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my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so; and what will ye do in the end thereof?

LUKE 16: 31. If they hear not Moses and the prophets; neither would they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

LEV. 26:14. But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; and if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments; but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass : and your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate. And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten

women shall bake your bread in one

oven.

2. It resists the strongest obligation. ISA. 1: 2. Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth, for the LORD hath spoken. I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know; my people doth not consider.

5: 1. Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song to my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: and he fenced it and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done to it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? and now, go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: and I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; for the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant; and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

49: 14. But Zion said, the LORD hath forsaken me, and my LORD hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

54: 5. For thy Maker is thy husband; the LORD of hosts is his name;

and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall be called. For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.

JER. 3: 14. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion and I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

31: 3. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets.

ROM. 5: 8. God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. JOHN 15: 13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

1 COR. 6:19. Ye are not your own; for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God, in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

2 PET. 2: 1. For there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you.... denying the LORD that bought them, and bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

ACTS 20: 28. Feed the church of God... which he hath purchased with his own blood.

3. It resists conviction.

JOHN 3: 18. He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation; that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

ROM. 7:22. I delight in the law of God, after the inward man; but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to

the law of sin, which is in my members.-12. The law is holy; and the commandment holy and just and good.-14. For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do, I allow not; for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing.

JOHN 15: 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin: but now have they no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no other man did, they had not had sin.

Ex. 8 15. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

4. It is unremitting and impenitent.

ISA. 22: 12. And in that day did the LORD God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: and behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we shall die. And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the LORD God of hosts.

JER. 8:5. Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

ECCL. 8: 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily; therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil.

ISA. 26: 10. Let favor be shown to the wicked; yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of unrighteousness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.

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Ps. 58: 3. The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they be born,

speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear: that will not hearken to the voice of the charmer, charming never so wisely.

PROV. 1: 24. I have called and ye refused; I stretched out my hand and no man regarded.

Ps. 50: 21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye

that forget God.

LUKE 16: 15. Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts.

ROM. 2: 5. After thy hard and impenitent heart thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath.

MAT. 11: 21. Woe unto thee Chorazin! Woe unto the Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

REV. 2: 21. I gave her space to repent of her fornication, but she repented not.

ISA. 1:5. Why should ye be stricken any more? Ye will revolt yet

more and more.

AMOS 4: 6. I have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places, yet have ye not returned unto me... I have withholden the rain from you, yet, &c... I have smitten you with blasting and mildew... I have sent among you the pestilence... I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the fire; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

5. It is unfounded and unjust.

JOHN 15: 25, They hated me with

out a cause.

Ps. 35: 19. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause, For they speak not peace; but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

109; 3. They compassed me about

with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

MAT. 26: 59. The chief priests and elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death, but found none.

LUKE 23: 14. I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him,

MAT. 27: 18. He knew that for envy they had delivered him.

JOHN 8: 46. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

JER. 2: 5. What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity?

2 CHRON. 19: 7. There is no iniquity with the LORD.

DEUT. 32: 4. A God of truth without iniquity, just and right is he.

Ps. 19: 8. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandments of the LORD are pure, enlightening the eyes; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

DEUT. 10: 12, And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God, with all thy heart and with all thy soul; to keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes which I command thee this day for thy good.

ACTS 3: 14, Ye denied the HOLY ONE and the just and desired a a murderer to be released unto you; and killed the Prince of life.

Ps. 145: 17. The LORD is holy in all his works.

JOB 34: 10. Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.-12. God will not do wickedly. 23. He will not lay upon man more than right.

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LAM, 3: 36. Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good.

MAT, 11: 30. My yoke is easy, and my burden light.

6. It is in the highest degree ungrateful.

Ps. 109; 4. For my love they are mine adversaries.... they have re

warded me evil for good, and hatred for my love. 35: 11. False witnesses did rise up: they laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good.

JOHN 10: 32. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shown you from my Father: for which of those works do ye stone me? JER. 2: 31. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel?

ISA. 53: 4. He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows... He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes are we healed. 3. He was despised and rejected of men.

ROM. 2: 4. Despisest thou the riches of God's goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

LUKE 23; 34. Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,

DEUT, 32: 6. Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? Is he not thy Father that hath bought thee? Hath he not made thee, and established thee?

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18. Of the Rock that begat thee, thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

ZECH. 9; 17. How great is his goodness! how great is his bounty! MAL. 1:2, I have loved you, saith the LORD. -6. A son bonoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honor; and if I be a master, where is my fear, saith the LORD of hosts?

7. It is voluntary.

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DEUT. 30: 15. See, I have set before thee this day life and good; death and evil. 19. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you; that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: tberefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

11: 26. Behold, I set before you this day, a blessing and a curse; a blessing if ye obey the voice of the LORD your God,... and a curse if ye will not obey.

JOSH. 24. 15. Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. -22. Ye have chosen you the LORD.

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ye

I KINGS 18: 21. How long halt between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.

PROV. 1:28. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer they shall seek me early, but shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD.

JOHN 5: 40. Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life.

JOB 21: 13. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave; therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

ISA. 65: 12. Because when I called ye did not answer; when I spake ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not; therefore, thus saith the LORD, Behold my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry, &c. (This quality is implied in every representation of sinful action, and human guilt.)

8. It occasions total insensibility to the claims of God.

you

ened who were dead in trespasses EPH. 2: 1. And hath he quickand sins, wherein in time past ye walked, according to the course of this world... the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.

JOHN 3: 7. Ye must be born again. 1:12. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that born, not of blood, nor of the will of believe on his name; which were the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

COL. 2: 13. You, being dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened, together with him, having forgiven all trespass. you

EPH. 2: 4. God, who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith in trespasses and sins, hath quickenhe loved us, even when we were dead ed us together with Christ.

9. Produces misrepresentation, persecution and mobs.

1 KINGS 18: 17. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel: but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

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19:1. And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time.

2 KINGS 6: 31. Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha, the son of Shaphat, shall stand on him this day.

LUKE 7: 31. Whereunto shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? They are like unto children sitting in the market place, and calling one to another, and saying; we have piped unto you, and ye have not danced'; we have mourned to you and ye have not wept. For John the Baptist eame neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and ye say he hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, behold a gluttonous man and a wine bibber; a friend of publicans and sinners.

MAT. 12: 24. This fellow doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

27: 18. He knew that for envy they had delivered him. - 20. The

are not lawful for us to observe, being Romans.

17: 5. But the Jews which be

lieved not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

19: 24. A certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen ; whom he called together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying, That they be no gods which are made with hands. So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at naught, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed... and the whole city was filled with confusion. - 32. Some, therefore, cried one thing and some another; for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

All therefore, for about the space of two hours, cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

§ 4. DISPOSITION TOWARDS MEN.

(Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.)

chief priests and elders persuaded I. Supreme selfishness seen in the transthe multitude, that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

LUKE 23: 2. They began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying, That he himself is Christ a king.

TACTS 16: 19. When her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market-place unto the rulers, and brought them to the magistrates, saying, 'These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city; and teach customs which

actions of life.

PROV. 20: 10. Divers weights and divers measures, both of them alike are an abomination unto the LORD. -14. It is naught, it is naught saith the buyer. But when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

Ps. 94: 5. They break in pieces thy people, and afflict thy heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The LORD shall not see... They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

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