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ing that a full reparation be made to the injured glories of the divine government before the rebel be admitted to favor; and the Father actually pardons in consequence of this satisfaction. "It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth?"

It may be remarked here, that the restoration of a backsliding people is really pleasing and glorifying to God. Does the fond parent delight in the return of a disobedient, prodigal son; are his bowels moved within him when he beholds the penitential tear burst from his eyes, or hears the unfeigned acknowledgments of regret for his former misbehaviour; does he run, does he embrace him, does he afford every possible expression of good will towards him, and cordiality in receiving him? Inconceiv ably more cordial is the everlasting Father in receiving the apostate child who returns through the mediation of Jesus Christ."Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will return unto you saith the Lord of hosts: Turn, O backsliding children, for I am married unto you, saith the Lord." He does not merely invite them back to himself, but he scatters every mountain of opposition that intervenes; he answers every objection which might tend to discourage; "I will heal your backslidings; when you have multiplied to transgress I will multiply to pardon; all your former disobedience, your breach of resolutions the most deliberate and solemn, your present unworthiness.

are no obstacles on my part, and they need be no discouragement on yours. Behold, I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins; return unto me, for I have redeemed you.'

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Are any despondently replying, "wherewith shall I come before the Lord? I am ashamed to look up to a Father whom I have so frequently and wantonly offended; I have no plea which I can mention as a reason why the Lord should receive me who am chargeable with shameful and repeated departures;" he adds "I will love you freely." The love here mentioned does not so properly imply this attribute or perfection of God, as the egress or expression of this perfection to his people. Considered in the former sense the love of God is invariable; he as really loves the child of adoption when he frowns as when he smiles ; when he scourges him with scorpions, as when he refreshes with his consolations."I have loved you with an everlasting," unchanging "love; therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn you." The promise here delivered by the prophet secures that Jehovah who had long been visiting Israel in wrath would speedily return to them in manifestations of mercy; that the night of adversity in which as a nation they had been enveloped should be shortly succeeded by a morning of prosperity, and their present sorrow should terminate in joy. I cannot pass unnoticed the sovereignty with which

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this promise is expressed, "I will love you FREELY;" "It is not to reward any worth, or compliment any excellence in you, but to magnify the freedom and immensity of my own goodness. Not for your sakes do I this, be it known unto you, O house of Israel, but for mine own name's sake."-All the blessings which a covenant God dispenses, he dispenses freely; does he justify the ungodly?" it is freely of grace through the redemption which is in Christ;" does he raise to life the spiritually dead?" it is according to his mercy; out of his abundant goodness they are begotten again :" does he bestow the adoption of children to the alien? this favor is shown to "the praise of the riches of the glory of his grace;" does he visit an individual, or a church, or a nation with a season of refreshing after they have been apparently rejected or forgotten! "these things are freely given of God."The word freely probably expresses, not only the communication of blessings without merit on their part, but also the abundant measures in which they should be dispensed; "I will love you FREELY; I will manifest my favor with a bounty becoming a God; where sin has abounded on your part in backsliding and departing from me, my mercy shall much more abound in passing by your transgressions, and imparting every blessing which your necessities can require; my grace, like an overflowing river or mighty stream, shall surmount every obstacle which

your iniquities have thrown in the way; I will do for you exceedingly abundantly, not only beyond what you deserve, but also beyond what you can either ask or think."

The love of Jehovah must be exercised in a manner consistent with the honor of his other perfections; the demands of his justice must be answered; the injuries of his law must be repaired before mercy can be manifested to a guilty world; he therefore adds, "for mine anger is turned away from him." To consider "anger" when ascribed to God as that hasty, unreasonable, uncontroled passion which agitates the bosom ofmortals, would be equally absurd and blasphemous; "he beholds the end from the beginning," he foresees every event which can possibly occur either in time or eternity, and therefore can never be taken on surprize; he is a being essentially perfect, and therefore infinitely remote from that caprice by which mortals are governed; but anger when ascribed to Deity signifies his righteous displeasure against sin, his necessary abhorrence of it as contrary to his perfections, as inconsistent with the moral beauty of his creation, and a holy, deliberate, unalterable determination to punish it: the removal of his anger, therefore, can take place only in consequence of ample satisfaction both to his law and justice. "The anger of the Lord was turned away" from the objects of mercy at the death of his eternal Son in their room; that blood which flowed

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from his cross washed away the guilt of a chosen world. "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect; it is Christ that died, yea,rather that is risen again." Those lightnings of divine wrath which threatened their destruction exhausted all their terrors upon the soul of the Surety; peace and good will are therefore proclaimed to them "For by one offering," says the apostle, "he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." The anger of Jehovah is turned away from the individual, at the moment of his union to Jesus and acceptance of his covenant righteousness; no sooner does the sinner improve by faith the obedience and blood of the gracious Immanuel than a sentence of justification is passed in his favor; the Lord God who formerly denounced "indignation and wrath" against his crimes becomes "pacified towards" him; pronounces him perfectly "accepted in the beloved," and gives him the most inviolable security to future happiness and glory. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. He is no longer a stranger or foreigner but a fellow citizen with the saints and of the household of God." "The" divine anger is turned" from a guilty, backsliding people when they return in the lively exercises of faith and humiliation. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For since I spake a

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