CHAP. VII. V. 1, 2. This chapter begins a new prophecy, which seems to have been delivered some time after the preceding. The prophet was commanded to station himself in the entrance of the temple, and there to proclaim his message to all those, who came thither to worship, probably, on some of the solemn feast-days. This must have given great offence to the chief priests, and to those who had authority in ecclesiastical concerns. ( Notes , 26:2-9. Matt . 21:23-46. Acts 5:1728.)
V.3, 4. ( Marg . Ref. Notes, 5-15.) The people gloried and trusted in the temple of JEHOVAH, even when they were given up to
many prefer modern improvements and discov -idolatry and wickedness: and when the proph
eries: nay, many treat these ancient ways, as novel inventions, and enthusiastical reveries; and others who have some speculative knowledge of them, do not walk in them. But if men will not obey the voice of God, nor take warning when his watchmen sound the alarm, nor flee to his appointed refuge; it will appear at the day of judgment to all the world, that their ruin originated from their own wicked thoughts, because they would not hearken unto the words of God, but rejected them. Nor can any man reasonably expect, that the
ets foretold judgments from God on the city and nation; they boasted that the temple, with its courts and solemnities, belonged to the Lord; and they were confident that he would spare the city on that account; and not suffer his sanctuary to be defiled by the heathen. Thus they "trusted in lying words," which the false prophets spake to them: as if they were
nalterably the favorites of heaven, that they might be sure of protection, on, whatever wickedness they committed. The three-fold repetition seems only to mark the rash and
5 For & if ye throughly amend your 11 Is this house, which is called by my
ways and your doings; "if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor;
6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt;
7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.
8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?
g 3. 4:1,2. Is. 1:19,20.
h 5:1. 21:12. 1 Kings 6:12,13.
Is. 16:3. Ez. 19:8,17.
i 22:3,4,15,16. Ex. 22:21-24. Deut. 24:17.27:19. Job-31:13
-22.
Ps. 82:3,4. Zech. 7:9 -12. Mal. 3:5. Jam. 1:27. k 2:30,34. 22:17. 26:15,23. Kings 21:6. 21:4. Ps. 106:38. Is. 59.7. Lam. 4:13. Ez 22: 3-5. Matt. 23.35-37. 27:4, 25.
1 13:10. Deut. 6:14,15, 11:28. Ez. 18:6.
in 17:20-27-18:7,8. 25:5.
See on 3:18. - Deut. 4:40. 2 Chr. 33:8.
o See on 4.--4:10. 5:31. 8:10. 23: 14-16,26,32. Is. 23:15.30.10. Ez: 13:6-16.
p 9:2-9. Ps. 50:16-21. Is. 59:1-8. Ez. 18:10-13,18. 33:25,26. Hos. 4:1-3. Mic.
name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it , saith the LORD.
12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
14 Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, das I have done to Shiloh.
15 And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even f the whole seed of Ephraim.
[Practical Observations.]
16 Therefore & pray not thou for this 3:8-12.CoZech. 5:3.4. Mal people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for
-21.
6:9,10. Gal. 5:19 Eph. 5:5-7. 2 Tim. 3:2-5. Jam. 4:1-4. Rev. 21:8. 22:15.
9 11:13,17. 32:29. 1 Kings 18: 21.
г 6. 13:10. 44:3. Ex. 20:3. Deut. 32:17. Judg. 5:8.
s Prov. 7:14,15. 15:8. Is. 1:10 -15.48:2.58:2-4.
F.z. 20: 39.23:37-39.33.31. Matt. 23: 14. John 13.18,26,27. 18:28. *Heb. whereupon my name is called. 11,14,30.32:34. 2 Kings 21:4. 2 Chr. 33:4,7.
presumptuous confidence of those who used the words. ( Notes , 18:18. Is . 66:1,2. Міс . 3:8-12. Acts 6:9-14, υυ . 13,14. 7:44-50. 21:27-30.) V.5-7. As the omniscient God foresaw, that the Jews would not thus repent, and amend their lives; the absolute predictions of desolating judgments were in no wise inconsistent with these conditional promises.
