that God is merciful, too merciful to punish any one, unless it be, perhaps, some extraordinarily flagrant transgressor. Hence, though they know they are sinners, they never think of re- penting, or of changing that course of life which, if the Scrip- tures be true, must lead them to perdition. Only see the state of the first converts, or of any who have felt their danger of God's wrath ; and then tell me whether that be the experience of the world at large ? Where do we see the weeping penitents smiting on their breast, and crying for mercy? Where do we see persons flying to Christ for refuge, as the manslayer fled from the sword of the avenger, that was pursuing him ? In the world at large we see nothing of this ; nothing, in fact, but supineness and secuiity: so true is the judgment of the Psalmist respecting them, that " there is no fear of God before their eyes." The same testimony St. Paul also bears^: and we know that his record is true.]
If, then, David's views be indeed correct, see,
1. How marvellous is the forbearance of our God! —
[He sees the state of every living man : he sees, not our
actions only, but our very thoughts : for " he trieth the heart
and reins." What evils, then, does he behold in every quarter
of the globe ! Not a country, a town, a village, a family, no,
nor a single soul, exempt from the common malady! all
fallen ; all " enemies in their hearts to God by wicked works!"
Take but a single city, our owai metropolis for instance, and
what a mass of iniquity does God behold in it, even in the
short space of twenty-four hours ! Is it not astonishing that
God's wTath does not break forth against us, even as against
Sodom and Gomorrha, to consume us by fire ; or that another
deluge does not come, to sweep us away from the face of the
earth ? Dear Brethren, " account this long-suffering of our
God to be salvation %" and " let it lead every one of you to
repentance ^"]
2. How unbounded is the love of God, that has provided a Saviour for us ! —
[Behold, instead of destroying the world by one stroke of his indignation, he has sent us his co-equal and co-eternal Son to effect a reconciliation between him and us, by the sacrifice of himself! Yes, "he has so loved the world, as to have given his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life'^." " He sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world," as we might rather have expected ; " but that the world through him might be saved*."
•^ Rom. iii. 18. « 2 Pet. iii. 15. "" Rom. ii. 4.
c John iii. 16. '' John iii. 17.
5.58.J sinners' self-flattering delusions exposed. 271
What, then, my beloved Brethren, " shall your transgressions say to you?" Shall they not say, " Avail yourselves of the proffered mercy? Delay not an hour to seek an interest in that Sa\dour, that so your sins may be blotted out, and your souls be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus?" Let this love of God constrain you to surrender up yourselves to him as his redeemed people; and so to walk before him in newness of heart and life, that " Christ may be magnified in you, whether by life or death ^"]
e Phil. i. 20.