they draw nigh to him in public, it is not really to know his will, or to enjoy his presence, but merely to perform a duty, in which their hearts are not at all engaged b.
But the expression in our text imports, not merely a neglect of God, but a contempt of him also. And a most awful mark of contempt it is, to turn our back upon him when he calls us, instead of turning to him our face. Yet thus it is that we treat him, exactly as his people did even in his very temple0: we all have idols in our hearts ; and those we serve to the utter neglect of God ; and, when reminded of our duty to him, we cry, " Who is the Lord ? I know him not ;" " I will have nothing to do with him;" " I desire not the knowledge of his waysd."]
2. In a state of trouble —
[Few are so hardened in iniquity, but they will begin to reflect on their ways when they come into trouble : " they will pour out a prayer, when God's chastening is upon theme." Even hypocrites f, yea and heathens too*?, when reduced to great extremities, will cry for help : " In their affliction," says God, " they will seek me earlyh." Nay more, they will ex- press, not only importunity, but, as our text intimates, a con- siderable measure of impatience also : as if God were bound immediately to interpose for them, though they have rejected and " forgotten him days without number1." The whole of their conduct is beautifully set forth in the preceding context, under the image of " a wild ass." She, when seeking her mate, is so wild, that no one will attempt to catch her : but, when the time is come for her to be delivered of her young, she may easily be caught k. So it is with sinners, when bent upon the gratification of their earthly and sensual desires, they prosecute their own ways without restraint, and laugh at all our efforts to apprehend them : but, when burthened and bowed down with trouble, they will suffer us to approach them, and will bear to hear the voice of counsel and reproof. Their affliction represses for a season their spirit of rebellion, and brings them to a better mind.]
Still however their conduct is most perilous, as will appear, whilst we shew,
II. The folly and danger of it —
To manifest this, we need only consider,
b Matt. xv. 8. c Ezek. viii- 16<
d Compare Jer. ii. 31. with Exod. v. 2. Ps. xii. 4. andlxxxi. 1 1. Job xxi. 14, 15. Isai. xxx. 11.
e Isai. xxvi. 16. f Ps. lxxviii. 34—37. s Jonah i. 5.
h Hos. v. 15. i ver. 22. with Isai. lviii. 3. k ver. 23,24.