state of death. We are still under the sentence of eternal death: still dead in trespasses and sins; without pardon, and without holiness; having no title to a heavenly life, nor any fitness for it. As Christ said to the unbelieving Jews, "If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins;" so it must be said to us, "If ye come not to Christ, ye shall die in your sins." And what then will our idols profit us? What good will those things do us, which we have preferred to Christ; and for the sake of which, we would not come to Him? Let us sit down and count our cost. Let us think how we shall feel, and what we shall wish, when we shall find that these sinful attachments, which have here kept us from Christ, have also kept us from heaven; nay, have brought us to that dreadful place of punishment, to which we shall be deservedly assigned, and from which we shall never be released.

For let us consider further, the great sin of not coming to Jesus Christ. He came down from Heaven on purpose that we might have life; and ought we not to come to Him for it? He denied himself, he bore his cross, he died, that we might live. And ought we not to deny ourselves, to bear our

and live unto Him? Had He been unwilling to undergo these sufferings for our sake, our state would have been most deplorable; our souls must have perished for ever without hope. And can we be unwilling to undergo what He imposes on us? Let us reflect on the ingratitude of such a conduct. What could He have done more to show his love, and to win and merit our's, than to have shed His own blood to save us from death? Can we listen, without being deeply moved, to this tender complaint?" After all that I have done, after all that I have suffered for your sakes, you will not come to me, that you may have life." May the heart of stone be taken away! May the Lord make us willing in the day of his power! May we have grace to come to Him! Let us call to mind his merciful invitation; "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Let us be persuaded, let us be prevailed on, to come unto Him. We need not fear being rejected: for, He who laments our unwillingness to come, has also said, "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out."

193

SERMON V.

DIVINE FORBEARANCE TOWARDS SINNERS.

HOSEA, xi. 8, 9.

How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me; my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger: I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God, and not man.

THE long-suffering of God, his patience towards sinners, his unwillingness to punish, his readiness to pardon, form a conspicuous part of the Divine character, as set forth to our view in the sacred writings. The Bible abounds with representations of these gracious qualities in the Almighty. But perhaps there is no single passage which exhibits them in a more striking, beautiful,

scribes, as it were, a strong and tender struggle in the mind of God between the opposite and contending claims of Justice and Mercy; and in the end represents the latter as prevailing, mercy rejoicing against judgement. We are not indeed to suppose, that such a struggle as is here described, ever really takes place in the Divine mind. God is not subject to such conflicts. With Him" is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." But He is pleased, in gracious condescension to our capacities, thus to describe Himself to us; and in the view which He gives us of his own perfections, oftentimes to speak after the manner of men, that we may be enabled to form the clearer notions on the subject.

With the design of afterwards drawing from the text some profitable reflections, shall first lead you to a more particular consideration of it.

The nation of Israel, or Ephraim, (as it was frequently called by the Prophets,) had done every thing to provoke the Lord to anger. Forgetful of all that He had wrought for them, and of all which they owed to Him, they had left his service, renounced his worship, and had given themselves up to the most shameful idolatries. And they had continued long in this state.

Mercies and judgements had been employed, but in vain, to reclaim them. They still continued impenitent. In the very verse before the text, the Lord had complained of them, as being "bent to backslide from Him:" though they were called to Him, yet "would they not exalt him." Now what could be expected but that they should be dealt with according to their deserts? After such a complaint, what could be looked for, but a declaration of judgement? What should the Lord add but such language as this, There⚫fore I am determined to punish them, and never to shew them mercy any more?" But no such is the sovereignty of his mercy, such the freeness, the fulness of Divine grace, that it immediately follows, "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me; my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger: I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man."

Now in these words let us first attend to the debate which is represented between Justice and Mercy: the gracious debate, which God is described as holding with Him