his flesh, and having an high-priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” Plutarch tells us, that when Themistocles fled from the malice of his countrymen, he sought protection of king Admetus; but as his name, by his former conduct, was hateful to the king, he could expect only banishment or destruction by such a proceeding. He therefore resolved on this expedient: as he passed to the throne, he saw the king's son, a beautiful child, whom he immediately took up in his arms, kneeled at his feet, presented himself with the child to the king, and pleaded for his life in the name of the king's son. The king was so affected with his plea, that he immediately received him into his friendship, and secured him from threatened destruction I will not insist upon the correctness of the analogy; as in this case personal resentment pacified and disarmed by parental fond + God loved the criminal, and gave his Son. His wrath is judicial, and is removed, not by fondness, but by atonement. Yet if you would be acquainted with God, imitate Themistocles. Take the King's Son in the arms of your faith to the footstool of his mercy, Plead his mediation and perfect righteousness, and the King of heaven will say to you, as Laban said to Abraham's servant, but with more affection and stability, “Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without?" Now if this acquaintance has been commenced, nothing can maintain it but a constant remembrance of, and dependence upon, the finished work of Jesus Christ. Sin often breeds a sad estrangement from God, in the minds even of his people. Wherever it is indulged, or excused, or allowed in the smallest degree, there will be a disinclination to his presence and society, a listlessness in duty, a carelessness in prayer, a want of appetite for ordinances. Many charge these things upon Satan, as the effect only of his temptations, and so sometimes they are; but more fre quently they are the results of some secret iniquity, not repented of, and not forsaken. A little time allowed for self-examination would discover to us, in most cases, that the cause is nearer home. Conscience would remind us of some thoughts, or words, or actions, inconsistent with our high character as sons of God, and with the large professions of love and gratitude we have made to his name. And God, therefore, very justly, hides his face when we do come; he will not vouchsafe us the gracious tokens of his favour we have formerly experienced; he calls for a cloud to darken our path; bids us walk for a season in the vale of tears; and determines to go, and return to his place, till we acknowledge our offences, and seek his favour. What then should be our conduct under such circumstances? Surely not to leave off visiting his throne, as if we were offended with him; nor to sink in despondency, and give up our return as hopeless. This is but to add iniquity to iniquity, and misery to misery. He shall tell you what to do. "Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever; only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God." And to whom can you go, beloved, but unto him? He has the words of eternal life. You have no other refuge than that which first secured you from the storm; no other blood to wash away guilt, than that which first cleansed your polluted soul. You must again come hither, as you first came, a poor guilty offender, and cast yourself upon the boundless mercy of God through Jesus Christ: "for the Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble, and they that know thy name will put their trust in thee, for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." John tells us the object of his epistle was to prevent believers from sinning; but if any man did transgress, "we have (says he) an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world." O! there is nothing calculated to make us fly from sin, or mourn over departure from God, or glow with holy zeal for his service, and love to his presence, like that sweet thought, that when we were as sheep going astray, turning every one to his own way, the Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all; that it pleased the Lord to bruise him, to put him to grief, to make his soul an offering for sin; that he himself bore our sins, in his own body, on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness. One beam of divine love, darting into the heart of a backslider, will more effectually melt it than all the flames of Sinai. Law and terrors do but harden, And the atoning work of Jesus must be remembered, not only to renew our acquaintance, but to continue it to the end. If we would be |