still hid in
the bosom of the Father : and " the times," whether of com
munities or individuals, are altogether " in his hands."]
When that period is arrived, they will be executed
to the uttermost
[At present there is mercy mixed with judgment; but in
the last day there will be "judgment without mercy." Wrath
now comes on offenders with measured severity ; but then
without any other measure than their own deserts. Then the
cup of God s indignation will be poured out for them without
mixture, and they shall drink it to the very dregs b . Terrible
is that name whereby the day of judgment is designated, " The
day of the perdition of ungodly men c ." This present time may,
even in reference to the ungodly, be called " The day of sal
vation ; " because salvation is freely offered to every one of
them: but that is " the day of wrath," against which an accu
mulated and daily augmenting treasure of wrath is laid up for
them, and shall "come upon them to the uttermost."]
This view of the day of judgment sufficiently
shews,
II. That that time should be much and deeply con
templated
Let us then contemplate,
1. Its gradual approach
[Every day and every hour is bringing it nearer to us.
The delay to us indeed may appear long : but it is nothing
when compared with eternity : " A thousand years are in God s
sight as one day, and one day as a thousand years." Pro
fane persons and infidels will ask, as it were, in derision,
" Where is the promise of his coining d ?" But " their judg
ment lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not 6 ."
Let those who are advanced in life consider this. Their days
must of necessity be few ; and consequently every hour should
appear to them as it does to criminals under sentence of death ;
even the striking of the clock should remind them, that the
hour for their departure is rapidly advancing., and must soon
arrive. And young persons too should remember, that they
also are liable to be cut off in the midst of their days ; and that,
even if they live to the age of man, their time will soon have
h Rev. xiv. 10, 11. c 2 Pet. iii. 7
d 2 Pet. iii. 4. 2 Pet. ii. 3.
1097.] APPROACHING END OF GOD S FORBEARANCE. 345
passed away, and appear as a dream in the night. But our
text informs us, that " the end watcheth for us :" yea, it may
come as a thief in the night." Who then should not stand on
his watch-tower, that he may be prepared for it ?]
2. Its actual arrival
[The day of judgment, whenever it shall arrive, will find
men as much unprepared for it as at this moment. In the days
of Noah, persons of every description engaged in their respective
occupations with the same confidence as if nothing had been
spoken respecting a deluge ; " they ate, they drank, they
planted, they builded, they married and were given in marriage,
till the very day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood
came : thus will it be also in the day of judgment; persons ot
every age and condition will be as secure as at any period ot
their existence, till the trumpet shall sound, and the Judge
shall summon them to his tribunal. What a sound will this
then be, " An end, the end, is come!" Then will be an end
of all that now renders life desirable ; an end of all pleasures,
whatever be their kind or quality; an end of all means of grace,
no opportunity now remaining for prayer and seeking after
God : there will be an end of all hope of mercy, the door of
heaven being closed, as Noah s ark was, by the hand of God
himself. Then will be " an evil, an only evil," such as will
have no mixture of good in it. O what " a morning" will that
be, when the voice shall sound, " Awake, ye dead, and come
to judgment!" This will not be a mere echo, a delusion, " a
sound reverberated from the mountains;" but a fearful reality.
Let us for a moment contemplate the state of the antediluvian
world, when they saw the face of the earth gradually dis
appearing, and the loftiest mountains sinking into the waters
of the great deep: O what fear, what terror, what distraction
would be visible on every side.! Thus will millions, in the last
day, be " calling upon the rocks to fall upon them, and the hills
to cover them from the wrath of the Lamb." Would to God
that men would now endeavour to realize that scene ; and that
they would " prepare," whilst yet there is time afforded them,
" to meet their God!"]
That time being the commencement of a never-
ending eternity, it is obvious,
III. That we should spend our whole lives in pre
paration for it
What is the preparation that becomes us ?
1. We should humble ourselves before God for all
our sins
346 EZEKIEL, VII. 59. [1097.
[When Nineveh was warned that in forty days it should
be overthrown, the inhabitants, from the highest to the lowest,
repented of their sins in sackcloth and ashes ; yes, they, though
heathens, and warned only respecting the death of the body,
made this improvement of their time. How much more then
should we do it, who are warned respecting the death of our
souls, and know not that we have forty hours to live ! If God
will "judge us according to our ways," and " pour out his fury"
upon all in proportion to their sins, methinks we should mourn
over our sins day and night, and get them washed away in
" the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness," even in
" the blood of Christ, which cleanseth from all sin."]
2. We should get our souls renewed by Divine
grace
[The foolish virgins, as well as the wise, expected the
coming of the heavenly Bridegroom : but the foolish were not
careful to have oil in their vessels with their lamps : hence,
when the cry was made, " Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!"
they had their oil to seek, and were therefore excluded from
the marriage-feast f . This shews us what should be now our
one concern. If we have not the Spirit of God dwelling in us,
in vain will be all our profession, in vain the flame which
arises only from our natural spirits : the distinction between us
and others will speedily appear, and a corresponding judgment
be passed upon us. How long he may delay his coming, or
how soon he may arrive, we know not; and therefore we
should not lose an hour in seeking that unction of the Holy
One, which alone can fit us for the possession and enjoyment
of the heavenly bliss.]
3. We should be watching against every thing that
may unfit us for the Divine presence
[This is the instruction which the Apostles uniformly
give us : " The end of all things is at hand : be ye- therefore
sober, and watch unto prayer g :" and again, " Let your modera
tion be known unto all men: the Lord is at hand 11 ." There
are dangers and temptations all around us : not only do evil
things solicit our regard, but things that are most innocent
often become a snare to us. Surely then it becomes " those
who have wives to be as though they had none, and those who
weep to be as though they wept not, and those who rejoice as
though they rejoiced not 1 ." " The fashion of this world is
passing rapidly away ; " and " then cometh the end." O !
happy they who are prepared for it ! Happy they " whose
f Matt. xxv. 1 13. s 1 Pet. iv. 7.
h Phil. iv. 5. i 1 Cor. vii. 2931.
1098.] HIDDEN ABOMINATIONS EXPOSED. 317
loins are girt, and whose lamps are trimmed, and whom the
Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching for him ! " " What
I say then unto one, I say unto all, Watch."]
4. We should be intent on finishing the work which
God has given us to do
[Our Lord cautions us to " work while it is day, for the
night is coming, wherein no man can work." When the end
cometh, there is no more scope for exertion, no further oppor
tunity to supply what is defective, or to remedy what is amiss:
" there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in
the grave." " Whatsoever then our hand findeth to do, let
us do it with our might"-
MXCVIII.
HIDDEN ABOMINATIONS EXPOSED.
Ezek. viii. 15. Then lie said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O
son of man ? Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater
abominations than these.
MAN is ready to complain of God s judgments, as
though they were unmerited or severe. But " God
will be justified in his sayings, and will overcome
when he is judged*." The captives in Babylon
thought that God had dealt hardly with them. God
therefore gave to the Prophet Ezekiel, who was
amongst the captives there, a vision of what was at
that very time transacting in the temple at Jerusalem,
notwithstanding the judgments that had been inflicted
on them. This was the sixth year of king Jehoiakim s
captivity ; and yet did the remnant of the people in
Jerusalem continue as impenitent as ever. It was on
account of their idolatries that God had given them
over into the hands of the Chaldeans : yet was ido
latry practised at Jerusalem in all its most hateful
and abominable forms, even by the priests and elders,
who ought to have exerted their authority to repress
it. They laboured, indeed, to conceal their impiety
from common observation; and therefore they built a
wall to obstruct the common entrance into the place
where they assembled : but the prophet, in his vision,
a Rom. iii. 4.
348 EZEKIEL, VIII. 15. [1098.
spied a hole in the wall, which he was directed to
enlarge, so as to get access to the door ; and then on
entering at the door, " he saw every form of creeping
things and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the
house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about,
and seventy elders, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan
at their head, offering clouds of incense to them b ."
Being directed then to go to another part of the
temple, he saw " still greater abominations," even a
multitude of " women sitting, weeping for Tammuz,"
some deified monster of iniquity ." Then, in the
passage which I have read, he was told, that, on going
to another part of the temple, he should " see greater
abominations still." Accordingly, he went into the
inner court of the temple, and there saw about five-
and-twenty men, " with their backs towards that part
of the temple" where the holy of holies was, and
which was the more immediate residence of the Deity,
and "worshipping the sun towards the east d ." The
Lord then appeals to the prophet, whether there was
not abundant reason for the judgments which he had
inflicted on the nation ; and declares his determination
to chastise them with yet greater severity ; " Hast
thou seen this, O son of man ? Is it a light thing to
the house of Judah that they commit the abominations
which they commit here ? Therefore will I deal with
them in fury : mine eye shall not spare, neither will
I have pity : and, though they cry in mine ears with
a loud voice, yet will I not hear them 6 ."
In its primary sense, this passage doubtless refers
only to the Jews ; and to them at the period here
specified. But, when we consider that the deporta
tion of the Jewish people into captivity, their sub
sequent deliverance from that captivity, and their
restoration to their own land, were all typical of what
yet passes in the world, and in the Church, and in
the heart, we feel authorized so far to accommodate
the words of our text to existing circumstances, as
to take occasion from them to point out the hidden
b ver. 711. c ver. 13, 14. d ver. 15, 1C. e ver. 17, 18,
1098.1 HIDDEN ABOMINATIONS EXPOSED. 349
abominations which may be discovered from a closer
inspection of,
I. The world-
The abominations that are visible to all are ex
ceeding great
[It is not possible to have the least intercourse with the
world, and not see that iniquity abounds on every side. In
truth, " the whole world lieth in wickedness," or under the
power of the Wicked-one f ]
But the more we know of the world, the more
wicked will it appear
[A person who looks only on the outward appearance of
things would be ready to think that St. Paul s description of
mankind is a libel on human nature. But the picture which
he draws is indeed but too accurate. " Men like not to retain
God in their knowledge ; and therefore he gives them over to
a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate,
deceit, malignity ; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, de
spiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient
to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without
natural affection, implacable, unmerciful ; who, knowing the
judgment of God, that they who commit such things are wor
thy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them
that do them g ." There is no abomination that was ever
practised amongst the most abandoned of mankind in former
ages, but may still be found, nearly, if not altogether, to the
same extent as ever. Where Christianity has diffused its
light, these deeds of darkness are kept from common obser
vation : but human nature is the same in every age ; and
" the god of this world " exercises over it the same despotic
sway as ever h .]
The same humiliating truth may be applied also to,
II. The Church-
The outward-court worshippers are, for the most
part, exceedingly corrupt
[Let any one dispassionately survey the principles and
practices of the Church of Rome ; and then say, whether the
abominations of that Church will not be found abundant, in
proportion as the scrutiny is minute. What is the very foun-
f 1 John v. 19. iv TO> Trovrjpw. s Rom. i. 27 32.
h Eph. ii. 2.
350 EZEKIEL, VIII. 15. [1098.
dation of the whole edifice of Popery, but a compound of
pride, ambition, covetousness, fraud, cruelty ? The doctrine
of merit is at the root of all. The heads of that Church have
no object in view but to promote their own secular interests
and power. They draw from the votaries of their religion all
which they can by any means exact. A system of lying won
ders is maintained, to delude their followers : and the most
horrible cruelties are exercised towards those who submit not
to their impious ordinances and institutions. The Heathen
themselves are not more flagrant in their idolatries, than they
who exalt the Virgin Mother above their Incarnate God.
I say these things in reference to the Romish Church, be
cause the ear of Protestants is open to receive the truth in
relation to a Church from which they have separated. But,
if Protestant Churches are freed from some of the grosser
abominations of Popery, are they not on a par with Papists
themselves in relation to the evils from which Popery has
sprung ? Do we not find Protestants, whether priests or
people, as secularized as any of the votaries of Popery can
be ? Do we not find them as full of pride, ambition, covetous-
ness, fraud, cruelty, as Papists themselves, only not exercising
these dispositions exactly in the same way ? The truth is,
that, amongst the generality of Christians, there is little found
except the name : and that, if they had been brought up as
heathens, they would have occupied much the same place in
the scale of morals, as they do at this hour.]
Would to God we could except from this censure
the worshippers of the inner court !
[On the two first occasions, the prophet was directed to
the outer court of the temple ; but, on the last, God himself,
in his vision, "brought him to the inner court of the Lord s
house 1 ." Come we, then, to inspect that part of the Church
which professes more of sanctity, and boasts of greater near
ness to God. Are there no abominations to be found there?
Are there no evil practices indulged by those who would be
thought to excel in piety ? It is well, perhaps, that the world
do not know all that passes in the secret inclosures of the
temple : for they would be far more stumbled than they are
by the inconsistencies and impieties which would there be
found. They do wrong, indeed, in casting reflections on reli
gion, on account of the faults of those who profess it. " To
speak evil of the way of truth k ," and to " blaspheme the name
of God V on account of the falls of professors, is absurd in the
extreme : for religion discountenances evil of every kind ; and,
as far as it prevails in the soul, it restrains evil. And therefore
1 ver. 16. * 2 Pet. ii. 2. ] Rom. ii. 24.
1098. J HIDDEN ABOMINATIONS EXPOSED. 351
whilst I open the abominations of the inner court, I solemnly
tuard all against imputing them to religion, or thinking less
ivourably of religion on account of them. But it must be
confessed, that, amongst religious professors, there are mul
titudes who walk unworthy of their holy profession ; multi
tudes, who are as worldly and as covetous in their desires, as
destitute of truth and honesty in their dealings : yea, and as
corrupt and vicious in their practices, as the ungodly world.
Those who have seen the interior of religious societies, and
witnessed the proud domineering spirit of some, the conceit
and forwardness of others, the bigotry of others, the hypo
crisies, envyings, evil-speakings of others, the lying and dis
honesty of others, the lewdness and impurity of others ; in a
word, those who know the most of what is called the religious
world, will have seen, to their grief and shame, that the evils
of the seven Asiatic Churches are far from being yet excluded
from the fold of Christ : there are yet " wolves in sheep s
clothing," many who " say they are Jews, and are not, but do
lie ;" and, though professedly of the Church of Christ, are yet,
in truth, " of the synagogue of Satan m ." God knoweth, that,
in declaring these things, we would be glad to be found false
witnesses, and to retract our assertions, if the truth of them
were not unhappily established beyond all possibility of doubt.]
It is yet further applicable to,
III. The heart
This, as the prophet tells us, is superlatively
deceitful
[There is not any thing which we greatly affect, but the
heart will find out some special reason for doing it : nor are
we called to any thing that will thwart our inclinations, and
obstruct our interests, but it will furnish us with some con
venient pretext for declining to make the sacrifice. It has a
great deal of ingenuity, in covering the malignity of what is
evil, and in discharging us from the obligation of what is
good". By the substitution of a name, it operates a change in
our views of any action, as much as if it changed the quality
of the action itself. Under its guidance, covetousness be
comes a just regard for one s family ; bigotry, a holy zeal ;
cowardice, a prudential care. Peter thought with himself,
perhaps, to benefit the circumcision, when he constrained the
Gentiles to submit to Jewish ordinances ; whereas he was
beguiled by a fear of that resentment which the Judaizing
teachers were likely to manifest, if he did not comply with
their wishes : and Barnabas too, and other holy Jews, were
m Rev. in. 9. n Isai. v. 20.
352 EZEKIEL, VIII. 15. [1098.
carried away by his dissimulation . There is no man who
is not at times betrayed by it into some line of conduct,
which, on a more calm and disinterested view of it, is found to
have been injudicious : and we often find that the motives for
which we gave ourselves credit were only a delusion of Satan,
operating under the semblance of an angel of light?.]
It is also, as the same prophet informs us, un
searchably wicked 1
[The corruptions of it are, for depth, unfathomable ; for
number, countless; for enormity, surpassing all conception.
None but the heart-searching God himself can know it. Let
any one mark, for one single day, the workings of his heart,
and the thoughts which pass through it ; and he will be per
fectly amazed, that a creature, sensible in some measure of
his obligations to God, and desirous to serve him, should, in
despite of all his endeavours to purify himself, be so corrupt.
But, after having accomplished the most diligent search, and
renewed it ever so often, he will be very far from having at
tained a perfect self-knowledge; and circumstances will still
arise, that shall bring fresh corruptions to light, or place their
workings in a new point of view : so that, on turning again to
view some corner unexplored, he shall find more and greater
abominations than before.]
BEHOLD then here
1 . The folly of man
[The Jews in the temple, having concealed themselves
by a wall from the eyes of men, and practising their abomina
tions " in the dark chambers of their imagery," supposed that
they were hidden from the eyes of God also. " They said,
The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth 1 ."
But God saw them, and directed the prophet how to get a
sight of them also. And can we suppose that God does not
see us, or that he will not record our ways in the book of his
remembrance ? Be it known to you, my brethren, that " there
is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of
iniquity may hide themselves 8 ." " God knows the things that
come into our mind, every one of them* ;" and " He will bring
to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the
counsels of the heart u ." Settle it then in your minds, that
God s eye is over you ; and never presume to do that in dark
ness which you would be ashamed to have proclaimed upon
the house-tops.]
Gal. ii. 12, 13. P 2 Cor. xi. 14. i Jer. xvii. 9.
r ver. 12. s Job xxxiv. 22. * Ezek. xi. 5.
u 1 Cor. iv. 5.
1099.] BENEFIT OF MOURNING FOR SIN. 353
2. The forbearance of God
[What does God behold ! All the iniquity that is com
mitted upon the face of the whole earth is seen by him com
pletely, in all its bearings, and with all its aggravations. How
wonderful must be his patience, that he can bear thus with us,
under such an accumulated load of guilt ! We wonder not
that he once destroyed the earth with a deluge, or once poured
fire and brimstone on the cities of the plain : the wonder is,
that these judgments have not been so repeated, as utterly to
destroy the whole human race. To go no further than to our
own individual state : that man can know little of himself, who
is not utterly amazed that he is at this moment an inhabitant
of earth, and not doomed, long since, to endure all the pains
and miseries of hell. Let then " this patience and long-
suffering and forbearance no longer be despised ; but let the
goodness of our God lead us to repentance x ."]
3. The wonders of redeeming love
[This is the world for which God has given his only-
begotten Son. This is the world for which the Lord Jesus
Christ left the bosom of his Father, and came down to earth,
that he might bleed and die. Nor in this whole world is
there a single individual, who, if he repent and believe in
Jesus, shall not find acceptance with his God. Not one
should be cast out ; no, not one : " Though his sins were red
as crimson, they should be white as snow." What wonders
of love are here ! Who can ever comprehend their height
and depth, their length and breadth ? Search into them ever
so deeply, and contemplate them ever so minutely, and we
will say without hesitation, " Turn again, and you shall see
greater wonders than these." Indeed, to all eternity will they
be unfolding to us, with ever-augmented light and evidence ;
and to all eternity will they be to us an ever-increasing source
of joy and blessedness. To contemplate them here, is the
way to be filled with all the fulness of grace y ; and to con
template them in heaven, will be to us a fulness of glory for
evermore 2 .]
x Rom. ii. 4. y Eph. iii. 18, 19. z Rev. v. 8 13.
MXCIX.
DUTY AND BENEFIT OF MOURNING FOR SIN.
Ezek. ix. 4. And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst
of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark
upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all
the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
VOL. IX. A A
351 EZEKIEL, IX. 4 [1099.
THERE is in the minds of ungodly men an athe
istical idea, that God " does not regard" the actions
of men ; and that, as to any interference in their
concerns, " he has forsaken the earth." This was a
common sentiment among the Jews a ; and it practi
cally obtains to a vast extent amongst us. To imagine
that God notices such trifling matters as those which
occupy our minds, is supposed to derogate from his
honour. But God is omnipresent and omniscient ;
the minutest as well as the greatest things are all
equally present to his all-seeing eye ; and every thing
is noticed by him with an especial view to a future day
of retribution. This is particularly stated in the whole
of the preceding chapter. The elders of Israel who
were at Jerusalem were given to idolatry ; but they
were extremely anxious to conceal their practices from
the eyes of men : hence they performed their idolatrous
rites in some secret chambers of the temple, which
they had enclosed with a wall in order to a more
effectual concealment. But God in a vision pointed
out to his prophet, who was at Babylon, every thing
that was transacted in the temple at Jerusalem : and,
after having given him many successive and more
enlarged views of the abominations that were com
mitted there, issued an order to the angels who had
charge over the city, " to go forth and slay" the of
fenders ; but strictly prohibited them from coming
near to any person to whom these abominations had
been a source of grief, and who had, in consequence
of that, been " marked in the forehead" by a person
expressly commissioned for that purpose 13 .
Though the whole of this was a vision, it was, in
fact, a just representation of the distinction which
God would make between the persons who were
guilty of idolatry, and those who lamented its pre
valence among them : and it may serve to shew us,
in a very instructive way,
I. The character of the Lord s people
a Ezek. viii. 12. and ix. 9.
b Read the whole preceding chapter, as connected with the text.
1099.] BENEFIT OF MOURNING FOR SIN. 355
Sin is " that abominable thing which God hates :"
and, as it prevailed to an awful extent at that day, so
abominations of every kind yet prevail
[They prevail in the world at large. We speak not now
of the evils that are visible to all, but of those which are of a
more hidden nature. In every order of society there are pecu
liar and appropriate evils, justified perhaps by those who com
mit them, yea possibly dignified with the name of virtues,
which yet are an utter " abomination in the sight of God."
Were all the intrigues of the ambitious, the wantonness of the
licentious, the deceits of the covetous, the characteristic arts
of every class of sinners, exposed to view, what a mass of
iniquity should we behold ! Yet God beholds it all ; a mass
which infinitely exceeds our highest conceptions, and which
none but God himself could endure to behold.
They prevail also, we regret to say it, even in the Church of
God. It was amongst those who professed the worship of the
true God, that all those abominations were practised in the
Temple at Jerusalem : and we know that many lamentable
evils were found in the Churches that were planted by the
Apostles themselves. Can we wonder, then, if at this time
tares be growing up with the wheat ? It were vain to deny
that there are many who dishonour their holy profession, and
give sad occasion to the enemies of religion to blaspheme that
name whereby \ve are named. The pride, intolerance, and
overbearing conceit of Diotrephes may yet be found, amidst
high professions of superior zeal and sanctity. AVho has ever
looked into the interior of religious societies, and not seen the
same undue preference to some preachers, and contempt of
others, as disgraced the Corinthian Church in the days of Paul?
