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How strongly is this intimated in the tender manner of his address, "O Ephraim, O Judah," as though he spoke to every one of us severally by name; and by the repetition of that question," What shall I do unto thee?" Let a reciprocal tenderness be excited in our hearts towards him; and both the grounds and consequences of his anger shall be soon removed.]

ADDRESS

1. Those whose goodness has altogether vanished

[How many have reason to look back with shame,, and to say, "O that it were with me as in months passed!" Once you felt some concern about your soul; but now you are regardless of your eternal interests: once you had some prospect of heaven; but now you have none at all. Consider what a melancholy state this is; and that, if you continue in it till you go to the bar of judgment, your condition will be most desperate for ever. Be assured that God will be at no loss how to deal with you then: there will be no longer any conflict in his mind between wrath and pity: abused patience will demand your punishment; and that punishment shall correspond with your iniquity. O that you were wise, and would consider your latter end!]

2. Those who are yet in an hopeful way

[Some there are, we trust, over whom the clouds are yet suspended, and the dew is yet lying with prolific virtue. O beg of God, that no wind of temptation may dispel the one, no sun of persecution exhale the other. "Remember Lot's wife:" and watch against every thing that may impede your progress, or shake your constancy. Be much in prayer, that God would carry on his good work within you, and perform it to the day of Christ." Guard as much against self-dependence as against the grossest of sins; for "God is a jealous God," and will leave you to learn by bitter experience what is in your heart, if you trust in an arm of flesh.m "Trust in him only, and with your whole heart;" and he will "perfect that which concerneth you," and " preserve you unto his heavenly kingdom."]

k Job xxix. 2.

m 2 Chron. xxxii. 31.

I Compare Hos. xiii. 3. with the text.

CCCCXIV. AGAINST HYPOCRISY.

Job xx. 4-7. Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; yet he shall perish for ever, like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

PREJUDICE or passion will miserably warp the judgment

It will hide from us what we might know, and cause us to pervert what we do know

Never was this more strongly exemplified than in the friends of Job

Had they calmly considered, they might have com. forted him in his affliction

But, by a hasty misapplication of acknowledged truths, they most unjustly and cruelly condemned him—

Job had hinted to them the evil and danger of their conduct

And Zophar, irritated at the caution, replies with great severity

His words however, though misapplied, suggest to us two very important truths respecting sinners

I. Their prosperity is transient

Of sinners, some make no profession of religion, and others a false profession

Each of these characters may enjoy, for awhile, great prosperity

The profane are often exalted to places of dignity and

power

They prosper in all their labours for wealth and prefermentThey not only despise, but perhaps persecute the godlyThey triumph," as though no evil should ever happen unto them

This the Psalmist saw with deep regret

Hypocrites also frequently are held in estimation

'They are objects of envy to many an humble and contrite soul

They will boast of experiences which might well be coveted

Job xix. 28, 29.

Ps. Ixxiii. 3—12.

• Rev. iii. 1.

And even attain considerable heights of joyd

Their "excellency may mount up to the heavens, and their heads reach unto the clouds"]

But their prosperity will be of short duration

[Death will speedily seize upon the most stout-hearted

sinner

Then all, which he gloried in, shall come to an endNone of his "pomp shall follow him," or his "wealth be carried with him".

The hypocrite also shall have a period put to his dissimulation

He shall soon appear in his proper character

The all-seeing God will discover the secrets of his heart-
Nor is this time at any great distance-

In comparison of eternity, the duration of his joy will be "but a moment"]

Then will they experience a sad reverse

II. Their ruin will be tremendous

The ungodly will in due time be visited for their of fences

They will then "perish"

1. To their own eternal shame

[Many portions of scripture appear to us indelicate But God's representations of sin are surely justAnd well calculated to make us nauseate and loathe it Such is his description of the ways of sinners

And such his declaration respecting their ends

They will perish under circumstances of disgrace and ignominy

Christ will not deign to own them before his FatherThe angels will come forth to execute the vengeance of God upon them

The saints would even "thrust them out of heaven" if they should seek admittance there!

The damned themselves will insult them with bitter tauntsk→→→ Nor shall they ever cease to be objects of contempt and ab horrence

This is told us in the plainest terms'

Nor while they retain, as they must, their character, is it possible that their situation ever should be changed"--]

2. To the astonishment of all that knew them
[The question "Where is he?" refers primarily to the

utter extinction of the ungodly

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But it may well be considered also as an expression of surprise

The wicked little think where their course will terminate— If the rich man's request had been granted," what reply would his surviving brethren have made so soon as that in the text?

The hypocrites also often escape detection in this worldPerhaps they were celebrated, after their departure, as eminent saints

We may conceive that their dearest friends, or their associates in holy exercises, may enquire after them in heavenWhat surprise and horror must seize them, when they hear of the doom which the heart-searching God has passed upon them!P-]

ADDRESS "KNOW YOU NOT THIS?"

Know you not that this has been so from the beginning of the world?

[Does not the word of God assert, that "it shall be ill with the wicked?"

Does not the most authentic history in the world prove it to have been so?r

Does not conscience itself testify that it shall be so still?-] If you know, do you not consider this?

[Can any thing be more worthy of our consideration?

If we have "but a moment," should we not improve that moment?

Are we willing to perish in this ignominious and awful manner?-]

Let us live no longer in the neglect of religion

[The gratifications of sense can last but for a little time

n Luke xvi. 23, 27, 28.

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They would most probably have exclaimed, "Where is he! in hell! lifting up his eyes in torments! Is it really so? We never could have thought it: we had no doubt but that he was happy: hẻ seemed to us as worthy and blameless a character as any: nor had he himself any doubts but that he was going to heaven."

P If a minister is to have those as his joy and crown of rejoicing,” who were truly converted by his ministry, we may, not improperly, suppose a degree of disappointment, if he miss those, concerning whom he had entertained the most sanguine hopes. We may suppose him, upon the first discovery, to say, "Where is he! What, HE in hell! I often feared that I myself should go thither; but who would have thought that HE should?" The Lord grant that this may never be realized by any of us!

q Isaiah iii. 1. Ps. ix. 17.

Where are now the antediluvian scoffers, the haughty Pharaoh, the treacherous Judas, the worldly-minded Demas, the heretical Hymeneus? &c.

But the consequences of neglecting God will endure for

ever

Surely the care of the soul is the "one thing needful"-] Nor let us rest in a "form of godliness" without experiencing "its power"

[It will avail us little to deceive our fellow-creatures— The higher we have been in their estimation, the deeper will be our disgrace

Let us then go to Christ for the remission of past sinsLet us approve ourselves to him in future, as "servants that need not be ashamed"

And labour to be "sincere and without offence until his coming again"-]

CCCCXV. THE PRAYERS OF UNREGENERATE
MEN CONSIDERED.

Hos. vii. 14. They have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds.

IT is not without reason that prayer has been called by some, The pulse of the soul: for by that more than by any thing else may be discerned the increase or declension of our spiritual health. Somewhat like prayer may be offered by the most ungodly in seasons of deep' distress: but their supplications differ widely from those which proceed from a penitent and contrite heart. The ten tribes, who, in spite of all the warnings given them; would go to Egypt and Assyria, rather than to God, for help, found themselves taken in the net which God had spread for them. Then they began to call upon God for help: but, the heart-searching God testifies respecting them, that they cried not unto him with their heart when they howled upon their beds.

To shew how common and awful this state is, we shall

I. Consider the prayers of unregenerate men

It is confessed such persons often "howl upon their beds"

[In these words two things are to be noticed, namely, the time, and the manner of their prayers. With respect to the

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