Hos. v. 5. The pride of Israel doth testify to his face : there- fore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity j Judah also shall fall with them.
ALL profess to hate pride ; yet all are more or less infected with it. The very best of men are not wholly free from its influence. But, in the unre- generate, it is the governing principle of all their actions. It was one of the most distinguishing fea- tures in the character of Sodom a. The professing people of God also were led captive by it. And were brought thereby under his just and heavy dis- pleasure. We shall make some observations upon,
I. The prevalence of this sin —
The state of Israel was not peculiar to that nation. Human nature is in all ages the same. Nor does pride manifest itself more strongly any where than amongst ourselves,
1. Nationally —
[There is no nation that boasts more of its privileges, or that acknowledges less the hand of God in them, than Britain. If judgments come, we impute them to the misconduct of our government ; and if success be vouchsafed to us, we ascribe it to our own skill in arts, or prowess in arms. And though con- fessedly our sins are manifold, no one thinks of national humi- liation : so truly may it be said of us, as it was of Israel, " Our pride testifies to our face ; and we do not return to the Lord our God, nor seek him for all thisV]
2. Personally —
[Behold the careless sinner. What determined opposition is there in the hearts of many to the authority of God ! They will not submit to his light and easy yoke. If required to obey, they object to the command itself as severe and imprac- ticable. If warned of the consequences of their disobedience, they make light of all God's threatenings. If urged to receive the Gospel salvation, they deride it as foolishness c. The lan- guage of their heart is, Who is Lord over us ? We know not
a Ezek. xvi. 49. b Hos. vii. 10. <= 1 Cor. ii. 14.
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