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CCCCXI. THE CONSEQUENCE OF NOT REMEM

BERING OUR LATTER END.

Lam. i 9. She rememberetha not her latter end; therefore she came down wonderfully:

TO men in general nothing appears sinful but that which violates in the grossest manner some positive command, and interrupts in a very high degree the welfare of society. But God considers an unprofitable servant as deserving the same doom as the dishonest; and informs us, that an unmindfulness of our latter end will bring his judgments upon us, no less than a determined commission of every thing that is evil.

The prophet Jeremiah is lamenting the sore bondage under which his country groaned in Babylon, and is assigning the reasons for which God had thus rejected her. But in doing this, he does not fix on any one particular sin, however great; but on that which had pervaded all ranks of people, their unmindfulness of their latter end.

In his words we read

I. Their sin

This is the common sin of all mankind

[Moses had forewarned the Jews of the things that should come upon them in the latter days: but they had never duly considered his predictions, nor laboured to avert the threatened calamities. Thus has God warned us also of the miseries which the wicked shall endure in another world: but we will not regard his admonitions. The gay, the worldly, the ambitious are intent on their several pursuits; but none says, "Where is God my Maker?" Even those who profess some regard for religion, are yet, for the most part, very little engaged in a preparation for eternity: their zeal, in the r suit of heavenly things, bears no proportion to the importance of their object, or even to the labours which others use for the attainment of worldly vanities.]

Nor let this be thought a venial matter

[This it was, which brought down Jerusalem: and it will involve us also in the heaviest calamities. And well it may: for it is a contempt of God our Maker. In this view he him

It should rather be, remembered. b Job xxxv. 10. Ps. xiv. 2, 5. VOL. IV.

N n

self complains of it; and he represents all his attributes and perfections as dishonoured by it. It is also a contempt of Christ our Saviour. He has even "died, to purify us unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works:" but, by our indifference, we make light of his mercies, and trample on his blood. Finally, it is a contempt of our own souls. The most avowed enemies of God and his Christ profess to have some regard for their immortal souls: but God, who will not put a wrong construction upon our actions, tells us, that "he who refuseth instruction, despiseth his own soul." Indeed this is but too manifest; since the man who remembers not his latter end, practically says, "Give me the things which my body most affects; and, as for my soul, I care not for it: if my soul can be saved, notwithstanding my indulgence of the body, it is well: but if their interests clash, I will gratify my body, though at the peril, yea, to the certain destruction of my soul."

Can that then be light and venial, which involves in it such awful consequences? Surely, though no flagrant crime were ever committed, this alone would be sufficient to bring upon us God's eternal wrath and indignation.]

The evil of such conduct will abundantly appear, if we notice

II. Their punishment

The downfall of Jerusalem was a fit emblem of that which awaits impenitent transgressors

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[Let us only compare the departure of Israel out of Egypt, guided, protected, and supported by God himself, and their establishment and increase in the land of Canaan, with their miserable condition when they were carried captive to Babylon: "How was the gold become dim, and the most fine gold changed!" Thus wonderful will be our destruction also, if we continue to forget our latter end.]

God himself warns us that our destruction will be great, if we neglect our souls

ble

[It will be sudden-tremendous--irremediaand eternal.

Let us reflect on the change experienced by the rich man in the parable; and we may conceive a little of that surprise

Ps. x. 4. 5, 6, 11, 13.

d His majesty, Ps. xii. 4. his omniscience, Job xxii. 13, 14. his justice, Ps. xciv. 7. his goodness and forbearance, Rom. ii. 4.

e Luke x. 16.

* Prov. xv. 32.
Jer. xxiii. 17-20.
12 Thess. i. 8, 9.

f Acts xiii. 38-41. Heb. x. 28, 29.

b Ps. lxxiii. 17-20. 1 Thess. v. 3.

* Prov. xxix. 1.

m Luke xvi. 19, 23.

and horror that will seize on us in the instant of our departure from the body.

Let us also, if we would escape this doom, regard the solemn warning, and the compassionate advice, which God himself has recorded for our instruction."]

We may IMPROVE this subject yet further

1. For the warning even of real Christians

[We will suppose that your concern for your souls is such as to secure eternal happiness: yet a declension in holy zeal will produce a proportionable declension both in your graces and your comforts. Let those who have ever experienced the blessedness of living nigh to God, and of being on the wing for heaven, compare it with the darkness and misery of a drooping and deserted state; and they will see enough to make them watchful against spiritual decays, and increasingly mindful of their eternal interests.]

