told indeed, in the very chapter before us, that the blood of those who perish, shall be required at the hands of negligent and unfaithful ministers d : but, even though your blood were to be required at the hands of your minister, it would be no alleviation of your misery, since you also would die in your iniquity, and be condemned together with him. We hope, however, and are determined, God helping us, to be " pure from your blood :" we have warned you, and do warn you yet again, that you must turn or die ; " if ye live after the flesh ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Whatever others therefore may plead, ye have, and shall have, none but yourselves to blame : and it will be a bitter reflection in the day of judgment, to think, that " God called, and ye refused ;" and that " Christ would often have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not." May God prevent those reflections by giving you repentance unto life, for his dear Son's sake: Amen, and Amen.]
d ver. 7 — 9.
Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them : for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument : for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
NONE can be religious without appearing so ; be- cause religion must of necessity regulate our outward conduct. But persons may appear religious, while they are wholly destitute of vital godliness. Such were they, who talked of* the prophet in their houses, and expressed so much solicitude to hear from him the word of the Lord —
We propose to consider, I. The characters here described —
a " So the word " against" should be read in ver. 30. as the whole context evidently shews ; and it is so rendered in the margin of the Bibles.