warning to the same description of persons in the book of Ecclesiastesi And how awfully is it often realized in a dying hour! When they are lying on a bed of "sickness, how much wrath and sorrow" are mixed in their cupk And, the very instant they depart out of the body, what "tribulation and anguish" seize hold upon them! Alas! who can conceive what it is to lie down in everlasting burnings? Yet thus shall their lamp be extinguished; and their sparks of created comfort be succeeded by a fire that shall never be quenched'-] We cannot CONCLUDE this subject better than by directing the attention of all to two important truths connected with it 1. To believe God's word is our truest wisdom [What advice can be given to a disconsolate soul better than that administered in the text? We may "offer thousands of rams, or ten thousands of rivers of oil; yea, we may give our first-born for our transgression, the fruit of our body for the sin of our soul;" but we can never attain comfort in any other way than by an humble trust in the promises of God: we must, even against hope, believe in hope:"m our "joy and peace must come by beleving"-Nor is there less folly in arguing against the threatenings of God, than in questioning his promises-If God say respecting those who rest in self-righteous observances, or carnal enjoyments, that they shall lie down in sorrow, our disbelief of it will not make void his word: it will come to pass, even if the whole creation should unite to oppose it-Though men therefore may account it folly to believe the word of God, let us remember, that it is our truest wisdom; and that, without an humble affiance in it, we cannot be happy either in time or eter nity-] 2. To obey God's word is our truest happiness [We cannot have a more unfavourable picture of religion, nor a more favourable view of a carnal state, than in the text: yet who would hesitate which state to prefer? Who would not rather be "altogether such as Paul," notwithstanding his chain, than be like Festus or Agrippa on their thrones?" Who would not rather be in the destitute condition of Lazarus, and attain his end, than live as Dives for a little time, and then want a drop of water to cool his tongue?Yes, the most afflictive circumstances of a religious man are infinitely preferable, all things considered, to the most prosperous state which an ungodly man can enjoy: the one sows in tears to reap in joy; and the other sows the wind to reap the whirlwind ¡ Eccl. xi. 9. k Eccl. v. 17. Acts xvi. 29. Job xviii. 5, 6. • Luke xvi. 19-24, Let us then be persuaded that to serve God is to consult our truest happiness, and that in keeping his commandments there great rewards] q Ps. xix. 11. CCCCVI. THE FOLLY OF CREATURE-CONFIDENCE, Hos. v. 13. When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king fareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. MEN continually provoke God to chastise them, but rarely make a due improvement of his chastisements, Instead of turning to God, they dishonour him more by applying to the creature under their distress rather than to him. The ten tribes, when punished for their willing compliance with Jeroboam's edicts, sought repeatedly to the Assyrians for help instead of humbling themselves before God: but they found, as "Judah" also did on similar occasions, that their confidence in the creature served only to involve them in shame and disappointment. Taking the text simply as an historical fact, we deduce from it two observations, which deserve our consideration, I. Men, in times of trouble, are prone to look to the creature for help, rather than to God This was one of the most common and heinous sins of the Jewish nation: and it is universal also amongst ourselves a Ver. 11, 12. God consumed them as moth does a garment, or as rottenness the bones, secretly, slowly, gradually, effectually. Sometimes they relied on Egypt; Isaiah xxx. 1—S. and xxxi. 1. Sometimes on Assyria (as Manahem did on Paul, 2 Kings xv. 19. and Ahaz did on Tiglath pilneser, 2 Kings xvi. 7.) and sometimes on themselves, Isaiah xxii. 8-11. "Jareb" here certainly means the king of Assyria: but whether it was his proper name, or a nanie given him by the prophet, is uncertain. It means Defender, and might be applied to him in a taunting manner. In this view it would be a very severe sarcasm. See 2 Chron. xxviii. 20. 1. In troubles of a temporal nature [In sickness of body, we lean, like Asa, on the physician. In distress of mind, we complain and murmur; but forget to pray. In straitened circumstances, we expect relief from friends, or our own exertions. God is invariably our last refuge.] 2. In spiritual troubles [Under conviction of sin, we betake ourselves to the observance of duties, and make resolutions to amend our lives, instead of fleeing to Christ as the refuge of lost sinners. In seasons also of temptation, or desertion, we adopt a thousand expedients to remove our burthens, but will not cast them on the Lord. Though foiled ten thousand times, we cannot bring ourselves to lie as clay in the potter's hands; but will rest in the means, instead of looking simply to God in the use of means.] But the longer we persist in it the more we shall find, that II. The creature cannot efford us any affectual succour There are circumstances indeed wherein friends may be instrumental to our relief: but they can do 1. Nothing effectual [The consolations which are administered by man, or by the vanities of this world, are poor empty, transient. Not the whole universe combined can ever bring a man to "glory in tribulations, and to say with Paul, "I take pleasure in them for the sake of Christ:" as soon might they enable him to stop the sun in its course, as to reduce to experience the paradoxes of that holy apostle.