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Hence, a Second thing needful to render our subject interesting is an apprehension of our danger as transgressors. Sin exposes us to the wrath of God; for it is written, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." The tremendousness of this curse exceeds all the power of language to express, or of imagination to conceive. It is the curse of a God! The present effects of transgression show that it is an evil and a bitter thing to sin against God; and are sufficient to lead a reflecting mind to exclaim, "Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath!" But these are only the beginning of sorrows -What then must the completion of them be? Who among you can dwell with the devouring fire? Who among you can dwell with everlasting burnings? If there was only a possibility of incurring a doom so infinitely dreadful, common sense, if consulted, would tell you to agonize with the question, "What must I do to be saved?" till the cruel uncertainty was over. But in your present state, there is no uncertainty. "The soul that sinneth it shall die." And how can you escape? Can you grapple with Almighty Power? Can you conceal yourselves from Infinite Wisdom? Can you flee from Him who is every where; and every where the sin-avenging God-There is only one way of deliverance. It is forgiveness!

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Thirdly. Our subject is rendered interesting by a discovery of the privileges of a pardoned state. We talk of happiness. Oh! what a change to be delivered from the wrath to come to know that God's anger is turned away-that from an enemy, he is become a friend-a friend giving us cordial access to all the rights of innocency, and entitling us to a felicity superior to the happiness of Adam in Paradise, and even of an angel in glory! Well might Paul say, Being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Yea, we joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement!" Well might David exclaim, Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!" Such a man has the true notion of blessedness-and he has the reality. His blessedness is insured-and it is begun. He is blessed with assistance and acceptance, in all his duties: "for he is not under the law, but under grace." He is blessed in all his mercies, and tastes a sweetness, which others know not of, derived from a covenant claim, and the love of his heavenly Father.

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And what has he to fear?-Is it affliction? -His troubles, however severe, have no curse in them. They are not the effects of wrath, but tokens of love, and blessings in disguise. He will be supported under them. He will be sanctified by them. He will be delivered

out of them.-Is it death? The sting of death is sin; but that sting is extracted. To die is gain. Is it the grave? The grave is no longer the condemned hole, in which the criminal sleeps the night before execution; but the chamber, in which, after refreshment, he dresses for his interview with the King of Glory. Is it the judgment? The judgment only proclaims his absolution, and ushers him into the joy of his Lord. Is this credible? Is such a blessedness attainable! Yes, and

II. We proceed TO ADDUCE THE PROOFS WHICH ESTABLISH THE TRUTH OF THE DOCTRINE—“ a God ready to pardon." And do you ask for evidence?

See it in the provision he has made for the exercise of it. For it became him—we use his own language; "it became him" to administer this pardon in a peculiar way. It was necessary that nothing like a connivance at moral evil should be suspected in the Divine government. It was necessary that sin should be condemned in the flesh, even while it was forgiven. It was necessary that God's law should not appear so rigid as to require relaxation, or so changeable and weak as to admit of dispensation; but be magnified and made honourable. It was necessary that God's truth should be seen, as well as his grace; and his righteousness, as well as his mercy. Here were difficulties which he alone could remove. Here was a plan which he alone could devise. Here was a sacrifice which he alone could provide. But, of his own selfmoved compassion, He has reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ. He has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."-Rather than not pardon-he spares not his own Son, but delivers him up for us all. Do you ask for evidence?

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See it in the provide with which he pardons on our ret And it shall come to pass," says God before they call I will answer, and while they speak I will hear." Was the father backward to receive the prodigal, when famine and misery drove him home? Disobedient and vile as he had been," when he was yet a great way off, the father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the Father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry." Do you ask for evidence?

See it in his earnestness to excite us to seek after the blessing. It would be enough to prove that a man was ready to pardon, if he yielded immediately upon the offender's submission and application; but God does more. He not only "waits to be gracious," but he comes forward-He begins-He cries "Come, and let us reason together: though your sins were as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they were red like crimson, they shall be as wool." He urges: he entreats; yes-by the uneasiness of conscience, by the afflictions of life, by the importunity of friends, by the addresses of ministers-it is, as the apostle says, "as though God did beseech you to be reconciled unto God!" Do you ask for evidence?

See it in the character of those who have received pardon. Some of these have been the chief of sinners; sinners of long standing; sinners whose crimes have been not only numberless, but attended with every aggravation. You have read of Manasseh; of the dying thief; of the murderers of Christ; of the Corinthian converts: yet all these obtained mercy! Do you ask for evidence?

