Isai. ix. 13. T/ie ^^eople turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts.
RICH as God is in mercy to repenting sinners, he is full of indignation against the impenitent. Hence his most gracious invitations and promises are often intermixed with the most awful threatenings''. He had just before declared his intention of sending the Messiah to his chosen people. He now threatens them with utter excision for their impenitence''. The grounds of his displeasure are no less visible amongst ourselves than amongst the Jews. We are at this time suffering under his chastising hand. But few, if any, of us are suitably affected with his judgments.
The solemnity of this day'' leads us to inquire,
I. What is the end for which God chastises us ?
He does not ever afflict his people willingly and without a cause. Sin is the ground of the controversy that he has with us. It is for the removal of this that he sends afflictions,
1. Upon individuals — [His most highly favoured people are not exempt from chastisement : while they have any sin unmortified, God will not leave them altogether unpunished'^. Even the upright Job had much dross which was to be purged in the furnace of affliction'^. David also found much benefit arising from his trials^; and acknowledged them to have been tokens of God's love and faithfulness^. Under the New Testament dispensa- tion God has had the same end in view : He " delivered the incestuous man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus'' ;" and visited with bodily sickness many of those who had proffined the Lord's supper, in order that they might not perish with the ungodly world'. Nor can we doubt but that our troubles are sent for the same benevolent purpose ; of whatever kind they be, they are intended to purge away our sin, and bring us nearer unto God''.]
a Matt. xi. 20, 21, 28. i> Compare ver. 6, 7. with ver. 11 — 15. c The Fast-day, March 1798. '• Jer. xxx. 11.
e Job xxiii. 10. f Ps. cxix. 71. ^ Ps. cxix. 72.
^ 1 Cor. v. 5. i 1 Cor. xi. 30, ;52. ^ Heb. xii. 10.