God himself calls the services of the temple a hateful "noise1;" and declares that the offering of a lamb with an unhumbled spirit, is as odious in his sight, as the offering of swine's blood, or "the cutting off a dog's neckV]
Infer —
1. How little dependence can be placed on a death-bed repentance !
[Far be it from us to discourage repentance at the last hour. On the contrary, if we behold symptoms of it, we would in the judgment of charity conclude well respecting its issue. But it is God alone who can perfectly distinguish between the feigned humiliation of Ahab, and the sincere contrition of Peter : and perhaps, where we think we hear the supplications of a Christian, God may hear nothing but the howling of a dog. Repentance, like every Christian grace, must be judged of by its fruits : and if we would have in our- selves, or leave in the mind of surviving friends, an unques- tionable evidence of our sincerity, let us repent without delay, and " bring forth fruits meet for repentance."]
2. What encouragement have all real penitents to call upon God !
[As God can distinguish hypocrites in the midst of their most specious services, so can he discern the upright in the midst of all their infirmities. The sigh, the groan, the tear, the broken accents of contrition, are more pleasing to him than the most fluent petitions that are destitute of a divine unction1. Let none then be discouraged because they do not find a ready utterance in prayer ; but let them be chiefly solicitous to " cry to God with their hearts." Then they will have nothing to fear ; for God " will hear them, yea, and answer too, while they are yet speaking to him™," and " will do for them abundantly above all that they can ask or think V]
1 Amos v. 21—23. k Isai. lxvi. 3.
1 Ps. vi. 8. and xxxviii. 9. and lxxix. 11. and especially Lam. iii. 56.
m Isai. lxv. 24. " Eph. iii. 20.