Who has not discovered many a Demas, who " loves this pre
sent world," and foregoes his spiritual advantages with a view
to increase his gains c ? It would be well if even the base
crimes of falsehood, and overreaching, and dishonesty were not
sometimes found in the skirts of those who would be thought
to have kept their garments clean; yea, if intemperance also
and uncleanness did not give the lie to their profession. But
the more we inspect the sanctuary of God, the more we shall
see occasion for humiliation and grief on account of many,
who " have a name to live, but are dead ;" and who, through
their misconduct, " cause the way of truth to be evil spoken
of." And such may well expect that " judgment shall begin
with them d ." We need scarcely add, that evils prevail also
in the heart even of true believers. Paul himself confessed,
that there was " a law in his members warring against the law
c 2 Tim. iv. 10. d Compare ver. (3. with 1 Pet. iv. 17.
A A 2
356 EZEKIEL, IX. 4. [1099.
of his mind, and sometimes bringing him into captivity to the
law of sin in his members :" and the more conversant we are
with our own hearts, the more we shall bewail our innume
rable short-comings and defects. Our impatience, our distrust
of God, our unbelief, our obduracy, our sloth, our coldness in
duties, our sad mixture of principle even in our better actions ;
our want of love to the Saviour, our want of compassion for
our fellow-creatures, our want of zeal for God ; alas ! alas !
our want of every thing that is good, may well make the
very best of us " sigh and cry," and, like Paul, to account
ourselves " less than the least of all saints," or rather as " the
chief of sinners."]
To bewail these abominations is characteristic of
every child of God
[Hear how Moses lamented them in his day 6 : how David
also 1 , and Ezra, bewailed them**: what extreme heaviness the
Apostle Paul felt in his soul on this account 11 ; and especially
in relation to those very evils which ive have specified as ob
taining amongst the professing people of God 1 \ And where is
the saint in all the Bible who did not " groan within himself"
on account of the burthen of his own in-dwelling corruptions k ?
The more any person knows of God and of his own soul, the
more disposed he is to say with Job, " Behold, I am vile 1 !"
Before we proceed to the second point for our consideration,
let us examine ourselves, whether these things are a burthen
to us, yea, our chief burthen m ? - - We have no pre
tensions to true religion, any farther than we answer to this
character of mourners on account of sin ]
From marking thus minutely the character of the
Lord s people, we proceed to notice,,
II. Their privilege-
God sets a mark on every one of his people, a mark
on their foreheads, whereby they are infallibly known
to him, and shall assuredly be screened from the
destroying angels. They shall be protected,
1. Here-
[The deliverance of Noah from the Deluge, and of Lot
from Sodom, shews not only what deliverances God can vouch
safe to his chosen people, but what may be expected by all who
mourn over, and labour to counteract, the abominations that
are around them". In Babylon, God interposed to effect a
e Deut. ix. 18, 19. f Ps. cxix. 53, 136. e Ezra ix. 3, 5.
h Rom, ix. 1, 2. i Phil. iii. 18, 19. k Rom. viii. 23.
1 Job xl. 4. m Zeph. iii. 18. Jcr. xiii. 17. Rom. vii. 24.
n 2 Pet. ii. 59.
1099.] BENEFIT OF MOURNING FOR SIN. 357
literal accomplishment of this prophetic vision ; obtaining
liberty for Jeremiah, and others of his believing people, whilst
the unbelieving part were visited with the heaviest calamities .
And at the final destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, the
disciples of Christ were rescued, as it were by miracle, from all
the horrors of the siege, whilst their unhappy and devoted
brethren were left to experience such troubles as never came
upon any other nation under heaven.
But, if God do not see fit to exempt his people from the
calamities that fall on others, he will so support them under
their trials, and so sanctify to them their afflictions, that they
shall be constrained to say, " It was good for them to have been
afflicted." He will enable them to " glory in tribulations,"
and to " take pleasure in distresses," as fruits of his paternal
love, and as means of furthering in their souls the purposes of
his grace.]
2. Hereafter
[The seal which God has set in their foreheads will dis
tinguish them from all others, as clearly as sheep are distin
guished from goats. Nor will there be any danger of mistake
in any instance whatever. In Egypt the destroying angel did
not smite one house whereon the blood of the Paschal lamb
was sprinkled ; nor will the judgments of God fall on one
individual, who has laid to heart the abominations of Israel.
" God has set them apart for himself;" and for him they shall
be preserved. No evil shall " come near to him who has the
mark in his forehead." Whilst " fire and brimstone are
rained " down upon all others without distinction, these will
be safely lodged in God s holy mountain, beyond the reach or
possibility of harm.]
ADDRESS
1. To those who think lightly of sin
[By many it is thought a mark of weakness to sigh and
cry for the sins of others, or even for our own P. But let those
who have such light thoughts of sin, consider what sin has
done, in this world, and especially in the world to come.
What innumerable evils have existed, and do yet exist,
throughout the world ! yet is there not one in the whole
creation, which is not the fruit of sin. And if we could obtain
one sight of those dreary mansions, where fallen angels, to
gether with all who have perished in their sins, abide; or
could hear but one groan of a damned soul; we should no
more account sin a light matter : no indeed, it is " fools only,
who make a mock at sin." If this do not sufflce, let such an
Jer. xv. 11. and xxxix. 11, 12.
P See their character drawn : Amos vi. 1, .3, 5, 6 .
358 EZEKIEL, IX. 4. [1099.
one consider, what has been done to expiate sin. Go, sinner,
to Gethsemane, go to Calvary, and contemplate the agonies
and death of your incarnate God ; and then say, Whether sin
be not a tremendous evil, for which no sighs or tears can ever
be sufficient? But, without extending our thoughts to sub
jects so much beyond our reach, let us only observe what have
been the feelings of persons when once they were brought to a
just sense of their sins : let us hear the bitter lamentations of
Peter, or the heart-rending cries of the converts on the day of
Pentecost ; and we shall no longer doubt what ought to be our
views of sin, by whomsoever it may have been committed,
whether by ourselves or others. Sure we are, that in the last
day there will be no diversity of sentiment respecting this: the
glorified saints, and the condemned sinners, will have but one
view of this matter, O that now, even now, the judgment of
every one amongst us might be rectified ; and that, before
another day, God might see reason to set his mark upon us,
as " mourners in Zion !"]
2. To those who answer to the character described
in our text
[Persons who sigh and cry on account of sin, are apt to
yield too much to desponding fears. But they have in reality
abundant cause for joy and gratitude : for if, on the one hand,
they be greatly burthened on account of sin, they have, on the
other hand, reason to rejoice that sin is their burthen. Instead
of being in so deplorable a state as they imagine, they are in
a state most pleasing to God, and most profitable to them
selves. So pleased is God with those " who are poor and of a
contrite spirit," that his eyes are fixed upon them with the
utmost complacency and delight q : and the Lord Jesus, the
Judge of quick and dead, repeatedly declares them blessed 1 .
Let not any one therefore be dejected because of the depths of
depravity which he sees within him ; but let him rather con
clude, that God has discovered to him these hidden abomina
tions ; and let him beg of God to give him a clearer and fuller
insight into them; that so his humiliation may be more deep,
his faith more simple, his gratitude more lively, and his de-
votedness to God more entire. Nor let any one be afraid of
seeing thus the corruptions of his heart : for, if only our self-
knowledge drive us to Christ, and endear him to our souls, it
will prove a source of every virtue; of contrition, of fear, of
dependence on Christ, of love to his name, and of zeal for his
glory. A sense of our necessities will make us cry unto him
for the gift of his Spirit ; and by that Spirit we shall be " sealed
unto the day of redemption," and " rendered meet for our
heavenly inheritance."
i Isai. Ixvi. 2. r Matt. v. 3, 4.
1100.] THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD. 359
MC.
THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD.
Ezek. xi. 5. I know the things which come into your mind, every
one of them.
THERE is much of atheism in the heart of man.
The language of every one, in the secret of his own
bosom, is, " The Lord doth not see, neither will the
Almighty regard it a ." Doubtless this argues more
than brutish stupidity b : but still it prevails to an
awful extent, even over those who have the best
means of instruction. The Prophet Ezekiel had rea
son to complain of it in his day ; and, for the purpose
of counteracting it, he declared from God to all the
rulers of the Jewish people, " I know the things that
come into your mind, every one of them."
That we may all be suitably affected with this
thought, I will,
I. Establish the assertion in our text
There is no man who does not consider God as
approving or disapproving of his conduct according
to the testimony which his conscience gives respect
ing it c : and this universal conviction respecting the
omniscience of the Deity is, though not a demonstra
tion, yet certainly a strong presumptive proof, that
God is omniscient. But his omniscience may be
certainly inferred,
1. From the law he has given us
[The law, not by construction only d , but in plain terms 6 ,
takes cognizance of the secrets of the heart. But to what
purpose is such a law given, if God be not able to enforce it ?
Or how can he enforce it, if any motion of the heart be hid
from him?]
2. From the plain declarations of Holy Writ
[These are numberless. Hear in what terms God him
self appeals to the whole world respecting it : " Am I a God at
hand, and not afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places
a Ps. xciv. 7. b Ps. xciv. 8, 9. c 1 John iii. 20, 21.
d Matt. v. 28. e Rom. vii. 7.
360 EZEKIEL, XL 5. [1100.
that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill
heaven and earth? saith the Lord f ." The whole of the 139th
Psalm is written for the confirmation and illustration of this
truth ; which Job also was persuaded of in his inmost soul : " I
know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can
be withholden from theeC But we have an illustration of it
in the New Testament which is worthy of more particular no
tice: " All things," says the Apostle, " are naked and opened
unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do h ." Here the
writer refers to a fact well known to the Hebrews. When a
sacrifice was to be offered, not only was it examined externally,
to see whether there were any blemish in it, but it was flayed,
and cut down the back-bone, and laid open, that so its inward
parts might be inspected by the priest. Thus are the inmost
recesses of our soul both naked and opened before our God,
and not an " imagination of the thoughts of our heart" con
cealed from him.]
3. From the appointment of a day of judgment to
judge the world
[To what purpose can such an appointment be, if God do
not behold every secret of the heart ? The true quality of our
actions depends chiefly on the motives and principles from which
they spring. But nothing short of omniscience can discover
these : and hence God asserts his omniscience in reference to
this very day : "I the Lord search the heart ; I try the reins,
even to give to every man according to his ways, and according
to the fruit of his doings. "]
Not to multiply proofs of so clear a point, let me
proceed to,
II. Suggest a suitable improvement of it
The subject being as important as any that can
occupy the human mind, I will endeavour to im
prove it,
1. In a way of general reflections-
fin the contemplation of God s omniscience, we cannot but
be struck with the thought of God s wonderful patience and
forbearance. If only the actions of men were discerned by
him, there were abundantly sufficient every day and hour to
provoke him to wrath, and to bring down on the whole world
the judgments which desolated the cities of Sodom and Go
morrah. But he sees all the motives and principles of men,
f Jer. xxiii. 23, 24. s Job xlii. 2.
h Heb. iv. 13. Jer. xvii. 10.
1100.] THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD. 361
and all the hidden abominations which are indulged in their
hearts: and yet he bears with us, and waits to be gracious to
every returning penitent. O let us be sensible of our obliga
tions to him, and " let his goodness lead us to repentance k ."
Nor shall we be less struck with the erroneomness of the
judgment which many form of their state before him. Many
judge of themselves only by their acts, whilst in their hearts,
if they would but watch the motions of them, they might find
abominations without number. Well does Solomon say, " There
is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, but are not washed
from their filthiness 1 ." But let it be remembered that an angry
thought is murder, and an impure look adultery, and the only
contention amongst us will be, who shall take the lowest place.
Nearly connected with this is the thought of the awful dis
closures which will be made in the day of judgment. If we look
back only upon our own lives we shall see enough to fill us
with shame and confusion of face: What then will be the
feelings of the whole assembled universe, when the thoughts of
all hearts shall be disclosed, and the whole aggregate of ini
quity that has ever been either acted or conceived be made to
appear in one collective mass ! Ah ! the whited sepulchres
that will then be opened, and the lothesome abominations that
will be exposed to view ! In those indeed who have obtained
mercy of the Lord, the exposure will only call forth songs of
praise and thanksgiving : but to those who have died in their
sins, the anguish will be inconceivable : and glad would they be
if rocks or mountains could fall upon them, to hide them from
the shame with which they will be overwhelmed 111 .]
2. In a way of more particular address
[Tremble, my beloved brethren, for your past sins : for not
one shall be concealed in that day, unless indeed through the
tender mercy of our God it have been blotted out of the book
of Grod s remembrance The evil of our thoughts, no less
than of our acts, must be accounted for 11 . Wash too in the
fountain of the Redeemer s blood. If so much as one sin be
left for you to answer for, it were better for you that you had
never been born. Nor ever imagine that the tears of peni
tence can wash away sin : there is no fountain for you but
that which was once opened on the cross for sin and for un-
cleanness. It is the blood of Christ alone that can cleanse from
sin : but " that can cleanse from all sin." At the same time
guard against the incursion of sin in future, even in thought.
Already are our sins more in number than the sands upon the
sea-shore ; and shall we yet be adding to the mighty load ?
k Rom.ii. 4. ] Prov. xxx. 12.
m Dan. xii. 2. n Acts viii. 22.
362 EZEKIEL, XL 23. [1101.
Have we not rendered ourselves sufficiently lothesome in the
eyes of a holy God ? Let us never forget that " his very
name is, Thou God seest me ." But not to act from a mere
servile fear, labour to approve yourselves to God in the whole
course of your lives. Let your actions, words, and thoughts be
such as the heart-searching God will approve 1 . Then will he
bear testimony to you as " Israelites indeed in whom was no
guile;" and he who has beheld your most secret thoughts will,
in the presence of the whole assembled universe, applaud and
" reward you openly."]
Gen. xvi. 13. P Prov. iv. 23.
MCI.
DEPARTURE OF GOD FROM HIS TEMPLE.
Ezek. xi. 23. And the glory of the Lord went up from the
midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on
the east side of the city.
THE vision with which the Prophet Ezekiel was
favoured, and which he records in the first chapter,
is of very difficult interpretation. In it there were
represented to his view four living creatures, all
moved and actuated by the Spirit of God a ; there
were also wheels moved by them b , and the glory of
God was enthroned above them c . The general import
of this vision we apprehend to be, that the God-man,
the Lord Jesus Christ, by the ministration of angels
and holy men devoted to his service, manages every
thing for the good of his Church. But from the
eighth chapter God shews, that when his people
shall provoke him by their impieties, he will withdraw
from them, and give them up to all those judgments
which their iniquities have deserved. This is at first
but slightly intimated 11 ; but in our text it is actually
carried into effect. The manner in which his departure
took place, is deserving of particular attention. It was
by several successive steps ; the bright cloud, which
was the symbol of his presence, and which is here
called " his glory," left the accustomed place of its
a Ezek. i. 414. i> Ezek. i. 1521.
c Ezek. i. 2628. <i Ezek. viii. 6.
1101.] DEPARTURE OF GOD FROM HIS TEMPLE. 363
residence between the cherubims, and descended " to
the threshold of the house 6 ." From thence it moved
to the court of the temple, which was on the north
side, whither the cherubims had already moved f .
After that, it went to the door of the last gate, at
tended both by the cherubims and the wheels g . Then,
lastly, with the cherubims and the wheels, it deserted
the city altogether, and went to the mountain on the
east side of the city h . What was the design of God
in all these gradual removes, but to manifest the re
luctance with which he yields to the necessity imposed
upon him, of leaving his people to the ruin they have
merited ?
Hence then we take occasion to shew,
I. How averse God is to forsake his people
Look we to his declarations ?
[What can be more express than his assertion, yea, his
oath, that he " has no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but
rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live 1 ?"
How pathetically does he lament the obstinacy of those who
withstand all the influences, and defeat all the purposes of his
grace: " How long shall it be ere ye attain to innocency ?"
" Wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be k ?"
The idea of abandoning his people seems almost to overwhelm
him: "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I
deliver thee up, Israel ? How shall I make thee as Admah ?
How shall I set thee as Zeboim 1 ?" But of all the passages
in Holy Writ in which the Divine compassion towards obsti
nate offenders shines forth, there is none that exceeds the
lamentation of our blessed Lord over Jerusalem ; " O that thou
hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things
belonging to thy peace ! " " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how
often would I have gathered thee, even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings, and ye would not ! "]
Look we to examples ?
[What more astonishing than the forbearance of God
towards the antediluvian world during the space of one hun
dred and twenty years ? Mark his patience also towards his
e Ezek. ix. 3.
f Ezek. x. 3, 4, 18. The word " went." ver. 4. should rather be,
" had gone."
s Ezek. x. 19. h Ezek. xi. 22, 23. j Ezek. xxxiii. 11.
k Jer. xiii. 27. l IIos. xi. 8. See also Ps. Ixxxi. 13 10.
364 EZEKIEL, XL 23. [1101.
people in the wilderness, where for forty years their conduct
was one continued scene of murmuring and rebellion. Even
towards the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who had imbrued their
hands in the blood of their Messiah, he commanded his mes
sages of mercy to be delivered in the first place : that city
which had exceeded all others in iniquity was to be the most
favoured of any in the whole universe, by the united labours
of all the Apostles. But we need no further proof of God s
backwardness to cast off his people, than what we may all rind
in our own bosoms. We all are living monuments of his
patience, and long-suffering, and forbearance. If his compas
sions had not been infinite, not one of us would have been here
this day, to speak or hear of them.]
True it is, that " his Spirit will not always strive
with men :" but yet he does not abandon them at
once ; as will appear, whilst we shew,
II. What are the different steps by which his ap
proaching departure may be discovered.
God " has pleasure in the prosperity of his people :"
but, when constrained to leave them, he manifests
his anger gradually, in order to awaken them to re
pentance, and to prevent the execution of his severer
judgments. He withholds,
1. The manifestations of his love
[Whilst his people conduct themselves in a becoming-
manner, he delights in every possible exercise of mercy towards
them. He " draws nigh to them," and " lifts up the light of
his countenance upon them," and " sheds abroad his love in
their hearts," and testifies to them of their adoption, and
" witnesses with their spirits that they are his." But when
they draw back from him, he withholds from them these gra
cious communications. They now pray indeed, but find not a
present and prayer-answering God : they read also, but feel
not that power and sweetness in the word which they once
did : they attend ordinances, but find them not, as once, to be
" the gate of heaven." The sun is hid behind a cloud ; and
they are no longer animated with his cheering rays : "I hid
me," says God, " and was wroth, because they went on fro-
wardly in the way of their hearts."
Inquire, then, beloved, whether any such calamity as this
is come upon you ? If it be, know that this is God s first step
towards a final departure ; and if you do not arrest his pro
gress by penitence and a renewal of your first works" 1 , he will
m Rev. ii. 5. and iii. 3.
1101.] DEPARTURE OF GOD FROM HIS TEMPLE.
go yet farther from you, and be brought back again to you
with ten-fold difficulty. If you have lost the cheering pre
sence of your God, know that he has already gone " to the
threshold of the house."]
2. The influences of his grace
[God is pleased to strengthen his people with might by
his Spirit in their inward man, so that they are enabled to
overcome the world, to mortify the flesh, and to withstand all
the principalities and powers of hell. He endues them with
grace sufficient for them : but, if they are unfaithful to the
grace received, he will withdraw it, and leave them to the
unassisted efforts of their own arm. Then, like Samson with
his locks shorn, they will become weak as other men : the
world will regain its ascendant over them : their natural pro
pensities will return with renewed force : and Satan will be
able so to practise his former wiles, as to gain the most fatal
advantage over them. They are like Israel before Ai, because
of the Achan in their camp n .
Here then is another subject of inquiry for us. Do we find
that we are less able than formerly to resist our besetting sins ?
that we have less power to repress the workings of evil tempers,
and of corrupt affections? Do we find that duty is more dif
ficult than in former times, and sin more easy and pleasant?
Then we may know that God has gone, not to the
threshold only, but even to the court. O fearful state ! What
cries, and tears, and labours, become the person that is
reduced to it ! He has not a moment to spare : if he would
not lose God speedily and for ever, he must humble himself
before God in dust and ashes : he must " repent and turn him
self from all his transgressions, else his iniquity will become
his ruin."]
3. The warnings of his Spirit
[The conscience of one that lives nigh to God is made
tender, as the apple of his eye : and if by any means he be
betrayed into sin, he mourns, and weeps, and never finds a
moment s rest, till he has " washed it away in the fountain
opened for sin and for uncleanness." But this sensibility is
soon lost : it is God s presence only that preserves it : and if
God s " Holy Spirit be quenched by us, he will give us over
to a hardness of heart," so that the things which once would
have occasioned the deepest humiliation, shall now scarcely
produce a sigh.
And can it be, that any one is so far left, as to have his
eyes blinded as to the malignity of sin, and his conscience
n Josh. vii. 11, 12.
366 EZEKIEL, XI. 23. [1101.
seared as to the commission of it?- -Yes: there are
many who are thus beguiled by Satan from the simplicity that
is in Christ;" and they have reason to fear that God will
speedily take his flight, and execute that threat, " If any
man defile the temple of God, him will God destroy." Verily,
" there is but a step between them and death."]
This leads us to set before you,
III. The dreadful state of those who are forsaken by
him
" Woe unto them/ says God, " when I depart
from them !" yes, woe unto them indeed; for,
1. They are delivered up into the hands of their
spiritual enemies
[As, when Jesus had departed from Mount Olivet (the
very mountain on which the glory of God abode, when if had
forsaken the temple and city) that began to be fulfilled,
"Your house is left unto you desolate:" and when, "by
grieving and vexing the Holy Spirit we have provoked him to
become our enemy," our case is become altogether desperate :
he says concerning us, " They are joined to idols ; let them
alone." Then " the evil spirit that had been driven out,
taketh to him seven other spirits to occupy our hearts ; " and
our " last state becomes worse than the first." Not that such
a person must necessarily be given over to gross and open
vice : he may be left under the power of pride and infidelity,
or of terror and despondency, or of hardness and obduracy:
but, to whatever he is left a prey, " God swears in his wrath,
that he shall never enter into his rest."
