the air he breathes ? It is not as worthy that we are to come to God, but as unworthy : and the more we feel our unworthiness, the more acceptable shall we be to God ; who bids us come to him for every thing, " without money and without price." Only reflect on what God has already done for you ; and you may well say, " He that hath sent his Son to die for me, and his Spirit to renew me, how shall he not with them also freely give me all things5?"]
2. The sufficiency of the salvation provided for us —
[What is there that the wisdom of the Father has over- looked? Wherein has the Lord Jesus Christ failed to accom- plish the work assigned him ? What is there which the Holy Spirit is unable or unwilling to impart ? Find some flaw ; find some defect ; before you call in question either the suit- ableness or sufficiency of this salvation. If you were to be saved by your own power or goodness, you might well be filled with doubts and fears : but when all that the Father's love, the Son's merit, and the Spirit's power can effect, is offered you freely, you must needs say, " All things are mine ; and I am Christ's; and Christ is God'sh."]
Thus have we taken the passage according to a rendering somewhat different from that which our version has given us. But, for our application of it, we will take it in the sense in which the translators of our Bible understood it : and we will not only con- sider it as spoken by the prophet to the Church at his day, but we will even adopt it ourselves, as an address which we at this time are authorized and commissioned to deliver unto you: " Now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me," yes, even me,
1. To testify to you of this redemption — [Prophets and apostles had no other commission than
that which is given to every faithful minister of Christ ; which is, " to testify the Gospel of the grace of God." They indeed were inspired ; and were, many of them at least, endued with miraculous powers, to which we can make no pretensions : but the message borne by them and us is one and the same, that " God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." This ministry of reconciliation, I say, is committed unto us: and "we, as am- bassadors of God, beseech you in Christ's stead, Be ye recon- ciled to God1 ' ]
2. To urge your acceptance of it —
s Rom. viii. 32. h 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. ! 2 Cor. v. 20.
948. J god's tender concern for his people. 239
[Who amongst you does not need it? The captivity of Israel in Babylon is but a very faint image of your captivity to sin and Satan. And what is there under heaven to be com- pared with it? If you had crowns and kingdoms, they could not make you happy : and in a short time they would vanish away, and leave you more destitute than the most miserable man on earth. O let me remind you what stupendous efforts have been made by God for you ! and let me entreat you not to receive this grace in vain !" ]
3. To remind you that all the glory of it must be God's alone —
[This was the principal point which the prophet wras or- dered to inculcate. The people were in danger of ascribing to their idols what was done by Jehovah alone. And is there not the same tendency amongst you ? Are not you prone to think that, in some respect, your own arm has saved you? Who has not often " sacrificed to his own net, and burned incense to his own drag?" O Brethren, remember that " Jehovah is a jealous God," and " will not give his glory to another." I demand of you, therefore, that you give all the glory to the Triune God ; and that you begin on earth the song which is prepared for you in heaven, even " blessing and honour and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and everV]