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locality. Regard not those who say, "Lo, here; lo, there!" "Call upon Him." But is no reformation, no change of life required? Not as the meritorious cause of salvation. It is purchased by another. But you cannot avail yourselves of it and continue as you are. The same voice which says, “Seek ye the Lord," says likewise (ver. 7), "Let the wicked forsake his way' mon figure for the course of conduct. He who would tread the way of God must forsake the way of sin. How? -by a mere external reformation ? No; the law of God extends to the "thoughts," &c. But this is still merely negative. It cannot be that what God calls men to is a mere negation, a mere abstinence. There must be commands as well as prohibitions. The mere cessation of former habits would be insufficient; nay, it is impossible. An active being must have something to seek as well as something to avoid. Evil courses can be really abandoned in no other way than by exchanging them for good ones. This is a dictate of nature, of reason, of experience, of revelation. "Let him return unto the Lord." The fact is assumed that all have departed from Him. The words may seem strictly applicable only to backsliders; but they are indeed appropriate to all mankind. Can any departure be more real or deplorable than that which involves, not merely individuals, but the whole human family? The terms of the summons do indeed point back to that original apostasy under the curse of which the whole race groans. In the exercise of faith in Christ, and of that repentance which has never yet failed to accompany it since the world began, and of that zeal and obedience which can no more fail to spring from such repentance and such faith than the fruit can fail to spring from the prolific seed, "Let the wicked forsake his way," &c.

III. THE INDUCEMENT HELD OUT TO RETURN. It is man's part to forsake his evil ways and thoughts, to return to God, to seek Him, and to call upon Him. None of these can he do until God enable him. But this is

true of every service which man ever renders. Though unable of himself to do these things, he is still bound to do them. It is his part to do them; and when he has performed his part, what does God promise in return? What will He do for man? He will have mercy upon him. Mercy is the inducement offered, and mercy is precisely what the sinner needs. Without this nothing can be given, or, if given, can do him any good. Mercy implies two things, misery and guilt. In all of us, the two pre-requisites are found abundantly-misery present and prospective, misery not produced by chance, but by our own sin. To us, then, this inducement ought to be a strong one. But, alas! the sinner is insensible of his condition.

God

IV. THE PROOF THAT SIN AND SALVATION ARE IRRECONCILABLE. Ver. 8 gives a reason for the call to reformation and repentance. Here the same two words are placed in opposition-"ways" and "thoughts "—"let the wicked," &c., i.e., you cannot walk in My ways and the ways of sin; you cannot think My thoughts, and yet cherish thoughts of sin; you must choose between sin aud salvation. Many are afraid of hell; they are willing to be saved from it, but that is all. That slavish fear is the sum of their religion. They must keep their sins. Judge not God by man. pardons nothing, or He pardons all. Man may be unforgiving when he is not just. God can be just, and yet not unforgiving. Man can be himself unjust, and yet condemn the innocent. God can be just, and yet justify the guilty. His grace will not save men in sin, but will freely save them from sin-since it will pardon sin itself to the believer, and whenever it pardons at all, will abundantly pardon even the chief of sinners-however foreign such forgiveness may be from human passions and human feelings: let the sinner hesitate and doubt no longer.J. Alexander, D.D.: Gospel of Jesus Christ, pp. 357–370.

The characters here described. All

are sinners, but some have repented and obtained forgiveness; while some remain impenitent and unforgiven. To which class do you belong? If to the latter, this discourse is especially addressed to you.

"He

I. A GRACIOUS PROCLAMATION. The Lord "may be found. is near." "He will have mercy.' "He will abundantly pardon." God is ready to save sinners. As a father, who follows the steps of his wayward son, unwilling to cast him off, anxious to induce his return, ready to receive him on the first indication of a change. His heart is full of mercy. He desires to bestow a full forgiveness and make the reconciliation complete. There is the fullest proof of this-1. In the atonement of Christ, which in itself and by the Divine arrangement affords a satisfactory basis for the exercise of mercy. 2. In the declarations of His word. 3. In the preaching of the gospel. This proclamation of mercy to man proceeds from the Divine love. II. AN EARNEST CALL. "Seek ye the Lord," &c.

