to believe, that " they who observe lying vanities, forsake their own mercies s !"]
2. The reflections to which it will give rise —
[Here we will not give ourselves time for consideration; but when we come into the eternal world, we shall have nothing else to do*: and then how inexpressibly painful will it be to reflect, ' I once had a God of infinite love and mercy calling me to accept of reconciliation with him ; I had a Saviour too who offered to cleanse me in his blood from all my sins, and to clothe me in the robe of his own unspotted righteousness : by his Holy Spirit also my Saviour strove with me, to bring me to repentance, and to guide my feet into the way of peace. Once had I ordinances, wherein I might have enjoyed my God ; and ministers by wham I might have been led to the great Shepherd and Bishop of my soul. But now all those blessings are withdrawn, and are for ever hid from my eyes. I valued them not when they were within my reach : I had no taste but for the vanities of this world ; and, like Esau, I sold heaven itself for a poor worthless momentary enjoyment: now too, like him, I am rejected, and could find no place of repentance in my Father's mind, though I should seek it ever so carefully with tears u.' ' Now I find that God's word was true ; and that the harvest which we must reap accords with the seed we sowed : " I reap now nothing but corruption, because I sowed only to the flesh;" whereas, if I could have been prevailed upon to " sow unto the Spirit, I should at this moment have been reaping everlasting lifex." I now call to my God, and beg him to send me only a drop of water to cool my tongue ; but he bids me go for relief to the gods which I preferred before him, and reminds me, that, having received the consolations which I desired, I have no other to expect at his hands y.'
Such is the portion of those who neglect God : " they sow the wind, and they reap the whirlwind2."]
Address —
1. Those that are at ease in their sins —
[You think it time enough to seek the Lord when you are no longer able to enjoy the world. But are you sure that time will be afforded you, if you neglect the present hour ; or that God will hear you, when your prayers are extorted only by pain and terrors ? Such delays receive but little countenance from God in the passage we are considering, or indeed in any
s Jonah ii. 8. * Wisd. v. 4.
* Matt, xxiii. 37, 38. with Heb. xii. 16, 17. x Gal. vi. 7, 8.
y Luke xvi. 24—26. z Hos. viii. 7.
1031.1 god's complaint against the rebellious. 27
other part of Holy Writ a. " Seek then the Lord whilst he may be found; call ye upon him whilst he is nearh."
2. Those who are brought into any kind of
trouble —
[Now then at least is the time tor you to call upon your God ; for when will you do it, if not in the time of trouble ? Will you stay till you are summoned before his judgment-seat? Will you not begin to look for the Bridegroom, till he has already entered into his house, and the door is shut? O look upon your affliction as the voice of God : receive it as a messenger sent from him to prepare you for his presence : and remember, if he has warned you of your danger, he has also given you encouragement to turn unto him. He has shewn you, in his reception of the Prodigal, how ready he is to receive returning penitents0 ; and, in his mercy to Manasseh, how great iniquities he can pardon d. Only " return then unto him; so iniquity shall not be your ruin."]