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So I

gave them up unto their own hearts' lust:

and they walked in their own counsels. —

Deliverance to a man's own lust involves the greatest ruin: —

I. MAN ABANDONED BY HIS MAKER.

1. This abandonment must be very painful to the loving Father. Can there be a greater sorrow in the world than that of the human father who feels bound to shut his door against his own son and give him up? But what is a father's love to the love of God?

2. This abandonment must be very terrible to man. If the mother abandons her helpless infant, its condition is sad indeed; but a thousand times indeed sadder is the condition of a man whom God has abandoned. He is in a worse condition than the man in the furious and unabating tempest without a rudder or a chart, destined to sink into the fathomless abyss of ruin.

II. Man abandoned by his Maker TO HIS OWN LUSTS.

1. Such an abandonment man's conscience must approve of. He has always said, Self is everything to me, nearer than the universe or God. Very well, says God, you have yourself; I leave you with yourself.

2. Such an abandonment is inexpressibly terrible. "Unto their own hearts' lust." Let a man be given up to any lust — say avarice, drunkenness, sensuality, revenge, envy — and he is given up to the worst hell you can conceive of.

(Homilist.)

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KJV: But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

WEB: But my people didn't listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.