universe only return to him in penitence and faith, " and He will have mercy upon him, and abundantly pardon all his mul- tiplied transgressions x."]
Application —
[Let the careless sinner hear this. When you are in the midst of all your mirth and gaiety, call this to mind : ' My Saviour is here with me ; and in a still small voice he says to me, Return unto me from whom thou hast deeply revolted ; " return unto me; for I have redeemed thee." What has the world ever done for you, that it should be preferred to me ? or what can it ever do, that shall compensate for the loss of my redeeming love?' Surely, my Brethren, one such thought as this will damp all your joys, and constrain you, like the Saviour's look on Peter, to go forth from your scenes of dissipation, and weep
bitterly y
Let the backsliding professor, in particular, consider himself as here addressed. To him our Saviour says, ' What iniquity have you found in me, that you should so slight my love? Have I been a wilderness to you, and a land of darkness, that you should thus wickedly depart from mez? O remember, " It were better for you never to have known me, than thus to reflect dishonour on my name*." Think, in what your declension must issue, if you return not to me with your whole heart.' And now, ere it be too late, say, " What have I to do any more with idols ? " "I will return unto my first Husband ;
for then it was better with me than nowb" Then shall
you pour forth those joyous strains which follow my text ; and, with David and Peter, unite for ever in the loudest hosannas to your redeeming God.]
x Isai. lv. 7, 8. v Matt. xxvi. 75. z Jer. ii. 5, 31.
a 2 Pet. ii. 21. b Hos. ii. 7. and xiv. 8.