spiritual wisdom d. They are constrained to acknowledge that they have no righteousness of their owne, and that they are "without strength" for obedience f. They unfeignedly adopt the language of St. Paulg — Nor do they hope for mercy but as the free gift of Godh.]
2. They bewail the many evils they have committed —
[They have been made to see that sin is hateful to God ; and they have felt the bitterness of it in their own consciences. They know experimentally the sensations of David'. They lothe themselves for all their abominations k. Nor are their convictions merely occasional or transient ; they are habitually of a tender and " contrite spirit."]
3. They pay a reverential regard to every word of God—
[They dare not say like the idolatrous Jews1 — They rather resemble the man after God's own heart"1. If the word be preached, they " receive it as the word, not of man, but of God." They hear the threatenings like the meek Josiah". They attend to the promises with an eager desire to embrace them. To every precept they listen with an obedient ear0.]
These, though generally considered by the world as weak and superstitious, are not overlooked by the Supreme Being.
II. The peculiar regard which God shews them —
The "eyes of God are in every place beholding the evil and the good;" but he " looks to" these, in a far different manner from others. This distinguishing favour implies,
1 . Approbation of them —
[From the proud and self-sufficient God turns his face p ; but he "despises not the broken and contrite in heart q." Though so exalted in himself, he will not disdain to notice them. His approbation of such characters stands recorded for
d Prov. xxx. 2, 3. e Isai. lxiv. 6.
f Rom. v. 6. 2 Cor. iii. 5. e Rom. vii. 18.
h They say not, like the servant, Matt, xviii. 26. but desire to experience the clemency shewn to insolvent debtors, Luke vii. 42.
1 Ps. xxxviii. 4, 6, 8. k Ezek. xxxvi. 31. ] Jer. xliv. 16. m Ps. cxix. 161. n 2 Chron. xxxiv. 19, 27.
0 Like Cornelius, Acts x. 33. and Paul, Acts xxii. 10. yea, the angels in heaven, Ps. ciii. 20.
P Jam. iv. 6. (i Ps. li. 17.