(1.) Repentance. (2.) Abandonment of sin-God will save no man in his sins. (3.) Prayer. He is to be called upon. God's readiness and desire to save do not dispense with the necessity for prayer. He does not force salvation on any. He excites the desire for it, and then responds to the sinner's cry. The penitent is sure to cry. The first sign of a child's life is when it cries. (4.) Faith. Faith in the word of God, faith in the saving power of Christ, which, however feeble at first, renounces self-righteousness as well as sin, and rests simply in Him (Rom. x. 11, 14).

3. It is essential.

III. A SOLEMN MONITION.

"While He may be found." "While He is near." This is clearly a monition. It indicates that there is a limit beyond which the opportunity is not extended. The opportunity is limited to the present life. We will not enter upon the awful question of judicial blindness; the terrible case of those who so persistently refuse to see the truth of Christ that their blindness and hardness become a punitive infliction. Nor on the cases of those whose opportunities are terminated by removal of residence, or by sickness. Nor on the cases of those whose opportunities are cut short by the terrible occurrence of insanity before the gospel is accepted; except to remark that the question is fairly suggested, how they will be dealt with, who up to the moment when the condition of responsibility ceased to exist, failed to seek the mercy which had been proffered. We will assume that ordinarily the opportunity, the possibility of salvation, continues during the present life. But the text implies the termination of that possibility. The present life is the grand opportunity. There is none beyond. At least, whatever may be the principle on which those will be dealt with to whom the gospel was never made known, the warnings addressed in Scripture to the hearers of the gospel imply that, so far as they are concerned, no second opportunity will be afforded. And none can say how near death is. Accept the offer of mercy without delay.-J. Rawlinson.

I. A DUTY ENJOINED, viz., to make the favour of God the object of our pursuit. "Seek ye the Lord," "Call ye upon Him." We must seek Him; 1, in the way of genuine repentance. It is vain to think of seeking God without such sorrow for sin and hatred of it, as lead on to cease to do evil, and to learn to do well" (H. E. I. 4269-4273). 2. In the exercise of faith in Christ. He alone has made provision for our return to God; and if we do not take advantage of the provision thus made for us, we

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must remain at a distance from God for ever (John xiv. 6). 3. In the use of those outward means of grace which He has appointed, such as the Word of God and prayer. We cannot expect that God will work miracles on our behalf. If we wish for the manifestation of His favour, we must wait for it in the use of such means as He has instituted for the purpose of making such manifestation to the soul (H. E. I., 3444– 3459).

II. A TIME SPECIFIED FOR ITS PERFORMANCE. There is one sense in which God is ever to be found, and is ever near us. But Isaiah does not here refer to His omnipresence, for that is perpetual. He means a nearness of God in a way of grace and favour, a readiness in His appointed way to bestow every blessing upon us. In this sense, it is the plain doctrine of the text, that there is a time when He is near us and will be found of us, and that there is also a time when He is distant from us and will not be found of us.

1. This is a truth which holds good in the case of collective bodies of men. For nations there is a time of mercy. God affords them in rich abundance the means of grace; this is the accepted time, when God is near and ready to be found. If these privileges are abused or neglected, there follows a time of wrath, and He will no longer be found of a people who have thus slighted His mercy. Examples: (1) Compare what is said of the Jewish nation (in Deut. iv.) with their present condition. (2) The nations among whom Christian churches were planted by the apostles and their immediate successors, now, as the just reward of the abuse of their privileges, groaning, for the most part, under the scourge of Mohammedan tyranny and imposture. How full of solemn admonition are these instances for the inhabitants of this land!

2. It holds good also in respect to individuals.-(1) With respect to every person who is favoured with the means of grace there is a time of mercy, in which, if he seeks the Lord, He will

be found of him. Generally speaking, this is the time of the present life. More especially it is vouchsafed when, by means of His Word, His Spirit strives in our hearts. The hour of conviction should be the hour of conversion. (2) But for individuals also there is a time of wrath, in which God will no longer be found of them. If we neglect to seek Him until we are removed out of this world by death, it will then be for ever too late to do so (Luke xiii. 25). But it is by no means impossible that that time may arrive even on this side of the grave. If we persevere in acting in defiance of our convictions, if we refuse to yield to the salutary motions of His Spirit, He may be provoked to give us over to final impenitence and to judicial hardness of heart (H. E. I., 2349, 4249, 4250).— John Natt, B.D.: Posthumous Sermons, pp. 168-183.

