cistern, and found it incapable of retaining any water: we have then renewed our labour, and hewed out another ; which we have found as unproductive of solid benefit as the former. We have even worn our- selves out with the pursuit of various and successive vanities, yet have persisted in our error, untaught by experience, and unwearied by disappointments. Even to the close of life " we hold fast deceit ;" " we refuse to return ;" " a deceived heart hath turned us aside, so that we cannot deliver our souls, or say, Is there not a lie in my right hand ?"
Will any contend, that these pursuits are not evil? Surely they are evil in the sight of God. So far from passing over the whole as of small account, he dis- joins and separates the different parts of his charge, and declares, that on account of each we are involved in guilt. Our neglect of him has been exceeding sinful, as our attachment to vanity has also been : " My people have committed two evils."
But on this part of our subject we shall enter more fully, whilst we consider,
II. In what light we should view these evils —
We are apt to palliate our conduct, and to say, What great harm is there in these things ? But if we look to our text, we shall see that they are both heinous in themselves, and terrible in their consequences. In respect of heinousness, I scarcely know whether is greater, their guilt or their folly. Only let us consider what advantages we have enjoyed for the knowledge and service of God. Is it nothing that we have been endowed with such noble capacities, and have neglected to improve them ; insomuch that the progressive en- largement of them has tended rather to increase our alienation from God, than to bring us nearer to him ? Is it nothing that we have had the inspired volume in our hands, and yet have scarcely differed at all, except in speculative notions, from the heathen ? Is it nothing that we have provoked God to jealousy with things which cannot profit, and preferred even the basest lust before him ? Is it nothing that we have