what proofs that he even lothes and abhors all the workers of iniquity q !]
But, notwithstanding this mutual enmity, the Gospel shews us, II. How it may be turned into mutual love — .
There is, in truth, but one way in which reconcilia- tion can be effected between God and sinners. Yet we may not unprofitably divide it into two heads :
1. Repentance towards God —
[This can never purchase our peace with God ; yet is it absolutely necessary to prepare our minds for the reception of his favour. And wherever it manifests itself in deed and in truth, God will instantly put away his anger, and embrace the sinner in the arms of his mercy r. ]
2. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ —
[It is this which unites us unto Christ, and gives us an interest in all that he has done and suffered on our behalf. If his hand were stretched forth, to plunge his sword into the bosom of any one amongst us, the very first act of faith should make it fall from his hands, and induce him to return it instantly to its scabbard8 — Nor would he from that moment ac- count any expression of his love too great for us* ]
Nor is God only reconciled to us by these means,
but we also are reconciled to him —
[It is in this view that the Scriptures most generally re- present our return to Godu. And it is certain that from the very instant we repent and believe in Christ, our enmity against God is slain, and we delight in him as much as ever we once abhorred him. We love to hear and think and speak of him, and to maintain the closest fellowship with him : we love all who love him, and that too in proportion as they resemble him : and every thing that can discover him to us, or draw us nearer unto him, is on that very account unspeakably precious to our souls. As for the Saviour, who was sold for the price of the meanest slave, and who was once altogether despised by us, his name is as music in our ears; and the whole world is as dung in comparison of himx.]
We subjoin a word,
1 . Of caution —
i Ps. v. 5. and x. 3.
r Jer. iii. 13. Isai. lv. 7. Ps. li. 17. Luke xv. 20. Jer. xxxi. 20. s John iii. 16. and vi. 37. Actsxiii. 39. Isai. i. 18. Acts xvi. 30. 4 Jer. xxxii. 41. Zeph. iii. 17. " 2 Cor. v. 18, 20. Col. i. 21. * Phil. iii. 8.