occasion; his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea; the depths covered them, they sank into the bottom as a stone. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil: thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. In like manner, when all our spiritual foes rise up, as it were, to pursue us, when guilt and terror and despair surround us, when the wrath of God seems just overtaking us, and Satan is ready to seize us as his captives; when all seems lost, and, self-condemned and with no apparent way of escape, we can scarcely utter even a short impassioned prayer at this gloomy moment divine grace hastens forward-a free pardon rescues the sinner; Satan and all his forces are stopped at the very instant of victory; their legions roll back with dismay; the deep swells around them; it repels, it covers, it overwhelms them; and the ransomed fugitive celebrates on the shore the glory of his deliverer.

Such is a faint picture of the blessing of forgiveness. In this way the general character of the divine mercy is actually brought home to the individual comfort of the true penitent, and affords him the relief he so much requires.

But this is not all: for I am now to show,

III. THE CONFIRMATION BOTH OF THE EXTENT OF GOD'S PARDONING MERCY AND OF THE CONSOLING APPLICATION OF IT, WHICH IS TO BE DERIVED FROM THE COVENANT OF MERCY ITSELF: Thou wilt per

form the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

The Prophet, after endeavouring to raise the faith of the pious Jews by a general celebration of the merciful character of God, and encouraging them to apply this to their own particular case, proceeds

to direct their view to that covenant which had graciously been made with their fathers, and which assured them of the future coming of the Messiah, and of all the spiritual benefits which should attend it. They were not to infer what were the nature and designs of God from their own reasonings, but they were to repose their faith on his revealed word. He had chosen Abraham, and had made a covenant with him and with his seed. A glorious Saviour was to descend from his race, in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed. In this covenant, pardon, grace, strength, consolation, were assured to all God's heritage. In reference to it the ceremonial and typical observances of the law were enjoined; and in virtue of it they were accepted. This solemn engagement having therefore been made with their fathers from the days of old, the pious and humble Jews at the time when the Prophet wrote, might be confirmed in the hope which the general character of God had led them to form, of deliverance and salvation. It was in pursuance of this covenant that both national mercies, and individual pardon and grace, had been conferred. To it, therefore, they were to adhere in the darkest times, being well persuaded that, however discouraging the actual circumstances of the nation might be, God would perform all the promises which he had thus made and ratified.

A distinction may be observed between the words mercy and truth, as they are applied to this covenant. God is said to perform his TRUTH to Jacob, and his MERCY to Abraham; possibly because his covenant, as it was given to Abraham, was an act of mere mercy; for God called him out of Ur of the Chaldees from among his idolatrous country and kindred; whilst it involved the divine truth to Jacob, because, in ratifying it to him, God only made good what he had before promised to his forefather Abraham.

Thus mercy first bestowed, and truth afterwards confirmed, the covenant. In like manner, in every age,

the act of grace by which God adopts us into his family, is founded on mercy and truth. He first offers himself freely to us, and then is faithful and true to his promises.

The humble penitent, therefore, who has been taught to admire the character of God as delighting in forgiveness, and who has endeavoured to apply the consideration of it to his individual consolation, may hope that God will perform to him also all the promises of that evangelical covenant which is now dispensed with such superior light and grace in the days of the Gospel. The same stipulation of mercy which was made to Abraham and to Jacob, and to fulfil which the Messiah became incarnate, is still the source of peace and joy to every true believer. They that be of faith, whether Jews or Gentiles, are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. By the Advent of Christ, God performed the mercy promised to the fathers, and remembered his holy covenant. The very same word and oath of God, by which it was confirmed to Abraham, are still the two immutable things which afford strong consolation to those who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before them.* To us, therefore is the prophetical invitation of the Messiah addressed, in a more ample sense than to the Jews; Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. To us is the same consolation permitted in the darkest hour as to the royal Prophet, when he said, Though my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure; for this is all my salvation and all my desire.

*See Heb. vi. 13-18.

To us also belong in the fullest sense its unparalleled blessings; I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people; for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Yes; an

union with God in the most endearing relation, and a corresponding supply of grace, mercy, and peace, from his fulness in Christ Jesus; both founded on free forgiveness, and ending in everlasting life, are the unspeakable blessings to which we may aspire. These are spiritually the same as those contained in that promise (partly temporal and partly spiritual) which God sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear in righteousness and holiness before him all the days of our life. And in consequence the penitent may be humbly confident that the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, will make him perfect in every good work to do his will, working in him that which is well pleasing in his sight. But I forbear; for who can describe aright all the mercy and truth which flow to the obedient servant of God from the condescending terms of the covenant of grace? Let me rather, in concluding the review of this inexhaustible subject,

ENCOURAGE THE TREMBLING PENITENT TO ACT ON THE VIEWS WHICH IT UNFOLDS. Many are the fears and misgivings of the heart which is pierced with an acute sense of its sins, and has not yet apprehended the full mercy of the Gospel. It is difficult to treat such a case with sufficient tenderness. I am aware of the unnumbered sources of uneasiness and hesitation which are opened by an accusing conscience.

The terrors of God's holy law

penetrate the soul. The view of the Cross is at best obscure and distant. Death and eternity impend. Present imperfections aggravate the malady. In such circumstances, to conceive of the real glory of God in forgiving sin and to rise to the hope of the Gospel, is a mighty task. It demands an effort to which a weak faith is unequal. Let then the agitated soul proceed step by step in advancing towards this high and indispensable attainment.

I do not ask you then to rejoice in believing. I do not ask you to ascertain your interest in the Everlasting Covenant. I do not require you in the first instance even to apply to yourself the encouragements which have been offered under the second head of the discourse. I simply call on you to VIEW THE PARDONING MERCY OF GOD GENERALLY, as it is exhibited in the Scriptures, and as it has been displayed in his dispensations towards his church in every age. Let your own case be now supposed to be out of the question. Believe only that God pardoneth iniquity, that he passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage, that he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. Stop for a season at this point, and fill your mind with the astonishing theme. Do not hurry from the contemplation. Imbibe the reviving truth. Implore the Holy Spirit to impress it upon your heart. Let this pervade your whole soul, that there is forgiveness with God that he may be feared-not, that you are forgiven that is a distinct question--but that there Is such forgiveness revealed in the cross of Jesus Christ, that all are invited to partake of the blessing, and that God delighteth in mercy.

Proceed in the next place a single step further. Allow that POSSIBLY YOUR SINS MAY BE PARDONED, AND YOUR CASE RELIEVED. I ask only this. Admit that PERHAPS it may please God to turn and