What know they of his truth? They read many threatenings in his word; but they do not believe that he will execute them.] 3. Of Christ [They confess perhaps his Godhead, and acknowledge him as a Saviour. But what know they of him as he is in himself? Do they discern his beauty, his excellency, his glory? Is He in their eyes" chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovelyi?" What know they of him as he is to us? Do they comprehend any thing of the breadth and length, the depth and height of his unsearchable love? Have they any adequate idea of his tender sympathy and compassion1? Have they been filled with an admiration of his fulness, his suitableness, his sufficiency m? If more were necessary to confirm this melancholy truth, we would appeal to God's own assertion respecting us, that our stupidity and ignorance are more than brutish".] Lest such ignorance should be thought venial, we proceed to notice, II. The fatal consequences of it— Doubtless the degrees of criminality attached to ignorance must vary according to the opportunities which men have enjoyed of obtaining knowledge. But in all men who have the light of the Gospel set before them, a lack of spiritual knowledge, 1. Tends to their destruction [Every sin is destructive, but more especially impenitence and unbelief. And what is the occasion of these? Must they not be traced to ignorance as their true and proper source? If men knew what ignorant, guilty, depraved, and helpless creatures they are, could they refrain from sorrow and contrition? If they knew what a holy, just, and immutable God they have to do with, could they do otherwise than tremble before him? If they knew what a merciful, loving, and adorable Saviour there is, whose bowels are yearning over them, who is ever following them with invitations and entreaties, and who longs for nothing so much as to save their souls, could they turn their backs upon him? Could they help crying to him for mercy, and desiring an interest in his h Luke xvi. 17. i Cant. v. 10, 16. 1 Heb. ii. 18. and iv. 15. n Isai. i. 2, 3. k Eph. iii. 18, 19. m 1 Cor. i. 30 salvation? If a man, feeling himself in imminent danger of perishing in the sea, cannot but avail himself of the assistance offered him for the preservation of his life, so neither can a man who feels his danger of everlasting destruction neglect and despise the salvation offered him in the Gospel.] 2. Will issue in their destruction [God himself best knows what he has ordained and decreed: and as the fates of men will be determined by him at last, to him, and to his word, we make our appeal. We want to ascertain the states of those who are ignorant of the Gospel: God tells us plainly, "They are lost." We want to be informed whether their ignorance will not be considered as a sufficient plea for their rejection of the Gospel? God assures us, that instead of operating in that view, and to that extent, it shall itself be the ground of their condemnation P. We would fain hope that the Lord Jesus Christ would interpose for them at the last day, to avert or mitigate their sentence. But we are told, on the contrary, that he himself will come to judgment, for the express purpose of taking vengeance on them. Here we leave the matter. If ye will not believe such plain and positive declarations of God, we shall in vain hope to make any impression on your minds by any feeble arguments of our own.] INFER 1. How carefully should we improve the means of grace! [The ordinances are appointed of God for our instruction in spiritual knowledge. Should we then absent ourselves from them on slight occasions? or should we be content with a formal attendance on them, while yet we derive no solid benefit to our souls? O let us remember that our all is at stake: and whether we hear, or read, or pray, let us do it as for eternity.] 2. How earnestly should we pray for the teachings of God's Spirit! [Whether we be learned or unlearned, we can know nothing but as we are taught of God. In respect of spiritual knowledge, the rich have no advantage above the poor: yea, the poor have rather the advantage of the rich, inasmuch as they have more docility of mind; and God has promised to reveal to babes the things which are hid from the wise and q 2 Thess. i. 7, 8 • 2 Cor. iv. 3. p Isai. xxvii. 11. prudent'. Let us then beg that our eyes may be opened, and that through the influences of the Spirit we may know the things which are freely given to us of Gods.] 3. How thankful should we be for any measure of divine knowledge! [To be wise unto salvation is to be wise indeed. All other knowledge is as nothing in comparison of this. Blessed then are they who can say, "This I know, that, whereas I was blind, I now seet." Yes, Believers, "blessed are your eyes, which now see:" for if ignorance is destructive to the soul, knowledge, on the other hand, provided it be spiritual and practical, will surely save it".] r Jam. ii. 5. Matt. xi. 25. t John ix. 25. Matt. xiii. 16. s 1 Cor. ii. 11. Eph. i. 18. u Isai. liii. 11. John xvii. 3. with 1 John ii. 3, 4. MCXLVII. THE EVIL AND DANGER OF BACKSLIDING. Hos. iv. 16. Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer. SUCH is the influence of bad example, that it is extremely difficult to withstand its attractions, even at the time that we behold its fatal effects. Israel, or the ten tribes, from their first apostasy under Jeroboam, were irreclaimably addicted to idolatry. The prophet, finding his efforts vain with respect to them, turns to Judah, and entreats that they would not tread in the steps of Israel, who, like an untamed and refractory bullock, had entirely cast off the yoke, and refused all subjection to Jehovah. Humiliating as this account of Israel is, it is but too just a representation of the Christian world, whose conduct is utterly unworthy of the name they bear, and from whose ways we cannot stand at too great a distance. To impress this awful truth upon your minds, we propose to shew, a ver. 15. At Gilgal and at Bethel, where God had formerly been worshipped, idols were now set up. The prophet, exhorting Judah not to go to those places, calls Beth-el (the house of God) Beth-aven (the house of vanity). I. When we may be said to resemble a backsliding heifer We owe submission to our heavenly Master; but give too much reason for the comparison in the text. This resemblance may be seen in us, 1. When we will not draw in God's yoke at all— [Unconverted men in every age and place are rebels against God: and, though all are not equally profligate in their manners, all are equally averse to spiritual employments: the law of God is considered as imposing on them an intolerable yoke, to which they will not, they cannot submit. They are indeed subjected to it against their will; but neither chastisements nor encouragements can prevail upon them to draw in it on the contrary, like a ferocious bullock, they are insensible of favours, and they fret at rebukes.] 2. When we draw in it only by fits and starts— [Many appear willing to obey God in a time of sickness, or after some signal deliverance, or under an impressive sermon, or during a season of peace and tranquillity h: but, as soon as ever the particular occasion that called forth their pious resolutions has ceased, or they find that they must suffer for Christ's sake, they forget the vows that are upon them, and return to their former state of carelessness and indifference1. They renew their resolutions perhaps at certain seasons; but "their goodness is as the morning dew, or as the early cloud that passeth away." Thus, like a heifer that will draw for one moment and will not the next, they are, in the strongest sense of the words, unprofitable servants.] 3. When we grow weary of the yoke [It is not uncommon for persons to go on well for a season, and yet draw back at last. They grow weary of performing their duties, of exercising their graces, of mortifying their lusts. If they maintain an observance of public duties, they become remiss in those of the family and the closet: their delight in the Scriptures languishes; their meditations are cold; their devotions formal. Their faith, their hope, their love operate with less vital energy and their besetting sins, whatever they were, regain their strength, and resume their ascendancy. These are like a horse or bullock, which, after having yielded b Exod. v. 2. Ps. xii. 4. Jer. ii. 31. and vii. 24. • Rom. viii. 7. d Jer. xxxi. 18. f Ps. cvi. 12, 13. h Matt. xiii. 21. e Isai. xxvi. 16. g Exod. xxiv. 3, 7. Jam. 1. 24. i Ps. lxxviii. 34-37. to the yoke for a season, becomes restive and ungovernable, and disappoints thereby the expectations of its owner.] Lest the frequency of these characters should tempt us to think favourably of them, we proceed to shew, II.The evil and danger of such a state We shall notice, 1. The evil of it [A backslidden state, in whomsoever it is found, is exceeding sinful but in those who have made some profession of religion, it is attended with peculiar aggravations. It is a contemning of God; of his Majesty, which demands our subjection, and of his mercy, which would accept and reward our poor services. And it is in this light that God himself frequently complains of it. It is a justifying of the wicked; for it says to them, in fact, "I was once as you are, and thought I should become happier. by serving God: but I find by experience that there is no profit in serving him; and therefore I am returning to your state, which is, on the whole, the happier and more desirable." It is a discouraging of the weak. Little do false professors think how much evil they do in this way'. Many are induced to follow their example in some things, under the idea that they are innocent; and are thus drawn from one sin to another, till they make shipwreck of a good conscience, and utterly turn away from the faith. And need we multiply words any further to shew the evil of backsliding from God? Well does God himself call it "a wonderful and horrible thing"."] 2. The danger of it— [This is an iniquity which God marks with peculiar indignation"; and never fails to visit it, sooner or later, with some awful token of his displeasure. The first symptoms of declension lead, if not speedily mourned over and resisted, to utter apostasy. The disposition to backslide will soon increase, till it become inveterate, and, unless by a marvellous interposition of God himself, incurable. The misery that will be incurred by means of it will far exceed all that would have been endured, if no profession of religion had ever been made. "If any man draw back," says God," my soul shall have no pleasure in him :" he "draws back k Numb. xi. 20. 1 Sam. ii. 30. and 2 Sam. xii. 10. Ps. x. 13. m Jer. v. 30. n Jer. ii. 19, 21, 22. |