It was their undeniable duty, "throughly to amend their ways and their doings," and to "do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God;" and it was peculiarly honorable to him, thus to hold out encouragements to them, in case they attended to his exhortations.--The prescience or decrees of God cannot be the rule or motive of man's duty: and the exhortations, promises, and threatenings, should always be considered, as abstracted from that incomprehensible subject; because this is the scriptural and rational way of stating the matter: for "the secret things belong unto the LORD our God; but those things which are revealed belong to us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." ( Note , Deut . 29:29.)- Amend , &c. (5) "Make good your ways." These had been very bad. ( Marg .
Ref . Note, 2:33-37.) -For ever and ever. (7) Note, Gen. 17:7,8.
ed them for that purpose. Or, they thought, that an attendance on the worship at the temple had delivered them from the guilt of their past sins, and that they might now without concern return to their idolatries and iniquities: as some men task themselves with fastings and devotions, and come to the Lord's table; that having, as they think, settled the old account, they may return to their former course of life without scruple, till the next reckoning day. Or, they prayed, "Deliver us, that we may do all these abominations." This was the real import of their devotions.
Thus they made the house of God a den of robbers, by frequenting it in the midst of their unrepented frauds, oppressions, murders, adulteries, perjuries, and idolatries; and yet they thought, that the temple, which they so scandalously profaned, would be their protection! ( Marg . Ref . Notes , Matt . 21:12,13. John 2:14 -17.)- I have seen, &c. (11) Notes , Ps . 94:8,9. Mal . 3:5,6, v . 5.
V. 12-15. The tabernacle and ark of God had been long stationed at Shiloh; till at length the impiety of Eli's sons, and the wickedness of the people, provoked God to give up the ark into captivity: then it was finally removed from Shiloh, which was afterwards reduced or desolated. ( Notes , Josh . 18:1. 1 Sam . 2:1316,22-34. 4:3-18. Ps . 78:56-69.)--Probably, Shiloh was wholly destroyed when the ten tribes were carried captive. Yet the inhabitants of that city had had as good ground to presume, that God would preserve them for the sake of his sanctuary, as the inhabitants
V. 8-11. ( Note , Ez . 23:39.) The Jews acted, as if God had delivered and protected them, that they might have the opportunity of committing every kind of abomination: thus men sometimes appear very penitent, when they are sick and think themselves near death; but when they recover, they return to wickedthey recover ness, as if they supposed that God had restor-of Jerusalem now had; especially as the latter
them, neither make intercession to me: for h I will not hear thee.
17Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground: and it shall burn, Pand shall not be quenched.
21 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; 9 Put your burnt-offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the 22 For I spake not unto your fathers, * queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-nor commanded them, in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning + burnt-offerings or sacrifices:
offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
19 Do they provoke me to anger? saith the Lord; do they not provoke themselves to "the confusion of their own faces?
20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; • Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be
h 1 Sam. 8:18. Is. 1:15. Mic. 125:7. Is. 3:8.65.3. 3:4.
i See on 6:27. - Ez. 8:6-18. 14: 23.
j See on 44:17-19,25.
* Or, frame, or workmanship, of heaven.
31:20-23.
Deut. 4:19. Job
k 19:13. 32:29. Deut. 32.37,38. Ps. 16:4. Is. 57:6.65:11. Ez. 20:28.
m 2:17,19.
Deut. 32:16,21,22.
Is. 1:20,24. Ez. 8:17,18. 1 Cor. 10:22.
n 20:11. Ezra 9:7. Is. 45:16. Dan. 9:7,8.
ο 4:23-26. 9:10,11. 12:4. 14:16. 42 18. 44:6. Is. 42:25. Lam. 2:3-5. 4:11. Ez. 20:47,48, 22: 22. Dan. 9:11. Nah. 1:6. Mal. 4:1. Rev. 14:10. 16:1-21.
were become still more abandoned than they, in the midst of more abundant means and ad- vantages. Accordingly, the Lord assured them, that he would deal with Jerusalem, as he had dealt with Shiloh; destroying the tem- ple, removing all the sacred utensils, and utter- ly desolating the city: and that he would drive the inhabitants out of their favored land, into heathen countries, as he had done the inhabit- ants of the kingdom kingdom of Israel; ba as it were, from the sight of his eyes. ( Note , of Israel; banishing
Deut. 11:12. Is. 50:1-3.) 50:1-3.)-- "Rising "Rising up up early" (13) signifies diligence and assiduity. The 'same sense is elsewhere expressed in the He- 'brew by doing any thing in the morning; 'which our translators render early , Ps . 46:5. '90:14. Lowth . ( Notes , 25:3. Is . 50:4.)
