Jeremiah 8

How dreadful a sin is idolatry; and what a signal mercy is it to be snatched out of an idolatrous place, as Lot was snatched by the angel out of Sodom? 3. It is a mercy to be delivered from idolatrous places, because idolatry is such a silly irrational religion; I may say as (Je…

2. There is added the universality of the promise with respect to them with whom this Covenant is made; all of them from the least to the greatest. A proverbial speech, signifying the generality intended without exception (Jeremiah 8:10). Every one from the least to the greatest…

It is easy to see the error here, unless men be willingly and wilfully ignorant: will you know, &c. It is true, we read of some that hold fast deceit, and refuse to return (Jeremiah 8:5), and many such there be in our days also. But the point of doctrine is this: namely,

He that uttered them, and all they also that profited by them, shall appear in judgment against you; and perhaps these and those whom you now despise, shall one day be your judges (1 Corinthians 6:2). 2. It shall then appear that you had means of conviction: but you would not se…

What is repentance, but consideration? Jeremiah 8:6, no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, what have I done? Want of this keeps men from salvation.

But of those who are so variously touched by the sense of their own condition, many — overcome by the force of innate blindness, which still prevents spiritual things from being seen in their own light and splendor, by carnal concupiscence, by the desire of earthly things, by sa…

And Hosea called his hearers to the most High, yet none at all would exalt Him. It was their work to stretch out their hands all the day long, but they hardened their necks, and refused to return (Jeremiah 8 and Zechariah 7). But 5thly, consider — all these are servants and prea…

Let them go for wise men, but they are wise for the devil. Let the Lord speak to such (Jeremiah 8:8): How do you say, we are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us. Verse 9: Lo, they have rejected the law of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them?

And these were the things upon which you thought fit to set your hearts! Which you have loved, which you have served, after which you have walked, which you have sought, and whom you have worshiped! (The heap of expressions with which it seemed meet to the Spirit of God to set o…

But for the seasons which are of our own ixing and appointment, as God is not tyed to them, so his Providences are not governed by them: and hence are our disappointments. We looked for peace, but no good came; for a time of health, and behold trouble, Jeremiah 8:15 And hereupon…

I have given you cleanness of teeth, yet you have not returned to me: I have withheld the rain, yet you have not returned to me: I have smitten you with blasting, yet you have not returned to me: I have sent among you the pestilence and the sword, yet you have not returned to me…

The formalist is never violent, but in persecuting the power of godliness. 3. It reproves such as are violent in a bad sense: they are violent for hell; they go there in the sweat of their brows (Jeremiah 8:6). Every one turned to his course; as the horse rushes into the battle.

But O the stupifying nature of sin! Though the Stork in the heavens knows her appointed time, and the Turtle, Crane and Swallow the time of their coming, yet man, whom God has made wiser than the fowls of the air, in this acts quite below them (Jeremiah 8:7). The end of God's or…

The reason is, because it meets with an obstacle in their souls; so that it cannot run through them and be glorisied, as it does in gracious Souls. All the means and endeavours used to cleanse them, are in vain; all the grace of God they receive in vain: They hold fast deceit, t…

God brings to nothing the understanding of the prudent, and makes foolish the wisdom of the world. And if there be neither wisdom nor knowledge (as doubtless there is not) without the knowledge of God (Jeremiah 8:9), it is all shut up in the Lord Christ. John 1:18, no man has se…

Well then, it is necessary that you should take some time to discourse with yourselves, to ask of your souls what you have been, what you are, what you have done, what shall become of you to all eternity. Jeremiah 8:6. No man asks of himself, What have I done? You would think it…

Many think the word of God too plain for their mouths to preach it; others too stale for their ears to hear it; and they must have the fancies of men. (Jeremiah 8:9) They have rejected my word: and what wisdom is in them? It is strange to see how many will disguise religion to p…

There is sin, and there is a way of sin (Psalm 139:24), Search me and see if there be any way of wickedness in me, as Chrysostom glosses. 4. When they fall they do not rest in sin: Shall they fall, and shall they not arise? (Jeremiah 8:4). They may fall into the dirt, but they d…

God's great complaint of his people is, that they will not consider (Isaiah 1:3): "The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people does not consider." So (Jeremiah 8:6): "I listened and heard, but they spoke not aright; no man repented…

3. How little you have answered this end. God complains of our backwardness to this work (Jeremiah 8:6): No man repented of his wickedness, saying, what have I done. God upon a review found every day's work good, very good, in themselves, and their correspondence and frame (Gene…

Use 1. Is for Reproof. 1. That men do so little revive the belief of God's commandments; hence sins of omission, (James 4:17) Therefore to him that knows to do good and does it not, to him it is sin: of commission, (Jeremiah 8:6) I listened and heard, but they spoke not aright:…

For means; 1. You must be one in covenant with God, for to them the dispensations of God come marked not only with justice as to all, but faithfulness; (Psalm 25:10) All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keep his covenant. 2. You must examine yourselves; the…

So the fainting of the soul, is either first, from the tediousness of present pressures; or secondly, from a fervent and strong desire. First, from the tediousness of present sorrows and pressures; as (Jeremiah 8:18), When I would comfort myself against my sorrow, my heart faint…

