God therefore gives them over to blindness and hardness of heart, and to the very delusions which they have chosen e. He has plainly declared, that he will do this " to those who love not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness : he will give them over to strong delusion, that they may believe a lie, and perish in their sinsf." In fact, these people prefer the prophets that will deceive themg; and they will either be given up to the guidance which they affect h, or be left under the influence of eyes that cannot see, and ears that cannot hear' ]
3. In a way of just and indignant reprehension —
[Against persons of this description, our blessed Lord himself, meek and lowly as he was, spake in the severest terms k. And, verily, God will answer them " according to the multitude of their idols ; " " setting his face against them, and consigning them over to the judgments which their hypo- crisy has deserved1. His word to them is the very reverse of that which will be uttered to his obedient people : " Say to the righteous, that it shall be well with them ; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings : but woe unto the wicked ! it shall be ill with him; for the reward of his hands shall be given unto himm."]
And now,
1. Examine, I pray you, with what dispositions you have come hither at this time —
[In coming hither, to inquire of the Lord, have ye been sincerely desirous to know his will; and fully determined, through grace, to obey it without reserve? O! judge your- selves; for God knoweth your hearts, and his judgment will be according to truth ]
2. Look to it, that this message from God produce in your hearts its due effect —
[If you will approve yourselves to God, you must " be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own souls"" ]
e Isai. lxvi. 4. f 2 Thess. ii. 10—12.
s Isai. xxx. 9 — 11. Jer. v. 31. h ver. 9. with Jer. xxiii. 17,18.
1 Isai. vi. 9, 10. 2 Cor. iv. 4. k Matt, xxiii. 13—33.
I ver. 8. Matt. xxiv. 31. m Tsai, m iq} 11.
II Jam. i. 22—25.