to himself as his peculiar people. He will, by the atoning blood of Christ, and by the influence of his Holy Spirit, cleanse them from all their filthiness, and from all their idols : he will altogether renew them, also, in the spirit of their minds, and cause them to walk as holily as any of their most eminent ancestors in the days of old. In the presence of the whole world shall they be thus exalted : and whereas their name is now " Lo-ruhamah, and Lo-ammi," as disowned, and cast off from God ; they shall again be recognised as " Ammi, and Ruhamah;" that is, as his people who have obtained mercy at his hands ; and " God will say unto them, Thou art my people, and I am your GocK" Would you see them in the very act of returning, and behold their reception with their reconciled God, the Prophet Jeremiah, in a fore-cited passage, exhibits them before you, "coming to their God with weeping and with supplications ; " and God, with paternal tenderness, declaring to them, "lama father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born h."
The Jews, it is true, think but little of these prospects ; (they, alas ! are occupied rather with expectations of a tem- poral Messiah, under whom they shall attain the summit of worldly aggrandizement :) but it becomes us to look forward to far higher things in their behalf, and to anticipate with delight their actual enjoyment of them.]
Whilst we rejoice in the prospects held forth in this prophecy to the Jewish people, let us consider it also, II. As applicable to the Church of God in all ages —
The promises here given are those of the new covenant1; and all who lay hold on that covenant, whether Jews or Gentiles, and whether now or in the millennial age, are alike interested in them. From the time that the Holy Spirit was sent forth by our ascended Saviour, have these blessings been poured out, in the richest abundance, on God's Church and people ; and, to every contrite and believing soul, God here promises his Holy Spirit,
1. To cleanse from sin — [To cleanse from the guilt of sin is, in the first instance, the office of Christ, by the sprinkling of his blood. But it is the work of the Holy Spirit also ; because it is he who reveals
e Hos. i. 6—8. and ii. 1, 23. h Jer. xxxi. 8, 9. I Heb. viii. 8—10.