truth are very contracted : but still, the crude notions which many form of" it clearly prove that they have never received the Gospel aright ; because, if they had really been taught of God, they could not but discern its fundamental truths ; since, " what God has hid from the wise and prudent, he does clearly and most intelligibly reveal to babes."]
2. In practice —
[Truly it is very humiliating to see how little the preached Gospel answers the end for which it is delivered. It is in- tended to transform men into " the image of their God in righteousness and true holiness :" but on how few does it produce this saving change ! Many love the preaching of the truth, like Ezekiel's hearers, who heard him with delight, " as one that played well upon a musical instrument:" but, like them, they still retain all their former lusts ; " their heart goes after their covetousness" and worldly-mindedness as much as ever ; and their tempers are as unsubdued as ever. See them year after year ; their besetting sins are still their besetting sins, with very little, if any, diminution in their power and ascendency. It is painful to think how many satisfy them- selves with embracing the doctrines of Christianity, without experiencing its sanctifying effects. Would to God there were no room for this complaint! but indeed it is so: and there are many professors of religion who are as much under the dominion of unhallowed tempers as if they were utter strangers to divine truth : and, in speaking peace to themselves, they fearfully " deceive their own souls :" for, whatever they may think, " their religion is altogether vain^"
But there are others, who, though not left under the domi- nion of any particular sin, are still obnoxious to the censure in my text ; because they never attain that knowledge of the truth which would introduce them into the full liberty of the children of God. They have heard and learned of men : but they have never " heard and learned of iheFather^ as the truth is in Jesus ^." See what the truth is, as it was revealed by the Lord Jesus, and as exemplified in his life and conversation : such is that which we also ought to receive and experience : and it is a shame to us, if, after having been instructed in the Gospel for months and years, we do not, in some good mea- sure at least, attain unto it. But many, " who, for the time that they have been instructed, ought to have been capable of instructing others, yet need again to be initiated into the very first principles of the oracles of God '^," and "to be fed witk milk, rather than with meatV' which their feeble powers are not able to digest.]
" Jam. i. 26. ^ Eph. iv. 20, 21. John vi. 45.
e Heb. v. 12—14. f 1 Cor. iii. 1—4.