our tongues shall we prevail: our lips are our own: who is Lord over us?" The Prophet Jeremiah gives exactly the same character of those in his age: all classes of the community said to his very face, in answer to the messages he delivered to them from the Lord, "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, or cometh into our own hearts." Now from these testimonies it is evident that I am not putting an undue construction on the words of Pharaoh, or pressing them too far, when I represent them as characterizing the spirit of the present day. It is clear that men do at this day "reject the word of the Lord," and "cast it behind them," and, in effect, say as he did, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?" It is obvious, too, that they do this in the midst of all the judgments and mercies with which God is pleased to visit them. There may be in many an occasional relenting, or purpose to amend: but all endeavour to lower the commands of God to the standard that is agreeable to their own minds; nor do any, except those who have been savingly converted to God, through Christ, ever surrender up themselves to God, or yield an unreserved obedience to his commands.] And in what must your disobedience issue? [Ask of persons in their career of sin, and they will tell you that they have nothing to fear. The confidence of Pharaoh and all his host exactly represents their state. Behold that whole army: onward they go, in prosecution of their bloody purpose: but little do they think how soon they will rue their folly, and how irretrievable will their ruin be in the space of a few moments. See them pressing forward: how little do they apprehend the fate that awaits them! So behold the various classes of ungodly men: how little do they dream of the destruction to which they are hastening! Wait but a few short moments, and they will all sink into everlasting perdition. But will not their confidence deliver them? No: the greater their confidence, the more certain is their ruin. But surely we may hope that their numbers will be some protection? No: of the whole Egyptian army, not one soul escaped: nor, if the unconverted world were a million times more numerous than they are, should one single soul escape the wrath of God. They are willingly and determinately treasuring up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath: and at the appointed season it shall come upon them to the uttermost. Then they will know who that Lord is, whom f Ps. xii. 4. VOL. I. 6 Jer. xliv. 16, 17. with xxiii. 17. Ꮓ now they so despise: and they shall find, to their cost, that "those who walk in pride he is able to abase"."] SEE then, from hence, 1. How great is the folly of ungodly men! [Were a child to contend in battle with a man, who would not upbraid him for his folly and presumption in entering into so unequal a contest? But what shall we say of those who set themselves in array against the Majesty of heaven? Truly, a contest of briers and thorns against a devouring fire would not be more absurd. And this is the very comparison which is made by God himself: "Who would set briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, and burn them up togetheri." I pray you, Brethren, remember against whom it is that you fight. It is against Him, who by a word spake the universe into existence, and by a word could reduce it in an instant to absolute nonentity. Look at the fallen angels, and see the consequence of rebelling against God! Look at the antediluvian world, and say, whether it be not an evil and bitter thing to sin against him, and to provoke his displeasure. Were it possible for you to withstand his power or to elude his search, you might have some excuse for casting off his light and easy yoke: but indeed you must, ere long, be summoned to his tribunal, and receive at his hands a doom which can never be reversed. And "will ye be strong in the day that he shall deal with you, or will ye thunder with a voice like his?" I pray you, lay down the weapons of your rebellion without delay, and implore mercy at the Saviour's hands, whilst yet" the day of salvation lasts, and the accepted time is continued to you."] 2. How greatly are they to be pitied! your [See how secure they are in their own apprehensions, and how confidently they expect a successful termination of their conflicts! Unhappy men! Methinks I see you in the agonies of death, and behold you at the instant of your entrance into the presence of God. Oh! could we but conceive your terrors, and hear your cries, and witness your unavailing lamentations, how should we pity you! Could we further behold the triumphant exultations of that cruel fiend, who was once your tempter, and will then be your tormentor to all eternity, how should we weep over you! And lastly, if we could behold you suffering the vengeance of eternal fire, under the wrath of Almighty God, methinks it would be too much for us to endure the very sight would overwhelm us, even though we had no fears for ourselves. Verily, it was with good reason that the Saviour wept over the devoted city of Jerusalem: and we would that "our eyes also were a fountain of tears, to run down day and night" on account of your present obduracy, and on account of the miseries that await you in the eternal world!] 