sion, love, is great indeed; but not so overwhelming as that which springs from His greatness, holiness, and selfexistence. For (1) The sense of favour is thus enhanced. The condescension is more remarkable. The stooping, as it were, is from a greater height. (2) The wonder and surprise are greater. Why is God first set before us in such magnificence, but to magnify the subsequent condescension by its suddenness? The beginning of the text seems to prepare for just a contrary conclusion. (3) The value of redemption is elevated by the majesty and holiness of the exalted and lofty One who dwells in the contrite heart. For it is these very perfections of the moral Governor of the world which required such a sacrifice as the death of His only begotten Son. If you sink them, you sink the value of our redemption. (4) The sense of security and deliverance is also greater. If this God be for us, who can be against us? Our feebleness is no ground of fear, if we are sheltered in "the Rock of Ages." (5) The final end of man seems more distinctly taken into account and provided for. For we were made to enjoy this great God. We were endowed with all but angelic powers that we might know, adore, possess, and find our felicity in this glorious Creator. CONCLUSION.- Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear in the last fearful day? If God be so glorious, what will then become of those who, like Pharaoh, refuse to humble themselves before Him? Submit, ere it be too late Bishop Wilson: Sermons Delivered in India, pp. 188–206. Can the infinite God hold intercourse with man and interest Himself in his affairs? It seems incredible. He has made man capable of it. He has favoured some men with intercourse. He has revealed Himself as deeply interested in man, and has explained in His Word the circumstances and conditions under which He holds intercourse with us. It is not a conjecture. It is a glorious certainty. Is not this the burden of the Bible; how God the Father, through Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, dweils with man? Our text is a magnificent declaration of the fact. It is I. A PROCLAMATION OF THE DIVINE GRANDEUR. We cannot conceive the Divine essence. We can only think of God as possessed of certain attributes in infinite perfection; and even these we can only conceive in so far as they resemble something in ourselves, and thus as capable of expression by means of human language (H. E. I., 2230, 2234, 2236). Think-1. Of the Divine Eternity (Ps. xc. 2, and others). 2. Of the Divine Holiness. Names with us are words selected because of some pleasant association, or adopted arbitrarily for the purpose of distinguishing one person from another. In ancient times the name was given because it expressed some quality in the person or some prophecy respecting him. Hence the Divine names in Scripture are instructive and important. "Whose name is holy." Holiness is the essential characteristic of His Being. It is like the incandescent heat; all white. 3. Of the Divine Sublimity. Height and depth are in relation to each other, and to all the space between their extremes. He is beyond comparison with creatures of every rank. Ascend the loftiest mountain; soar beyond the remotest star; contemplate the most exalted intellect; behold the ranks of angels and archangels-you will be as far as ever from the incomparable sublimity of God. 4. Of the Divine Majesty. The palace of the great King answers to the dignity of His nature. If a place must be imagined as the special dwelling-place of God, let it be beyond the hills, above the clouds, far above all heavens, adorned with the richest splendours of the universe. But this conducts us to the fact that He has another and a different dwelling-place. And this is the most astonishing announcement of the text. II. AN ASSERTION OF THE DIVINE CONDESCENSION. His dwelling-place below is in the heart of the lowly (Ps. xxxiv. 18; li. 17; cxxxviii. 6; cxlvii. 3; ch. lxvi. 2). Not merely permission of distant communication; but God's abiding presence, the sweet intercourse of those who dwell happily together in the same house, the blessed reunion of those who had been separated by sin. Is not this wondrous condescension? Does the occupant of the splendid mansion choose to live among the poor? Do the lofty dwell with the lowly Is it not the study of those only moderately uplifted to get away as soon and as far as possible from the neighbourhood of the poor? Thine is not the manner of men, O Lord God! On the principle of fitness, man, as a creature, lifted up with pride, is unfit for God's residence and companionship, because he violates the proper order, as Satan did when in his pride he contended for equality with God. Man, as a sinner, impenitent and self-satisfied, cannot be God's dwelling-place, because of the essential contrariety between holiness and sin. God and man must be like each other before they can dwell together. Now, God cannot be contrite, because He has no sin. But there can be the likeness which comes from the fitting relation of things. Humility in man corresponds to loftiness in God. Contrition in man corresponds to holiness in God. Where God finds the contrite and humble soul, He can condescend to dwell, consistently with His dignity and purity. Jesus has opened the way by which God and man may be fully reconciled and restored to each other. Therefore does He by His grace bring the souls of His redeemed into this lowly state that He may lift them up. Therefore does He show them the evil of sin, so that they are humbled, ashamed, crushed, heartbroken. May He thus humble and thus dwell in us all! This brings us to the purpose for which He dwells in the contrite. III. A REVELATION OF THE DIVINE BENEFICENCE. When God enters the heart of the contrite and makes it His dwelling, it is a day of revival. For there is-1. Comfort. He wipes away the tears, by revealing Jesus in the fulness of His atoning sacrifice, His pardoning love, &c. 2. Power. The activity and energy of spiritual life. We run the way of His commandments; we are identified with His kingdom; we labour for its advancement. 