17S1] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 43 



a spoil and Israel to the robbers? Did not the Lord? He against 

 whom we have sinned?" And for what reason did the Lord thus 

 deliver his people to be robbed and spoiled by their enemies? The 

 prophet answers plainly — "Because they would not walk in his ways, 

 nor be obedient unto his Laws — Therefore he hath poured upon them 

 the fury of His anger, and the strength of battle — and it hath set him 

 on fire round about, yet he knew it not " — That is, all the horrors and 

 fury of war, and their very city and temple burnt to ashes by the 

 Chaldean army, did not lead them to consider and turn again unto the 

 Lord whom they had offended. They still continued in their sins, 

 despised the Law of God, nor from all His visitations would they learn 

 the righteousness. 



'Tis true that so far as outward professions would go, so far as having 

 the name of religion in their mouths, and claiming the privileges prom- 

 ised and covenanted by God to their Fathers for keeping the Law — so 

 far as outward professions and claims of peculiar favour would go, they 

 continued zealous before God — Nay, so far as days of solemn Fasting 

 and Humiliation, on special visitations and calamities, might be thought 

 a duty, they were not backward in the appointment and observation of 

 them. But what sort of Fasts they were, we shall soon learn from the 

 Sermon of the prophet, in the chapter from which my text is taken. 



The first verse is an awful command to him to go among the people 

 on the solemn Fast-day; and to warn them of their sins — " Cry aloud 

 and spare not ; lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people 

 their transgressions, and the House of Jacob their sin." That is to say 

 — In the boldest and most public manner, with all the freedom becom- 

 ing a prophet and messenger of God, concealing nothing through Fear 

 or Love, declare to the people their many transgressions, and especially 

 their open hypocrisy, and "the iniquities of their Holy things." 



For to all their offences they add this provoking aggravation, namely 

 — high professions and shew of religion — "They seek me daily," or 

 draw nigh to me in all outward ordinances, as a nation that would be 

 thought to delight in knowing my ways and performing righteousness; 

 and they ask of me the ordinances of justice, the rewards promised to 

 holiness ; and, wondering that they do not receive an immediate answer 

 to their Prayers and Fastings, they cry out in the midst of every 

 adversity — 



"Wherefore have we Fasted, and thou seest not? Wherefore have 

 we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? " 



Attend, therefore. Brethren, to the Prophet's answer to these most 

 important questions ! Astonished at their blindness to their own faults, 

 and their expecting an immediate answer of favour from God, in all 

 their religious apj^roachcs to Him ; the Prophet reminds them that they 

 are taught from their own scriptures, "that the sacrifices of the wicked 

 are an abomination in God's sight; and that he will not hear sinners" 



