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 desires 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 theu' heart still goeth after their covetousness*^," or some other besetting sin. But this is owing to their not having " truth in their inward parts :" if they 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 understand it: no ; they 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, Brethren ! 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 sincere 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 pureV' you are yet blinded by him, and utterly deceiving your own souls s.]
3. How to get the whole work of God perfected in our souls —
[Come to the Gospel with hearts tender and contrite, that they may be to it as wax to the seal. Then shall you have in your own souls " the witness" of all its most important truths^: and shall be able to answer from your own experience that question which God puts so triumphantly to all the world; " Doth not my word do good to him that walketh uprightly ?" You are not straitened in God : be not straitened in your own souls. Desire much : ask much : expect much : and God will supply your every want " according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."]
<: Matt. xiii. 4, 19. ^ Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32.
« Rev. ii. 24. ^ 1 John iii. 3.
s Jam. i. 26. ^ 1 John v. 10.