These were only a part of the duties performed by them. But they were also the ordinary preachers of righteousness to that people; teaching them, by divine authority, the lessons of religion and morality whereby the dispositions of their hearts might be corrected and improved, and their conduct regulated. For this purpose the people assembled and sat before them, in the usual posture of disciples coming to hear the instructions of their master or teacher. To this part of the prophetic office our text appears principally to relate. The prophet Ezekiel was called by GoD to perform that office for the Jews who had been carried away from their own country by Nebuchadnezzar and remained in captivity at Babylon. It might have been expected, that while suffering under the severe calamities brought upon them by GoD as a punishment for their sins, and which had been foretold to them by Jeremiah, they would have been excited to attend, with suitable dispositions and motives, to the divine messages communicated to them by the Prophet, and to have followed his instructions. But they appear to have fallen, even then, into that error which was at every period very prevalent in their nation, and produced fatal effects; - the error of confining their religion to external acts of worship. Our text contains a striking and lively representation, given by the ALMIGHTY to his prophet, of the manner in which they sought after and received his instructions; and censures them for the neglect of those duties which were most essential to render their services acceptable to GOD. And, my brethren, human nature is the same now as it was in that age. Many are still prone to the same error into which the Jews fell. The representation contained in our text will apply to a great part of a Christian congregation as accurately as it did to a Jewish assembly. And when we review its different parts, we shall perceive that the religion of too many among ourselves is confined to those particulars which they likewise performed, and, in other respects, is as defective as theirs was. To receive that instruction which the passage is well calculated to give, let us consider,

I. WHAT THEY DID; and,

II. WHAT THEY ARE CENSURED FOR OMITTING.

I. AS TO WHAT THEY DID. - For any thing which they did, they do not seem to have been reproved. It is not declared to be wrong. They are reproved for not having done other things which were essential. They did not do all that was required, or did not do it in a proper manner. Their service fell far short of what was due.

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"Son of man," the text begins, "the children of thy people still are talking of thee by the walls, and in the doors of the houses." The translation in the text of our common Bibles is, "still are talking against thee." But in reading the verse, I have used the translation in the margin of our larger Bibles; which is of equal authority with the other, and is generally considered in this instance as most correct; and it is, indeed, most agreeable to the tenor of the whole passage. For as the Jews were evidently pleased with hearing the prophet, as they incited each other to go and receive his instructions, as they were eager in their attendance upon him, it is not probable that their remarks to each other in their conversations were unfavorable to him. The fact seems to have been, that they were struck and pleased with the vehement and energetic eloquence by which this prophet appears from his writings to have been distinguished: and perhaps the extraordinary and important messages which he often communicated from GOD interested them, and excited their curiosity. He was, therefore, constantly the subject of their conversation "by the walls;" that is, in their places of public resort; the gates of their cities being the places at which the greater part of their business was anciently transacted; and also "in the doors of the houses;" or in their private intercourse. The interest thus felt in the prophet, and the admiration expressed of his eloquence and instructions, might easily be mistaken for an attachment to the religion itself, whose doctrines and precepts he was commissioned to teach, and as an evidence of the influence which that religion had over them.

Much of the same disposition, we well know, is found among Christians. How much greater attention is too often paid to the eloquence, the style, the delivery of the teachers, than to the all-important truths which are the subjects of their discourses!

