But there is another ground mentioned in our text: we proceed therefore to notice,
II. On what ground they may expect them —
[This part of our subject will require peculiar care and attention, lest we be misunderstood.
Observe the manner in which the last words of our text are introduced : God says, " I will heal their backsliding ; I will love them freely : for mine anger is turned away from him :" he is here endeavouring to encourage penitents ; and therefore he tells them that he will do great things for them, because his anger is already turned away from them. After much and careful examination of the words, we are persuaded that this is the true sense and meaning of them ; and that they are in- tended to convey one of the most encouraging truths that can be found in all the book of God, namely, that our repentance is a proof of God's anger being turned away from us, and that the removal of his anger from us is a pledge of greater bless- ings; or, in other words, that our having the grace of repent- ance is a ground whereon we may expect the richest blessings. But we will explain ourselves more fully. Repentance has not in itself any thing meritorious ; nor can the mere work of repentance ever afford a ground of hope towards God : to suppose that our repentance can merit any thing at God's hands, or bear any part in our justification before God, would be to subvert the whole Gospel, and to render Christ's death of none effect. Satan cannot take any more effectual method to bring souls to perdition, than to make them trust in their own repentance. Let us not then be understood as though we would lead any man to trust in his repentance ; for we say again, that it is impossible to take a surer road to destruction, than he does, who trusts in any repentance or righteousness of his own. But, in another sense, repentance may encourage us to hope ; for repentance is a sign and evidence of grace ; and grace given, warrants us to expect more grace : and therefore we say, repentance is in some sense a ground of hope : and this, we doubt not, is the meaning of the prophet, in our text. The latter part of our text is a reason for the former part of it : God says in the former part, " I will do so and so ; " and then, in the latter, he tells them why they may expect him to do so and so, namely, " because mine anger is turned away from them : " he does not say, " shall be turned away," but is already turned away. Their being peni- tent was a proof that they had grace ; their having grace was a proof that God's anger was turned away from them ; and the removal of his anger from them was a ground whereon they might expect further blessings from him. To make this matter more clear, let us substantiate two things : First, Repentance