See it, finally, in the number of those who obtain forgiveness. Let us not reduce them. There are thousands more than we are aware of, even when we send forth Candour to reckon them; and when they shall be all "gathered together out of every kindred and nation and tongue and people, they will be found a multitude which no man can number."-Thus real, and thus obvious, is the glorious character of Jehovah-as "A GOD READY TO PARDON."

III. But it will be requisite To POINT OUT THE WAY IN WHICH THIS SUBJECT may BE abused, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT ought TO BE improved.

The subject is abused when it leads us to deny any disposition in God to punish. God is not only to be viewed as a tender father, but a moral governor. His mercy cannot be too much extolled, provided we allow that "he is holy in all his ways, and righteous in all his works: and of purer eyes than to behold iniquity." We do not approve of the word vindictive justice; but punitive justice is essential to his character; and, without it, we could neither venerate nor love him: for how could we esteem a being, especially in the relation of a ruler, who should feel alike disposed towards the liar and the man of truth, the cruel and the kind, a Robespierre and a Howard-and treat them alike? The Scriptures do not "bid mercy triumph over God himself, undeified by such opprobrious praise:" even when he said to Moses, "I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee," he recorded himself, "The Lord God merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping

mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty."

The subject is abused when it encourages us to hope for pardon in ways not warranted by the word of God. For instance

Thus-unwarranted is our hope when we expect it without a reference to the mediation of Christ. It is acknowledged that God's love is unpurchased; and that of his own nature he is disposed to be merciful and gracious. But the question is, Whether he has not a right to exercise his mercy and grace in his own way; and whether, if he has appointed and revealed such a way, any thing but criminal ignorance and pride can lead me to oppose it; or any thing but disappointment and wretchedness can result from my neglect of it? We are "justified freely by his grace;" but it is "through the redemp tion that is in Christ Jesus." "I am the way," says the Redeemer: "no man cometh unto the Father but by me."

Thus unwarranted is our hope when we expect pardon without repentance. Show me a single Scripture where the bestowment of the one is unconnected with the exercise of the other. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." "He that confesseth and forsaketh them, shall have mercy." "He is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel, and forgiveness of sins."

Thus unwarranted is our hope when we expect this pardon by delaying an application for it to the close of life. We can never merit the Divine goodness: but it is in our power to provoke his wrath-and I would ask, What can be so likely to induce him to reject us as our being evil, "because he is good;" our "continuing in sin, that grace may abound"-while animated by the hope that a dying petition will save us, when we have sinned till we can sin no longer? He is a God ready to pardon; but he will not make this pardon "the minister of sin."

Finally. Thus-unwarranted is our hope when we expect to find this pardon in another world, if we fail to obtain it in this. He is ready to pardon-but it is in time only. At death "the door is shut." "Then," says God, "shall they call, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me." "Seek ye, therefore, the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near."

But what is the proper improvement we should make of this delightful subject?

It should yield encouragement to the broken hearted. It is often as hard to persuade such persons as these to hope as it was formerly to induce them to fear. They are commonly tempted to conclude that their case is peculiar, or that the greatness of their guilt excludes them from mercy.-Is this thy case?

Art thou, my fellow-sinner, ready to say, "I they are spoken of in the preceding verses: am cast out of his sight?" Look again to-"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom wards his holy temple. Once more turn back, and address his throne; once more cry,

"Yet save a trembling sinner, Lord,
Whose hope, still hovering round thy word,
Would light on some sweet promise there,
Some sure defence against despair!"

And behold this sure defence; behold this
sweet promise-"a God ready to pardon!"

he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy: and gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry_and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and The subject should afford consolation to he delivered them out of their distresses.” those who have believed through grace. Be- Does the sacred writer refer to travellers in lievers are enemies to sin, and long to be de- general? Much of the Lord's goodness is to livered from it; but while they are in the be seen in long and perilous journeys: but body they are imperfect. They find it im- the language here employed seems too strong possible to live without contracting fresh to justify such an application. Does he alguilt. Their duties are defiled; and among lude to the Israelites, when marching through their holiest exercises they must exclaim, the desert to Canaan? Of this we are na"If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, Oturally reminded by some things in the deLord, who should stand?" But are they, while they mourn, to refuse to be comforted? Are they, while they are humble, to be hopeless? If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Instead of keeping away from God under a sense of our unworthiness, as the enemy of souls would urge us, "let us," with ingenuous feelings, "come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." He is "a God ready to pardon !"

