and he shines '' in the Divine image in righteousness and true hoHness'^."]
From this subject we may learn,
1 . Whence it is that men get so Httle insight into the Gospel —
[Many hear the Gospel during their whole lives, and never attain any just knowledge of it. How shall we account for this ? We suppose the Gospel to be preached with all possible fidelity, and yet it seems never to convey any light to their minds. The reason is, that they never take any pains to apply it to their own souls, or to get any one truth realized in their own experience. They assent to every thing they hear ; but they are content with being hearers, without ever once attempting to become doers of the word they hear. They " see perhaps their face, as in a glass for the moment ; but they go away, and forget what manner of men they are^." But our blessed Lord has told us, that we must aim at doing his will, in order to get any just insight into what he has revealed^: and, as this desire is altogether wanting in the persons we are speaking of, they never derive any solid benefit from the Gospel. O Brethren ! you must " be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own souls." You must apply the word to your own hearts : when you hear your sins pointed out, you must endeavour to humble yourselves for them in dust and ashes : when you hear of Christ as the one only Saviour of a ruined world, you must endeavour to flee to him for refuge : wlien the Holy Ghost is set forth as the one great source of all spiritual life and motion, you must cry to God the Father for his dear Son's sake to send the Holy Spirit into your hearts, that the whole work of grace may be wrought within you. It is your neglect of thus harrowing in the seed by meditation, and of watering it with tears, that has given Satan an opportunity of taking it out of your hearts as soon as ever it has been sown there''. Get the " honest and the good heart," which truly de- sires to make a just improvement of the word, and God will yet cause the seed to spring up in your hearts, and to bring forth fruit to the salvation of your souls.]
2. Whence it is that many who profess the Gospel are so little ornaments to it —
[It is a melancholy fact, that many who profess godliness walk very unworthy of their high calling. Like Ezekiel's hearers, they are gratified with the preaching of the Gospel, as persons are with " one who plays well upon an instrument ; but their heart still goeth after their covetousness •*," or some other be- setting " 2 Cor. Hi. 18. y Jam. i. 22 — 25. ^ John vii. 17.
* Matt. xiii. 4, 19. ^ Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32,
373.] A BROKEN HEART THE BEST SACUinCE. 197
setting sin. But this is owing to their not having " truth in their inward parts:" if th^y had, they would not be satisfied with professing the Gospel, and talking about it, and looking with pity (or perhaps with contempt) on those who do not un- derstand it : no ; tliey would look to their spirit, that it should be meek and humble; they would look to their conduct also, that it should be blameless and without guile : they would " give no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully." Ah Bre- thren ! think what God requires of all, and of those who make a profession of religion more especially: and beg of God to endue your souls with truth and wisdom, " that ye may be sin- cere and without offence until the day of Christ." You may fancy that you *' know all the depths of Satan '^:" but if your professed " hope in Christ does not purify your souls as Christ is pure''," you are yet blinded by him, and utterly deceiving your own souls*.]