2. They live only to increase their guilt and
misery
[Every day they live, they only augment the measure of
their iniquities : and, strange as it may seem, immediate death,
though attended with immediate damnation, would be to them
a mercy. In one view indeed, the shortest respite from death
may appear a blessing : and so it would be, if they were not
sealed up under condemnation: but, being " given over to a
reprobate mind," they live only " to heap up misery against
the last days," and to " treasure up wrath against the day of
wrath." Unhappy soul, whoever thou art, when thus forsaken
by thy God ! " Good were it for that man if he had never
been born."]
We will conclude this subject with answering two
QUESTIONS
Hos. ix. 12.
1101.] DEPARTURE OF GOD FROM HIS TEMPLE. 367
1. How are we to reconcile this doctrine with
other parts of Scripture ?
[It is certain that the Scriptures speak much respecting
the determination of God never to forsake his people?
And we believe that God will fulfil his promises, and that not
one of them shall ever fail. But there are passages equally
strong on the other side q ; and they in their place need equally
to be enforced. The former are necessary to encourage hope :
the latter, to excite our fear. The truth is, we apprehend,
that no person is warranted in believing himself a child of God,
any farther than he has an evidence of it in the conformity of
his soul to the will of his heavenly Father. With the pro
gress of sanctification his confidence may well increase ; but
with a declension in sanctity there ought to be a proportion
able relaxation of his confidence. When therefore he is in a
truly spiritual state, he may fitly be carried forward on the
wings of hope, and love, and peace, and joy: but when he
declines from that state, he needs the quickening influence of
jealousy and fear : and, if any " turn back unto perdition,"
they then prove to the world, that their former confidence
was delusive ; and we must say of them, as St. John does,
" They went out from us ; but they were not of us : for if
they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with
us : but they went out, that they might be made manifest that
they were not all of us r ."
If men would receive the whole word of God, without con
tending for human systems, they would find no such contra
dictions as they are apt to imagine : or, if they found some
expressions which they knew not how to reconcile with others,
they would at least learn to exercise candour towards those who
differed from them, and to leave the full explanation of these
hidden mysteries till the day \vhen God himself shall cast the
true light upon them. Our concern is, not so much to recon
cile the difficulties of Scripture, as to learn from every part its
appropriate instruction, and its legitimate use.]
2. How are we to avert this awful calamity ?
[We should mark with extreme care the very first motions
of the Deity that indicate his displeasure. The occasional
hidings of his face should lead us to inquire, what there has
been amiss within us, what neglects or miscarriages that have
grieved his Holy Spirit. We should instantly betake ourselves
to fasting and prayer, entreating him to " shew us, wherefore
P 1 Sam. xii. 22. Isai. liv. 9, 10. Jer. xxxii. 40. Heb. xiii. 5.
q 2 Chron. xv. 2. 1 Cor. ix. 27. 2 Pet. ii. 20 22.
r 1 John ii. 19.
368 EZEKIEL, XII. 23. [1102.
he contendeth with us ?" Like Jacob, we should " wrestle
with him all the night, and say, I will not let thee go until
thou bless me :" and, having regained his presence, we should
labour constantly to " keep a conscience void of offence towards
both God and man." Were we thus to exert ourselves in the
first instance, we should walk continually, as it were, in the
light of his countenance : but if we disregard the first intima
tions of his displeasure, and suffer him to depart, from his
throne to the threshold, from the threshold to the court, from
the court to the gate, we shall find it no easy matter to recover
the testimonies of Ins love, and the influences of his grace.
" Be instructed then, (says the Lord,) lest my soul depart from
thee s ." Be instructed in the necessity of unintermitted watch
fulness and prayer. Be instructed to " guard against the very
appearance of evil," on your own part, and against the smallest
withdravvment on the part of God. Thus will your whole life
be a continual feast; and God will be greatly glorified in the
whole of your conversation.]
MCII.
DEATH AND ETERNITY NEAR AT HAND.
Kzck. xii. 23. The days are at hand, and the effect of every
vision.
EXCEEDINGLY diversified were the ways by
which God communicated his mind to his ancient
people. At Mount Sinai he spake to them by an
audible voice, and by legible characters engraven on
tables of stone. To the high-priest he imparted the
knowledge of his will, by means of the Urim and
Thummim, which constituted his breast-plate. To the
prophets he revealed himself by dreams, and visions,
and inward inspiration. The Prophet Ezekiel was
favoured with many and most extraordinary visions ;
some of which were very obscure ; whilst others were
either manifest in themselves, or were made clear by a
special revelation of their import. On many occasions
the prophets were directed to make use of some sig
nificant actions, which were to convey to the people
a knowledge of the events which awaited them. Of
this last kind was the revelation now made to them
by the Prophet Ezekiel. Many of the Jews had been
1102.] DEATH AND ETERNITY NEAR AT HAND. 3G9
carried captive to Babylon. But, because there yet
remained in Judaea a king of their own nation,, the
people who lived under him thought that he would
protect them from any fresh invasion, and even libe
rate their captive brethren also from the Chaldean
yoke. But they continued to rebel against God as
much as ever ; and God therefore warned them, that
all of them, both king and people, should go into
captivity. Such warnings they had often received
from the mouths of other prophets ; and because
God had exercised forbearance towards them, they
thought that the threatened judgments should never
be executed, or, at all events, not be executed in
their day. This even passed into a proverb among
them ; so that it became a common saying among
them, " The days are prolonged, and every vision
failethV But, in opposition to this, the prophet was
ordered to exhibit before them, in his own person, a
representation of the impending judgments ; and to
announce to them God s determination to inflict them
speedily : " Say unto them, The days are at hand,
and the effect of every vision."
In improving this subject, there are two things to
be noticed :
I. The tidings here announced
These, as I have observed, were, that " the pro
verb which they had used should cease ;" and that all
the judgments which God s servants had from time to
time denounced against that people should speedily
be accomplished.
Now, similar tidings I have to announce to you.
Concerning you, also, have many visions been re
vealed
[You have been warned, times without number, that God
hateth, and will punish, sin. You have been told, that death
will arrest you, and carry you into the presence of your God ;
that, according to your state before him, God will deal with
you in a way of judgment or of mercy ; and that the state in
which you will then be fixed, will abide for ever ]
a ver. 22.
VOL. IX. B B
370 EZEKIEL, XII. 23. [1102.
But you have disregarded them, even as the Jews
of old did
[Some will go so far as to say, that " these visions will
fail," and never be accomplished. Others of a less daring
habit, who would not venture thus flatly to contradict the
word of God, will yet divest it of all its power, by supposing
that it refers to other times and other persons, rather than to
themselves at this time : " The vision that he seeth is for
many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are
afar off V If a man, duly authorized, were to-come and arrest
us for any crime, we should feel & personal interest in all that he
said : but when the plainest and most pointed truths are spoken
to us from the Lord, we hear them as if we had no personal
concern in them whatever ; and are no more aifected with
them, than we should be with a relation of some events which
had occurred, or were about to occur, in some foreign nation
with which we were personally unconnected ]
I must however declare to you, that "the days
are at hand, for every vision of God s word to take
effect "-
[Death and judgment are not far off from any of us : for
what is the longest life, when viewed in connexion with eter
nity ? But how few, in comparison, live to an advanced age ?
yea, what multitudes are cut off in the very prime of life! and
what a change in a congregation does a few years effect ! and,
when " our day is come, has not every vision its full effect?"
Go, and see whether God s word was not verified towards the
Jews in Babylon. God himself put it to their descendants, in
a way of solemn appeal, " My words, and my statutes, which I
commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of
your fathers ? To which they were constrained to reply, " Like
as the Lord of Hosts thought to do unto us, according to our
ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us c ."
And so also shall his every word take hold o/you, and be ful
filled in you. Think what ye will of his long-suffering and
forbearance, if ye continue to disregard his warnings, know of
a surety, that " your judgment lingereth not, and your damna
tion slumbereth not d " ]
But these tidings will appear in all their force, if
we mark,
II. The sign by which they were confirmed
The prophet was commanded to dig through the
wall of his house, and carry out his furniture upon
b ver. 27. c Zech. i. 6. a 2 Pet. ii. 3. and iii. 0, 10.
1102.] DEATH AND ETERNITY NEAR AT HAND. 371
his shoulders in their sight, and, as through excess of
grief, to cover his face, so as not to see the ground ;
in order to shew the people what should be done by
them, both king and people, in their approaching
siege and captivity . Thus "he was to them as a
sign ."
And have we no sign, confirming God s word to
us?
[Yes, (the departed year is a sign to us; or our departed
brother is a sign to us ;) every person who dies around us, and
every sound of his funeral knell, is a sign to us, that the
visions of God are taking effect, and that soon they shall take
effect with respect to us. We may, in our imagination, " put
the evil day far from us ;" but every day and hour brings it
nearer to us : and when " the day is fully come," not all the
universe can arrest the hand of death, or protract our exist
ence here one single moment. Then, whatever be our age,
whatever our rank, or whatever interest the ivhole nation may
have in our life s we must obey our summons, and go
into the presence of our God. Prepared or unprepared, we
must stand naked before him, and receive from him that doom
which his word has taught us to expect I say again,
therefore, to you, that every person that is called into the
eternal world is precisely such a sign to you as Ezekiel was to
the Jews a sign that the visions of God are true, and that
" every one of them, in due season, shall take effect."]
And now, what ENCOURAGEMENT had the prophet to
discharge his painful office ? It was but a per-
adventure: "It may be they will consider 11 ."
With that humble, but feeble hope 1 , I address
you, my Brethren.
1. It may be that some of you will consider
[O that God would incline your hearts to consider all the
visions which from time to time are set before you ! Truly,
not one has ever been kept back from you : no ; "I have de
clared unto you, as far as I have been able, the whole counsel
of God." Your lost estate has been set before you with all
fidelity ; and the way of salvation proclaimed to you, in all its
freeness, in all its fulness, in all its excellency : and that record
has been explained to you in an infinite diversity of ways, that
e ver. 3 12. f ver. G, 11.
s It was preached in Jan. 1827, on account of the death of the
Duke of York.
h ver. 3. * 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26.
B B 2
372 EZEKIEL, XTH. 1012. [1103.
" He who liath the Son, liath life, and he who hath not the
Son of God, liath not life k ." " The effects, too, of these
visions " have been set before you, by an exhibition, so far as
I was able, of all the blessedness of heaven, and of all the
misery of hell. Now, then, consider these things, I pray you.
Consider your own personal interest in them. Consider in
what light you will view them the very instant that your soul
is separated from your body : and now, so lay them to heart,
that they may prove effectual for your conversion to God, and
for the everlasting salvation of your souls ]
2. It may be, however, and I fear will be, that the
great mass of you will not consider
[When I look back, and see how little fruit all my past
instructions have produced, I cannot but fear that this will
share the same fate as they ; and in the space of one hour, or,
at all events of one day, be altogether forgotten. Not that
they will be forgotten by God, in whose name they are deli
vered : for they are all recorded in the book of his remem
brance, and will rise up in judgment against those who have
failed to improve them. Why, my Brethren, will you make
so light of these things, which yet you believe to be of ever
lasting moment, and which God makes known to you by me
for the eternal welfare of your souls ? I tremble to think,
that, at this very instant, whilst I am addressing these things
to you for your good, I am eventually only sinking many of
you into deeper perdition. O that God would awaken you to
a sense of your condition, ere it be too late 1 ! O that so much
as one of you would arise from his stupor, and " recover him
self out of the snare of the devil, by whom he is led captive at
his will ! " Let me not, my Brethren, be disappointed of this
hope : but go home, and fall upon your knees before God, and
pray to him, that, whatever other " rebels" may do, you may
" be wise, and consider your latter end."]
k 1 John v. 11, 12.
1 See Zeph. i. 12. with Ezek. vii. 5 9. which, though primarily
applicable to temporal judgments, may be addressed to a soul in this
state.
MCIII.
DELUSIVE CONFIDENCE REPROVED.
Ezek. xiii. 10 12. Because, even because they have seduced
my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace ; and one
built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered
1103.] DELUSIVE CONFIDENCE REPROVED. 373
mortar : say unto them which daub it with untempered mor
tar, that it shall fall: there shall be an over-flowing shower;
and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall ; and a stormy wind
shall rend it. Lo, when the ivall is fallen, shall it not be
said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have
daubed it ?
SO deeply is unbelief rooted in the heart of man,
that scarcely any testimony from God is ever re
ceived with the confidence it deserves. This appears
throughout all the sacred history : and our own lives
are one continued exemplification of it. To his people
of old God was pleased to give many repeated warnings
of the judgments that were coming upon them : but
the assertions of false prophets were always credited,
in opposition to the declarations of God himself. By
the Prophet Ezekiel God forewarned the people of
the captivity to which they would soon be reduced
by their Chaldean invaders. He directed the prophet
to set before their eyes symbolic representations of
the calamities that awaited them ; to dig through the
wall of his house, and carry forth his goods by night,
and to eat bread, and drink water, with quaking and
trembling a . But false prophets persuaded the people
that they had no cause for alarm ; for that these
signs related to distant times ; and that there would
soon be an end of the impending dangers. It seems
that some, W 7 omen, as well as men, conspired thus to
counteract the influence of God s word upon the
people ; and that they sewed pillows to the arm-
holes, or elbows, of persons, and covered their heads
with kerchiefs, in order to intimate to them, that
they might repose themselves in perfect ease and
safety. To reprove these persons, and to confirm
his former assertions, is the prophet s object in the
chapter before us. He compares the men to persons
building an ill-constructed wall, and daubing it with
untempered mortar, which would be washed away
by the first shower ; and to the women he declares,
that God would soon tear from the arms of their
deluded followers the emblems of their delusion,
a Sec the whole preceding chapter.
EZEKIEL, XIII. 1012. [1103.
and undeceive those whom they had so fatally led
astray b .
But it is not our intention to confine our remarks
to that particular occasion. Similar conduct obtains
amongst us at this day ; and it calls for similar
reproof. We propose therefore to consider,
I. Who are obnoxious to this reproof-
All ranks and orders of men who attempt to inva
lidate the messages of the Most High, are guilty of
the evil here spoken of. It is justly imputable to,
1. Unfaithful ministers
[Not only amongst the Jews, but even in the Christian
Church, there were many, who, professing themselves to be
ambassadors of heaven, were only deceivers of the people .
Their habit has at all times been, to " say, Peace, peace, when
there was no peace d . Would to God that none of this cha
racter yet existed in the world ! But are there not still some
who keep out of view the desperate depravity of the human
heart, the absolute necessity of a new birth, the impossibility
of being saved by any righteousness of our own, and the duty
of giving up ourselves wholly and unreservedly to God as his
redeemed people ? Are there not those who decry
these things as enthusiasm ; and who tell their hearers, that
there is a smoother and an easier way to heaven than what the
Scriptures have marked out ? If then such persons
exist, say whether they do not resemble the prophets and the
prophetesses spoken of in our text ? ]
2. Unbelieving people
[Whether seduced by others or not, all are prone of
themselves to speak peace unto their own souls : they will not
receive the declarations of God concerning them : they cannot
endure to think that they are in such danger as God s word
declares them to be ; or that the way to heaven is so strait
and narrow as his Gospel represents it. They substitute some
terms of their own in the place of those which God has pre
scribed ; and they persuade themselves that they shall be
saved at last, though they conform themselves in no respect
either to the principles or practice of the Christian code
Are not these then daubing their wall with untem-
pered mortar, and sewing to their arms pillows which shall
be rent away ? ]
b See the whole chapter.
c 2 Cor. xi. 13. Gal. i. 68. 1 Tim. iv. 1. 2 Pet. ii. 1, 2.
d ver. 10. with Jer. vi. 14.
1103.] DELUSIVE CONFIDENCE REPROVED. 375
Let us then proceed to notice,
II. The warning here given them
Their labour is, alas ! and must ever be, in vain :
it will end,
1. In certain and bitter disappointment
[Their wall will surely fall : and shall it not then be said
to them, " Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed
it ? " Sad indeed will be the reproaches which both the de
ceivers and the deceived will cast on each other : the one will
say, Why did ye mislead me ? the others will say, Why did ye
believe me in preference to the word of God ? Sad reflections
too will all cast upon themselves : Why did I set up my own
opinion against the most express declarations of my God?
The very disappointment which the Jews expe
rienced, when Ezekiel s prophecies were verified in the de
struction of their city, and in their own captivity, will ere long
be realized by all who now buoy themselves up with their own
delusions. If they should entreat their God to give them an
opportunity of undeceiving their surviving relatives, the answer
will be, No : they have Moses and the Prophets ; and if they
will not attend to their voice, they must receive their deserved
recompence.]
2. In irremediable and endless ruin
[No further means of salvation will be afforded them.
Their day of grace is irrecoverably gone : their state is fixed
for ever. O to what anguish of heart are they now a prey !
What weeping, what wailing, what gnashing of teeth do they
now experience, under a sense of God s wrath, and in the
prospect of its everlasting duration ! This must assuredly be
the end of all our self-deception. As " Ezekiel was a sign to
the Jews 6 ," so have we signs in plenty, that the threatened
vengeance shall come f , and that they who will not believe
God s word shall find it true at the last g ]
ADDRESS
1. To careless sinners
[You will persuade yourselves that no evil consequence
shall arise to you from your neglect of God and of your own
souls. But will God falsify his word to save you ? Do not
entertain so vain, so impious, a thought. He will not, he
cannot, deny himself: nor shall one jot or tittle of his word
ever fail ]
e Ezek. xii. 11.
f 1 Cor. x. 511. 2 Pet. ii. 4 9. Jude, ver. 6, 7. " Set fortli
for an example." s Jer. xliv. 28.
376 EZEKIEL, XIV. 4. [1104.
2. To self-complacent formalists
[You profess to reverence the word of God, and to com
ply with its commands : but, whilst you rest in mere forms
and ceremonies of religion, you greatly err. God requires
the religion of the heart : you must have " the power of godli
ness as well as its form." The wall that you are constructing
may look fair to the eye; but it will not stand: it is raised on
a sandy foundation : it is formed of bad materials : it wants
the cement of the Spirit : the showers shall soon wash off its
external covering ; and the stormy wind shall scatter the loose
materials : in the name of God we declare to you, that " it
shall fall." Nothing will ever stand, but that which is laid
on Christ as the foundation, and has all the graces of the Spirit
for its superstructure ]
3. To inconsistent professors
[Be it granted, that, as far as relates to your views of the
Gospel, you are right : still we must look to the effects of the
Gospel on your heart and life ; and must declare unto you,
that, if you do not manifest by your life and conversation that
you have " the same mind as was in Christ," you only deceive
your own souls : you may have a faith indeed ; but it is no
better than the faith of devils. From this point we cannot
recede a hair s breadth. We do not say that you must possess
sinless perfection ; for then who could be saved ? But we say,
that no sin must have allowed, or habitual, dominion over you :
the right eye, or right hand, if knowingly retained contrary to
the will of God, will as effectually cast you into perdition, as
any number of sins whatever : your condemnation indeed may
be increased by a multitude of sins ; but it will not be rendered
more certain, than it is by one reigning sin. O that those who
are worldly-minded, or covetous, or proud, or passionate, or
impure, or slothful, or addicted to any one sinful disposition,
would consider this ! God says, By their fruits ye shall know
them : and by their fruits they shall be known. If ever we
would be Christ s, we must " walk as Christ walked."]
MCIV.
HEART IDOLATRY CONDEMNED.
E/ek. xiv. 4. Thus saith the Lord God : Every man of the
house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and
putteth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and
cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh
according to the, multitude of his idols.
1104.] HEART IDOLATRY CONDEMNED. 377
IT is gratifying to see the ordinances of religion
well attended but it is painful to reflect how
few there are who derive any saving benefit from
them ; or rather, how many there are who find them,
not a savour of life unto life, but rather a savour of
death unto their deeper condemnation - - If we
inquire into the reason of this, we must trace it, not
to the word itself, (for that, if dispensed aright, is
quick and powerful, as in the days of old,) but to the
manner in which the ordinances are attended. Men
come up to the House of God, just as the Elders of
Israel came before the Prophet Ezekiel, with idols in
their hearts ; and, being unwilling to part with them,
they provoke God to withhold from them his bless
ing, without which not the ministry of Paul himself
could be of any avail.
In the case of Ezekiel s hearers, we see,
I. What inconsistencies are found in the Church of
God-
One would have supposed that these Elders of
Israel would either have renounced Jehovah alto
gether, or have put away the idols which estranged
their hearts from him. But they wished to keep up
an appearance of godliness in the midst of all their
impiety ; and therefore came to the prophet for in
struction, at the very time that they addicted them
selves to the worship of their idols.
Thus it is that men come up to the house of God
at this day : they cannot altogether renounce their
profession of regard for God ; but,
1. They set up idols in their hearts
[The cares and pleasures of this world are as dominant
in the hearts of the generality as in the heathen themselves.
And a love to these is declared by God himself to be idolatry a
And shall I say that these " idols are set up in their
hearts ?" Yes, verily, and in their houses also : for you may
live for years in the houses of the generality of Christians, and
hear nothing, and see nothing, but what tends to exalt the
creature above the Creator, and proves, that Mammon, rather
than Jehovah, is the god whom they serve ]
a Col. iii. 5. and Phil. iii. 19.
378 EZEKIEL, XIV. 4, [1104.
Yet they wish to be thought the Lord s people
[They would be indignant if they were accounted heathens.
They suppose themselves to be Christians, notwithstanding they
have not one real mark of Christianity about them. If a mere
attendance on public ordinances would suffice, all were well :
but if an inquiry be made, who or what stands highest in their
regards, not the worshippers of Baal, with their vestments on,
can shew more clearly "whose they are, and whom they serve."
The inconsistency of the elders who came to Ezekiel, is appa
rent to all ; but, if candidly examined, it is a perfect repre
sentation of that which is found in the great mass of Christians
at the present day. In truth, the prophet himself marks the
correspondence, when he says, " They came to him, as God s
people came ; and sat before him as God s people, and heard
his words, but would not do them : for with their mouth they
shewed much love ; but their heart went after their covetous-
ness V A juster description of the great mass, even of the
better sort of Christians, is not to be found in all the book of
God.]
