SERMON XII.

HOSEA X. 1.

“ISRAEL IS AN EMPTY VINE, HE BRINGETH FORTH FRUIT UNTO HIMSELF."

WHEN God first gave the children of Israel a law and religious ordinances shortly after their deliverance from Egyptian bondage, they were in a state of ignorance and degradation, which made them unfit to receive and appreciate at once the more spiritual parts of religion. They needed something outward and palpable-something that would operate immediately on their fears and hopes, and He manifest to their senses; and would thus serve to recal their thoughts continually to the presence and power of that God, under whose guidance and protection they were. God, therefore, suited his ordinances to their present condition. He gave them a moral law, the transgression of which was for the most part visited with temporal and immediate punishments; and He gave them a ceremonial law, which kept them constantly engaged in the outward services of religion, whilst at the same time it formed a striking mark of distinction between them and all other nations.

Yet even under these circumstances, the religion of the Jews was decidedly practical and spiritual in its tendencies. The moral law was designed expressly to guide them into the paths of holiness; and the ceremonial law was to prepare their minds for the reception of a more spiritual form of religion in the gospel, by putting their obedience to positive precepts to the test, by shewing them in its bloody sacrifices God's hatred of sin, and reminding them that without shedding of blood there was no remission, and thus leading them to look forward to the great atoning sacrifice that was in due time to be offered for the sins of the world. Hence, it should have led them to hate and flee from those sins for which God had denounced such punishments, and which He would on no account forgive without requiring such sacrifices. Such was the practical tendency of their law. And accordingly we find them afterwards repeatedly charged by the Prophets of the Lord, not so much with neglecting to perform the outward services of their religion, as with failing to bring forth those fruits of righteousness, without which all religion is but an empty name. Of this kind is the charge brought against them by the Prophet Hosea in the text, under the similitude of a vine, to which the Church of God under the Jewish, as well as the Christian dispensation, is frequently compared. The vine, though a weak and unpromising tree in its outward appearance, is spreading, fruitful, and highly profitable, when its quality is

good. "Israel," however, is charged with being "an empty vine," bringing forth fruit unto himself. They either brought forth no fruit all, or if they did so, if they performed any duties, or appeared to cultivate any becoming dispositions, it was not for the glory of God, or with any view to please Him, but merely to answer their own selfish ends. Hence, as that vine may truly be called an empty and fruitless one which bears no fruit for its owner's profit, their religion, as it produced no good works or holy dispositions to the glory of God, was justly stigmatized as a fruitless religion. My object in speaking particularly of the practical tendency of the religion of Israel, was to impress upon you the important truth, that, if their religion was spiritual and practical in its tendencies, much more is ours; that, if they who lived under the Mosaic Law, which was but introductory to the Gospel, were condemned and punished on account of a fruitless religion, much more shall we who enjoy clearer light, and live under that confessedly more spiritual dispensation, of which theirs was but typical; much more shall we, I say, fall into condemnation, if with the name and privileges of christians we content ourselves with the leaves of profession, and bring no fruit to perfection. With a view to guarding against this, let me (1st) endeavour to point out the causes and the symptoms of a fruitless religion. (2ndly)-Suggest some inquiries, which may help us to ascertain what the true character of our religion is.

And (First) in tracing the causes of a fruitless religion, we must go in the first place to the fountain-head of all the evil and misery that is in the world; and that is the sinful and depraved nature (the effect of the fall) which we all bring into the world with us. This corrupt principle has infected every part of us, not only the understanding, but the will and the affections. It leads us, until it is counteracted by the grace of God, to withdraw our best affections from Him who is the author and the source of all good; and to fix them supremely upon low and unworthy objects and earthly enjoyments. It thus creates in every man a natural distaste and aversion to holy and spiritual services, until men feel that they are more or less guilty before God, and that something is necessary to satisfy His justice and avert His wrath. There is a consciousness that they need some form or degree of religion to ensure their safety. And if they live, as we do, in a christian land, they embrace, outwardly at least, the christian religion. They profess a belief in the great truths of the gospel, a faith in Christ crucified, and a hope of being saved by Him. But still there is the natural aversion to spiritual services and to the habitual practice of holiness, as strong in them as ever. They have no real love for the Saviour who has died that they may live; they do not admire the beauty of holiness as displayed in His character, nor do they feel any desire, or make any effort, to be restored to His likeness. They are only influ

enced by occasional fears or pangs of conviction; and these of so slight a kind, as not to produce any very serious or lasting impression. These convictions are just enough, however, to make them feel that something must be done to quiet conscience; and as they vainly think, to propitiate God's favour. And since they cannot bear the spirituality of God's law which requires them to deny themselves, and to mortify all their corrupt affections; as they know nothing, and wish to know nothing, of the great gospel duties of repentance, and works meet for repentance, and faith which worketh by love-they endeavour to compromise the matter by professions of faith, and by attention to some of the outward. services of religion, without troubling themselves to inquire whether they are bringing forth its proper fruits, whether their motives, feelings, and conduct towards others are habitually influenced by the spirit of genuine piety. In short, they are content to have the form of godliness without its power. It is comparatively easy for them to perform some occasional acts of devotion, to go occasionally, or even frequently, to the house of God, to repeat a prayer at stated times in private, and sometimes to read the word of God; these duties are comparatively easy: they cost little or no self-denial and watchfulness, so long as they regard them as ends, and not as means,, to bring them to the practices of christian virtue or holiness, and they can go on following their own devices. But it is not so easy to do what all religious