man stand in need of a taper, while he enjoys the light of the meridian sun? Away then with all ungrounded jealousies on this head. Let us seek to experience the comforts of religion, instead of ignorantly asserting that there are none to be found. And, instead of reprobating the communications of grace and peace to the soul as enthusiastic and absurd, let us pray that we ourselves may be " the temples of the Holy Ghost," " the habitation of God through the Spirit" for ever and ever.]
god's mercy to the most obstinate sinners.
Isai. lvii. 17, 18. — For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him : I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardty in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him : I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him, and to his mourners.
THE wickedness of man and the mercy of God mutually illustrate each other. There is no greater aggravation of sin than the circumstance of its being committed against a God of infinite goodness and compassion : nor is there any thing that magnifies the love of God more, than the unworthiness of the object towards whom that love is exercised. This observation is suggested to us by numberless passages of Scripture, in which a contrasted view of man's depravity and God's mercy is presented before our eyes : nor shall we ever find more ground for this observation, than in the words which we have just read. In this we may see, I. The controversy which God has with sinners —
Iniquity, however secret the commission, or spe- cious in its appearance, is hateful and abominable in the sight of God —
[There is no sin more frequently concealed from the view of those who harbour it, than covetousness. It assumes the names of prudence and economy; and, under the semblance of a care for one's family, is too generally regarded as a virtue. If it do not instigate us to the violation of common honesty, or totally deaden all the feelings of humanity, it is applauded by others, and serves as a foundation for self-approbation and self-complacency. But the love of money is the root of all
990.] god's mercy to obstinate sinners. 491
evila: it is a base lust, it is the vilest idolatry b: it sets up mammon in preference to God ; and must therefore of neces- sity provoke the Lord to jealousy. But we are not to confine our views to this particular sin : this indeed was predominant among the Jews, as it is amongst us ; but it is here men- tioned only as indicating the general depravity that prevailed amongst them.]
While God notices it with abhorrence, he shews, by many visible marks, his indignation against it —
[God is not an unconcerned spectator of iniquity: de- lighted as he is in exercising mercy, he is not inattentive to the demands of justice, or indifferent about the honour of his holiness. On the contrary, he is " wroth," and justly wroth, with the workers of iniquity; nor does he fail to manifest his displeasure against them. He " hides himself" from them, withdrawing those gracious influences which he had at any time bestowed, and withholding those communications of light and strength, which he might otherwise have imparted to them. He " smites them" either with temporal or spiritual calamities. Perhaps he visits them with sickness in their own persons, or trouble in their families, or distress in their circumstances: and if they would inquire of God, they might find the cause of their calamities to be some hidden abomination which he is punishing0. Perhaps the judgments are rather of a spiritual nature : he " heweth them by his prophets," and at the same time smites them with judicial blindness and obduracy d; he gives them over to their own delusions e; he seals them up under final impenitence and unbelieff. These strokes are terrible in proportion to the insensibility with which they are received ; and the less the sinner's apprehension of danger is, the more awful is the judgment inflicted on him.]