[God, in his Gospel, comes and entreats of man to accept
of reconciliation with him through the Son of his love
But how do men treat this divine message ? They reject it utterly; and say in their hearts, respecting the Lord Jesus Christ, " We will not have this man to reign over us." In the parable of the wedding-feast, " all who were invited began
to make excuse " And thus it is with us. Any thing
is deemed sufficient to justify our refusal of God's gracious
invitations • — And from his sentence in reference to them,
we know in what light he will regard us and in what way he will deal with usg ]
The woe denounced against such conduct leads us to consider,
II. The evil of it- It cannot possibly be painted in too strong colours : for it is,
1. Presumptuous —
[In the words following my text, this is set forth by two very opposite illustrations. Let us conceive a piece of clay, dissatisfied with the form given to it by the potter, rising up against the potter, and accusing him of ignorance or injustice ; should we not say, that it was presumptuous in the extreme ? Or, let us suppose a child to rise up against his parents ; and to ask the one why he did not beget, and the other why she did not bring forth, a more perfect being : should we not think that he arrogated to himself an authority which did not belong to him ? Thus, then, it is with all who in any way strive with their Maker: they are altogether out of their place, and, in the whole of their conduct, are guilty of the most unwarrant- able presumption.]
2. Foolish—
[Can any one suppose that he shall prevail against his Maker ? As well might the clay hope to prevail against the potter, who can see nothing in his work but arrogance and folly. And so God has told us : " The counsel of the Lord, that shall stand; and he will do all his pleasure11" ]
3. Ruinous —
[Vain, utterly vain, is such a contest as this. And so we are plainly warned. What would be the issue of a contest between briers and thorns and a devouring fire ? Such will be the issue of the strife between God and his rebellious creatures: " Who would set briers and thorns against me in battle ? I
s Luke xiv. 1G — 24. >' Isai. xlvi. 10,