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The subject demands our admiration and praise. There is no character we esteem and extol so much as that of the merciful, the tender, the placable, the forgiving: "It is the glory of a man to pass by a transgression." How glorious then must God appear! "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy."

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But the subject calls upon us not only to admire, but to imitate. Is he a God ready to pardon? Be ye followers of God as dear children. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evilspeaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

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scription: but a part of it does not harmonize with fact. They were taken from Egypt; but not "gathered from the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south." Does he refer to the return of the Jews from Babylon to Judea, in consequence of the decree of Cyrus! We know that Ezra, who led back a portion of them, says, "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance:" and after this, we also know, they arrived safe at Jerusalem, "through the good hand of their God upon them." But what evidence have we that this Psalm was written after this event? Or that it was not written by David? Or, if written by him, that it is to be considered as prophetical rather than historical?

But the difficulty there is in determining the persons immediately designed is a circumstance not to be lamented. It is even an advantage; it constrains us to a more spiritual and evangelical interpretation of the subject. And thus the whole representation is fully and easily imbodied. For the people of God are redeemed-redeemed from the curse of the law, the powers of darkness, and the bondage of corruption. They are gathered-gathered by his grace out of all the diversities of the human race; "out of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues." Whatever this world is to others, they find it to be "a wilderness;" where they are often tried; but their trials urge them to prayer, and prayer brings them relief. And being divinely conducted, they at length reach their destination: and this is the conclusion of the whole, and it applies to each of them; "And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation."

Let us consider-THE LEADER-THE WAY-and THE END.

I. THE LEADER. He led them. The

"A thousand savage beasts of Around the forest roam."

prey,

land to be given them is said to be "very far | for the country through which they pass is off;" and in a journey of such extent, such full of snares and dangers: and difficulty, and of such importance, who would venture alone? But the believer is not alone. He travels under the conduct of Jehovah; and can say, and sometimes he can even sing too; "This God is my God for ever and ever, he will be my guide even unto death."

In the everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure, the engagement runs, "They shall be my people, and I will be their God." As if he should say, "I dedicate myself to their welfare. I hold myself at their call." As he undertakes to be nothing less than "their God," there is divinity in every relation in which he stands to them. If he is their friend, he is not only a perfect, but a divine friend, and therefore an infinite one. If he is their guide, he is not only a perfect, but a divine guide, and therefore an infinite one. Let us more particularly examine this privilege. Let us connect it with his omnipresence; his patience; his power; and his wisdom.

Let us connect this guidance with his omnipresence. As his people travel from all countries, and are remote often from each other, no creature, if their leader, could be with them all at the same time: while he approached some, he would withdraw, in the same proportion, from others. But God is everywhere. He fills earth, as well as heaven; he is constantly at hand, and to each of his people a very present help in trouble. They shall never perish for want of seasonable aid: "It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."

Let us connect this guidance with his patience. No other being in the universe would be able to bear with our imperfections and provocations. The meekest man upon earth, and the most merciful angel in heaven, if intrusted with us, would soon abandon his charge. A Christian has sometimes such views of his depravity; of his omissions of duty; of his distractions in it; of his ingratitude, his unbelief, his perverseness-that he cries with Job, “Behold, I am vile," and abhors himself, repenting in dust and ashes. He then wonders that God does not cast him off.

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And what emboldens them? The voice of him who cries; Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest. Thou shalt walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. Thou shalt tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under foot."

Let us connect this guidance with his wisdom. Who knows what is good for a man in this life? Who can distinguish between appearance and reality? Who can determine that what he wishes to shun is not a blessing? Or that what he covets is not a curse! The way of man is not in himself. Hence the admonition and the promise; "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." Some possess great talent, and have acquired much knowledge and experience: yet, no creature is infallibly wise, and therefore we cannot implicitly resign ourselves to him; but we may absolutely commit ourselves to God. His understanding is infinite. He sees the end from the beginning. He perfectly knows what we are, and what we want: and "though clouds and darkness are round about him, and justice and judgment are the habitation of his throne; mercy and truth go before his face."