23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, "that it may be well unto you. 24 But they hearkened not, nor inwalked in the coun
clined their ear, but
p See on 17:27.-2 Kings 22:17. Is. 66:24. Mark 9:43-48.
q See on 6:20. Is. 1:11-15. Hos. 8:13. Am. 5:21-23. r1 Sam. 15:22, Ps. 50:8-17. 51:16,17. Hos. 6:6. Matt. 9: 13. Mark 12:33.
† Heb. the matter of burnt-of- ferings.
s 11:4,7. Ex. 15:26. 19:5,6. Lev.
26:3-12. Deut. 5:29,33, 6:3. 11:27. 13:4. 30:2,8,20. Rom. 16:26. 2 Cor. 10:5. Heb. 5:9. t See on 31:39.
u 42:6. Deut. 4:10. 5:16,33. x 26. 11:8. Ex. 32:7,8. Neh. 9:16-20. Ps. 81:11,12. 106:7, &c. Ez. 20:8,13,16,21. y 23:17. Deut. 29:19.
some image or symbol, that they worshipped with great earnestness. (Notes, Deut . 4:19. Job 31:24--28.)--Some think, that the cakes here mentioned, were stamped with the likeness of the idol, to which they were offered.It is remarkable that the papists have adopted this title in the worship of the Virgin Mary, styling her 'The queen of heaven; if they were ambitious of resembling the Jews in their
idolatry.
V. V. 19. 19. The people committed wickedness, as if they meant it on purpose to affront the Lord: (18) (18) but did they think they could do
him any real harm? Or could they expect any other, than to expose themselves by it to confusion and misery? ( Notes , Ez . 8:17,18. 1 Cor. 10:18-22.)
V. 20. Marg . Ref . Notes , 4:19-27. 9:10,11. 12:1-4. Deut . 32:22. Lam . 4:11.
V.21-23. The Jews confided in their sacrifices, especially the burnt-offerings, which were wholly consumed on the altar, ( Notes , Lev . 1:) as if by them they made the Lord their debtor. But he indignantly bade them take these and add them to the peace-offerings, on which the priests and offerers feasted; ( Notes , Lev . 7:12-18. Deut . 12:5-7.) for he would not accept them at their hands. It was the grand design of the whole revelation to Israel at Mount Sinai, to lead the people to obedience, and the sacrifices were appointed in subservi
V. 16. The prophet, hoping that the threatenings were not absolute, continued to intercede for the people. But the Lord not only said to him, "Let me alone;" ( Notes , Ex . 32:7 --10, v. 10.) but he absolutely forbad him to pray for them any more, for he would not hear him; nor would he have him pray in vain. ( Notes , 14:7--12. 15:1. Ez . 14:13--21.) He might pray for the conversion and salvation of individuals; for the mitigation of national judgments; for the preservation of the Jews during the captivity, and for their restoration: but he was not allowed any more to deprecate the destruction of the city and temple, the desolations of the land, and the captivity of the peo-ency to that end: and not merely as external ple. ( Note , 5--7.)--'Nothing but an universal observances, pleasing to God, however offer
'reformation, which God foresaw would not 'be effected, could deliver the Jews from... cap'tivity and desolation. The divine decree, 'being without repentance irrevocable, 4:28. 14:11,12. God forbids Jeremiah to interpose 'by his prayers for the reversing of it.' Lowth . V. 17, 18. To convince the prophet, that the irreversible sentence was most just, the Lord calls his attention to the unanimous zeal of old and young, men and women, for their abominable idolatries. ( Notes , 44:15-18. Lev . 2:4-8. Num . 28:5-7.)
