be
^ ver. 3— G. "^ vsr. 11. «" ver. 18—25. " ver. 17,32.
391.] EXTENT OF GOD's MERCY. 279
be stedfast in it, or perform any of the engagements which it entailed upon them."]
And what is this, but a history of ourselves also ? [hi our prosperity, we care not about God ; " he is not in
all our thoughts" But under some heavy calamity we
begin to lay to heart our former transgressions, and to inquire after God. This is common, especially in sickness, and at the expected approach of deaths Then we can bear to hear of God, and of Christ; yea, we apply to God as our Father, and to Christ as our Redeemer: we acknowledge with apparent gratitude all that they have done for us; and profess a dependence on them
for all that we yet stand in need of Yet in the midst of
all these professions there is no true contrition, no real self- abhorrence, no fixed determination to give up ourselves unre- servedly to God. We approach our God indeed, but it is " with flattery and lies^." We profess much love to him, and much dehght in that covenant which he has made with us in Christ Jesus : but *' our hearts are not right with him, neither are we stedfast in his covenant." This appears from our speedy return to vanity, as soon as ever the judgment is removed from us* We are like metal taken out of the furnace, which, however liquified, soon returns to its original hardness. Our relentings possibly have been renewed either under the ministry of the word, or by some fresh calamity : but, after all, like Pharaoh, we have only verified that humiliating description of the Apostle, *' we have turned again with the dog to his vomit, and the sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire."]
These rebellions however against their God only gave occasion for displaying,
II. The extent of his mercy — Many times did he forgive them —
[Often, through the greatness of their provocations, did he lift up his hand to destroy them in the wilderness : but he forbore to execute upon them the judgments they deserved. " He remembered that they were but flesh, or as a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again ; " and, if he should give vent to his indignation against them, they must inevitably, and irremediably perish.]
It is thus also that he hath dealt with us —
[" How oft have we provoked him, and grieved him by our
transgressions '^ ! " yet on every fresh occasion he has
shewn himself ^' slow to anger and of great kindness." Let every one think with himself how many seasons there have been, when, in heart at least, if not in act, we have exceeded
oof ' Isai. xxvi. l6. & Hos. v. 15. « Hos, xi. 12. •" ver. 40.
280 PSALMS, Lxxxi. 11, 12. [392.
our usual measure of wickedness, and when he might have cut us off, so to speak, with advantage, and made us signal monu-»
ments of his displeasure Yet he has borne with us, and
not suffered his whole displeasure to arise. He has, thus far at least, " forgiven us ; " and, in answer to the intercessions of our great High Priest, he has spared the barren fig-tree, revoking the order for its removal, and renewing, for its preservation, all the means which have hitherto been used in vain. Of this his mercy we all are living monuments : from time to time he has said concerning us, ** How shall I give thee up'?" "Wilt thou not be made clean ? when shall it once be'' ? " Yes, we must all bear witness for him, that the only reason of our not having been long since " consumed, is, because his compassions fail not."]
See then,
1 . What improvement we should make of afflictive providences — ■
[What the Jews professed to do, we should do in reality
— God sends afflictions for this end and, if they