[Where is there a truly penitent soul that he ever spurned
from his footstool ? Where is there one who ever
cried to him for help, and did not find his grace sufficient for
him ? Who ever delighted himself in him, and did
not experience a reciprocation of his love ? And
whom did he ever leave or forsake, provided he, on his part,
" cleaved with full purpose of heart unto him ? " May
he not address every one of you in the words nearly following my text ; " O generation ! Have I been a wilderness unto Israel ? a land of darkness ? Wherefore then say ye, We are lords; we will come no more unto theef?" Yes, Brethren, I challenge you, and God himself invites the whole world to sit in judgment, and decide the controversy between us: " O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard : What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it ? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes6?"
Tell me then,
1. What will ye say in justification of yourselves?
[Are ye not guilty ? and have ye so much as a shadow of an excuse for your base conduct ? When the Lord Jesus, at the Last Day, shall call you to account, and say, Why did
you prefer every vanity before me ? Why did not all
the wonders which I had wrought for you, in bearing your sins and expiating your guilt, find a place in your minds, and
constrain you to surrender up yourselves to me ? Tell
me, will not your mouth be shut ? Will you not then be
amazed at the iniquity that was in you ? I pray you,
then, put aside all your self-vindicating delusions, and cast yourselves at the feet of Jesus, crying, " Save, Lord, or I perish !" ]
2. What line of conduct will ye henceforth pursue?
[Will ye go on in your neglect of God and his Christ, and in a determined pursuit of earthly vanities ? I trust ye will not. I do hope that you will see how unreasonable such conduct is, and will from this time turn unto God with your whole hearts. And see, for your encouragement, how rich are the offers of his grace! He says concerning you, " Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob ; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense ; but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, and wearied me with thine iniquities. I, even I, am he that (What? will pour out my judgments
f ver 31. f- Isai. v. 3, 4.