With what zeal and earnestness are the merits or defects of those teachers often canvassed, while little regard is paid to the duty of reflecting upon and applying to ourselves the instructions which they have delivered! How strong a partiality is frequently felt and warmly expressed for particular teachers, by those who give little other evidence of attachment to religion ! It is not designed to condemn those partial feelings, or the free and candid examination of the merits or faults of Christian ministers, as being wrong in themselves; but let them not interfere with real duties; let them not be mistaken for evidence of attachment to religion, or of an experimental acquaintance with it. They are met with often where religion has obtained no influence over the heart. Indeed, my brethren, the more completely your attention is withdrawn from your preacher himself and fixed upon the message which he is delivering to you from the Word of GOD - the more fully your subsequent reflections are employed to impress upon your hearts the edifying instructions received from him, so that your dispositions may be thereby improved and your conduct directed, instead of confining your thoughts to the merits or defects of the manner in which those instructions have been addressed to you, the greater, you may believe, is your actual advancement in religion, and the greater additional improvement you may expect from uniting in religious worship. When you come to this sacred place, your business is not with us, but with your God. When you depart from it, your minds should be employed, not upon us, but upon his commands, or the other parts of his revealed will which have been declared to you. We are but humble instruments, commissioned by him to lead your devotions, and to deliver to you the joyful message of the Gospel; offering to you the forgiveness of your sins, reconciliation to GOD, and eternal life, through the merits of the Redeemer; declaring to you the terms of repentance, faith, and obedience annexed to that offer, and required to be performed on your part; and urging you, by the terrors and the mercies of GoD, and a regard for your own everlasting welfare, to secure the offered blessings, by complying with the reasonable terms proposed. To GOD your devotions must be

addressed; by GoD the noble offers just mentioned have been made to you. "We, then," (to use the language of St. Paul,) 66 are ambassadors for CHRIST, as though God did beseech you by us," and "we pray you in CHRIST's stead, be ye reconciled to God."* Let your view, then, be carried, as it ought to be, beyond the ambassador, and fixed on the august Sovereign by whom he has been deputed, and on the gracious message borne by him.

The Prophet is next informed by GoD, that "the children of his people" the captive Jews-"speak one to another, every man to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD." Thus they appear to have been earnest in inciting each other to assemble together before the Prophet, to hear the Word of God; a part of their conduct which was laudable, and worthy of the imitation of every Christian: each of whom should zealously, though with prudence, use the influence which he may possess over others, and is especially bound so to do with respect to those who are nearly connected with him, or under his authority, for the purpose of leading them to pay that worship which is due to the LORD of heaven and earth; and to receive from it the instruction in their duty, and grace to perform it, which are so important to the general welfare of society, as well as to their own temporal and eternal happiness. St. Paul therefore inculcates upon all Christians the duty of thus inciting each other to every good work. "Let us consider one another," says he, "to provoke unto love, and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."+

Thus incited by each other, the captive Jews flocked in crowds to hear the instructions of their prophet. They sat before him as disciples before their master, and listened with attention to the Word of GOD which he declared to them. In this their conduct was conformable to the divine commands. By thus assembling together for religious exercises, they

to

pay

expressed their homage and declared their subjection to God, and received information of his will, to which they were expected obedience. In like manner, Christians are to assemble together to pay their worship, their adoration and praise, to the Deity; to present to him their petitions suited to their necessities; to hear his holy word read and explained. And in thus assembling for these purposes, they perform a duty acceptable to God. But let it be always remembered, that though this external worship of GoD is itself an important duty, the performance of which he strictly enjoins, yet it is required principally as a means to a higher and nobler end; to render our hearts holy and devoted to the love of Him, and to lead us to conform our lives to his commands.

Further; the Jews not only assembled together to hear the Prophet's instructions, but they appear to have taken a lively interest in this religious exercise. They attended to him with pleasure, and even with a high degree of delight. They expressed their gratification; "for with their mouth they showed much love:" they were enraptured with the music of his voice, and his energetic and commanding eloquence; "he was unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument." This delight, which was felt by the Jews in participating in the divine ordinances, is described also by the prophet Isaiah, in a passage, however, in which, it must be observed, he was notwithstanding directed to reprove them with severity for their transgressions. "Cry aloud," said the ALMIGHTY to that prophet, "spare not; lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God; they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God."* To "seek the LORD," and "to approach to him," mean to draw nigh to him in the use of his ordinances, or other religious exercises; in prayer, in reading or hearing his word,

Isaiah lviii. 1, 2.