2 Sinful man is worse than beasts in the very quality for which he is likened to the beast: the ox and the ass which have no understanding, and to which sinful man is compared for ignorance and stupidity, is yet more knowing than sinful man; as it is (Isaiah 1:3). And the like i…

It further appears that sin is an unpleasing thing, and that which sinners are ashamed of, that they dare not look into their actions, nor call themselves to an account. 'Tis as troublesome a thing to sinners to look into themselves, and to examine their lives, as 'tis for men t…

Is there any hope for poor sinners? Is there any balm in Gilead, or Physician there? (Jeremiah 8:22). Yes, surely there is: God would never (as a learned person expresses it) have suffered so potent and malicious an enemy to have set foot in his dominions, but that he knew how t…

[illegible] us also discern time: Suffer we not our time to run from us, while we neglect the great ends which we have it for. O let not the Lord have cause to complain of us as in (Jeremiah 8:7): 'The birds in the heaven know their appointed times, but my people do not know.' T…

Thus the Prodigal is said to come to himself (Luke 15:17), he had lived without any search and consideration of his own ways, lost himself in letting loose his thoughts in the eager pursuit of his own lusts; now he began to take an account of his own course, to see how the case…

Second, despair; despair affronts God, undervalues Christ's blood, damns the soul. Jeremiah 8:12: They said there is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. This is the language of despair: There is no hope; I…

We value a seasonable kindness — else it is worth nothing; duties of religion performed in their season are glorious. Creatures by the instinct of nature observe their season (Jeremiah 8:7): the stork in the heaven knows her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane. Pliny s…

3. My sickness, my pain, my bands owe themselves to God, and are debtors to his glory, I, and every one of men should say, O that my pain might praise him, and my hell, and flamings of everlasting fire, might be an everlasting Psalm of the glory of his justice; that my sorrow co…

5. Use. If creatures keep their covenant-natural with God, shall not the ox, the crane (Isaiah 1:3; Jeremiah 8:7), the ass (2 Peter 2:16), who never had a design of rebellion, testify against us in judgment? Ah! what an unnatural policy, the first evil wit of him that sinned fro…

There are signs of the times, whereby whoever is wise, and does observe these things, may discern when a day of trouble is near. It was a sad complaint which the Lord took up against his people of old, saying, The stork in the heaven knows her appointed times, and the turtle, an…

Hath he not been to England in the devouring Plague ? Well, all this while God waited for our Repentance; but we went on in sin, (Jeremiah 8:6). I hearkned and heard, butno man repented him of his wickedness, saying, what have I done?

There are some persons I have little hope to prevail with: Let the trumpet of the word sound never so shrill, let threatnings be thundered out against them, let some flashes of Hell fire be thrown in their faces, yet they will have the other game at sin. These persons seem to be…

This disease I fear is epidemical, (Jeremiah 8:6). No man repented him of his wickedness.

It remains then, to shut up all, that it be declared, what private Christians, living in a pure, orthodox, well ordered church may do, and how far they may interest themselves, in holy soul-concerning affairs, both in respect of their own particular, and of their brethren in the…

Sins directly against the Gospel. He sins against the Gospel: who denies either directly or by consequence that Christ is come in the flesh (1 John 4:3-8); who treads under foot the blood of Christ (Hebrews 10:29); who believes not the remission of his own sins and acceptance to…

Fourthly, the understanding's security or sleepiness, whereby men never reflect upon their own actions, nor compare them with the rule; although they have knowledge of the law of God, yet it is with them, as it is with men that have a fair glass before them, but never beholding…

Cannot men keep themselves when they are well? This is the course and frame of the world, and we may complain of this careless and heedless age, as Jeremiah did of his time (Jeremiah 8:6). No man repents him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done?

And now says the Spirit, you may go on in these sinful courses as others do, if you see meet, but oh consider what will be the end of them; what it is to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, and to be tormented for ever for them in the conclusion, for be assured that will be…

Christ is a propitiation by faith, and here the malefactor has tidings of favour, if he will accept of it (Ephesians 2:15-17). And of this I now speak: God and man were once friends, but by sin a great breach is made, the Lord only bearing the wrong is justly provoked (Isaiah 65…

Secondly, nor is it usual with these men under the rod to retire into their closets, and search their hearts there; to find out the particular cause and provocation of their affliction. 'No man repented of his wickedness, saying, What have I done?' (Jeremiah 8:6). What cursed th…

3. Not to confess is held forth as a guilt (Jeremiah 2:35): Yet you said, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me, behold, I will plead with you, because you say, I have not sinned. It is a token of impenitence (Jeremiah 8:6): No man repented him of his wicked…

Sin is the most ugly, and deformed thing in the world: and therefore sinners can have no communion with God, while they be washed: 2. Devils were once pure and clean spirits, their understandings were made clear, to see God and his beauty; now these fair spirits are darkened, fo…

Now when men's eyes are open to see Christ, they see and feel that in sin which before they felt not; then we see our sinful course most bitter, the very grapes of gall and wormwood. Secondly, there is the bitterness of God's wrath which a man sees and feels when he sees Christ…

Is not the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience to the church or any man, a destroying of liberty of conscience and reason also? Yes. (Romans 10:17; Romans 14:23; Isaiah 8:20; Acts 17:11; John 4:22; Hosea 5:11; Revelation 13:12, 16-17; Jeremiah 8:9…