Implies-I. THAT MANKIND HAVE LOST HIM. 1. This loss is caused by sin (ch. liii. 6; lix. 2). Sin has offended the Divine Lawgiver. Hence there is moral distance between Him and us. We are aliens, strangers, far off by wicked works. While man was holy he had communion with Him; but the pure One cannot commune with transgressors. We have lost the Divine friendship, image, &c. 2. This loss is the precursor of infinite and eternal loss. Who can fully estimate it? 3. It is a loss which no human resources can repair (Mic. vi. 6, 7; Rom. ix. 31, 32; x. 1–3).

II. THAT A WAY HAS BEEN DEVISED BY WHICH THE DIVINE FAVOUR MAY BE REGAINED. That way is through the mediation of Christ (2 Cor. v. 19; John iii. 16; Rom. v. 2; Eph. ii. 18; iii. 12). Formerly, the Lord was sought through sacrifices; but all were typical of the one great sacrifice offered up on Calvary. Those harbingers of the cross are now no more, a Divine Victim has bled, and the way of salvation is through Christ (Heb. vii. 25).

III. SUBMISSION TO THE DIVINELY APPOINTED PLAN OF SALVATION BY

THE USE OF THOSE MEANS SCRIPTUR

ALLY SPECIFIED. Man has sought out many inventions by which to be saved (Rom. x. 1-3, with Phil. iii. 4-9; 1 Cor. iii. 11). 1. A deep conviction that we cannot be happy till we have found the Lord, combined with the renunciation of self-righteousness (Acts ii. 37). 2. Diligent inquiry and attention. 3. Faith in Christ and earnest prayer.

IV. SEEKING THE LORD REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. We are prone to procrastinate. Some say they are too young, &c. The Lord may be more easily found-1. In early life. 2. Under the preaching of the Gospel (Gal. iii. 1). 3. When under Divine conviction.

CONCLUSION. The privilege of seeking the Lord is limited to the present life. Our opportunities are passing away, &c. Seek Him NOW.-Helps for the Pulpit: Second series, pp. 10–14.

Propose and answer three questions—
I. Why you should seek the Lord?

We could give many reasons why you should, but you cannot give one why you should not. That a man should be religious is the first dictate of reason, and the first command of Revelation. It is recommended too by the sense of interest (1 Tim. iv. 8). Seek the Lord for three reasons-1. Because you cannot be happy without Him. 2. Because you have much to apprehend from His displeasure as sinners. 3. Because you have everything to hope for from His friendship. "In His favour is life."

II. When you should seek the Lord? 1. Now, while He may be found. 2. Now, while He is near.

III. How you should seek the Lord? 1. Penitently. Renouncing the sins you have loved. 2. Believingly, without distrust. 3. Joyfully, without despondence. 4. Continually, without end.-S. Thodey.

I. The character of the persons to whom the invitation is directed. Partly implied, and in part declared. They are distinguished not by their excellence and

valuable qualities, but rather by those marks which prove them unworthy of the Divine regard or consideration. Such is our natural condition, and hence to us is the word of salvation sent.

1. To such as are ignorant of God. This is implied in the exhortation to seek Him. Man is naturally unacquainted with Him. 2. To those whose characters are marked by the wickedness of their lives. 3. To those whose state is indicated by their thoughts. Men look at the outward appearance, God at the heart. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."

II. The nature of the exhortations addressed to them. It is the manner of God and not of men thus to speak.

1. The import of the injunctions. These are suited to the characters of the persons addressed. They are exhorted (1.) To seek the Lord. (2.) To the exercise of prayer. (3.) The abandonment of every sinful course. (4.) Return to God. No more neutrality. 2. The season to which these exhortations apply.

III. The encouragements afforded to an immediate obedience. 1. The promise of mercy. 2. A plenitude of forgiveness. 3. Confirmation derived from the experience of others: "And to our God"-the God of His people. The language of piety-the experience of those who have found mercy. The idea is, He who has bestowed mercy upon us, will be ready to bestow it on others. "I obtained mercy."

CONCLUSION.-Learn the duty of immediate return to God and submission to Christ. Come as you are.George Smith, D.D.

I. There is moral distance between Christ and unconverted sinners. He thinks of them; they do not think of Him. He loves them; they do not love Him. He wishes them to do His will for their own benefit; they refuse. Awful antagonism. II. This moral distance can be removed. How? Not by sinners remaining passive. They must seek the Lord; know Him; call