to loiter in, or depart from, the course, and to start aside, like a broken bow,—with his fellow travellers, for they will not all run exactly in the track that he could wish them to keep,-with the world, for men will frequently misconstrue his motives, and cast out his name as evil,with Satan, for he will distress his mind, and stand in his road, and tell him he is running the wrong way,—in the Dispensations of Providence, for sometimes he may be brought into straits and difficulties, and the Lord may for a time delay to answer his prayer, and to send him deliverance. He must, however, "let patience have her perfect work," for "patience worketh experience, and experience hope." 5. And as he is thus running he must "look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of his faith :" he must not look about him, for that is incompatible with good running. He must not look at his fellow racers, neither must he look at those who are looking at him; but taking his eye completely off every other object, he must look by faith, constantly, steadily, and supremely unto Jesus, for that grace that is sufficient for him, but without which he can do nothing; for the fulfilment of those promises which hold out to him assistance, comfort, power, and peace, he must look at the example of Jesus, who endured the cross and despised the shame, and patiently became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He must look unto Jesus for a present blessing, and, in full confidence, view him as a present, powerful, and willing Saviour. III. The witnesses. 1. There is no doubt but " by the great cloud of witnesses" mentioned in the text, the apostle means the ancient worthies whom he had mentioned in the last chapter, and whom, having finished their course, he represents as looking, with intense interest, and marking the progress of the Hebrew believers, to whom he wrote, and we may infer, of all others who are running the race set before them. Christian racers! you are encompassed about with a great cloud of witnesses: Abel is looking to see whether you are offering to God a more excellent sacrifice than the wicked and the hypocrite offer; Enoch and Noah are seeing if you walk with God; Abraham is noticing the strength of your faith; Isaac your domestic habits, Jacob your wrestling spirit, Joseph your integrity and uprightness, Moses your meekness, Job your patience, and others, amongst whom, perhaps, may be some departed friend, are observing your general growth in grace and holiness, in knowledge and love. 2. The members of the militant, as well as of the triumphant church, are witnessing your interesting progress on the christian course. 3. Wicked men, and evil spirits too, are looking at your conduct; and if you halt, or fall, or grow weary, they will exult and say, Ah! so would we have it." 66 4. Good angels, your guardian angels, are looking, and will perform you many a kind office if you continue faithful. 5. Above all, the Lord Jesus, your forerunner, is also looking at your proficiency; while you are looking unto him, he looks at you, and holds out the crown. IV. The conclusion. 1. After a victory, the conqueror frequently goes to examine the field of battle, to ascertain the loss sustained by both sides. In like manner, let us, in our imagination, go and examine our race-course, and see who have won the race and who have fainted. Although the christian course has decided advantages over the way of death, yet too many prefer the broad road; and amongst those who set out in the good way, many fail. Let us examine the causes of those failures. 2. No sooner have we got upon the course, than we meet a group of persons who are on their return. What is the matter? Hearken they set out well; they run for a while as fast as their companions, and even outrun some of them; but when the sun got up, and began to scorch and fatigue them, (tribulation, persecution, opposition, the burden and heat of the day,) they fell tired and returned. 3. Here cometh another individual who is on the return. What is the cause of his retrograde? He ran, and ran well for a time, nor did the burden and heat of the day overcome him; but one of his fellow-runners ran across of him, and so he was offended and would run no more. 4. Here are numbers who are laid in the ditches which are on the sides of the course. How came they into those muddy, filthy, and disgraceful places? Why some got blinded by the dust of error and false doctrine, and led both themselves and others into the ditch. Some were so busy looking at their fellow-runners that they forgot to mind their own feet, and so fell in; others were staring at various objects in the world, and shared the same fate. Some were very fond of walking presumptuously near the ditches, till at last Satan pushed them in. And some ceased to look to Jesus for light, and therefore darkness came upon them and they fell in. 4. There are some who have got over the ditches, and are asleep on the outside. What is the matter with these? They ran well, stood firmly against the frowns of the world, but were overcome by its smiles, and rocked asleep by the devil in the cradle of carnal security. 5. But where are those timid creatures who were always complaining of themselves, and fearing they should lose? They have won; they looked steadily unto Jesus, and flew at the last like an arrow to the mark. 1. Who will run? 2. Those who have failed, set out again. 3. Runners, so run that ye may obtain. AN EXCLAMATION. JEREMIAH, Xxii, 29. O earth, earth, earth, hear the Word of the Lord!" It appears, from the first chapter of this prophecy, that Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who dwelt in Anathoth, which was one of the cities that were appointed for the priests, when the land of Canaan was divided, and which was about three miles from Jerusalem. Jeremiah was appointed to the prophetic office from the time of his birth, and was called to the exercise of it when but very young. When he received his call from Jehovah, he felt the weight of its importance, and said, Ah, Lord God! behold I cannot speak, for I am a child." But the Lord said unto him, "Say not I am a child, for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee, to deliver thee, saith the Lord." In the strength of this promise, Jeremiah went forth in the name of the Lord, and sustained the office of a prophet during the space of forty years, till after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. The Lord appointed Jeremiah to prophesy concerning other nations, as well as to his own people, and the prophecies concerning those nations are placed by themselves, beginning at the 46th chapter: from the 1st to the 45th relate chiefly to the Jews, and have particular reference to the seventy years' captivity. During the forty years that Jeremiah prophesied among the children of men, he met with much opposition, persecution, imprisonment, and cruelty; but notwithstanding this, he persevered in declaring the Word of the Lord; and was so attached to his country, that he would not leave it, although he might have been entertained, secured, and promoted by the king of Babylon. He continued his reproofs, exhortations, and expostulations to the very last, and exclaimed, on seeing the approaching storm that was coming upon his obstinate countrymen, O that my head were waters, and mine eyes," &c. Chap. ix, 1. From the words of our text, wherein he calls the attention of the people to the desolation of their royal family, we may learn much. It is an address to the earth, and is therefore applicable to us. I. The solemn address to the children of men: earth, earth, earth!" II. The important object to which their attention is called : Hear the Word of the Lord!" I. The solemn address to the children of men: 0 earth, earth, earth!" is 1. The expression, we are aware, is a metonymy, in which the container is put for the contained; but as man of the earth earthy," it is also descriptive of his mortality. The expression, "O earth, earth, earth! when properly heard, is well calculated to bring down the lofty looks of man, and to produce humility in the place of pride. It is indispensibly essential for the good of the community, that there should be different grades in society, according to the different stations that men have to fulfil; but the inhabitants of Judea had become lofty; they had got out of their places; pride had taken possession of their hearts. Their king, their nobles, their officers, their judges, had "How rich! how poor! how abject! how august! 66 YOUNG. Behold 2. We have here a repetition of the word earth," which is used to command greater attention. This is very common in the Sacred Writings, as well as in profane authors. We shall find throughout the gospel of St. John, that whenever any thing very important is about to be introduced, it is prefaced by "verily! verily!" Our Lord, when speaking to Simon Peter on a very interesting and particular occasion, said unto him, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Luke, xxii, 31, 32. And again, after the Lord's resurrection, he said unto Peter three different times, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" And, on one occasion, when addressing himself to Martha, he said unto her, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and troubled about many things." &c. Luke, x, 41. This way of arresting the attention was very common amongst the Roman and Grecian orators. 3. When preceded by the interjection O or Oh! the repetition generally expresses uncommon emotion or grief. |