That we may guard you against these inconsis
tencies, we proceed to shew,
II. The fearful disappointment in which they will
surely issue
They cannot but be highly displeasing to a God of
truth and holiness. Indeed he tells us, in our text,
how such inquirers shall fare. He will answer them,
1. In a way of silent contempt
[Amongst men, silence is often the severest answer: and
such an answer shall all such worshippers receive. God even
puts the question to us, " Shall I be inquired of by them? As
I live, saith the Lord, I will not be inquired of by them c ."
Of this indignant contempt we see an instance in Saul ; whom
" God answered not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by
prophets d ." And this exactly accords with the experience of
multitudes, who, though they have attended the house of God
ten thousand times, have never received one answer to their
prayers ; and, though they have as often sat before the pro
phets of the Lord, have never found any efficacy in the word,
to convert and save their souls ]
2. In a way of infatuating delusion
[They come with their prejudices and vain conceits, no
one of which do they desire to have rectified and removed.
b Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32. ver. 3. with Ezek. xx. 3.
cl 1 Sam. xxviii. 6.
1104.] HEART IDOLATRY CONDEMNED. 379
God therefore gives them over to blindness and hardness of
heart, and to the very delusions which they have chosen .
He has plainly declared, that he will do this " to those who
love not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness : he
will give them over to strong delusion, that they may believe
a lie, and perish in their sins f ." In fact, these people prefer
the prophets that will deceive them g ; and they will either be
given up to the guidance which they affect h , or be left under
the influence of eyes that cannot see, and ears that cannot
hear ]
3. In a way of just and indignant reprehension
[Against persons of this description, our blessed Lord
himself, meek and lowly as he was, spake in the severest
terms k . And, verily, God will answer them " according to
the multitude of their idols;" " setting his face against them,
and consigning them over to the judgments which their hypo
crisy has deserved 1 . His word to them is the very reverse of
that which will be uttered to his obedient people : " Say to
the righteous, that it shall be well with them ; 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 hands shall be
given unto him m ."]
And NOW,
1. Examine, I pray you, with what dispositions
you have come hither at this time
[In coming hither, to inquire of the Lord, have ye been
sincerely desirous to know his will; and fully determined,
through grace, to obey it without reserve? O! judge your
selves; for God knoweth your hearts, and his judgment will
be according to truth ]
2. Look to it, that this message from God produce
in your hearts its due effect
[If you will approve yourselves to God, you must " be
doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own
souls n " ]
e Isai. Ixvi. 4. f 2 Thess. ii. 1012.
8 Isai. xxx. 9 11. Jer. v. 31. h ver. 9. with Jer. xxiii. 17,18.
1 Isai. vi. 9, 10. 2 Cor. iv. 4. k Matt, xxiii. 1333.
I ver. 8. Matt. xxiv. 31. m Isai. iii. 10, 11.
II Jam. i. 22 25.
380 EZEKIEL, XVI. G2, ftt. [1105.
MCV.
THE EFFECT OF GOD s MERCY ON THE RENEWED SOUL.
Ezek. xvi. 62, 63. / will establish my covenant with thee ; and
thou shall know that I am the Lord : that thou mayest remem
ber, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more
because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee for all
that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.
WHOEVER attentively reads the writings of the
prophets, will observe, that there is one image in
particular which predominates, as it were, above all
others, in representing and characterizing the depar
ture of the soul from God ; it is that of the violation
of the nuptial vows. God has been pleased to speak
of himself as the Husband of his Church : and hence,
when his people have turned aside to idols, they are
said to have " committed adultery with stocks and
stones." Sometimes that idea is prosecuted with a
minuteness, which, though proper for the time and
occasion on which it was written, would not be suit
able for an audience differently circumstanced. The
Prophet Ezekiel in particular, who seems to have been
a man of a severer cast, and to have been intent only
on communicating his sentiments as strongly and
forcibly as he could, has given himself great latitude
in this respect. He is not content with using here
and there a metaphorical expression ; he occupies a
whole chapter in drawing, as it were, a parallel between
a supposed adulteress, and the Jewish people. Cer
tainly this gives great force to his reproofs ; because
the minds of all are open to conviction, when truth
is stated to them in a way which commends itself to
their feelings and judgment. We shall not however
follow him any farther than will be necessary for the
elucidation of our main subject.
We should not, in the general, take occasion from
the single word "thee" to investigate largely the
character and conduct of the persons addressed :
but here our subject absolutely requires that we
should do so ; since the whole chapter is occupied
1105.J GOD S MERCY ON THE RENEWED SOUL. 08 1
in delineating it ; and a full consideration of it is
necessary, in order to the obtaining of a right under
standing of our text. We propose then, from a view
of our text as connected with the whole chapter, to
set before you,
I. The extent of man s wickedness
We will give, in the first place, a brief summary of
the chapter
[It is here supposed that a child, from the moment of its
birth, is left exposed in an open field, without any one to pay
the least attention to it ; and that in that situation, where it
must speedily have perished, it is noticed by Jehovah, who
instantly administers to all its wants, and thus preserves its
life. It is then supposed, that, after this child has been
brought up by him to a mature age, she is espoused to him
and becomes his wife. He, in the character of her husband,
loads her with benefits, so as to make her the admiration and
the envy of all who behold her. She however, instead of
requiting him with that love, and honour, and fidelity that
become her, abandons herself to open prostitution, and that
too, not through the solicitations of others, but through the
wilful depravity of her own heart ; she herself being the
tempter of all her paramours, and bestowing on them the gifts
which her husband had conferred on her. By this licentious
and infamous conduct she has compelled her husband to put
her away, and to withdraw from her the means of exciting and
compensating any more these iniquitous proceedings.]
Let us now mark how this image was applicable to
Judah and Jerusalem
[The Jews had been originally chosen in Abraham, their
common father, when he himself was an idolater : and as soon
as his posterity were multiplied in Egypt, they were reduced to
such a state of destitution and misery, that they must have
perished, if God himself had not miraculously interposed for
them. But God had compassion on them, and brought them
out with a high hand, and took them for his own peculiar
people, and gave them an inheritance in the land of Canaan.
There he elevated them to a high rank among the nations,
insomuch that they were the envy and admiration of all who
knew them ; so great was their power, their opulence, their
prosperity in every respect. But in time they turned from the
worship of God to idols, and from confidence in God to a de
pendence on foreign alliances, which they sought and main
tained at vast expense. " Thy renown," says the prophet, (ver.
1 1<, 15.) " went forth among the heathen for thy beauty ; for it
382 EZEKIEL, XVI. 62, 63. [1105.
was perfect through my comeliness which I had put upon thee,
saith the Lord God. But thou didst trust in thine own beauty,
and playedst the harlot because of thy renown." All manner
of corruptions at length overspread the land, and provoked
God, who was jealous for his own honour, to give them up to
the desolations and miseries which they had so justly merited.]
But to us also, as well as to them, all this may be
applied
[View us as men: how helpless were we in our early
infancy! yet through the goodness of God, who has been a
father to us, we have been placed in situations of ease and ho
nour, far beyond what, if left to ourselves without his paternal
care, we could ever have obtained. God, having formed us for
himself, has given us many rich endowments, such as were
necessary for the filling of the situation to which he has ad
vanced us. But what use have we made of all his gifts ? Have
we improved them in obedience to his will, and for the promo
tion of his glory ? Have not our various talents, of mental
energy, of bodily strength, of worldly property, been employed
solely for our own personal gratification, without any regard for
Him to whom they properly belonged, and for whose honour
they should have been employed ? Verily there has not been
any idol, however base, to whose service we have not devoted
these things, rather than to the service of our God.
View us as Christians also, and the same wickedness may
justly be laid to our charge. In our natural state we were
altogether guilty and polluted, yea, helpless and hopeless.
But the advantages which Almighty God has conferred upon
us have been exceeding great: all the ordinances of his wor
ship, all the offers of his grace, all the hopes of his glory, have
been vouchsafed to us from time to time, in order to convince
us of his love, and to stimulate us to an unreserved surrender
of ourselves to him. But these things, instead of having been
improved aright, have actually been made the means and occa
sions of our departure from him. We have rested in the ordi
nances, without any concern whether we enjoyed God in them
or not: his offers of mercy have been brought to justify the idea,
that we might sin against him with impunity : and the prospects
of the eternal world have been considered as little affected by our
present conduct. " This has been our way from our youth;"
and it is equally prevalent in every class of the community.
Would an earthly husband be satisfied with such conduct in
his wife ? What wonder then is it if our heavenly Husband
regard these our adulteries with grief and wrathful indignation?]
But if, on the one hand, these things shew the
greatness of our depravity, they serve, on the other
hand, most strikingly to illustrate,
1105.] GOD S MERCY ON THE RENEWED SOUL. 383
II. The exceeding riches of God s grace
Vile as the Jews had been, he promises in our text
to restore them to his favour
[That the same persons are addressed as have been de
scribed in all the preceding context, is evident from the two
verses before our text. The two tribes of Judah and Benjamin
having followed the Canaanites in their abominations, it is said,
that " their father was an Amorite, and their mother a Hittite."
Their character is then compared with that of Samaria and of
Sodom (who are called their sisters), and is said to have been
worse than either 3 . Yet, says God, I will restore " Sodom and
her daughters (i. e. the heathen world at large), and Samaria
and her daughters (i. e. the ten tribes of Israel), to their former
estate ; " and then, " when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine
elder and thy younger, I will give them to thee for daughters,
but not by THY covenant: and I will establish MY covenant
with thee."
Here it is distinctly stated, that there shall be a restoration of
the whole Jewish nation, together with a general conversion
of the Gentiles : and that they shall be all united, not on the
footing of the covenant made with the Jews on Mount Sinai,
(" not by thy covenant,") but on the footing of the new " cove
nant made with them in the days of their youth," even with
Abraham their father : this is the covenant which he would
re-establish with them ; and according to the tenour of it he
would freely forgive all their past iniquities, and restore them
to the everlasting enjoyment of his favour. By this wonderful
exhibition of mercy to them, " they should know assuredly
that He, even Jehovah, is the only true God ;" yea moreover,
that He is their God for ever and ever.
This was so very partially fulfilled at the deliverance of the
Jews from Babylon, that we cannot but look for a more com
plete fulfilment of it at a period yet future, but, we trust, not
very remote.]
The promise however is, no doubt, to be extended
to us also
[However vile we may have been, God, if we seek him,
will remember his holy covenant, and will accept us according
to the tenour of it. In that covenant, provision is made for
our every want. " It is ordered in all things and sure :" and
it is therefore sure, because by it God gives all, and we receive
all: God gives the new heart as well as pardon for past
offences ; and engages to make us his people, at the time that
he gives himself to us as our God. Hear how plainly all this
a vcr. 4548, 51, 52. b ver. 53, 55, Gl, G2.
84 EZEKIEL, XVI. 62, 63. [1105.
is declared in the Epistle to the Hebrews c The very
distinction is there made between the Jewish covenant that
was made on Mount Sinai, and the covenant of grace which
was made four hundred and thirty years before with Abraham :
and the knowledge of the Lord will be universally diffused, not
in theory only, but in the experience of every individual:
"for," says God, " I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,
and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."
This then is the promise which we now make known to you ;
that however you may have alienated your affections from God
in times past, if you will but now return to him, your former
iniquities shall no more be remembered, but God will be your
God for ever and ever. O hear the very invitations of God
himself d and implore help from God to comply with
them !]
But is not this a dangerous doctrine ? Surely not,
if we consider,
III. The effect of this grace upon every soul of
man
It is thought by those who have never experienced
this grace themselves, that it must of necessity puff
up with pride and conceit all who receive it. But,
This is contrary to reason
[If we maintain that man by nature is in the situation
of this outcast child ; that God, purely of his own mercy and
grace, " looks upon us" in that situation, and " bids us live ;"
if, after all our innumerable transgressions, he invites us to
repent of our iniquities, and to embrace his holy covenant;
we should think that there is no possible scope for pride and
self-conceit ; since the very mercy which God exercises towards
us is not founded in any actual, or foreseen, goodness in us,
but wholly in the free and sovereign exercise of God s holy
will. It is the man that arrogates some goodness to himself,
and makes the superior worth of the individual to be the
ground of God s peculiar favour to him, this is the man that is
proud, and that puts the very crown of Jehovah upon his own
head. Even in heaven itself, if such a man were ever to reach
that blessed place, he would be robbing God of his glory, and
ascribing his salvation, in part at least, to his own superior
goodness, which was the first moving cause of God s mercy
towards him.]
It is contrary to fact also
Heb. viii. 812. d Jer. iii. 1, 12.
1105.] GOD S MERCY ON THE RENEWED SOUL. 385
[" Then shalt thou remember thy ways, and be ashamed :"
yea, " I will establish with thee my covenant, that thou may cut
(what ? be lifted up with pride ? No : that thou mayest) re
member, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any
more because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee
for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God." Here is the
true state of every pardoned soul : the mercy of God towards
him humbles him in the dust, and makes him to abhor himself
in dust and ashes.
It would be thought by the generality, that the spirit of a
loving, faithful and obedient wife would be proper for the
spouse of Christ : and so it would if that spouse had never
violated her nuptial vows. But we are all like this adulterous
woman : and, as an adulteress, who had been precisely circum
stanced like her in the chapter before us, would, after being-
restored to the favour of her husband, never forgive herself,
however freely he may have forgiven her, so will a gracious
soul when restored to the Divine favour : yea, the very favour
of God, in proportion as it is exercised towards him, will only
create in the soul a deeper self-abhorrence for ever having
sinned against so gracious a God. An admiration of God s
goodness, and a lothing of its own vileness, will never cease to
occupy the soul that has been thus restored.]
We call you then, in CONCLUSION, to remember,
1. Your covenant mercies
[How unspeakable are these ! The very vilest of the
human race may become the spouse of Christ, and be invested
with all the honours and privileges of that relation. Will any
of you be indifferent towards your God and Saviour, and
reject the overtures which he now sends you by me? O
remember, that as man and wife are one flesh, so " he that is
joined to the Lord is one spirit with him." Let all of you
seek to be partakers of this honour. It is by faith in Christ
that you become one with him ; and by the exercise of the
same faith shall all the blessings of the everlasting covenant
flow down into your souls ]
2. Your covenant engagements
[You all know what engagements a wife enters into, when
she is taking upon her the vows of the marriage-covenant.
She is thenceforward to live altogether for him with whom she
has contracted this solemn bond. O let every Believer know
what he has undertaken, and consider what is to be his con
stant aim. You must not be contented with some few services;
you must be aspiring after such measures of love and purity,
as may render you more lovely in the eyes of your blessed
VOL. ix. c c
EZEKIEL, XVII. 2224. [1106.
Lord, and may cause his very name to be glorified in you. In
the world that is approaching, when the Lamb will publicly
take home his Bride, you will be clothed in fine white linen,
suited to the occasion. Be preparing those robes, whilst yet
you are here ; and by the richest unctions of Divine grace be
daily becoming meet for the bridal chamber : and then shall
the nuptials soon arrive ; and you shall be for ever happy in
the bosom of your God.]
MCVI.
PARABLE OF THE TWIG OF A CEDAR PLANTED IN THE
HEIGHT OF ISRAEL.
Ezek. xvii. 22 21. Thus saith the Lord God,- I will also take
of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it ; I will
crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and
will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent: in the
mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it : and it shall
bring forth boughs, and bear fruity and be a goodly cedar: and
under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing ; in the shadow of
the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of
ihejidd shall know, that I the Lord have brought do tun the
high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green
tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish : I the Lord have
spoken and have done it.
THE promises of God to his Church are not un-
frequently connected with, and, as it were, made to
arise out of, his judgments denounced against his ene
mies. Of this we have a very striking example in the
chapter before us, where the very images which are
used to represent the guilt and punishment of the king
of Judah are employed to prefigure the establishment
and increase of the Church of Christ.
To understand the text aright, the preceding con
text should be considered.
The prophet was commanded to deliver a riddle,
or parable, that should set forth the conduct of the
Jewish people in a mysterious, but just, light : and
then, lest it should not be fully understood, he was
to give them the true interpretation of it. Nebuchad
nezzar, having taken Jeconiah king of Judah and all
his princes captive to Babylon, would not entirely
destroy Jerusalem, but made Mattanuih (whom he
1106.]] PARABLE OF THE TWIG OF A CEDAll. <>87
named Zedekiah) king in the place of Jeconiah his
uncle, and suffered him to enjoy all the rights and
honours of royalty, on the express condition of his
holding them, not as an independent sovereign, but as
tributary to the king of Babylon. All this was quite
a gratuitous act ; and it lay Zedekiah under the
strongest obligations to fulfil towards his benefactor
all the engagements that he had entered into, more
especially as they were confirmed by a solemn oath.
But Zedekiah, unmindful of his oaths, sought the aid
of the king of Egypt, that so he might be delivered
from what he considered as a disgraceful vassalage,
and enjoy a sovereignty independent and uncon
trolled. This treachery is represented by God under
the image of a twig, crept off a lofty cedar by a great
eagle, and planted by him in a fruitful iield, and
growing so as to be highly respectable, though in
ferior in grandeur to the parent stock. This young
cedar, dissatisfied with its state, spreads its roots
towards another great eagle, (the king of Egypt,) in
hopes that through his influence it shall attain a far
greater eminence and fertility. But God, whose
oath was thereby violated, declared, that the attempt
should not prosper, but that, on the contrary, the
perjured monarch, who was thus described, should
bring ruin, irreparable ruin, on his own head a . From
hence it might be supposed, that David s throne
should never be re-established ; but God promises,
under precisely the same figure that had been em
ployed to represent these things, that he will restore
the kingdom of David, partly under Zerubbabel, but
principally under the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ;
and that, instead of being ever subverted, like the
Jewish polity, or the kingdoms of this world, it shall
stand for ever and ever, a glorious monument of his
power and truth,
a This was preached within about three weeks of Buonaparte
being sent to St. Helena. The extraordinary resemblance between
his fate and Zedekiah s, as well as of the grounds and occasions of it,
cannot fail to strike the attentive reader, who compares them toge
ther. See ver. 18 21.
C c 2
388 EZEKIEL, XVII. 2224, [1106.
We propose to consider this prophecy,
I. As already accomplished
The Church, though low in its origin, is become
exceeding great
[The Lord Jesus Christ, the Founder of it, was brought
into the world when the family of David was reduced to a
very low and abject state. He is fitly called " A rod out of
the stem of Jesse b ," that " grew up as a tender plant, as a root
out of a dry ground ." During the whole time of his sojourn
ing on earth, he existed in a state of the deepest humiliation :
and his Church which he established, consisted only of himself
and a few poor fishermen. However, this twig, being planted
in the height of Israel, grew, and " brought forth boughs, and
bare fruit, and speedily became a goodly cedar." Great and
vehement were the storms which menaced its existence ; but
it withstood them all ; and in a little time it spread its
branches throughout all the Roman empire. Then " birds of
every wing (that is, Jews and Gentiles) came to dwell under
its shadow," and to be nourished by its fruits. At this hour
its growth is visible from year to year : and in due season it
will fill the whole earth, and be the one centre of union, and
source of happiness, to all mankind.]
And thus far God is greatly glorified in it
[" Every tree of the field must know" whose work this
is, and to whom all the glory of it belongs. Who can survey
the Church in its infancy, and not wonder that it was not
rooted up as soon as ever it was planted? Every arm was
lifted up against it : all the powers of the world combined for
its destruction ; and not one friend or ally was found for it on
the face of the whole earth. The great empires of the world,
the Assyrian, Chaldean, Persian, Grecian, Roman, all suc
cessively fell to ruin, notwithstanding the efforts made for their
preservation : but the Church, without any sword but the
word of God, or any shield that was visible to human eyes,
stood, and stands to this day, deriding all the efforts of men or
devils to subvert it. Who then, we would ask, Who is it that
has thus " brought down the high tree, and exalted the low ?
Who is it that has thus dried up the green tree, and made the
dry tree to flourish?" Is not all this the work of God?
Verily, the burning bush has been a just and lively exhibition
of the Church in every age : God was in it, and therefore it
was not consumed. In like manner we may speak of every
individual branch or twig that grows upon this tree ; Who is
it that has preserved even the meanest of the saints, in the
b Isai. xi. 1. c Isai. liii. 2.
1106.] PARABLE OF THE TWIG OF A CEDAR. 389
midst of all the difficulties and trials he has had to contend
with ? Must it not be said of all, " He that hath wrought us
to the self-same thing is God?" Yes, in every tree of right
eousness which is the planting of the Lord, God, and God
alone, must be glorified 11 . If St. Paul himself was constrained
to say, " Not I, but the grace of God that was with me," it
will scarcely be thought that any one else can arrogate to
himself the honour of his own growth, stability, or fruit-
fulness."]
Gloriously as this prophecy has been already ful
filled, it should be contemplated by us,
II. As yet further to be accomplished
The Church will doubtless be yet more widely
extended through the earth-
fin truth, this cedar has attained at present but a small
measure of its destined growth. It is but in a small part of
the world that even the name of Christ is known : and, where
his religion is professed, there are but few, very few indeed,
who experience its renovating power. But it shall not be
always thus : the time is coming when " he will multiply
them that they shall not be few, and will glorify them that
they shall not be small 6 ." Then, in a far different sense from
what can be affixed to the words at this time, shall it be said,
that " fowl of every wing come to dwell under the shadow of
this goodly cedar ;" for " all shall know the Lord, from the
least even to the greatest :" " all kings shall fall down before
him, all nations shall serve him :" " the knowledge of the Lord
shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea."]
Then shall God be more abundantly glorified in
it
[The whole Church, and every individual in it, is to God
" for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory." It is in his
hands " a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty f ." But how
greatly will his power and goodness appear, when " all flesh
shall see the salvation of God," yea, and actually enjoy it ! If
now, when the attainments of his people are so low, he is
honoured, how will he be glorified when " the light of the
moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun
sevenfold, as the light of seven days ! " And how will he be
exalted in that day, when all his saints from the beginning
of the world shall be gathered in one bright assembly, and
shall join together in one general chorus ; how, I say, will
he then " be glorified in his saints, and admired in all that
believe!" ]
d Isai. Ix. 21. andlxi. 3. e Jer. xxx. 18, 19. f Isai. Ixii. 3.
