obnoxious to God's wrathful indignation. It supposes, too,
that he despairs of ever being- able to do any thing that shall
conciliate the divine power : he sees and feels that he must
entirely cast himself on the mercy of God in Christ Jesus.
At the same time, he sees that there is a sufficiency for him in
Christ ; a sufficiency in his death to atone for all sin ; and a
sufficiency in his righteousness, to justify all who shall be
clothed in it before God. With these views, he indulges a
hope that even lie may obtain mercy at God's hands ; and on
God's mercy he casts himself without reserve ; determining, if
he perish, to perish at the foot of the cross, imploring mercy
of God for Christ's sake. Lower than this we cannot go: for
if a person have not attained to this, he has not entered into the
fold of Christ. He may be an outward-court worshipper ; but
on the threshold of God's sanctuary he has not so much as once
set his foot.]
Yet, low as their condition is, the text informs us,
II. How high he soars in his regards towards them —
Had it been said that God would look with pity and compassion upon such feeble worms, it would have displayed in him a most astonishing extent of condescension and grace. But we are told, not that he will shew favour to them, and accept them, but that " he taketh pleasure" in them. Yet how can this be conceived ? What can he ever see in them, that shall afford him pleasure ? However little we may be able to conceive it, he does "take pleasure" in them : he takes pleasure,
1. In looking upon them —
[He himself draws this very character, and says, " To this man will I look, even to him that is of a broken and contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my wordd." If it be asked, What can he find in them to engage his regards ? I answer, What can a mother behold in a new-born infant to engage her affec- tions ? The child, though so weak and helpless, is hers, a partaker of her nature, and an heir of her inheritance : and therefore she feels an intensity of interest in the child, and finds in the sight of it an exquisite delight.]
2. In answering their prayers —
[A mother understands the cry of her child, and needs no further incentive to fulfil its desires. And God, too, under- stands the sigh, the groan, the very look of his children, and
d Isai. lvii. 15. and lxvi. 2.