*] 2. Nothing of themselves [It is not a little humiliating to see how weak are man's endeavours to heal either the disorders of the body, or the troubles of the soul, when God is pleased to withhold his blessing. The best prescriptions, or the wisest counsels, are even lighter than vanity itself. Reasonings, however just and scriptural, have no weight: advice, however sweetened with love and sympathy, is rejected: the very grounds of consolation are turned into occasions of despair. When God says, "Let there be light," there is light: but till then, the soul is shut up in impenetrable darkness."] ADDRESS 1. Let us guard against this sinful propensity, both in our national and personal concerns [We cannot but see how prone we are, as a nation, to rest on human alliances, and human efforts. Would to God we could correct this fatal error, and trust more entirely in the great disposer of all events! As individuals at least we may, and must, córrect it. If we would have the blessing of God, and not his curse, we must renounce all creature-confidence, and trust in him alone."] 2. Let us especially rely on Christ as the healer of our souls [He is "the healer of the nations," "Jehovah, who healeth us:" there is no physician besides him; nor any balm, but his blood. We may use whatever means we will, either to pacify our conscience, or to purify the heart; but we shall find that they can "not heal us, nor cure us of our wound." But Christ is all-sufficient: he can in one moment purge us by his blood, and renovate us by his Spirit. To him then let us look with humble, uniform, unshaken affiance.] ■ Jer. xvii. 5—8. See David's example, Ps. lx. 11. and cxxi. 1, 2. • Rev. xxii. 2. P Exod. x. 26. CCCCVII. THE DANGER OF PRIDE. Hos. v. 5. The pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore Israel and Ephraim shall fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them. ALL profess to hate pride-Yet all are more or less infected with it-The very best of men are not wholly free from its influence-But, in the unregenerate, it is the governing principle of all their actions-It was one of the most distinguishing features in the character of Sodom"-The professing people of God also were led captive by it—And were brought thereby under his just and heavy displeasure-We shall make some obscrvations upon a Ezek. xvi. 4° I. The sin of Israel The state of Israel was not peculiar to that nation— Human nature is in all ages the same-Nor does pride manifest itself more strongly any where than amongst ourselves-Behold 1. The careless sinner [What determined opposition is there in the hearts of many to the authority of God!-They will not submit to his light and easy yoke-If required to obey, they object to the command itself as severe and impracticable-If warned of the consequences of their disobedience, they make light of all God's threatenings-If urged to receive the gospel salvation, they deride it as foolishness-The language of their heart is, Who is Lord over us? we know not the Lord; neither will we obey his voice-That this proceeds from pride, there can be no doubt-God himself traces such conduct to this, as its proper source and principled-And doth not this "testify to the face" of many amongst us? Is not this the conduct which almost universally obtains?-Yea, are not we sensible that it too justly describes either our present or our former state?-] 2. The self-righteous formalist [Persons of this description have kept themselves free from gross enormities-Or perhaps have reformed their conduct after having given the rein to all their appetites-But their pride rises in proportion to their fancied attainments— They look with contempt on others who are openly immorale -And bless themselves that they are not as other menfMeanwhile" they feel not the plague of their own heart”— They deny the representation which the scripture gives of their fallen states-They cannot endure to think themselves deserving of God's wrath-Nor will they submit to be saved by the righteousness of God"-And whence does all this originate? Surely pride and self-exaltation are properly pointed out as the spring from whence it flows-Yet doth not this disposition also lamentably prevail?-Doth it not testify to the face of some whom we are now addressing?—Are there not some amongst ourselves who trust in their own wisdom, strength, and righteousness, instead of fleeing to Christ as blind, helpless, hopeless creatures?-Some, who are too proud to accept salvation on the footing of publicans and harlots? -Yea, some, who will rather perish in their sins, than seek to have them purged away in the Redeemer's blood?] |