390 EZEKIEL, XVIII. 2550. [1107.
Viewing now the Lord Jesus Christ, or rather his
holy religion, as this goodly cedar, let us, in
CONCLUSION,
1 . Come and rest under his shadow
[Verily there is no rest for us any where else : we are like
" the clove which Noah sent forth from the ark, and which
could find no rest for the sole of her foot but in the ark itself."
But if we feel our need of a Saviour, if we are sensible that
without an interest in him we must for ever perish, then let us
attend to his inviting voice, " Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!"- ]
2. Give him the glory of all the rest we enjoy
[Nothing can be more offensive to God than ** the sacri
ficing to our own net, and burning incense to our own drag."
This is a provocation which God will not endure : he will not
give his glory to another," nor will lie suffer " any flesh to glory
in his presence." Let us in particular remember, that by the
law of faith, that is, by the Gospel, " boasting is, and must for
ever be, excluded." For the Saviour that he has given, for the
inclination and ability which we have to trust in him, and for
all the grace that we have derived from him, we must say,
" Not unto me, O Lord, but unto thy name be the praise."
Let us remember, that by covenant and by oath we are bound
to trust in him alone: let us not then, like Zedekiah, be
bending our roots towards any other, or be looking to any
other confidence ; but let us seek to please him only whose
servants we are, and to glorify him only who hath done so
great things for us.]
MCVIL
EQUITY OF COD IN HIS JUDGMENTS.
Ezek. xviii. 25- . SO. Ye say, the ivay of the Lord is not equal.
Hear now, () house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are
not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turneth
away from Iris righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and
die tli in them; for his iniquity that lie hath done shall he die.
Aqain, when the wicked man turneth away from his wicked
ness that he hath committed, and doetli that which is lawful
and riaht, he shall save Ids soul alive. Because he consider-
eih, and turneth away from all Ms transgressions that he
hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet
saith the house of Israel, The way of I he Lord is not equal.
O house of Israel, are not mij ivays equal? are not your ways
1107.] EQUITY OF GOD IN HIS JUDGMENTS. 391
unequal ? Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel,
every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Re
pent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions ; so
iniquity shall not be your ruin.
THERE is a general disposition in man to reply
against God ; and rather to arraign his justice, than
to condemn himself. Occasion was taken for this by
the Jews of old, even from the declarations of the
law and the prophets. The law had said, that God
would " visit the sins of the fathers on the children
to the third and fourth generation ;" and the prophets
had frequently declared, that the iniquities of Jero
boam, Manasseh, and others, should be visited on
their descendants. From hence the Jews profanely
characterized the Divine procedure by this proverb,
" The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the chil
dren s teeth are set on edge a ." They did not con
sider, that they themselves were sinners like unto their
fathers, and merited for their own iniquities every
judgment which God had threatened to lay upon
them ; nor did they ever consider, that if God was
pleased to exercise forbearance towards some, he was
not necessitated to continue it towards all, when he
saw that the very exercise of it emboldened men the
more to sin against him : nor did they ever consider,
that the menaces, which were uttered in reference to
temporal judgments, were erroneously interpreted,
when they were applied to the judgments of the eter
nal world. The prophet therefore was instructed to
expostulate with them on their misinterpretation of
God s word ; and to declare to them, that though in
this world children must unavoidably participate in
the judgments of their fathers, it should not be so in
the world to come : there the son should not bear
in any respect the iniquity of the father, nor the
father of the son ; but " the soul that sinned, it
should die." In confirmation of this truth, the pro
phet argues with them in this chapter, wherein the
whole plan of the Divine proceedings, in reference to
392 EZEKIEL, XVIII. 2530. [1107.
the different characters of mankind, is stated, vindi
cated, and improved. It is,,
I. Stated
If the righteous man turn away from his righteous
ness, and die in his sins, he shall perish
[This is a solemn truth, which men strive by every possible
method to evade. When Christian principles are insisted on,
they will speak of practice : but here, when practice is spoken
of, they will recur to principles, and deny that a righteous man
can so turn away from his righteousness as to perish in his sins.
They are like the Samaritan woman, who, when our Lord re
proved her for her adulteries, had recourse immediately to
controversial matters, and inquired, who were right, the Sama
ritans, or the Jews, as to the place where Divine worship ought
to be performed ? Ungodly professors of religion now fly off
from what comes home to their own bosoms, and enter on con
troversy in order to avoid the awful truth that is brought to
their ears. But it is a fact, that a righteous man may depart
from his righteousness : Demas did b : Paul was constrained to
use the utmost possible care, lest he should : and all are com
manded to take heed to themselves, lest they should do so too 1 .
As to God s secret decrees, no man knows what they are, as
relating to his own person, or to the person of any individual
whatever : nor is there a man in the whole universe that is
warranted in saying, / never can fall ; at least, can never so
fall as to perish. David, and Solomon, and Peter, display suf
ficiently the instability of man ; and, if they were restored,
their restoration does not shew that they could not have pe
rished, but only, that God, for the magnifying of his own grace
and mercy, did not leave them to perish. They might have
perished, and would have perished, as much as Judas, if they
had been left to themselves : it was not any gracious principle
which they had in them, and that was in itself indefectible, that
recovered them, but God s unbounded grace and mercy, vouch
safed to them according to the good pleasure of his own will.
Hear this then, ye professors of religion, ye who are ac
counted righteous, and who think yourselves righteous ; ye may
turn away from your righteousness, and perish. O let this
consideration lead you to the utmost vigilance, and stimulate
you to the most unremitting exertions in the path of duty !]
On the other hand, if the wicked man turn from
his iniquity, and do what is lawful and right, he
shall live
b 2 Tim. iv. 10. c 1 Cor. ix. 27.
d 1 Cor. x. 12. Heb. iii. 12, 13.
1107.] EQUITY OF GOD IN HIS JUDGMENTS. 393
[Delightful reflection! Hear it, ye sinners of every de
scription : it is the declaration of the Most High God. You
must turn indeed from your iniquities, and especially from your
besetting sin, mourning over it, fighting against it, bringing it
into subjection. You must also be doing all that God requires
of you in his blessed word. You must flee to Christ for refuge
from the wrath of an avenging God : you must trust altogether
in his meritorious death and passion : you must renounce every
other hope ; and must seek " to be found in Him, not having
your own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God
by faith." You must also, in dependence on his Holy Spirit,
endeavour to fulfil the whole will of God, and to " walk in
every thing as Christ walked." And if indeed ye act thus, we
declare, in the name of Almighty God, that " ye shall never
perish, but shall have eternal life." As the foregoing charac
ters entertain too little fear, so you are apt to indulge too much;
and, because things have been ill, you are ready to suppose they
never can be such as to warrant an expectation of the Divine
favour. To remove these apprehensions, God repeats his gra
cious assertions respecting you, and declares that you, if you
turn to him in the way before specified, " shall surely live; you
shall not die." Whatever your sins may have been, they shall
all be blotted out as a morning cloud ; nor shall so much as one
of them ever be remembered against you : though they may
have been of a crimson dye, you shall, in the sight of God him
self, be white as snow. As the righteousness of the righteous
shall never be remembered, when once he departs from it ; so
neither shall the wickedness of the wicked, when once he turns
from it. The present character of every individual is that
which shall determine his eternal state.
One would think that such a procedure as this should not
stand in any need of vindication : but men, notwithstanding
the obvious and undoubted equity of it, will complain of it as
unjust.]
In our text however it is,
II. Vindicated
Inequality indeed there is in abundance on the
part of men
[Every description of sinners is chargeable with injustice
towards God. The profane sinner accounts it very hard that
his sins are to be visited with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord. What has he done that deserves such
a sentence as this ? Why did God give him passions, if he is
to be punished to all eternity for the indulgence of them ? and,
supposing his conduct to be sinful, what proportion do the sins
394 EZEKIEL, XVIII. 2530. [1107.
of a few days or years bear to the everlasting torments of hell?
He cannot believe that God will ever be so unmerciful and
unjust as to execute on men the threatenings of his word.
The proud formalist thinks it strange indeed that he is to
perish. What ! must he, who has been so sober, so moral, so
regular, so observant of all his duties to God and man, must he
perish, because he does not adopt the principles, and imitate the
practice, of a few wild enthusiasts ? No : he hates fanaticism ;
and will never believe that God requires all that strictness which
some enthusiasts speak of; and much less that he will ever
banish from his presence those whose whole lives have been so
blameless as theirs. The hypocritical professor, who can talk
of Christ, and exert himself zealously to promote the Gospel,
cannot imagine, that he should be obnoxious to the Divine
displeasure, or that God could be at all just in condemning
him. True indeed, he does not always adhere to truth, and
perhaps is not very strictly just in his dealings : his cares about
the world too engross almost all his thoughts ; nor has he any
pleasure in the duties of the closet : evil dispositions too are
unhappily very prevalent in him ; pride, anger, envy, hatred,
malice, evil-speaking, uncharitableness, retain more or less the
ascendant over him ; perhaps too intemperance and impurity,
if not indulged to such an extent as to expose him to public
disgrace, are far from being mortified so as to give way to the
habitual exercise of the opposite virtues. But can it be that
God should reject him, when all his confidence is in Christ, and
in the covenant which God has made with us in Christ ?
Such are their modes of arguing on the subject of God s final
judgment. But we ask, What equity is there in such expec
tations as these? Is it equitable that a man who lives alto
gether without God in the world, should be placed on the same
footing with one who devotes himself entirely to God ? Is it
equitable that a man who possesses no more than a form of
godliness, should find the same favour with God as one who
lives under the continued influence of its power ? Is it equit
able that a professor of religion who in no respect adorns his
holy profession, should be honoured of God like one who is
a bright pattern of every virtue, and daily increasing in a
conformity to his Lord and Saviour ? We ask, Is there any
equity in such things ? Will any reasonable being venture to
say, that such a procedure is becoming a God of holiness and
truth ?]
But on the part of God there is no such inequality
[The moral and religious character of men will be the one
ground of all his decisions in the day of judgment : " According
to your ways and according to your doings will he judge you,
O house of Israel." " Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be
1107.] EQUITY OF GOD IN HIS JUDGMENTS. 395
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 hand shall be given him 6 ." This is what in God s name
we are authorized and commanded to declare. Respect indeed
will be had to the means and opportunities which different per
sons enjoyed ; and on this principle, it will be more tolerable
for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for the
Jews, who rejected the ministry of our Lord : but still there
will be one test to which every man will be brought, namely,
How did you improve the privileges you enjoyed, and how did
you act up to the principles you professed ? No favour will be
shewn to any man because he was a Jew, nor will any man be
despised because he was a Gentile : " the uncircumcision of
the Gentile will be reckoned to him for circumcision, if he
keep the law ; and the circumcision of the Jew be reckoned
for uncircumcision, if he break the law." The conformity of
every man to the mind and will of God, as far as he had an
opportunity of knowing it, will be the object of inquiry ; much
or little being required of him in proportion to what has been
committed to him : and according as he has neglected or im
proved his talent, shall be the sentence passed upon him ;
regard being had, not to the state of a man at any former
period of his life, but to his state at the time that he is sum
moned to the judgment-seat. Now can any man condemn this
as unequal or unjust? Twice does God appeal even to the
very people that presumed to accuse him ; and twice does he
challenge them to say, on whose part inequality is chargeable,
their own, or his ?]
The prophet, assuming that after this statement
there must be an end of the controversy, shews how
these determinations of God should be,
III. Improved
It is to no purpose that God has declared these
truths, if they have not a practical operation on our
minds.
The prophet therefore IMPROVES tne subject for us,
by a word,
1. Of direction ; " Repent, and turn yourselves
from all your transgressions "-
[Repentance is necessary for every child of man : " God
commandeth all men every where to repent." But it is not a
partial repentance that will suffice : we must " turn from all
our transgressions: there must be no exceptions, no reserves;
no right eye, which we will not pluck out ; no right hand,
e Isai. iii. 10, 11.
396 EZEKIEL, XVIII. 2530. [1107.
which we will not cut off. The profane sinner must abandon
all his evil ways, and turn unto God with his whole heart.
The proud formalist must renounce all his self-dependence,
and must live a life of faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, and a
life of entire devotedness of heart to God. The inconsistent
professor also must be brought to a sense of his peculiar guilt
and danger; and must become like his blessed Lord and
Saviour in all his tempers and dispositions, in all his spirit
and deportment towards God and man.
True it is, that these things cannot be done by any power of
our own : but this is no reason that we should not address
ourselves to the work; nor will it be any excuse for not
accomplishing the work, since God has promised to give his
Holy Spirit unto all that ask him, and has assured us that his
grace shall be sufficient for us. This then is the direction
which all must follow ; and the foregoing statement clearly
shews how important it is that we should follow it earnestly
and without delay.]
2. Of encouragement ; " So iniquity shall not be
your ruin "-
[Iniquity must be our ruin, if we do not thus repent :
nothing can save us : God himself, if we may so speak, cannot
save us; because he cannot depart from the rules which he has
prescribed to himself for his procedure in the last day. How
ever much he may desire to extend mercy to us, he will not
do it to the dishonour of his own perfections, and to the
destruction of all the established principles of his moral
government. No : " except we repent, we must all" inevi
tably and eternally " perish." But if we thus repent, all will
be well : our iniquities, whatever they may have been, shall all
be put away from us, as far as the east is from the west.
Hear the declaration of the Most High God : " Let the
wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts,
and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy
upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon f ."
O let this sink down into our ears : let it encourage us to put
away all our hard thoughts of God, and to seek him with our
whole hearts. Let us search and try our ways : let us bring
ourselves to the touchstone of God s unerring word : let us
now so " judge ourselves, that we may not hereafter be judged
of the Lord : " and, if a fear arise in our minds that our sins
are too great to be forgiven, let this thought comfort us, that
" where sin has abounded, grace shall much more abound;
and that, as sin has reigned unto death, even so shall grace
reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ
our Lord."]
f Isai. lv. 7.
1108.] PROGRESS OF CONVERSION. 397
MCVIII.
CONVERSION, IN ITS COMMENCEMENT AND PROGRESS.
Ezek. xx. 37. / will cause you to pass under the rod, and I
will bring you into the bond of the covenant.
THE precise import of these words is not clear at
first siffht. If we take them in connexion with the
o
preceding context, they must be considered as a
continuation of the threatening denounced against
the Jews for their abominable idolatries. Then their
meaning will be, ( I will inflict upon you the judg
ments which your violations of my covenant de
mand : or, as God had said by Moses, " I will bring
a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of
my covenant 21 ." If, on the other hand, the words be
taken in connexion with the following context, then
they must be regarded as a promise, that, notwith
standing the judgments that should be inflicted on
them, God had mercies in reserve for them, and
would, at a future period, restore them to his favour.
And this is the sense to which I rather incline. The
obstinately rebellious amongst them, indeed, he would
give up to their own lusts, and utterly destroy them b :
but he would take out a chosen people from among
them, and bring them to his holy mountain, and ac
cept all their offerings, and make himself known to
them as their reconciled God and Father, and give
them repentance to salvation, not to be repented of .
This exactly accords with what the prophet had
spoken in a preceding chapter : " Thus saith the
Lord God : I will even deal with thee as thou hast
done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the
covenant. Nevertheless, I will remember my cove
nant with thee in the days of thy youth ; and I will
establish unto thee an everlasting covenant d ." In
this view the words have a singular beauty ; and will
lead us to some extremely profitable reflections.
It was customary with shepherds, as it is also at
a Lev. xxvi. 25. b ver. 38, 39.
c ver. 40 44. d Ezek. xvi. 59, GO.
398 EZEKIEL, XX. 37. [1108.
this day, to make their flocks pass under their pas
toral rod, in order that he might number them, or
separate some from the rest c . In this way God pro
mises to make Israel pass before him, in order to
select from them a people unto himself, and to bring
them into the bonds of his everlasting covenant.
And, in conformity with this view, we might well
direct your attention to the future conversion of the
Jews, who shall assuredly be restored to the favour
of their God. But, waving this part of the subject, I
will rather speak of conversion generally ; the pro
cess of which is the same, whether in them or in us.
We may notice, then, this work of conversion, as
here described,
I. In its commencement
" The Lord," we are told, " hath set apart him that
is godly for himself f ." This he accomplishes in a
variety of ways :
1. By the dispensations of his Providence
[Sometimes things which, humanly speaking, we should
call accidental, are ordered with a special view to the awaken
ing of immortal souls, and leading them to the knowledge of
himself. In our Saviour s progress from Judea to Galilee,
" he must needs go through Samaria; and, being wearied with
his journey, he stopped at a city called Sichar, and seated
himself by a well called Jacob s well. Whilst he was there, a
woman of Samaria came thither to draw water." In all this
there appears nothing but an ordinary occurrence : but it was
God s appointed way of bringing her, together with many
others, under the rod, and eventually into the bond of his
covenant^. Not unfrequently he is pleased to make use of
some afflictive dispensation ; as in the case of Manasseh, upon
whom " God brought the armies of the king of Assyria, who,
as his instruments, took him among the thorns, and bound him
in fetters, and carried him to Babylon:" the effect of all which
was, that, " when he was in affliction, this monster of impiety
besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly be
fore the God of his fathers 11 ," and obtained mercy at his hands.
Multitudes of others also, in every age, have found reason to
say, " Before I was afflicted, I went astray ; but now have I
kept thy law."]
e Lev. xxvii. 32. Jer. xxxiii. 13. f Ps. iv. 3.
e John iv. 3 7, 25, 26. h 2 Chron. xxxiii. 1 i 13.
1108.] PROGRESS OF CONVERSION. 399
2. By the conversion of some pious friend
[We see not, in general, any thing remarkable in an
accidental interview with a pious person ; whilst yet it may,
perhaps, have been as particularly ordained of God for a
special end, as the meeting of Philip and the Ethiopian
eunuch. God especially directed Philip to join himself to the
eunuch s chariot, and to explain to him a passage of Scripture
which he was not able to comprehend. By this was the
eunuch guided to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, and made
a partaker of everlasting salvation. Thus, persons sent to us,
though they received not their commission in so plain and
direct a way, have come to us under the same Divine guidance,
and have been made alike successful in their efforts for our
good. For similar benefits was Peter indebted to his brother
Andrew, and Nathanael to his friend Philip 1 : and perhaps
many amongst ourselves must trace our first awakenings to
some event of this kind, even to a friendly suggestion from
some pious or benevolent instructor.]
3. By the public ministry of the word
[It is by this, for the most part, that God is pleased to
separate, and seal us up, for his own. He sends home his word
with power to the heart of one and another, just as he did to
the heart of Lydia ; and causes them to surrender up them
selves to him, as his redeemed people. A whole assembly is
present : but a discrimination is made by God, according to his
sovereign will and pleasure ; who makes " the same word to be
to some a savour of life unto life, whilst to others it becomes
only a savour of death unto death V]
4. By the secret operation of his Spirit upon the
soul
[We see not the rod in the hand of the great Shepherd ;
but he is using it every moment, for the purpose of separating
a people for himself. By his good Spirit he imparts a sen
sation to the soul, a heavenly touch, of which the person
himself perhaps, at first, is scarcely conscious. By that he en
lightens the eyes, and draws the heart; and prepares a person
for fuller discoveries of his power and grace. Job says,
" God speaketh once, yea, twice ; yet man perceive th it not.
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth
upon men, in slumberings upon the bed ; then he openeth the
ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, that he may with
draw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man 1 ."
Doubtless, whatever is done by the Holy Spirit, is, and must
ever be, in perfect accordance with the word : but his motions
1 John i. 40, 45. k 2 Cor. ii. 16. l Job xxxiii. 1417.
400 EZEKIEL, XX. 37. [1108.
are not confined to means or instruments of any kind : yet, in
his operations, he always deals with us as rational creatures ;
drawing us, not by force, as inanimated beings, but " with the
cords of a man, and with the bands of love."]
This, then, is the preparatory work, whereby
" God causes us to pass under the rod :" and this is
the commencement of that conversion, which we are
next to mark,
II. In its progress-
God s ultimate view, in these diversified dispensa
tions, is, to bring us into the bond of his covenant,
because it is only by virtue of that covenant, and
through an interest in it, that sinful man can be
saved. When, therefore, he has made us to pass
under the rod,
1. He reveals that covenant to us
[Previous to a work of grace upon our souls, we are
altogether ignorant of the covenant which God has made with
us, and with his only-begotten Son in our behalf. We have,
perhaps, some general notions about repentance and faith ; but
we have no distinct view of the Saviour undertaking for us to
expiate our guilt by the sacrifice of himself, and to work out
a righteousness for us by his own obedience unto death. We
see not our need of such a covenant : much less do we so
behold its excellency, as to " comprehend the breadth and
length and depth and height of his love" displayed in it. But,
when God, in tender mercy, arrests us in our course, and
directs our attention to eternal things, he opens and unfolds to
us this covenant, in all its merciful provisions : he shewn us,
that in this covenant there is abundant security, both for the
honour of God and the happiness of man ; inasmuch as, by
the provisions of it, all his perfections are glorified, and every
want of man is supplied. Thus " his secret is with us, and
he shews us his covenant"."]
2. He enables us to lay hold on it
[There is much reluctance in us, at first, to embrace this
covenant. It is too humiliating for us ; in that it requires us
to abandon all self-dependence, and to look for acceptance
with God solely through the merits of his dear Son. But
when once we have passed under the rod of our divine Shep
herd, and been set apart for him, then comes " the day of his
power ; and we are made willing" to be saved on any terms
which it has pleased God to prescribe. The salvation of our
m John vi. 44. with Hos. xi. 4. n Ps. xxv. 14.
110S.J PROGRESS OF CONVERSION. 401
souls is then, in our estimation, " the one thing needful:" and,
without any wish to stipulate for ourselves, we cry,- " Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do ?" Then, as the man-slayer
sought a city of refuge, and fled to it with all earnestness from
the pursuer of blood, so do we most thankfully lay hold on
this covenant, and " flee for refuge to the hope that is set
before us." In truth, this way of salvation appears precisely
such as our necessities require. The covenant makes over to
us every thing, as the free gift of God for Christ s sake : and,
deeply conscious that we have nothing, and can do nothing,
whereby to merit even the smallest of its blessings, we are
glad to receive them all " without money and without price."]