"He led them forth by

II. THE WAY. the right way." Many things seem inconsistent with this acknowledgment; especially the various trials with which they are exercised, and which often lead them to say with Gideon, "If the Lord be with us, why But his Leader is the God of all grace; then is all this evil befallen us?" Are they he is longsuffering; he does not break the persecuted by enemies, and betrayed by bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. friends? Are they stripped of their sub"Like as a father pitieth his children, so the stance; bereaved of their kindred; invaded Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he by sickness; made to possess months of vaniknoweth our frame; he remembereth we are ty, and have wearisome nights appointed for dust." And while, under a recollection of them? And, Is this the "right way In his past guilt, and a sense of his present un-answer to this, it will he necessary to ask two worthiness, he prays, "Cast me not away questions: from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me;" his Leader replies, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."

Let us connect this guidance with his power. No other leader could defend them;

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First. According to what principle is it "right?" For a thing may be wrong in one view, and right in another. It is sinful to take away life; but there are cases in which it i lawful and praiseworthy: as in self-defence

and the execution of judicial policy. In the system of nature, winter is as necessary as summer, and night as day; though for some purposes they are not equally good. A way that winds about may not be valued for its shortness, but it may be preferable for its safety, or for the sake of avoiding a hill, or for touching at several places where the traveller may do business. The correction which may appear cruel, if considered only with regard to the feelings of the child, appears very differently when connected with his profit. We do not extol medicine for the pleasure of taking it, but for the effect resulting from it, in the restoration of health. So it is here. Many of the dispensations of Providence, if viewed separately and partially, would be objectionable; but right when considered in connexion with their designs, and relatively to the glory of God's name and the spiritual welfare of his people. This is the rule by which they are to be tried.

Secondly. According to whose judgment is it right? And to this we immediately answer, The judgment of God. He alone is capable of judging; and his judgment is always according to truth: what seems good in his sight, must be really good: for he cannot be deceived. But we are so ignorant, and can grasp so little of the plan-so occupied, and full of prejudices-we are so selfish, so carnal, so impatient-and are such very inadequate judges, that we often call evil good, and good evil.

Four things, however, may be observed, in reference to this case.

First. It will be right, according to the judgment of the Christian himself, in another world. "What I do," says his Leader, "thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." When in God's light he shall see light, he will join the acclamations of those to whom the mysteries which once perplexed them are explained; and say, "Marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints!" Secondly. The Christian is not wholly without satisfaction even now. There are some openings into the dispensations of Heaven which more than enable him to acquiesce. When the noise of the passions is subsided, and he can hear the small still voice; when he has wiped away the tears which bedimmed his light; "I can now," says he, "perceive the reason of such a defection of friendshipI was making flesh my arm. I see why the vessel was broken-I was forgetting the fountain. He planted thorns in my tabernacle, for I was in danger of saying, This is my rest. I know, O Lord, that thy julgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.'

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Thirdly. We should be more satisfied with the rectitude of the Divine proceedings if we were more dutifully attentive. "Whoso is

wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord." But we too often get down from our watch-tower, or fall asleep there; and the interpreter passes by unaddressed and unseen.

Fourthly. There is one way of obtaining complete satisfaction even while we are in this vale of tears. It is to rely on his word when we cannot explain his conduct; it is to walk by faith when we cannot walk by sight. And what is it that you are required to believe in order to bring this heaven into your souls! Why, only, that He who spared not his own Son will deny you nothing that is really good for you; that he takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants, and knows how to advance it better than you do; that he doth all things, and "doth all things well." Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." "If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established."

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III. THE END: "He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation." It doth not," says the apos tle John, "yet appear what we shall be; but this we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." From these words we learn that the glory to which the believer is advancing, is not wholly developed, and yet it is not entirely concealed. Indeed, some revelation is necessary; for we cannot desire what we are ignorant of and have no sympathy with. There are, therefore, some mediums through which we may catch a glimpse. Such are the evils to which we are now exposed. Imagine all these removed. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Such are the imperfections we now feel. Imagine all these annihilated. Then, "that which is perfect is come, and that which is in part, in knowledge, holiness, and bliss, shall be done away. We shall be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." Such is the imagery the Scripture employs; and as our souls are now incarnate, and we acquire knowledge by sensation and reflection, our future condition will more powerfully impress us when it is held forth by things seen and temporal. Hence it is expressed by "rivers of pleasure; trees of life; crowns of glory; a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; a city of habitation."

This suggests magnificence. It is not a village, or a town, but a city of habitation. A

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