ed, or by men of any character. They were in themselves instances of obedience; they formed an expression of the offerer's repentance, and faith in the promised Savior; and they were 'means of grace,' and of communion with God; all which, when genuine, conduced to the conscientious obedience of holy fear and love. In this way the Lord would have been their God, and they would have been his people: but all their external observances must be worthless, when this obedience was wanting. ( Notes , 1 Sam . 15:22,23. Ps . 50:7—15. Is . 1:1015. 66:3,4. Hos . 6:6.8:13. Am . 5:21-24. Mark 12:
Queen of heaven. (18) This may be understood of the moon, or of the whole frame of 28-34.)- Concerning . (22) Or, "For the sake the visible heavens, of which the people had || of, &c." This the word properly signifies.
and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places: for the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
25 Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day, I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and send-have set their abominations in the house
ing them :
26 Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, d but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
27 Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; & but they will not hearken to thee: hthou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
28 But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth | correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
29 Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem ,
Or, stubbornness. 3:17. marg. † Heb. were.
z 26. 2:27. 8:5. 32:33. Neh. 9: 29. Hos. 4:16.
a 32:30,31. Deut. 9:7,21-24.1 Sam. 8:7,8. Ezra 9:7. Neh. 9:16-18,26. Ps. 106:13-22
Ez. 2:3. 20:5,&c. 23:2,3.
b 13. 25:4. 2 Chr. 36:15. Neh. 9:30. Matt. 21:34-36. Luke 20:10-12.
c See on 24. 6:17. 25:3,7. 26:5. 29:19. 34:14. 44:16. 2 Chr. 33: 10. Neh. 9:16. Dan. 9:6.
₫ 19:15. 2 Kings 17:14. 2 Chr. 30:8. Neh. 9:17,29. Prov. 29:
1. Is. 48:4. Acts 7:51. Rom. 2:5. e 16:12. Matt. 21:38. 23:32. f 1:7. 26:2. Ez. 2:4-7.3:17,18. Acts 20:27.
g 1:19. Is. 6:9,10. Ez. 3:4
11.
h Is. 50:2.65:12. Zech. 7:13. i 2:30. 5:3. 6:29,30. Is. 1:4,5. 7.eph. 3:2.
Or, instruction. 6:8. 32:33. Ps. 50:17. Prov. 1:7. Zeph.
3 :7.
k 5:1. 9:3-8. Is. 59:14,15. Hos. 4:1. Mic. 7:2-5.
1 16:6. 47:5. 48:37. Job 1:20. Is. 15:2,3. Mic. 1:16.
V. 24-28. The prophet ought not to be discouraged, as if his labors were singularly unsuccessful: for the people had always been disobedient and obstinate, notwithstanding all the means which God, by his servants the prophets had perseveringly used to reclaim them. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . Notes , Zeph . 3:5-7. Zech. 1:2-6.) -The command given to Jeremiah to speak all the words of God to his people, though previously assured that they would not believe and obey them, shews that invitations, exhortations, and expostulations, are in no wise inconsistent with the prescience of God, that men will not regard them; nor with his decree to "give them up to their own hearts' lusts." Such protestations, indeed, tend eventually to manifest the divine justice in pouring out his vengeance on hardened rebels, and answer most important purposes in the moral government of God.
They went backward , &c. (24) 'The expres'sion is taken from headstrong oxen, that draw 'back and refuse to put their necks under the 'yoke. 26. Neh . 9:29. Hos . 4:16. Lowth. Worse, &c. (26) Note, 30.-Truth is perished. (28) Notes , 5:1,2. 9.3-6. Is . 59:9-15.
V. 29. The hair of the Nazarites was the token of their peculiar dedication to the Lord, which was terminated or profaned, when it was cut off: ( Notes , Num . 6:2-5,9-12,18--20. Judg. 16:17-21.) and cutting or shaving the hair was in all cases a token of grief and humiliation. ( Marg . Ref . 1.) Thus Jerusalem was ordered to cut off her hair, as about to be profaned and trodden down by the Gentiles: she was also to use every token of deep distress; for that generation of Israel would endure the severe wrath of God, and be rejected VOL. IV.
30 For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they which is called by my name, to pollute it. 31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.