3. He confers upon us all the blessings
[" This covenant is ordered in all things, and sure :" it
makes over to us all that we can ever need, for body or for soul,
for time or for eternity. Accordingly, from the time that w r e
are brought to " lay hold upon it," God showers forth his
blessings upon us in rich abundance : " he blots out all our
iniquities, as a morning cloud ;" and pours down upon us the
riches of his grace, whereby we are enabled to mortify all our
corrupt affections, and to walk before him in newness of heart
and life. He makes known himself to us as a Covenant God,
that is engaged to fulfil to us all his promises, and to " perfect
in us the work he has begun." In short, he gives us to see
that heaven itself is our inheritance ; and that, whilst " that is
reserved for us, we also are kept by his mighty power for it ."
His faithfulness then becomes no less an object of our affiance
than his mercy ; and we are enabled, with confidence, to say,
" There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me," at the great day of
his appearing.]
We cannot but REMARK from hence,
1. How sovereign God is, in the dispensations of
his mercy
[If a shepherd separate any sheep for his own peculiar
use, it is probable that he has some reference to their intrinsic
worth, as the ground of his preference. But our heavenly
Shepherd has respect to nothing but his own sovereign will
and pleasure. This remarkably appears in the passage before
us ; where the promise of God s mercy is so interwoven with
the denunciations of his wrath, as to involve a doubt in which
of the two lights it is to be viewed. And in this way it is that
God s promises are frequently introduced. By the Prophet
1 Pet. i. 4, 5.
VOL. IX. D D
402 EZEKIEL, XX. 37. [1108.
Isaiah, God says of his Church, " For the iniquity of his
covetousness was I wroth, and smote him : I hid me, and was
wroth ; and yet he went on frowardly in the way of his heart."
Now, what might we expect to follow this ? What, but some
heavy denunciation of his wrath ? Yet, behold, he adds, " I
have seen his ways, and will heal him, and will restore comfort
to him and to his mourners p ." It was in this sovereign way
that Saul was " made a chosen vessel to the Lord :" and I
doubt not but that every individual amongst you, who has ever
experienced conversion in his own soul, will trace it altogether
to the same source, and say, " By the grace of God I am what
I ami."]
2. How mysterious are his dealings with the chil
dren of men
[Sheep, when undergoing the process referred to in my
text, are usually full of fear and terror, expecting nothing but
evil, whilst their shepherd designs them nothing but good.
So it is also, most generally, with the children of men, at their
first awakening : they apprehend nothing but vengeance at the
hands of an offended God ; and regard the rod as held over
them only for their ruin. But at 110 distant period their fears
are turned into joy : and it is delightful to contemplate what
shall soon be the issue of those convictions which perhaps at
this time may be filling the souls of some amongst you with
terror and dismay. Could you but see what is really passing
in reference to you at this moment, you would behold, perhaps,
your heavenly Shepherd standing over you, and by his word
and Spirit marking you for his own. O, beloved, lift up
your hearts to him in earnest prayer, and say, " Take me,
Lord, even me, the least and meanest of thy flock!" and learn
to regard all his dispensations as means to this blessed end.]
3. How you may best answer all the purposes of
his grace
[You have heard what God s gracious purpose is towards
all the objects of his love : he seeks " to bring them into the
bond of his covenant." Trouble not then yourselves about
the abstruse doctrines of election; but seek to have the ends
of electing love accomplished in you. Lay hold on God s
covenant ; embrace the salvation there offered you ; go to the
Mediator of the New Covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ; and
seek all the blessings of it, in and through him. Then shall
you have in yourselves an evidence of that, which you never can
discover but by its fruits. It was " from their works of faith,
and labours of love, and patience of hope," that St. Paul knew
the election of his Thessalonian converts 1 " : and from our laying
v Isai. Ivii. 17, 18. q 1 Cor. xv. 10. r 1 Thcss. i. 3, 4.
1109.] JEWS RESTORATION, AND MAN S CONVERSION. 403
hold of God s covenant, we may assuredly ascertain that he has
" chosen us to salvation," and loved us with an everlasting love.
Again, therefore, I say, perplex not yourselves about what no
man can know, except from its effects ; but do that which will
at once ensure all the blessings of salvation, and demonstrate
that God is your God for ever and ever.]
MCIX.
RESTORATION OF THE JEWS, AND THE CONVERSION OF A
SOUL, COMPARED.
Ezek. xx. 40 44. In mine holy mountain, in the mountain of
the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the
house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me : there ivill
I accept them, and there ivill I require your offerings, and the
first-fruits of your oblations, ivitli all your holy things. I will
accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from
the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye
have been scattered ; and I ivill be sanctified in you before the
heathen. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, ichen I
shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for
the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.
And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings,
wherein ye have been defiled ; and ye shall lothe yourselves
in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.
And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought
with you for my name s sake, not according to your luicked
ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, ye house of
Israel, saith the Lord God.
THE history of the Jews, whether retrospective
or prospective, is extremely interesting ; not only as
abounding in events more wonderful than all the
histories of the whole world beside, but particularly as
illustrating the dealings of God with the souls of men,
at the present day, and in all ages, to the very end of
time. Of the retrospective part, such as their bring
ing out of Egypt, and their sojourning in the wilder
ness, and their introduction into the promised land,
we shall have no occasion to speak at this time : but
to the things predicted concerning them, all of which
are as certain as if they were already past, and which
therefore may be called their prospective history, we
would now direct your attention, and especially with
D D 2
404 EZEKIEL, XX. 4041. [1109.
a view to illustrate from them the conversion of our
souls to God.
Let me, then, point out,
I. The effect which the restoration of the Jews will
hereafter produce on them
They shall assuredly be restored to God, and to
their own land, in due season
[" From all the countries, whither they have been driven,
shall they be gathered : " and they shall, in their own land, be
restored to the worship, and the favour, of their God
The terms in which their services are foretold, correspond with
the ordinances which are prescribed by the Mosaic Law
- But they are intended to express only that spiritual
worship, which, under the Christian dispensation, we render
unto God. These they will render from their inmost souls ;
and from God will they receive, as formerly, the most favour
able tokens of his acceptance
The effects produced on them by their restoration
will be truly blessed
[They have been the most stiff-necked of any people ; and
even at this day are remarkable for the hardness of their
hearts: but at that day they will be broken-hearted, and con
trite in a very extraordinary degree. The recollection of their
having "crucified the Lord of Glory" will pre-eminently lead
to this a : and their views of their own extreme baseness will be
exceeding deep l)
Their knowledge of God, too, will be proportionally enlarged.
Their opportunities of knowing God have been hitherto most
unprofitably employed : but in that day, when they shall see
all the predictions concerning them so wonderfully fulfilled,
they will be made to acknowledge, with more genuine feeling
than ever, that God s grace has been magnified towards them ;
and that they themselves are, above all people upon earth, the
most wonderful monuments of his grace ]
In all this are shadowed forth,
II. The effects which the conversion of our souls will
infallibly produce on us
There is a considerable resemblance between the
restoration of the Jews, and the conversion of a soul
to God
a Zech. xii. 10.
b Compare Ezek, xvi. 63. and xxxvi. 31. with vcr. 43,
1109.J JEWS RESTORATION, AND MAN S CONVERSION. 405
[From a dark and wicked world is every soul brought in
its conversion to God c And from that moment it en
joys sweet communion with God, in all the exercises of prayer
and praise d -Then does " God manifest himself unto
the soul as he does not unto the world 6 ," and communicates
unto it all the blessings both of grace and glory f ]
And in the effects produced on them is there also
a very strict resemblance
[From conversion flows such a deep humiliation of soul as
was never experienced before. The need of a broken and
contrite spirit may have been long acknowledged ; but the
reality of it is never felt, till the soul is brought to a saving-
faith in the Lord Jesus. Then the wonders of redeeming
love are seen ; and all the evils of the heart and life are felt
as heightened and aggravated by the consideration of them :
so that the soul actually lothes and abhors itself as a very mass
of iniquity g
From it also is derived such a knowledge of God as the soul
never before had any conception of. The perfections of God
may have all been acknowledged before, in a speculative
way ; but now the soul realizes them, and feels itself a living
witness and monument of them all Especially does it
then see the sovereignty of God, as exercised in the commu
nications of his grace to men. Once, perhaps, the idea of
God s sovereignty was painful to the mind : but now it comes
with a power and sweetness that cannot be described. The
believer needs not now be told that he has not been dealt
with according to his deserts : he knows full well where he
should have been, if God had not been exceeding abundant in
mercy towards him : and from his inmost soul he gives all the
glory of his salvation to God alone -The one subject
of thanksgiving amongst the heavenly hosts is the continued
subject of his song on earth 11 ]
Let me, then,, URGE YOU all to seek this conversion :
1. It is that by which God is to be glorified on
earth
[To the Jews, God says, " I will be sanctified in you be
fore the heathen." They, when converted to God, will be
most distinguished monuments of God s power and grace; yea,
and of his truth and faithfulness also. And such, brethren,
are ye to be, at this time : ye are to be " as lights shining in a
dark world." And such should be the change visible in you,
c John xv. 19. and xvii. 14. d 1 John i. 3. e John xiv. 22.
f 1 John v. 14, 15. g Job xl. 4. and xlii. 6.
h Rev. i. 5, 6.
406 EZEKIEL, XX. 49. [11 10.
as persons turned from darkness unto light, and from the
power of Satan unto God, that all who behold you may
" glorify God in you." Especially let them see, that the
mercies vouchsafed to you, so far from puffing you up with
pride, are the means of humbling you in the dust before God,
and of filling you with the most self-denying love to man
- Ye are to be " epistles of Christ, known and read
of all men r :" and so is your light to shine before men, that all
who behold you may glorify your Father \vho is in heavenV]
2. It is that by which alone your souls can be
saved
[There must be in you a separation from the world, from
worldly maxims, worldly habits, and worldly company. " 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 ;
and is utterly to be renounced ; since, if you love the world,
the love of the Father is not in you 1 ." To God, also, must
you be brought : so as to " walk before him," and to seek all
your happiness in communion with him. You must also, to
your latest hour, be abased before him in dust and ashes ; and
maintain upon your souls such a sense of his excellency, as
must be to you a very foretaste of heaven itself. True, in
deed, all this is not learned at once: but, as a child, at its first
coming into the world, possesses all the parts of a man, so must
all these things be begun in you, if ever you would approve
yourselves as children of the living God O, seek of
God that grace that shall be sufficient for you ; and know,
that, as his future mercies to the Jews will not be obstructed
by their past obduracy, so neither shall the descent of his
grace on you be prevented by any unworthiness of yours, if
only you will cry to God in his Son s name, and " flee to Christ
for refuge, as to the hope that is set before you." " Of those
who come to God in the name of Christ, not one shall ever be
cast out."]
1 2 Cor. iii. 2, 3. k Matt. v. 16. ] 1 John ii. 15, 16.
MCX.
MEN S TREATMENT OF THE GOSPEL.
Ezek. xx. 49. Then said 7, Ah Lord God! they say of me,
Doth he not speak parables ?
THE word of God, by whomsoever spoken, should
be received with reverence and godly fear. Great
care indeed should be taken to examine whether the
1110.1 MEN S TREATMENT OF THE GOSPEL. 40?
word which is spoken in his name be agreeable to the
sacred oracles ; but when that point is ascertained,
then we should bow before it, and submit ourselves
wholly and cheerfully to its directions. This is the
plain dictate of reason and common sense : but yet
it is far from being the regulating principle of men s
actions ; for at the very time that men acknowledge
the divine authority of the word delivered, they set
themselves in a variety of ways to invalidate its force,
and to withstand its influence. The Jews who came
to inquire of Ezekiel had no doubt of his being a pro
phet, inspired of God to declare unto them his holy
will. Yet when he did deliver to them the messages
sent by his divine Master, they poured contempt upon
them, and said, " Doth he not speak parables ?"
From hence we shall take occasion to shew,
I. How the messages of God are treated
The import of the observation made by the Jews
on Ezekiel s ministrations seems to have been, that
his word was altogether so figurative and unintelligi
ble as to be unworthy of any serious attention. It
may be thought perhaps that this was a singular case ;
but it is, in fact, a just specimen of the way in which
the messages of God have been treated from the
beginning of the world
[When Noah preached to the antediluvian world, lie was
regarded as a weak alarmist, who merited only their pity and
their scorn. When Lot warned his family of the impending
judgments that would soon fall on Sodom and Gomorrlia, " he
seemed," we are told, " as one that mocked to his sons-in-law."
When Jehu was informed by a prophet that God had destined
him to assume the royal authority, the messenger was desig
nated by the title, that mad fellow ; " What said that mad
fellow unto thee ?" If we come to the New-Testament dispen
sation, we find our blessed Lord himself, who " spake as never
man spake," treated in the same contemptuous manner : many
of the Jews said of him, " He hath a devil, and is mad : why
hear ye him a ?" and again, " Say we not well that tliou art a
Samaritan, and hast a devil b ?" The name, _" that deceiver,"
seems to have been given him by his enemies as a common
a John x. 20. b John viii. 48.
408 EZEKIEL, XX. 49. [1110.
appellation . His Apostles met with precisely the same
reception. St. Paul was accounted a babhler ; and when
speaking most unquestionably " the words of truth and sober
ness," was thus reviled; " Paul, thou art beside thyself; much
learning hath made thee mad d ." And is it not thus at the
present day ? Is not every one who delivers the word of God
with fidelity and boldness represented as a fanatic, and a
deceiver ? Some condemn the matter of his discourses, as
visionary, as erroneous, as unnecessarily strict, or as lax even
to licentiousness. Others condemn the manner: if it be firm,
it is harsh ; if affectionate, it is canting ; if written, it is dull ;
if unwritten, it is enthusiastic, and devoid of sense. In a word,
it is now as in the days of old : when John came, neither eating
nor drinking, it was said he had a devil ; and when our Lord
came with condescending freedom, " eating and drinking," it
was said of him, * Behold a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber,
a friend of publicans and sinners :" and in like manner we,
" whether we pipe or mourn," are equally unacceptable to our
hearers, and obnoxious to their censure 6 .
It is worthy of observation too, that the opposers of the
Gospel seem never to entertain a doubt but that they are quite
correct in all the censures which they pass upon those who
minister the word unto them. " Doth he not speak parables?"
was in the apprehension of Ezekiel s hearers an obvious fact ;
and the inference which they drew from it, namely, That he
was unworthy to be regarded, was in their estimate perfectly
legitimate and undeniable. So now the folly of all who preach
the Gospel, and the consequent propriety of disregarding every
thing they say, are considered as so plain, that none but per
sons equally weak with themselves can entertain a doubt upon
the subject.]
If such be indeed the treatment generally given to
the Lord s messages, it will be useful to inquire,
II. Whence it is they are so treated
Doubtless persons who mean well may both speak
and act with considerable indiscretion, and may by
their injudicious conduct cause the way of truth to
be evil spoken of. But as the treatment of God s
messages is the same by whomsoever they are deli
vered, we must look for the reason of it, not so much
in the messengers, as in those to whom they are sent.
There are then in the hearers of the Gospel many
obstacles to a just reception of it ;
c Matt, xxvii. C>3. tl Acts xvii. 18. and xxvi. 24.
e Matt. xi. 16 19.
1110.] MEN S TREATMENT OF THE GOSPEL. 409
1. A pride of understanding
[Men think themselves qualified to sit in judgment upon
the word of God, just as much as upon any human compo
sition ; and, when it accords not with their pre-conceivecl
opinions, they do not hesitate to pronounce it foolishness 1 . To
receive it with the docility of little children they would con
sider as a degradation to them. They account it not indeed a
degradation to children to receive instruction from their
parents, or their authorized instructors ; but they see not any
such distance between the mind of God and theirs, as to call
for any such submission to him on their part, though " they
are born like a wild ass s colt." Hence it must necessarily
arise that they will stumble, and be offended, at the great mys
teries of redemption.]
2. An independent spirit
[" Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?" is the
reply, which, not Pharaoh only, but the whole host of rebels,
make to the commands of God. It is awful to observe how
little weight the authority of God has in influencing the con
duct of the world. Tell them how much their interest will
be affected by this or that line of conduct, and they will give
a patient attention to your advice : but speak of God s judg
ments, and they will " puff at them" with sovereign contempt g .
Such treatment they themselves would not endure, for a mo
ment, from a child or servant of their own : but they offer it
to God without any self-reproach, or any fear of his displeasure.
They will not indeed confess that they thus oppose themselves
to their Maker : they will maintain, that the word spoken to
them is no just expression of his will : but this is a mere cover
to their rebellion : they will not comply with his commands,
and therefore they will deny altogether that they proceed from
him, or else will so interpret them as altogether to change
their import, and evade their force.]
3. An inveterate aversion to holiness
[To a formal and external righteousness many are not at
all averse; they rather love it, as a substitute for spiritual
obedience. But bring to their view the requisitions of God s
law, and they cry out against them, as unreasonably severe,
yea, as utterly impracticable and absurd. Our Lord himself
informs us, that this is the true source of their rejection of his
word : " They love darkness rather than light : they even hate
the light, and will not come to the light, lest their deeds should
be reproved." No wonder that they cry, * Doth he not speak
* I Cor. i. 18, 23. and ii. 14. e Ps. x. 5.
410 EZEKIEL, XX. 49. [1110.
parables?" when they are determined beforehand not to under
stand the plainest declarations.]
Before any determine thus to reject the messages
of Heaven, it will be well for them to consider,
III. What consequences must ensue from this treat
ment of them
Certainly,
1. All the ends of our ministry among them must
be defeated
[It is in vain to speak to those who will not hear : the
invitations, the promises, the threatenings of Scripture can be
of no avail to those who will not acknowledge the authority of
God in them. What a melancholy reflection is this, that God
should send ambassadors to men with messages of peace and
love, and that men should " make light of them," and recom
pense with hatred and contempt every effort that is made for
their salvation. Well might Paul " have continual heaviness
and sorrow in his heart," when he reflected on the state of such
persons, and that, instead of having to present them to God as
his joy and crown, he should have to appear as a swift witness
against them in the day of judgment,]
2. Their guilt and condemnation must be greatly
aggravated
[No man leaves the house of God as he came into it : the
ordinance which he has attended has either brought him nearer
to heaven, or prepared him more as fuel for the fire of hell. If
the word be not " a savour of life unto life, it is a savour of
death unto death." Our blessed Lord told his hearers, that
" if he had never come and spoken unto them, they would
comparatively have had no sin :" but that in consequence of
their rejection of his proffered mercies, " the state of Sodom
and Gomorrha would be more tolerable in the day of judg
ment than theirs." In like manner we must say to our
hearers, that every opportunity of instruction which they have
enjoyed is a talent to be accounted for ; and that their hiding
of it in a napkin will be a ground of their condemnation 11 .]
APPLICATION
[And now what account must we carry to our God con
cerning you ? He has sent us to deliver his messages ; and he
will require of us some account of the manner in which they
have been received amongst you. And what shall we say?
Must we not, in reference to the greater part of you, say,
h John iii. 19.
1111.] MINISTERS OFFICE AND RESPONSIBILITY. 411
" Ah ! Lord God," we come with a painful report : we would
have rejoiced to have told thee, that thy word had had " a free
course, and been glorified amongst them ;" but we are con
strained to declare, that, if not in word, yet at least in spirit,
they say of us, "Doth he not speak parables?" Some do
really think that the message we deliver is no other than " a
cunningly-devised fable;" whilst others, acquiescing in it as
coming from thee, are too busy, or too careless, to pay any
respect to it. Some, it is true, take a pleasure in hearing thy
word, just as Ezekiel s hearers did ; but, like them, they will
not comply with any one of thy commands : their cares, their
pleasures, their desire of earthly things, carry them away, and
entirely engross their minds : they are hearers of thy word, but
not doers of it : and though they sometimes are made to see
their face as in a glass, they go away, and presently forget
what manner of men they are. Thus, though they differ from
one another in many things, they agree in this, namely, to
refuse subjection to thy blessed word, and to follow the ima
ginations of their own hearts.
This however is not the case with all : there are some who
receive the word, " not as the word of man, but, as it is in
truth, the w r ord of God." Some there are that say of us, We
have been messengers of glad tidings to their souls, and instru
ments in thy hands for their eternal welfare. The Saviour
whom we have announced to them is precious to their souls ;
they look to him ; they trust in him ; they rejoice and glory in
his salvation ; and they shew forth their faith by their works.
" O Lord God, what thanks can we render unto thee for all
the joy wherewith we joy before thee on their account !" truly
" they are our glory and joy." O blessed Lord, increase
their number a hundred fold ; and " establish all their hearts
unblameable in holiness unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ ! " that when we shall be summoned to thy judgment-
seat to give up our account to thee, we may do it with joy and
not with grief. Let not one of them turn back again to per
dition ; but keep them all steadfast in faith and love and
holiness, that we may have the joy of presenting them perfect
before thee in that day, saying, " Here am I, and the children
thou hast given me
clay
!"]
MCXL
OFFICE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF MINISTERS.
Ezek. xxxiii. 8. When I say unto the wicked, wicked man,
thou shalt surely die! if thou dost not speak to warn the ivicked
from, his way, that ivicked man shall die in his iniquity ; but
his blood will I require at thy hand.
412 EZEKIEL, XXXIII. 8. [11 11.
THE office of a minister is the most important
and most difficult of any that we can be called to
sustain. It is the most important, because the sal
vation of multitudes depends upon it : and it is the
most difficult, because it requires such self-denying
habits, and spiritual affections. The responsibility
also that attaches to it is such, that no man would
dare to take it upon himself, if he had not a promise
of peculiar assistance in the discharge of it. Ministers
are the messengers of God to men : to them they
must faithfully declare his whole counsel : however
painful the truths may be which they are to deliver,
and however averse men may be to hear them, they
must execute their commission at the peril of their
souls. To this effect God speaks in the words before
us: in which we may notice,
I. What God saith to the wicked
It is scarcely possible to conceive a more solemn
declaration than that before us ; "I say unto the
wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die ! "
Consider,
1. Who are the people addressed
[These are all who do not unfeignedly turn from sin to
God. It matters not whether they be rich or poor, old or
young, learned or unlearned. In some sense, it matters not
whether their sins have been more or less heinous : for though
there certainly are degrees of guilt, and some are more wicked
than others, yet all are wicked, who are not following after
God in righteousness and true holiness ; and consequently, all
such persons, however their characters may vary in other re
spects, are addressed in the text.]
