The prophet Isaiah, by the Spirit of God, sets forth the extreme hypocrisy of the Jews: "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of David their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinances of their God. They ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God." Thus their conduct was a strange mixture of apparent devotion and positive rebellion. 66 The prophet Ezekiel was shown the true character of those who waited upon him. 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 shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness." Our divine Redeemer has painted the hypocrite in his true colours: "Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; for ye pay tithe of mint, anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith." "Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but within they are full of extortion and excess. "Woe unto you, ye scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and all uncleanness." "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell!" When we consider, that these men were held in the highest esteem and veneration amongst the Jews, for their outward sanctity and devotion, we see how far persons may go in the externals of religion, and yet be in the very gall or bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. It was on this account that the apostle Paul so constantly warned the churches to whom he wrote, against false profession, and receiving the grace of God in vain. He speaks of those who hold the truth, but who hold it in unrighteousness. The Epistles of St Peter, St John, and St Jude, are full of warnings against false teachers, antichrists and deceivers. The charges to the seven churches, in the book of Revelation, most awfully show the danger of declension, of leaving our first love, of becoming lukewarm, and consequently loathsome to an infinitely holy God. Many, it is to be feared, have the reputation of being spiritually alive, whose souls, in the sight of God, are dead to all the vital influences of the Holy Spirit. O my soul, let not these solemn portions of God's sacred word be lost upon thee. Pray without ceasing for that grace, which can alone preserve thee from falling, and, through the merits of Jesus, present thee faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Almighty Saviour! awaken my drowsy senses; and make me alive to my real condition. Suffer me not to neglect thy blessed Gospel; but draw me to thyself continually, for thy grace is sufficient for me. Wash me in the cleansing fountain of thy blood. Place me upon that foundation which can never be moved. Arm me for the spiritual combat; and at last make me more than conqueror, through the power of thy might and the riches of thy grace. Why should I linger here below, When Jesus calls my heart above! I feel the weight of nature's guilt, O! may the blood on Calvary spilt, Blest Jesus! speak the pardoning word, Then will thy grace those joys afford, Redeem'd from guilt and slavish fear, XIX. ON INADEQUATE VIEWS OF HUMAN NATURE, THE world is full of mourning, lamentation, and woe. We see many dancing along in thoughtless gayety, and sporting on the brink of perdition; but this lightness of spirit is transient; sorrow soon darkens the glare of human happiness, and leaves the soul in sad dejection and despair. Sin This picture may be gloomy, yet it is true. has defaced the moral excellence of man; yea more, has converted him into whatever is base, polluted, and depraved. All his faculties and powers are now employed as weapons against his Maker; and the very plan of mercy, whereby alone he can be restored to holiness, happiness, and heaven, is opposed, neglected, or despised. And yet we talk of moral excellence in a fallen creature; of goodness in a heart which is desperately wicked; of righteousness in a condemned criminal; of amiable qualities in a mind at enmity against God; of strength in a helpless worm; of wisdom in a soul beclouded in all its powers. Strange inconsistency! "What communion hath light with darkness?" The word of God condemns such a motley character, and pronounces a woe on that which the world so much admires. It is no uncommon thing to hear people talk about their good hearts and good intentions; when love to God, and a desire to please him, is an utter stranger to their breast. These self-admiring persons consider as libellous, every attempt to tear away the mask, and to expose the native vileness of the inner man. Thus pride, vanity, self-love, and unbelief, the deadly roots from whence all mischief springs, conspire to keep us in a state of bondage, and enveloped in the mist of error. It is quite compatible with the vanity of our fallen nature, to extol as the highest excellence, those benevolent and patriotic feelings, which often exist in a heart totally alienated from God. The Bible acknowledges no real excellence, but what arises from the regenerating work of grace upon the soul. attentive reader of that Holy Book must be struck with the faithful delineations which it gives of the human heart. Man is there represented, as he appears in the sight of God, when divested of all his meretricious ornaments. What we call virtues, will be found, when analyzed, to be mere selfish principles; and human approbation to be the secret spring of many a splendid action. This disclosure is revolting to our pride. But proud man must be humbled. The Scripture hath concluded all under sin. In this state grace at first finds the sinner. There is naturally no movement of the soul towards God: no affection for him; no trust in him; no obedience to him. The first inclination of the heart to God, is the sole operation of his own secret power, by such instruments or means, as he in his wisdom and sovereignty is pleased to employ. The work once begun, gradually, and sometimes indeed rapidly increases. The blade, the ear, and the full corn in the ear, are of a longer or shorter period in their growth, as the principle is weaker or stronger; for there are mysteries in grace, as well as in nature. But in both kingdoms, the work is of God. He begins, carries on, and completes the vast design. All originates in his will, and all shall terminate in his glory. His language is, "I am God, and besides me there is no Saviour." "In the Lord, all the seed of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory." Yet man is a responsible creature, a moral agent. In this work of grace, God does not force, but inclines the heart to seek him. He does not compel the sinner with reluctant steps, to enter in at the strait gate; but, by enlightening his mind and touching his heart, he sweetly constrains him to enter in that he may be saved. His refusing to submit to the yoke of Jesus, and to accept of mercy on Gospel terms, is altogether the fruit and effect of his own depraved heart, and will justly be punished, if persisted in, with everlasting destruction. Thus all the praise of our salvation is due to God alone, whilst all the guilt and final misery flowing from our transgressions are chargeable solely upon ourselves. Men may now argue, and dispute, and cavil, about the truths of revelation, but a day is fast approaching, when "every mouth that is now opened against him, God will condemn." In that tremendous day of just judgment, the guilty conscience will speak in loudest thunder to the self-convicted soul: whilst notes of praise will for ever ascend from hearts renewed by sovereign grace, to the fountain of eternal love. We sin and forget the sin. But God remembers |