32 Therefore, behold, " the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: * for they shall bury in Tophet till there be no place.
33 And the carcasses of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.
m 9:17-21. Ez. 19 1.28:12. n See on 6:30.-2 Kings 17:20. Zech. 11:8,9.
o Deut. 32:5. Matt. 3:7. 12:39. 16:4. 23:36. Acts 2:40. P 23:11.32:34. 2 Kings 21:4,7. 23:4-6,12. 2 Chr. 33:4,5,7,15. Ez. 7:20. 8:5-17. 43:7,8.
q 19:5,6. 2 Kings 23.20. 2 Chr.
33:6.
r 19:2. Josh. 15:8. 2 Chr. 28:3. s Deut. 12:31. 2 Kings 17:17.
Ps. 106:37,38. Ez. 16:20. t Lev. 18:21. 20:1-5. Deut. 17:3.
Heb. came it upon my heart. u 19:6. Lev. 26:30. Ez. 6:5 -7.
x 19:11,13. 2 Kings 23:10. y 8:1,2. 9:22. 16:4. 22:19. 25:33. 34:20. Deut. 28:26. Ps. 79:2, 3. Ez. 39:4,18-20. Rev. 19: 17,18.
and forsaken by him. ( Marg . Ref . m-o.)This implied, that there was mercy in reserve for future generations of that people. ( Notes , Num . 14:22-31.)
High places .[ שפים . "The open plains." Blayney . The word seems to mean a place, which is without covert, unsheltered, exposed to open view; whether on a hill, or in an open plain or desert. ( Note , 4:11-13, v . 11.)
V. 30. Manasseh placed his idols in the courts of the temple, nay, in the temple itself! ( Marg . Ref .-26. Notes , 2 Kings 21:4,5,7,8. 23: 4. 2 Chr . 33:6-8. Ez . 8:2-12.)
V. 31. The Lord had never commanded such unnatural and cruel sacrifices, as are here described, or the people might have had some excuse for renouncing his worship. But indeed he had expressly prohibited them; nay, he abhorred them as most detestable: and yet the people preferred the worship of Molech, which imposed on them so hard an injunction, to his reasonable and spiritual service! ( Note , 19:5. Lev . 18:21. 20:2-5. 2 Kings 17:17. Ps. 106:35-38. Mait . 5:21,22.)
High places.] 'The high places ... were in 'all probability, artificial mounts, or tumuli , 'thrown up about the place, for the purpose of 'performing some of the rites, with which 'these sacrifices were accompanied; or froin 'which the persons assembled might command 'a view of the dreadful spectacle. Blayney.
I commanded them not.] 'A great deal more is implied than is expressed; a way of speak'ing frequent in scripture. Deut. 17:3. Is 65: '12.' Lowth .
V. 32, 33. Tophet is supposed to have had its name from the drums which they beat, or the noises which they made, to drown the [273
34 Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice
z 16:9, 25:10. 33:10,11. Is. 24:7,8. Ez. 26:13. Hos. 2:11. Rev. 18:23.
cries of their tortured children. (Notes, 2 Kings 23:10. Is . 30:33.) But it should no longer serve for that purpose, or retain its ancient names; but be called "The valley of slaughter," from the multitudes of the Jews, who would be slaughtered in it, and there buried, till it was full of graves; and then the remainder of dead bodies would be left unburied, to be devoured by beasts and birds of prey. ( Marg . Ref . y.- Note , 8:1-3.)
V. 34. Notes , 16:2-9. 25:10. 33:10,11. Rev. 18:21-24.
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
V. 1-15.
"sin on that grace may abound;" they think themselves delivered from wrath, to commit all kinds of abomination; and speak of the church of God, as if it were a den of robbers, and adulterers, and covetous oppressors, or of contentious, and ill tempered neighbors and relatives!
Those who are not conversant with such matters, can scarcely deem it possible, that men should hold such impious sentiments: yet it is, alas! too true that many do; and it is no more incredible, than that the Jews should come from their idols and wicked practices, to the temple of God, and then be confident of his protection, because his ordinances were thus profaned among them!
