Isaiah v. 20. Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness ; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.
THAT man in his present state is a corrupt and siuful creature, is too plain to be denied: the whole
tenour of his conduct proves it beyond a doubt. But the generahty give themselves credit for meaning well at the very time that they are doing ill. In this, however, they are mistaken. There is in all a far greater consciousness of the evil of their conduct than they are willing to allow. But they wish to quiet their own minds, and to approve themselves to the world : and therefore they change the names of things, " calling good evil, and evil good, putting darkness for light, and hght for darkness, bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter." By these means they succeed in allaying their own fears, and in commending them- selves to each other ; but their guilt before God is thereby greatly increased : for our Lord says, " This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." There is in their hearts a rooted aversion to what is good, and a consequent determination to decry it : there is also an inveterate love of evil, and a consequent desire to justify it. Hence arises that conduct which is so justly repro- bated in the text ; the prevalence and evil of which we shall proceed to lay before you.
We will endeavour to point out, I. The prevalence of this conduct —
The more we examine the principles and actions of men, the more shall we find that this system obtains among them both in theory and practice.
Inspect their views of religion ; and it will appear that they consider it as a superficial thing, consisting in a bare assent to certain notions, and a formal observance of certain rites. If they have been bap- tized in their infancy ; if they have some general views of Christianity, together with a persuasion of its divine authority ; if they attend regularly on public worship, and occasionally communicate at the Lord's supper ; and finally, if they are not guilty of any gross and scandalous violations of their duty, they think they have all the religion that they need.
But they substitute the shadow for the substance.