2. For their comfort and encouragement

[There is a truth, not expressed indeed, but evidently implied in the text, namely, That all who remember their latter end, shall be wonderfully exalted. And what an encouraging truth is this! Let any one view Lazarus at the rich man's gate, and in Abraham's bosom, and he will'see what a wonderful exaltation awaits the righteous at their departure hence. Even here the children of the devil shall become "sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty:" but hereafter they shall reign with him as partners of his glory. Let this hope then animate the Christian in his difficulties, and stimulate us all to more abundant diligence in our heavenly calling."]

"Deut. xxxii. 18, 20, 29.

P Luke xvi. 20-22.

r Rom. viii. 17.

• Ps. xxx. 7. Song v. 2-6. 42 Cor. vi. 18.

s 1 John iii, 3.

CCCCXII. AGAINST AN OVER-RIGHTEOUS SPIRIT. Eccles. vii. 16. Be not righteous over-much.

THIS is the sheet-anchor of ungodly men-They hate to see a zeal for God, and therefore endeavour to repress it-From the days of Cain to this hour, they who have been born after the flesh, have persecuted those who have

been born after the Spirit-And when they find that neither contempt nor threatenings will avail any thing, they will venture, as Satan before them did, to draw their weapons from the very armoury of God

It must be confessed, that the sense of this passage is not obvious at first sight; and it has been variously interpreted by commentators--Some have thought it to be the speech of an infidel recommending Solomon, in reply to his observation in the preceding verse, to avoid an excess either in religion or in vice-But it is evidently a serious admonition given by Solomon himself-In ver. 15. he mentions two things which had appeared strange to him, namely, Many righteous people suffering even unto death for righteousness sake; and, many wicked people, whose lives were justly forfeited, eluding, either through force or fraud, the punishment they deserved-From hence he takes occasion to caution both the righteous and the wicked; the righteous, ver. 16, not to bring trouble on themselves by an injudicious way of manifesting their religion, or to suffer as evil-doers;" and the wicked, ver. 17, not to presume upon always escaping with impunity; for that justice will sooner or later surely overtake them He then recommends to both of them to pay strict attention to the advice given them, and to cultivate the true fear of God, ver. 18, as the best preservative against wickedness on the one hand, and indiscretion on the other

This being the sense of the whole passage, we proceed to the consideration of the text; in illustrating which we shall

I. Explain the caution

The misconstruction put upon the text renders it necessary to explain

1. To what the caution does not extend

[Solomon certainly never intended to caution us against laving Gad too much; seeing that we are commanded to love him with all our heart, and mind, and soul, and strength:" nor against serving the Lord Jesus Christ too much; since he "died for us that we might live to him;" and we should be "willing to be bound or even to die for his sake:** nor against too much purity of heart; for we are re

Gal. iv. 29.

2 Cor. v. 15.

b Matt. iv. 6.

c Mark xii. 30.

e Aets xxi. 13. Luke xiv. 26.

quired to purify ourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, yea, to purify ourselves even as he is pure—— Nor could he mean to caution us against too much deadness to the world; for, provided we conscientiously fulfil the duties of our station, we cannot be too much "crucified to the world;"h we should no more be of the world than Christ himself wasiNor, lastly, did he intend to warn us against too much compassion for souls; for, provided our mode of manifesting that compassion be discreet, it would be well if our "head were waters, and our eyes a fountain of tears to weep for the ungodly day and night"-These indeed are things in which the world does not wish to see us much occupied-They would rather that we should put our light under a bushel-But no inspired writer would ever caution us against excess in such things as these-St. Paul makes the proper distinction between the regard which we should shew to carnal and to spiritual objects; "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" because therein is no possibility of excess-]

2. To what the caution does extend

[An intemperate zeal appears to be the principal thing against which the text is levelled-Too high a conceit of our own wisdom, a hasty persuasion that we are right, and an indiscreet method of fulfilling what we suppose to be our duty, may be found in persons who really mean well-Two apostles, from zeal for their Master, would have called fire from heaven to consume a village that had refused him admission"—And a third defended his Master with a sword, to the endangering of his own life, and to the dishonour of the cause he had espoused"—Thus do many at this day, contend for the truth in private in an unbecoming spirit, and go forth to propagate it in public, to the neglect of their proper duty, and the injury of the Christian cause-A blind superstition may also be fitly comprehended in the caution-This obtained in a very great degree among the judaizing Christians; and still prevails over a great part of the Christian world; would to God we could except even Protestants themselves from the charge!-How often do we see a most rigorous regard paid to rites that are of human invention, whilst the true spirit and temper of Christianity is sadly neglected! Alas! what fiery and fatal contentions have arisen from this source! There is a needless scrupulosity also which ought to be avoided-What schisms has this occasioned in the church, when, on account of one

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