3. How desirable is the knowledge of God, as revealed in the Gospel! [Never was there one who sought the face of God in vain. No: however long ye may have rebelled against God, there is mercy for you, if you turn to him with your whole hearts. Think how many of those who crucified the Lord of glory obtained mercy at his hands: and so shall you also, if you will humble yourselves before him, and seek for mercy through his atoning blood. "Not so much as one of you should perish, if you would but go to him." No truly, "there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." "All that believe in him shall be justified from all things." "Acquaint, then, yourselves with God, and be at peace.' Seek that knowledge of him which is life eternal." And know, that, whilst "they who know him not, and obey not his Gospel, shall be banished from the presence of his glory," his believing and obedient servants shall both serve him, and be served by him, in his kingdom and glory, for ever and ever.] LXVIII. THE OPPOSITION THAT IS MADE TO RELIGION. Go Exod. v. 17, 18. But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord. therefore now and work. MAN prides himself upon his reason: but let him be under the influence of passion or interest, and nothing can be found more unreasonable: his eyes are blinded, his heart is hardened, his conscience is seared, and his actions are nearer to those of a maniac, than of a rational being. Nor is his madness ever carried to a greater extent, than when religion is concerned. Look at the persecutors of God's people, from Cain to this present moment: what have they been, but agents of the devil, fighting against God, and murdering their fellow-creatures with insatiable cruelty? A just specimen of their conduct we have in the history before us. Moses and Aaron were sent of God, to require that the Hebrew nation, who were then in Egypt, should go and offer sacrifices to him in the wilderness; where they might serve him without any fear of offending, or of being interrupted by, the people amongst whom they dwelt. Pharaoh not only refused his permission, but proudly defied Jehovah, and ordered immediately that such burthens should be laid upon the people as it was impossible for them to bear. On their complaining to him of the oppression which they suffered, and of the unmerited punishment that was inflicted on them, he relaxed nothing of his unrighteous decree, but exulted in their miseries, and dismissed them with invectives: "Ye are idle, ye are idle," &c. In discoursing on these words, it will be profitable to us to consider, I. What is that sacrifice which God requires at our hands- We, as well as the Hebrews, are called to sacrifice unto our God. But is it our flocks and our herds that he requires? No: this is the message which he has sent us; "My son, give me thy heart"." The sacrifice that he demands, is, 1. An humble heart God [Every child of man must, at his peril, present this to And every one that presents it to him, shall certainly be accepted - -] 2. A believing heart—— ["Without faith it is impossible to please God." It is faith that renders every other offering pleasing and acceptable to him. This he considers as a sacrifice - It was not sufficient, that penitents under the law confessed their sins, or that they brought their sin-offering to be presented by the priest: they must lay their hands upon the head of their offering, and thereby profess their faith in that atonement, which in due time was to be made for the sins of the whole worldf. In like manner we also must not only " acknowledge a Ps. 1. 8-15. and li. 16. d Heb. xi. 6. b Prov. xxiii. 26. c Ps. li. 17. f Phil. ii. 17. The lamb that was offered every morning and evening, was to have a meat-offering of fine flour mingled with oil, and a drink-offering of wine poured upon it: and all was to be consumed together: Exod. xxix. 40. St. Paul, referring to this, calls our iniquity," but must by faith transfer it to the sacred head of Jesus, who atoned for it on the cross, and through whom alone we can ever find acceptance with God.] 3. A thankful heart 66 66 [This is a tribute most justly due to Him, who has loaded us with so many benefits, but, above all, has redeemed us by the blood of his only-begotten Son. The command given us Rejoice evermore;' Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say, rejoice." This is a sacrifice peculiarly pleasing to Godh and "the very stones will cry out against us," if we should refuse to offer it.] is, 4. An obedient heart [This is the crown of all. It is the end of all. For this we repent; for this we believe; for this we give thanks to God: all without this were only a solemn mockery. It is in order to this that God has vouchsafed to us so many mercies* - And we may be well assured, that every act of obedience, however small, if only it proceed from an humble, believing, and thankful heart, shall be accepted of him1.] Reasonable as such a sacrifice is, we are shocked to see, II. In what light it is regarded by an ungodly world Did Pharaoh contemptuously resist the divine mandate; did he treat the request of the Hebrews as a pretext for idleness; and did he make it an occasion for the most cruel oppression? Here we may see a true picture of the world at this day it is precisely thus that religion is now opposed; 1. With contempt [Pharaoh regarded the proposal of Moses as unworthy of notice. He saw no necessity for either himself or others to obey the commands of God; nor did he believe that any evil consequences would ensue from disobedience. And how are the requisitions, which are now made to us in Jehovah's name, attended to amongst us? Is not this the universal cry; 'There is no need of so much religion; we shall do very well without their faith the sacrifice; and says, that he should rejoice in offering (in pouring out as a libation) his own blood, to be presented to God together with it. g John i. 29. h Heb. xiii. 15. Ps. cvii. 22. and cxvi. 17. 1 Heb. xiii. 16. i Luke xix. 40. k Rom. xii. 1. m ver. 3, 9. He calls the menaces with which God's command was enforced, "vain words." |