2. The declaration of God unto them
[Death is here denounced as the judgment to be inflicted
on all who turn not to their God : and to the same effect the
inspired writers uniformly speak a . Nor are we at a loss to
determine what is meant by " death :" it is the wrath of God b ,
the misery of hell c . This is the judgment that will come upon
every individual who shall be found in the state before de
scribed. God may be considered as addressing himself to every
individual of the human race : " O thou wicked man!" Nor is
a Isai. iii. 11. Rom. vi. 23. Jam. i. 14, 15.
b Rom. i. 18. c Rev. xxi. 8.
1111. ] MINISTERS OFFICE AND RESPONSIBILITY. 413
this fatal result of wickedness expressed in doubtful terms:
there is no peradventure ; the decree is fixed ; " Thou shalt
surely die ! " Who can reflect on these words as proceeding
from a God of infinite power and of inviolable truth, and not
tremble ?]
3. The condition implied in that declaration
[If there were no condition implied in the declaration, it
would have been to no purpose to make known the declaration
itself; since it could have no other effect than to torment men
before their time. But as in the message to Nineveh, " that
in forty days Nineveh should be overthrown," there was an
implied condition, that, if they repented, the threatened ven
geance should be withheld ; so, in this case, there is an implied
assurance, that the wicked, if they will repent, shall not die.
And this is expressly stated in the following context 11 : so that,
awful as this passage is, it is no less encouraging than it is
awful ; because it assures the contrite and believing sinner that
he shall never perish.]
Together with this warning, we see in the text,
II. The necessity imposed on ministers to proclaim
it-
Ministers are described as watchmen, or sentinels,
placed at a distance from the camp to give notice of
the enemy s approach. Now this very character
marks both their duty and their responsibility. But
the consequences of neglect in any minister are de
clared in two respects :
1. The person whom he neglects to warn, will
perish
[If through the sloth or treachery of tlie sentinels a camp
be surprised at midnight, nothing but confusion and ruin can
ensue. Thus, if a person appointed to warn the wicked, neg
lect to do so, the wicked will continue regardless of their im
pending doom, till it is too late to avert it. And when the
hour of vengeance is come, it will be to no purpose to say, " I
was not aware of my danger; my minister has betrayed me."
No ; the wicked have means of information within their own
reach, independent of their ministers ; and they have secret
intimations in their own consciences that they ought to repent:
and therefore they must take the consequences of their own
wickedness ; " they must die in their iniquity." How awful is
a ver. 1416.
414 EZEKIEL, XXXIIL 8. [11 11.
this effect of one minister s supineness ! Alas ! that hundreds,
and perhaps thousands, should perish eternally, when, if he had
warned them faithfully, they might have been saved for ever !]
2. He himself also will be dealt with as the author
of that sinner s destruction
[As a sentinel who, by neglecting to give notice of the
enemy s approach, occasioned the overthrow of the army to
which he belonged, would be chargeable with all the conse
quences of his neglect, so will the blood of all that perish
through the minister s neglect " be required at his hand."
When they shall all stand before God, he will ask of the
minister, Why didst thou not warn that man, and him, and
him, and him ? It will be to no purpose to say, " Lord, he
was rich, and I was afraid of his displeasure;" or, " Lord, he
was poor, and I overlooked him;" or, " Lord, I was so en
gaged in business or pleasure, that I never thought about the
souls committed to my charge." No : he must answer for
every soul that perishes through his means, and must sink
ten-fold deeper into the bottomless abyss than the most guilty
of the people whom he has neglected and betrayed.]
APPLICATION
[After stating these reasons for ministerial fidelity, we
need make no apology for " warning the wicked from their
way : " or rather, we need apologize for not using far greater
plainness of speech that we have ever yet done.
Hear then, ye wicked, with solemn awe, the voice of God to
you. " O thou wicked drunkard, thou shalt surely die!" " O
thou wicked whoremonger, thou shalt surely die!" " O thou
wicked swearer, or sabbath-breaker, thou shalt surely die ! " Is
there any one here that, though free from gross sins, lives in a
neglect of secret prayer; " O thou wicked man, thou shalt
surely die e !"
But while we declare these things, we would not be un
mindful of the compassion which is expressed in the very mode
in which God has denounced his judgments ; " O thou wicked
man!" This seems to intimate, that God is grieved for the
misery of the wicked, even while he declares the doom that
awaits them. So would we be; and the rather, because we
ourselves are involved in the same condemnation, if we do not
repent and turn to God.
O then, brethren, whether ye have committed gross sins
or not, remember that ye all need to humble yourselves be
fore God as condemned sinners: ye all need to wash in the
e This may be easily extended to the formalist, the hypocritical
professor, &c.
1112.] GOD EXPOSTULATING WITH SINNERS. 415
fountain of the Redeemer s blood : ye all need to " turn from
your transgressions, that so iniquity may not be your ruin." O
that God may enable you to accept this warning with all
thankfulness ! We have striven, as it became us, to " deliver
our own souls : " the Lord grant that, in thus endeavouring to
" save ourselves, we may be instrumental to save also those
that hear us f ! "]
f 1 Tim. iv. 16.
MCXII.
GOD EXPOSTULATING WITH SINNERS.
Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord
God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but
that the ivicked turn from his way and live : turn ye, turn
ye from your evil ivays ; for ivhy will ye die, O house of
Israel ?
THE excuses which men offer for not turning
unto God, are, for the most part, reflections cast on
the Deity himself. One man deems the service of
God unnecessary ; another thinks it impracticable in
his particular situation ; another says, I can do
nothing without grace, and if God do not bestow his
grace upon me, how can I help myself? Such was
the disposition manifested by the Jews of old, when
they were invited and commanded to repent : they
complained, that it was to no purpose to repent,
since they were already pining away under their
transgressions ; and that the promises of life, which
were held forth to them in God s name, were delu
sive, since God, so far from wishing to pardon them,
had shewn a pleasure in executing his vengeance
upon them a . Against such unrighteous accusations,
God vindicates himself by an oath, and by the most
pressing and affectionate exhortation renews his calls
to repentance. In the message which he sent by the
prophet to the Jews, we have his message to sinners
of every age and nation : and in delivering it to you
at this time we would call your attention to two
things contained in it :
a This seems to be implied in ver. 10. as connected with the text.
416 EZEKIEL, XXXIIL 11. [1112.
I. A solemn oath
" Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the
Lord speaketh," yea, sweareth ; and, " because he
can swear by no greater, he swears by himself," even
by his own life and immortal perfections. But what
is it which Jehovah condescends to confirm in this
solemn manner ?
1. That he hath no pleasure in the death of a
sinner
[What ? was this a matter so doubtful, that it was neces
sary to remove our doubts in such a way? Methinks, we
need no further proof of this than our own continuance in the
land of the living. Should we, should any of us, have been
here, if God had taken pleasure in our death ? Have we not
provoked God in ten thousand instances to cut us off, and
would he not long since have consigned us over to perdition,
if he had not been slow to anger, and rich in mercy ?
Would God moreover have given his only dear Son to die for
us, and his blessed Spirit to convert and sanctify us, yea,
would he wait so long to be gracious unto us, and, notwith
standing our obstinacy, follow us every day with invitations,
entreaties, promises, and expostulations ; would he act thus, I
say, if he had pleasure in our death ? Surely it was not
any uncertainty respecting this truth itself, but our backward
ness to believe it, that gave occasion for such an astonishing
vindication of it.]
2. That he has pleasure in the conversion and sal
vation of sinners
[This is not at all less obvious than the foregoing truth :
and the same observations which confirm the one, will esta
blish the other also. But we may farther refer both to exist
ing facts, and most explicit declarations, in support of this
assertion. We cannot conceive more atrocious guilt than that
which David had contracted, guilt aggravated a hundred-fold
by his past professions and experience. But no sooner did he
acknowledge his transgression, than the prophet who had been
commissioned to denounce the heaviest judgments against him,
was inspired to reply, The Lord hath put away thy sin, thou
shalt not die b . In what beautiful colours is the mercy of our
God painted in the parable of the lost sheep, and the return
ing prodigal I Is it possible for words more fully to describe
how much " he delighteth in mercy ?" Let us marvel then at
the condescension of our God in confirming such declarations
b 2 Sam. xii. 13.
1112.] GOD EXPOSTULATING WITH SINNERS. 417
by an oath. Had he " sworn in his wrath that we should not
enter into his rest," we might easily have accounted for it ;
because, however merited such a judgment might be, he is
never brought, but with extreme reluctance, to execute it. c
But to establish his character for mercy in such a way, was
altogether superfluous, except for the more abundant display
of his own goodness, and the richer consolation of our minds.]
That this testimony of God, respecting his own
delight in mercy, may not fail of producing its proper
effect on our minds,, it is enforced by,
II. An affectionate exhortation-
Had we not already seen such condescension as
almost exceeds our belief, we might well be filled
with wonder at the further proofs of it which are
exhibited in the text
The Creator and Judge of all stoops to use the
language of entreaty towards perishing sinners
[He does not simply issue his command, but repeats it
with all the tenderness and solicitude of the most affectionate
parent. He sees with deep concern how " all like sheep are
gone astray, every one to his own way :" one is wandering in
the paths of open sensuality and profaneness ; another has
involved himself in the labyrinths of worldly care ; another is
pleasing himself with the idea that he belongs to the fold of
God, while he has nothing but " the form of godliness without
any of its power." But God would have all return to him,
to walk in his ways, and to enjoy his blessings. He longs to
see the sensualist, the worldling, and the formal professor of
religion, all truly and thoroughly awakened to a sense of their
guilt and danger, and all seeking after the salvation of their
souls as the one tiling needful. He would not that one of
them should perish, but that all should come to repentance
and live. Hence his earnestness in urging their immediate
and effectual return.]
He further enforces his request with a most ani
mated expostulation
[Sin and death are inseparably connected : there is no
alternative but to flee from sin or perish for ever ; we must
turn or die. This is evidently implied in the expostulation
which God uses ; and the certainty of it is far more strongly
marked, than if it had been asserted in the plainest terms.
Let sinners then answer the question which God puts to them,
c Isai. xxviii. 21. "His strange act."
VOL. IX. E E
418 EZEKIEL, XXXIII. 11. [1112.
" Why will ye die ?" Is death, eternal death so light a matter,
that ye will subject yourselves to it for the fleeting gratifica
tions of sin ? Is it a light thing " to fall into the hands of the
living God," and to have " both body and soul cast into hell"
for ever ? Or is a life of godliness so painful, that the labours
of it will not be repaid by all the felicity of heaven ? If we
were to ask you, Why will ye seek after God ? Why will ye
regard your souls ? Why will ye forsake the beaten paths of
sin, and walk in the unfrequented ways of righteousness ?
your answers would be plain ; the most ignorant might give
such a reply, as not all the wisdom of man could gainsay or
resist. But what will ye answer to the interrogation in the
text ? And if you arc constrained now, notwithstanding your
habits of self-vindication, to acknowledge the folly and mad
ness of your conduct, how much more will you be speechless
in the day of judgment, when the enormity of such conduct
will appear without any palliation or disguise ! Let not God
then reason with you in vain : but turn from those ways,
which you are not able to justify, or, with any shadow of pro
priety, to excuse.]
APPLICATION
1. To those who arc now at length desirous of
returning to God-
fit is not from profaneness to morality, or from morality
to an outward observance of religious duties, that God calls
us ; but from all sin whatever to a sound and thorough con
version. Be sure then that you do not mistake in a matter of
such infinite importance ; but turn to God in the ways which
he has appointed. Go with penitence and contrition to the
Lord Jesus, that you may be washed in the fountain of his
blood: and pray to God for the influences of his Spirit, that
you may be " sanctified wholly in body, soul, and spirit, and
be preserved blameless unto his heavenly kingdom." Rest in
nothing short of this, for it is to this only that the promise of
life is annexed ; "you must be converted, and become as little
children (simple, teachable, dependent, obedient in all things)
if ever you would enter into the kingdom of heaven."]
2. To those who are still determined to withstand
the entreaties of God
[Go on in sin, till you have filled up the measure of your
iniquities : but remember, ye will not have to cast the blame
on God in that day when your calamities shall come upon
you. God has at this very hour testified with an oath, that it
is his desire to save your souls ; yea, he at this moment ex
postulates with you, and beseeches you to seek his face. Nor
shall ye have to accuse your minister in that day. We are
SELF-DECEPTION OF COVETOUS PROFESSORS. 419
told indeed, in the very chapter before us, that the blood of
those who perish, shall be required at the hands of negligent
and unfaithful ministers d : but, even though your blood were
to be required at the hands of your minister, it would be no
alleviation of your misery, since you also would die in your
iniquity, and be condemned together with him. We hope,
however, and are determined, God helping us, to be " pure
from your blood :" we have warned you, and do warn you yet
again, that you must turn or die ; " if ye live after the flesh
ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds
of the body, ye shall live." Whatever others therefore may
plead, ye have, and shall have, none but yourselves to blame :
and it will be a bitter reflection in the day of judgment, to
think, that " God called, and ye refused;" and that " Christ
would often have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens
under her wings, but ye would not." May God prevent those
reflections by giving you repentance unto life, for his dear
Son s sake : Amen, and Amen.]
(1 ver. 79.
MCXIII.
THE SELF-DECEPTION OF COVETOUS PROFESSORS.
Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32. And they come unto thee as the people
cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear
thy words, but they will not do them : for with their mouth
they shetv much love, but their heart goeth after their
covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely
song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on
an instrument : for they hear thy words, but they do them
not.
NONE can be religious without appearing so ; be
cause religion must of necessity regulate our outward
conduct. But persons may appear religious, while
they are wholly destitute of vital godliness. Such
were they, who talked of & the prophet in their houses,
and expressed so much solicitude to hear from him
the word of the Lord
We propose to consider,
I. The characters here described
a " So the word " against" should he read in ver. 30. as the whole
context evidently shews ; and it is so rendered in the margin of the
Bibles.
E E2
420 EZEKIEL, XXXIII. 31,32. [1113.
[If we look at their profession only, all is well: they
unite themselves to the Lord s people, and account themselves
to be of their number. They pay great attention to the ordi
nances; they feel peculiar delight in the ministration of the
word ; they express a very high regard for those who labour
in the word and doctrine; they are not offended even with the
most searching discourses ; nor are the sons and daughters of
pleasure more gratified with musical entertainments, than they
are with the fluent, fervent, eloquent harangues of a faithful
minister.
But, alas ! their practice ill accords with their profession :
it is amusement rather than real edification that they seek.
Their hearts are set upon the world, and riveted to their
earthly possessions. In the pursuit of gain they will be guilty
of falsehood or dishonesty; they will commend their goods,
when they know them to be bad ; they will impose on the
ignorance or the necessities of those who deal with them ;
they will take advantage of the confidence reposed in them
to overreach their neighbour; and will condescend to mean
nesses, of which an honest heathen would be ashamed. They
may be generous where their own inclination is strongly
concerned, or where a liberal donation will advance their
reputation; but at other times they will be as penurious and
niggardly as the most unfeeling miser. It may be indeed that
a principle of honour keeps them tolerably observant of truth
and justice; but they give abundant evidence that their hearts
are set upon things below rather than on things above, and
shew, that they are more solicitous to be rich in this world,
than to be rich towards God
Such there have been in every age; nor are there wanting
many such characters among the professors of the present
day 1 . They hear the duties of a Christian opened and en
forced ; but they remain as much under the dominion of their
lusts as ever ]
II. The light in which they are viewed by God
[In their own eyes they are as good as any. Whatever be
their besetting sin, they have reasons enough to extenuate
and excuse it. Their covetousness is nothing more than pru
dence and diligence ; their fretfulness and fiery passions are
the mere infirmities of nature, the trifling ebullitions of a warm
and hasty temper, that are far more than counterbalanced by
a proportionable zeal for what is good. When they hear
the contrary dispositions recommended from the pulpit, they
b The characters of a proud and passionate professor, and of a
censorious and uncharitable professor, might here he drawn, as being
equally common, and equally hateful.
1113.] SELF-DECEPTION OF COVETOUS PROFESSORS. 421
acknowledge the directions to be exceeding proper ; but they
scarcely ever feel their own conduct condemned by them.
They are eagle-eyed in spying out the faults of others; but
they are almost utter strangers to their own. Their zeal for
the Gospel, and their attachment to those who preach or
profess it, is to them a decisive evidence of their own conver
sion ; and nothing that God or man can say to the contrary is
suffered for one moment to shake their confidence.
In the estimation of the Church these persons often pass for
eminent saints. Their faults are not generally known, and
the best construction is put upon all they say or do. Godly
men are afraid of judging harshly, and have learned to exer
cise the " love that hopeth all things," and that " covereth
a multitude of sins." Hence they give the right hand of
fellowship to those who shew a love to the Gospel; and,
even when they fear that all is not right, they are content to
" let the tares grow up with the wheat till the harvest, lest
through their ignorance they should pluck up the wheat with
the tares."
But in the sight of God, who searcheth the heart, these
men appear in their proper colours. Are they covetous? " he
abhors them c ." Are they proud, passionate, contentious?
they are actuated by an infernal spirit 1 . Have they no
government of their tongue? their religion is vain e . Are they
hearers of the word, and not doers of it also? they only de
ceive their own souls f . Are they habitually and allowedly
under the dominion of any sin whatever ? they are children
of the, devil g , and not of God 1 : notwithstanding all their
profession, they have no part in the Gospel salvation 1 , no
acceptance in their prayers k , nor any portion but eternal
misery in hell 1 . They may have a name to live; but they are
really dead before God 111 .]
INFER
1. How far must they be from a Christian state,
who feel no delight in divine ordinances !
[It has already appeared that men may be extremely fond
of the offices, the ministers, and the professors of religion,
and yet perish for ever for want of that conformity to the
Divine will, which is essential to the Christian character.
How much more then must they be destitute of religion, who
have not even the outward appearance of sanctity, but live in
an open contempt of God s word and ordinances! Let not
c Ps. x. 3, d Jam. iii. 14, 15. e Jam. i. 26.
f Jam. i. 22. e 1 John iii. 8. h 1 John iii. 9.
1 1 John iii. 6. and Rom. vi. 14. k Ps. Ixvi. 18.
1 Mark ix. 43 48. m Rev. iii. 1.
422 EZEKIEL, XXXIV. 16. [1114.
any one imagine that the naming the name of Christ is suf
ficient to constitute us Christians. The tree must be judged
of by its fruits : and according to our works will be the sen
tence that shall be upon us in the last day.]
2. What need have the professors of religion to
examine well their own hearts !
[Love to the word and people of God, if accompanied
with an unreserved obedience to his commandments, is an
excellent evidence of our conversion : but, if there be a
reigning inconsistency in our conduct, our love to the one or
to the other of these is mere hypocrisy". Let us then inquire
diligently, and beg of God to try us, whether there be any
wickedness practised in our lives, or harboured in our bosoms ?
Let us not be content to " honour God with our lips, while
our hearts are far from him." Let us rather entreat him to
" put truth in our inward parts," that, while we profess to be
interested in the promises, we may " purify ourselves from all
filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the
fear of GocR"]
11 Matt. xv. 7, 8. Ps. Ixxviii. 34 37. Isai. Iviii. 2, 3.
Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24. P 1 Cor. vii. 1.
MCXIV.
CHRIST S EXECUTION OF HIS PASTORAL OFFICE.
Ezek. xxxiv. 16. / will seek that which was lost, and bring
again that which ivas driven away, and will bind up that
ivhicli iv as broken, and will strengthen that which was sick :
but I will destroy the fat and the strong ; I will feed them
with judgment.
THERE is no office under heaven so important as
that of ministering unto men the Gospel of Christ.
But,, alas ! its importance is but too little felt, and its
duties are too negligently performed a . There is,
however, one Shepherd, whose care and vigilance are
without intermission. He it is, who, many hundred
years before he came into the world, spake by the
prophet, and declared the manner in which he would
execute his office b .
In the words before us we see,
a See ver. 210. b ver. 23.
1114.] CHRIST S PASTORAL OFFICE. 423
I. The different states of Christ s sheep
[All are considered as the sheep of Christ, who hy name
and profession helong to him, as well " the fat and the strong,
who shall be destroyed," as those who shall be saved .
All without exception, while in their natural state, are
" lost," straying from God, and ignorant of the way in which
alone they can return to his fold d . Some feel an inclination
to enjoy his benefits, and at times resolve that they will turn
from their evil ways: but they are " driven away" by the
violence of their passions or the fear of man.
Of those that have been brought home to the fold, many,
like David, are complaining of griefs and sorrows, more painful
than a " broken" bone e . And all are " sick" of sin, that lothe-
some malady which pervades all their powers both of body and
soul, and incapacitates them for serving God as they would
wish to do 1 .
There are too many, alas ! who are " fat and strong," in their
own conceit^. Were they really in good condition, they should
not be "destroyed." But, like the Laodiceans of old h , they
deceive themselves ; being really destitute of all wisdom, good
ness, and strength, in exact proportion as they fancy themselves
possessed of these things.]
II. The correspondent dealings of Christ with them
[Though in many instances our Lord displays his so
vereignty in stopping the progress of most grievous sinners,
while he suffers persons of more amiable deportment to wander
further from him 1 , yet all are to expect that he will deal with
them in a perfect correspondence with their character.
He came from heaven in human flesh, and still comes in the
preaching of his Gospel, to "seek" and save " that which was
lost." And if any, who have been " driven away" by the force
of temptation or persecution, are desirous to put themselves
under his care, he will gladly bring them to his fold, and pro
tect them from every inward or outward foe k .
As for those who are already in his fold, he will administer
to all their wants, " binding up " the broken-hearted 1 , and
"renewing the strength" of those who are ready to faint" 1 .
