removed. But judgments may be removed in anger, as well as sent in anger r: and God may cease to smite us, only because he is determined not to strive with us any longer, but to give us over to final impenitence s. Our first object should be, to inquire of God " Wherefore he contendeth with us1?" and then to seek the removal of that sin which God has visited with his displeasure. If we can fix on no particular sin, which has provoked God to anger, yet we know that there is an immense load of guilt upon our souls : and therefore we should pray as David did, " The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses! look upon mine affliction and
my pain, and forgive all my sinsnV Sin, even one
single sin, being retained before God's face, will be the heaviest curse that can befall us : but, if our sins be " cast behind his back," the most accumulated trials shall only " augment our eternal weight of glory x" ]
2. What exalted happiness we are privileged to
enjoy—
[Hezekiah spoke of the forgiveness of his sins as already granted, yea, and manifested also with full assurance to his soul. And this is the common privilege of all believers. As Isaiah had a live coal from off the altar applied to his lips, with this assurance, " Thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged ;" so have we the promises applied to our souls at this day, " the Holy Spirit of promise sealing them upon our hearts y," and thereby becoming to us "a Spirit of adoption, and a witness of our being the children of Godz." Doubtless there are marks by which these manifestations must be deter- mined3 but it is not by the marks alone that we can
attain the consolations here spoken of: these can be imparted only by Him who is emphatically called the comforter: but the assurance itself is, if not the attainment of all, yet certainly the privilege of all, who truly believeb.
Live not then below your privileges. And, as God gene- rally makes use of afflictions to prepare us for the enjoyment of them, learn to welcome any trials which it may please God to sendc
Only, if God cast your sins behind his back, be the more concerned to set them ever before your own face d ; that your own souls may be the more deeply humbled e, and that the grace of God may be the more abundantly exalted f ]
r Hos. xiii. 11. s Gen. vi. 3. Isai. i. 5. l Job x. 2.
u Ps. xxv. 17, 18. Here a variety of sins may be pointed out, as subjects of self-examination.
x 2 Cor. iv. 17. y Eph. i. 13. ■ Rom. viii. 15, 16.
a 1 Jolinv. 13. andiii. 14. b 1 John v. 20. c Rom. v. 3 — 5. d Ps. li. 3. ' Ezek. xvi. 63. ' 1 Tim. i. 12 — 14.