If any thing could break this "strong delusion," the dealings of God with his ancient people might teach men another lesson: but the cross of Christ, when duly understood, forms the most effectual antidote to these detestable sentiments. Did the Son of God then indeed give himself for our transgressions, to shew the justice and holiness of God, the excellency and obligation of the violated law, and the evil and desert of sin? and was this in order to give his followers leave to commit sin with impunity? Who can adequately abhor such a thought!
The great doctrines and precepts of the scriptures should be proclaimed in the most public manner; and those who are employed in this service, must not fear the faces or respect the persons of men, whatever be their rank or office.-Faithful preaching ought to attend on the administration of other sacred ordinances; that men may be warned not to rest in forms, and to beware of irreverence and hypocrisy. No observances, creeds, or experiences, in which men glory and confide, will profit them; if they do not sincerely and thoroughly amend their ways and doings. They may in various ways "trust in lying words," and in the words of lying teachers, presuming themselves to be the people of God, and entitled to all the blessings of his cove-joyment of the divine favor may, by some
nant; whilst they neglect justice and equity, oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and widow, or cominit other atrocious crimes: but if God would not suffer Israel to inhabit Canaan, when they thus abused their privileges; will he admit those into heaven who copy their example?
He graciously pardons and saves the most atrocious criminals, who embrace his gospel; and his "saving grace teaches them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world;" but no one can have any ground to deem himself a partaker of this salvation, who allows himself in the practice of one known sin, or the habitual neglect of one known duty. But presumptuous hypocrites deny, overlook, or evade these conclusions, by various subterfuges; and they shift from one delusion to another, as times and circumstances change.
The legal Pharisee, for instance, pays a sort of quit-rent to the Lord, by a task of austerity or devotion; and thus he purchasthe liberty, as he supposes, to live the rest of his time according to his own plan. And nany of this description, after all their sanctimonious scrupulosity, will cheat, lie, perjure, commit adultery, or any other wickedness, which they hope may escape detection and
V. 16-34.
When the professed worshippers of God have been deluded into a vain imagination, that the practice of allowed sin, and the en
means or other, be reconciled; they are seldom recovered. We are not indeed forbidden to pray for any person, or people, by name: yet there are some, respecting whom we feel discouragement, whenever we attempt to plead in their behalf; as if the Lord said to us, "Make no intercession for them, for I will not hear thee." ( Note , 1 John 5:16-18, v . 16.)-Whatever enormity we witness in the conduct of the ignorant and profane, there remains hope concerning them: but presumptuous professors of religion, who commit and plead for sin, must in general be let alone.
If, however, they will learn nothing from us; we may learn from them, "whilst we think we stand, to take heed lest we fall:" and to be as diligent and as careful in instructing our children in the truths of God, and in habituating them to attend on divine ordinances, as they often are, in initiating them in the mysteries ies of iniquity. -Hardened sinners often delight in shewing their contempt of God, as if this could interrupt his happiness, when it only provokes him to hasten and enhance their misery.
Nothing can avert the ruin of those who persist in disobedience: and we understand the gospel as ittle, as the Jews did the law; if we think that a notional belief and a high confi
punishment from man. 'The evangelical Phar-dence that we are the people of God, can avail
isee, and antinomian enthusiast, receive a mutilated and distorted evangelical creed, into a carnal heart: they contend ear contend earnestly for the doctrines of free grace; they mistake some change of sentiment, or sect, or some lively impression on the imagination or affections, for "a new creation" unto holiness; they call the most open apostacy, "backsliding;" or the most notorious and unrepented vices, "the spots of God's children;" and then by perverting the doctrine of final perseverance, they hope to live the life of the wicked, and at last to "die the death of the righteous!" Thus men
us, if we persist in rebellion; or that he will accept any particular services, which are intended as compensations for continuing in the practice of some beloved iniquity. The way is indeed open for the sinner to return: and when we are brought to obey the gospel, all former offences are pardoned, imperfect services are accepted, the Lord becomes our God, and numbers us among his people; we learn to walk in his ways, and "it is well with us;" his gospel furnishes us with motives, encouragements, and assistance; and his ordinances are means of grace to our souls. But he abhors in all the places whither I have driven