By the efficacy of his word, and the consolations of his Spirit,
he will turn their sorrows into joy 11 : and his grace shall be
c John x. 16. * Isai. liii. 6. e Ps. li. 8.
f Rom. vii. 18, 19, 21, 23, 24. Gal. v. 17.
e It is in this sense that our Lord speaks of " the whole," and
" the righteous." Matt. ix. 12, 13.
h Rev. iii. 17. ! Acts ix. 16. Mark x. 21, 22.
k ver. 1115. with John x. 10, 11, 28. l Isai. Ixi. 1, 3.
m Isai. xl. 29 31. n Isai. xxxv. 1, 2, 10.
424 EZEKIEL XXXIV. 16. [1114.
sufficient for them under all the trials they may be called to
endure .
Willing as he is to pardon the very chief of sinners on their
repentance, he will awfully punish the impenitent. The proud
and self-sufficient, who despise his offers of mercy, shall surely
feel his awful displeasure. He will " destroy" them as enemies
both to himself and his flock : and, in order to their destruc
tion, he will " feed them with judgment," giving them up to
follow their own delusions, till they shall have completed the
measure of their iniquities, and fattened themselves for the
sword of his indignation P. Yes; to eternity shall they eat of
the fruit of their own ways q , and feel the judgments which
they would not deprecate r .]
APPLICATION
1. Let us put ourselves under the care of this good
Shepherd
[The more \ve consider our state the more shall we see,
that we are straying, or, at best, diseased sheep. But here is
our comfort, that we have a tender and faithful Shepherd that
will forgive our wanderings, and supply our wants 8 . Let us
then return to him, if we are afar off 1 ; or, if he have brought
us to his fold, let us rely upon his care and faithfulness 11 .]
2. Let us imitate him to the utmost of our power
[Doubtless it is in the first place the duty of ministers to
follow the steps of this great Shepherd, because his flock is
more immediately committed to their care x . But it is also
the duty of every one in his place and station to exert himself
to the utmost to enlarge and edify the flock of Christ. And,
if we were more diligent in our respective spheres, how many
might be reduced from their wanderings, or strengthened in
their difficulties, or comforted in their troubles! We know
not how useful a word in season might prove. " Let us then,
as the elect of God, put on bowels of mercies," and shew our
relation to Christ by our conformity to his image.]
2 Cor. xii. 9. P Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 12. Q Prov. i. 31.
r Isai. 1. 10, 11. s Isai. xl. 11. * 1 Pet. ii. 25.
u Ps. xxiii. 1 3.
x If this were the subject of a Visitation or Ordination Sermon,
this thought should be prosecuted at some length, in reference to the
whole preceding part of the chapter.
1115.] DAVID A TYPE OF CHRIST. 425
MCXV.
DAVID A TYPE OF CHRIST.
Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24. / will set up one shepherd over them, and
he shall feed them, even my servant David ; he shall feed them,
and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their
God, and my servant David a prince among them ; I the
Lord have spoken it.
THERE is nothing so comforting to an afflicted
soul, as to contemplate the promises of God : indeed
they were given to us for this very purpose, that they
might be our support and consolation in the time of
trouble. The same may be observed with respect to
the prophecies that relate to Christ ; they were delivered
to the Church in seasons of peculiar trial, as encou
ragements to the saints to hold fast their profession.
It was under circumstances of this nature, that the
glorious prophecy before us was revealed. Both the
ecclesiastical and civil governors of Israel had greatly
oppressed the poor, and especially the godly : but
God afforded them seasonable support, by declaring,
that he would not only espouse their cause, but would
raise up to them a Shepherd, and a Governor of a very
different description, even the Messiah himself, who
should redress all their wrongs, and bring them into
the possession of perfect happiness.
Such being the occasion of the words, we proceed
to consider them,
I. As fulfilled at the first coming of our Lord-
It is undoubtedly the Messiah that is here called
"David"
[David himself had been dead many hundred years ; nor
has there been any other person after him, to whom this ap
pellation was ever given. But Christ is frequently spoken of
in the prophets by the name of David a ; and to him the cha
racters, here annexed to that name, most eminently belong.
He is called by that name, because David was a very distin
guished type of him. David was chosen by God from a very
low state, and was anointed to be king over Israel. He was
also made a prophet of the Most High God ; and, under the in
fluence of the Holy Spirit, often spake as actually personating
a Jer. xxx. 9. Exek. xxxvii. 21, 25.
426 EZEKIEL, XXXIV. 23, 24. [1115.
the Messiah himself. Many parts of his heavenly compositions,
though apparently intended respecting himself, have indeed no
reference to himself at all, except as he was a type of Christ,
in whom the very things predicted were literally fulfilled b .
And so exact was the correspondence between the type and
antitype, that Christ, springing " from the root of Jesse," " as
a root out of the dry ground ," and " anointed with the oil
of gladness above his fellows d ," was born (according to the
predictions) in the very place of David s nativity 6 , was consti
tuted a prophet like unto him, and was raised to " the throne
of his father David f ."]
He sustains the offices that are here assigned him
[Like his honoured representative, he was to be a shepherd.
David, in his early youth, followed the occupation of a shep
herd, and repeatedly exposed his life to most imminent danger
in defence of the flock entrusted to him g . And, after he be
came a king, he still figuratively at least sustained the same
office, " feeding his people, according to the integrity of his
heart, and guiding them by the skilfulness of his hands 11 ." But
he, whom David typified, was in a far more exalted sense, " the
great Shepherd of the sheep 1 ." He not only exposed, but
willingly sacrificed, his life for his sheep k : nor can a juster
description of him be conveyed in words, than that which is
given us in the preceding context 1 : He is incessantly " seeking
the lost, bringing back that which has been driven away,
binding up the broken, strengthening the sick," and admini
stering to the necessities of all. He is also, like David, a prince.
The promises of David s exaltation were at last fulfilled, and
he was seated on the throne, to which he had been appointed.
He did indeed meet with innumerable conflicts in his way to
it: at one time, we see him encountering Goliath ; at another,
fleeing from the murderous attacks of Saul : yea, he was even
driven from his kingdom by his own nearest relative, and trea
sonably sacrificed by his most familiar friend ; in consequence
of which, he fled weeping over that very brook Kidron, over
which his Lord passed afterwards to crucifixion. But God
preserved him from every danger, and made him " Head over
Israel," and " the heathen" too m . Thus it was also that Christ
was raised to his throne : He had scarcely made his appearance
in the world before he became an object of Herod s jealousy,
b Ps. xxii. 18. andlxix. 21. c Isai. xi. 1. and liii. 2.
d Ps. xlv. 7. e Mic. v. 2. with Matt. ii. 5, 6.
f Luke i. 32. e 1 Sam. xvii. 34, 35.
h Ps. Ixxviii. 7072. * Heb. xiii. 20.
k John x. 11. ] Ezek. xxxiv. 1116.
m Ps. xviii. 43,
1115.] DAVID A TYPE OF CHRIST. 427
and was forced to seek an asylum in a heathen land 11 . On
many occasions he escaped only by a miraculous exertion of his
own almighty power . When his time was come, he was be
trayed by one of his own disciples, who, like David s treacherous
friend, speedily went and hanged himself p . But, infinitely
beyond David, was Christ "a man of sorrows;" " his visage
was marred more than any man, and his form more than the
sons of men." Yet, after all, " the stone which the builders
refused, was made the head-stone of the corner." He was
" exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour q ," " the utmost ends of
the earth were given him for his dominion;" and "of his
kingdom there shall be no end 1 ."]
For his people also he secures the blessings that
are here accorded to them
[" God is made their God :" and this comprehends all that
men or angels can receive. It is not possible for a finite ima
gination to conceive the full import of such an expression as
this. It must certainly imply, that he will protect us from all
kinds of evil, and fill us with the richest consolation both in
this world, and the world to come : every perfection, which
God himself possesses, shall be improved for our present bene
fit, and all his glory shall be enjoyed for our eternal happiness.
Yet shall this most assuredly be our portion, if we be num
bered among the flock of Christ. To such indeed it is that the
promise in the text must be confined. As for the ungodly
world, they have no prospect whatever of such a blessing:
there is not one word in all the holy oracles, that warrants
such a hope. But to those who believe in Christ the pro
mises are made : to those, who have been brought into his fold,
who feed in his pastures, and yield up themselves unfeignedly
to his dominion, God has pledged himself to be their God.
Nor shall any who seek him in his appointed way, fail to be
partakers of it 8 .]
But we must view this prophecy,
II. As waiting for a fuller and more glorious accom
plishment
We cannot doubt but it shall be yet more abun
dantly fulfilled
[Its completion in the apostolic age was very partial.
The Jews themselves yet look for its accomplishment in their
"Matt. ii. 14, 15. Luke iv. 29, 30.
P Ps. Ixix. 25. and cix. S. with Acts i. 20. shew Ahithophel to be
in this a type of Judas.
q Acts iv. 11. and v. 31. r Ps. ii. 8. Luke i. 33.
8 Ezek. xxxvii. 2428.
428 EZEKIEL, XXXIV. 23, 24. [1115.
Messiah. Nor is the time far distant when it shall be fulfilled
in all its glorious extent*- -The Lord Jesus will gather
his people from every quarter of the globe u He will
feed them in green pastures, and rule over them in Zion x
And God will manifest himself to be " their God,"
with such displays of his glory, as shall far transcend any which
he ever vouchsafed to his people in the days of old y ]
ADDRESS
Receive now the Saviour under the characters in
which he is here offered to you
[Could we obtain mercy with God in any other way,
there were the less reason for concerning ourselves about an
interest in Christ. But in vain shall we attempt to ingratiate
ourselves in the divine favour by any other means : we must
obey the voice of that good Shepherd, and follow him : we
must submit ourselves to the government of that Prince, and
become his faithful subjects : then, and then only, will God
acknowledge us as his people, and give himself to us as our
God. Let us not then neglect the Saviour any more : let us
rather go to him with one accord : let us entreat him to take
us under his charge. Then, whatever may be the fate of those
who are at a distance from him, we shall be delivered from our
spiritual enemies ; and, having suffered awhile with him, shall
in due time be glorified together 2 . You may safely trust the
promises of God.
Many hundred years before the coming of Christ was this
prophecy delivered : and how exactly was it accomplished in
every thing that respected Him ! He was appointed our
Shepherd ; he was exalted to be our Prince ; and to this very
hour has he executed these offices in their fullest extent.
Shall we doubt then whether the prophecy shall be fulfilled as
it respects us ? Will God refuse to be our God, when we
desire to be his people ? Or will he be only nominally our
God, and withhold from us the blessings that are implied in that
relation ? Has he done what is so infinitely greater, and will
he decline to do the less? Has he not " delivered up for us
his only Son, and will he not with him also freely give us all
things 81 ?" We cannot doubt. He says, "/ the Lord have
spoken it :" we may be certain, therefore, that he will perform ;
since "with him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
Let us trust then, and not be afraid ; and in due season we
shall enjoy, " according to his covenant, the sure mercies of
DavidV ]
* Isai. xxix. 17. u Hos. iii. 5. Jer. xxxii. 37 41.
x Isai. xxiv. 23. y Isai. Ix. 19, 20.
2 Rom. viii. 17. a Rom. viii. 32. b Isai. Iv. 3.
1116.] CHRIST THE PLANT OF RENOWN. 429
MCXVI.
CHRIST THE PLANT OF RENOWN.
Ezek. xxxiv. 29. / will raise up for them a plant of renown.
THE names by which our blessed Lord is desig
nated in the Scriptures are exceeding various. Every
one of them illustrates some part of his character,
and leads us, as it were, one step towards the know
ledge of him ; though, as the light of all the stars
combined would give but a very faint idea of the sun,
so the lustre reflected from every image in the creation
conveys a very inadequate notion of the beauty, the
excellency, the fulness of Christ.
That the image in the text refers to him, is clear
from the whole context. God, having severely re
proved the negligence of those whom he had ap
pointed to watch over his flock a , promises that he
will raise them up a Shepherd, who shall faithfully
discharge all his duties, and execute for their good
the trust reposed in him 1 . This, without any further
explanation, would have been sufficient to point out
to us " that good Shepherd," the Lord Jesus Christ :
but the subsequent verses mark the name and offices
of this Shepherd in such plain terms, that there is
not a possibility of doubt respecting the person to
whom the prophecy immediately and exclusively
relates . In the text, the same person is spoken of,
only under a different metaphor : in considering which
we shall notice,
I. The representation that is here given of Christ
Christ is often spoken of by the prophets under the
figure of a branch 11 , or rod, growing out of a stem 6 :
and in this view he is represented as contemptible in
the eyes of a blind and ungodly world f . But he is
deservedly called, " A plant of renown,"
1. On account of his mysterious nature
a ver. 2 10. b vcr. 11 16. c ver. 23, 24.
d Jer. xxxiii. 15. Zech. vi. 12, 13. e Isai. xi. 1.
f Isai. liii. 2.
430 EZEKIEL, XXXIV. 29. [1116.
[Never did such a plant as this exist before. Never could
the highest archangel have conceived it possible that such a
plant should exist, unless God had expressly revealed it to
him. Nothing in the whole creation has any resemblance to
it, or could convey the smallest idea of it. This plant has two
perfectly distinct natures, and each of those natures complete
in all its attributes : it is both divine and human : it unites
in itself the fulness of the Godhead with all the sinless infir
mities of manhood. In short, the Lord Jesus Christ is " God
manifest in the ilesh :" and a most stupendous mystery it is g !
The manner also in which he assumed our nature \vas most
mysterious. He was not born like other men, but formed in
the womb of a pure virgin through the intervention and agency
of the Holy Ghost. And in this view, " as a child born, and
a son given," it was expressly declared that " his name should
be called, Wonderful 11 ."]
2. On account of his transcendent qualities
[Other trees have one species of fruit, and are useful
chiefly, if not entirely, in one view only. But behold, this plant
bears twelve manner of fruits ; fruit for every season, whe
ther of prosperity or adversity ; fruit for every occasion that
can possibly arise ; and suited to every person who desires to
partake of it 1 . Moreover, the leaves of this tree are as salu
brious as its fruit ; and are an infallible remedy for all the
maladies to which our souls are exposed. Its virtues have
been proved in every age. Its fame has been spread through
out the whole universe : and the more it has been tried, the
more, without one single exception, has it been valued. The
tree cast into the waters of Marah, was but a faint shadow of
this, which, if properly used, would heal the fountains of ini
quity that diffuse their deadly poison through the whole
world k . This branch is of yet further use to build the temple
of the Lord 1 : well then might the prophet say of it, that it
should be " excellent and glorious" 1 ."]
3. On account of the estimation in which he is
held-
[See in what light he is viewed by his heavenly Father :
" Behold my servant whom I uphold ; mine elect, in whom my
soul delighteth n !" See what the angels think of him: no
sooner did they see him planted in the earth, than they
came down from heaven to announce the glad tidings, and
ascribed " Glory to God in the highest ." Shall I need to
8 I Tim. iii. 16. h Isai. ix. 6. Rev. xxii. 2.
k Exod. xv. 2325. * Zech. vi. 12, 13. m Isai. iv. 2.
11 Isai. xlii. 1. Prov. viii. 30. Matt. iii. 17. Luke ii. 7 14.
1116.1 CHRIST THE PLANT OF RENOWN. 431
tell you how he is regarded by man ?" By those who know
him not, "he is despised and rejected:" but "to them that
know him, he is precious p ." What joy was excited in Abra
ham s heart, when he only got a glimpse of him, two thousand
years before his incarnation ij With what ecstatic fervour did
the prophets call upon the whole creation to rejoice in the
prospect of his advent 1 ! When he was come, and his excel
lencies were more fully known, his disciples " counted all
things but dung for the knowledge of him 8 ," and were ready, at
all times, and in any manner, to lay down their lives for him 1 .
There are multitudes also in the present day, in whose eyes he
is " chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely 11 ." But
how will they express their admiration of him in the day when
" he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all
them that believe x !" In heaven too, when all that have
eaten of his fruits, and felt the healing efficacy of his leaves,
shall surround that " tree of life," and unite in ascribing to it
their whole salvation ; what " a plant of renown" will it then
appear !]
As God has fulfilled to us this gracious promise,
and raised up for us this plant of renown, let us
consider,
II. Our duty towards him
In allusion to the metaphor, of which we ought
not to lose sight, it may be observed, that we should,
1. Abide under his shadow
[Many are the storms and tempests to which we are
exposed, and from which nothing but this tree can shelter us.
It is planted on purpose that it may be " an hiding-place from
the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water
in a dry place, and the shadow of a great rock in a weary
land y ." If we flee to him, we are as safe as the Israelites
were in their blood-sprinkled houses, from the sword of the
destroying angel 2 . When " God shall rain down fire and
brimstone, and an horrible tempest on the wicked a ," we shall
have no cause for fear ; for " though a thousand shall fall on
our side, and ten thousand at our right hand b ," " no evil
whatsoever shall befall us ;" " he will cover us with his foliage;
and his truth shall be our shield and buckler." Let us then
draw nigh to him ; and we shall experience the blessedness of
P 1 Pet. ii. 7. <i John viii. 5G. r Isai. xliv. 23.
8 Phil. iii. 8. l Acts xx. 24. u Cant. v. 10, 16.
x 2 Thess. i. 10. y Isai. xxxii. 2. z Exod. xii. 2123.
a Ps. xi. G. b Ps. xci. 1, 4, 7, 10.
432 EZEKIEL, XXXIV. 29. [1116.
the Church of old, who " sat under his shadow with great
delight, and his fruit was sweet unto her taste ."]
2. Live upon his fruits
[We have before observed, that every kind of fruit is to be
found in him : wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, peace, and
whatever else we can desire, are to be obtained from him in
rich abundance 11 . And every one may get access to him. We
need not go up to heaven, or down to hell, or travel to a remote
country : he is nigh to us : he is in the Church ; he is in our
closet ; he is in our very hearts 6 : wherever we go, there he is,
ever present with us, ever ready to supply our wants. No fiery
sword prohibits our approach to him f : on the contrary, he in
vites us to come to him, to cease from " feeding upon ashes,"
and to take of his fruits freely P . None are shut out from this
right. There is no wall about him, no exclusive privilege to
those who by national, or even personal, relation may be con
sidered as nigh to him : but " all who are afar off," whether
they be old or young, rich or poor, moral or immoral, are
invited to partake of all his benefits 1 . Moreover, there is no
price required, as there is for the fruits of other trees : we are
told to " eat abundantly 1 , and to take it all " without money
and without price k ."
Let us then accept this gracious invitation, and " eat, and
live for ever 1 ."]
3. Bless God for him
[What a mercy would the fallen angels account it, if such
a plant were to be raised up for them ! And how thankful
would they be, who are now out of the reach of this tree, if
they might return to this world for a single hour with a per
mission to gather its fruits! Surely then we who have liberty
of access to it, and especially those of us who are daily eating
its fruits, should bless and adore our God for " his unspeakable
gift m ." If, only on the eve of its being planted in this world,
the pious Elizabeth, the blessed Virgin, and the divinely in
spired Zacharias brake forth into such exalted strains of praise
and thanksgiving 11 , surely we should not be silent, but should
call upon " our souls, and all that is within us, to bless his holy
name ."]
4. Commend him to others
[The lepers who found abundance in the Syrian camp,
Cant. ii. 3. d Ezek. xxxiv. 30. e Rom. x. 6 8.
f Gen. iii. 24. K Isai. Iv. 2.
h Acts ii. 39. with Rom. x. 12, 13. Cant. v. 1.
k Isai. Iv. 1. ! Isai. Iv. 3. ni 2 Cor. ix. 15.
n Lukei. 68, 69. Ps. ciii. 1.
1117.] OUT-POURING OF THE SPIRIT ON THE JEWS. 433
could not forbear going to acquaint their famished countrymen
with the good tidings p : and shall we be backward to inform
our neighbours respecting this tree, whereby all their diseases
may be healed, and all their wants supplied ? The moment
that Andrew and Philip had discovered it, they endeavoured to
bring their friends to a participation of their bliss* 1 . Let us do
the same. Our enjoyment of its fruits will be enhanced, rather
than diminished, by a communication of them to others. Let
us, I say, in compliance with the direction given us, exert our
selves to the uttermost, if peradventure we may introduce them
to the knowledge of Christ, and be instrumental to the salva
tion of their souls r .]
P 2 Kings vii. 9. <i John i. 40,41, 43, 45. r Isai. xii. 4 (j.
MCXVII.
OUT-POURING OF THE SPIRIT ON THE JEWS.
Ezek. xxxvi. 24 28. I will take you from among the Heathen,
and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into
your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you,
and ye shall be clean : from all yourfllthiness, and from all
your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give
you, and a new spirit will I put within you : and I will take
away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you
an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and
cause you to ivalk in my statutes : and ye shall keep my judg
ments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I
gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people , and I will
be your God.
IT will appear strange to say to ^Christian assem
bly, that the true nature of Christianity is but little
understood : but it is even so : for almost all persons
regard it only as a code of laws, or a system of re
straints : whereas, in truth, it is a mine of promises,
of " exceeding great and precious promises," which
are made to every one who feels his need of them,
and desires to embrace them. I say not that it does
not also contain precepts ; for no doubt it enjoins a
total surrender of ourselves to God : but there is not
any thing which it requires, which it does not also
make over to us as a free gift of God for Christ s sake.
Take, for example, the passage before us. It is
VOL. IX. F F
434 EZEKIEL, XXXVI. 2428. [1117.
delivered to the Jews in their present dispersed state :
and it provides for them all the blessings which they
stand in need of, both in this world and in the world
to come.
Let us consider these promises,
I. As delivered more immediately to the Jewish
people-
Whatever reference these promises might have to
the period of their return from Babylon, it is manifest
that they did not receive at that time a full accom
plishment ; and, consequently, that we must look for
ward to the future restoration of the Jews as the
period fixed for their final completion.
The Jews are destined to be restored to their own
land
[Of this, I conceive, there can be no reasonable doubt.
The prophets speak so fully and so plainly on this subject,
that we must divest language of all force and certainty before
we can set aside the hope of their restoration to their own
land. Whether that event shall precede or follow their c 