3. Growth. Under His reviving influence, we grow in all things that pertain to the spiritual life. Spiritual manhood is developed. Fruits of holiness. When sufficiently matured, we shall be transplanted to heaven. The proud and impenitent are without God. Get the lowly and contrite spirit.-J. Rawlinson. Three questions generally asked concerning a person with whom one is not well acquainted are: What is his name? Where does he dwell? What is his work or occupation? In this verse we find replies to these three inquiries if made concerning the Divine Being. I. THE LORD'S NAME The name indicates that God is-1. Supreme in nature. He is infinitely above the highest of all created beings, human and angelic. 2. Supreme in character (1 Sam. ii. 2). 3. Supreme in authority. He is King of kings, and His dominion extends over all things. II. THE LORD'S DWELLING-PLACE. He has four dwelling-places :-1. Eter nity. He fills all space. The boundaries of His habitation can never be reached. 2. Heaven-the habitation of His throne (Ps. cxxiii. 1). 3. His Church on earth. "Holy place" (1 Chron. xxiii. 25; Ps. ix. 11). 4. The contrite heart. He is so great as to fill immensity, and so condescending as to dwell in your heart and mine. God is never satisfied until He finds a home in the human soul. "Give me thine heart." III. THE LORD'S WORK. 1. A work which none but God can do. 2. A work which God delights in above all others. 3. A work He will bring to a glorious consummation (Phil. i. 6).W. Roberts, Penybontfawr:" Pregethau." This Scripture opens up to view five great aspects of God - I. The Being. II. The character. III. The Sovereignty. IV. The dwelling-place. V. The work of God.-W. Seward, ETERNITY CONTEMPLATED, lvii. 15. Eternity. I. There is a period of endless duration which we call eternity (P. D. 1118-1129, 2965, 2054, 1921-1935). The period of duration which shall elapse between the creation of man and the universal conflagration is called "time." It has already extended over nearly six thousand years, but how long its course will continue to advance we can form no conjecture. But this we know, that as it had a beginning it will certainly have an end. Eternity is duration without limits. It exceeds all our powers of reckoning, illustration, thought. II. In this endless period of duration there are two states extremely different, in one or other of which a portion shall be assigned to every man. That man is immortal is capable of proof from the dictates of reason, and is authoritatively taught in the Bible. In the after-world there are two states: of happiness-heaven; of misery-hell. Both are unending. III. Time is given to man in order to prepare for eternity. The present state of existence, while introductory to the future, is also preparatory, in accordance with the general law which, in every stage of our being, makes what we are to be hereafter dependent on what we do now. How shall we prepare for eternity? IV. It is foolish and dangerous to allow the things of time to engross the attention and the activity, that should be devoted to the things of eternity. It is foolish, because we prefer the less to the greater, a glass bead to a nugget of gold. It is dangerous, because we enter on an endless existence unprepared.-G. Brooks: Outlines, p. 43. 16. I. God's controversy with men. 1. What it is. God claims a right to command; men refuse to obey. An old quarrel. 2. Why it is. The rebellion of men makes God angry. Explain the scriptural meaning of the phrase, "Anger of God." Not to be resolved into a mere figure of speech. 3. How it is carried on. By the lessons of His Word, by the dispensation of His providence, by the strivings of His Spirit with the conscience. Sometimes in mercy, sometimes in judgment. II. The limits which God has imposed on Himself in conducting His controversy with men. 1. The limits which He has imposed. With regard to the wicked, because the time of their visitation is past. With regard to the righteous, because the end has been attained. 2. The reason why He has imposed these limits. consideration of human frailty. In CONCLUSION.-The great lesson is, that God has no delight in our suffering here or hereafter.-G. Brooks: Outlines, p. 143. I. The frailty of man (see pp. 420). Physically, intellectually, spiritually. IL. The compassion of God. He restrains His anger-in wisdom, in mercy. Limited by man's ability of endurance. Dr. Lyth. 17-21. GOD'S ANGER (pp. 424). I. Its evidences. "I hid me," &c. How God hides Himself. II. Its occasion. III. Its removal. From the penitent, by the Gospel of peace-to all, with the assurance of forgiveness, producing peace in the heart, health in the soul, praise in the lips. IV. Its perpetuation against the wicked. 1. Absolutely determined by his moral condition-their hearts are full of evil passions, restless trouble, pollution. 2. And by the sentence of G.-Dr. Lyth, ABOUNDING SIN AND ABOUNDING GRACE. lvii. 17-19. For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth, &c. The design of the Bible is twofold: first, to reveal man to himself, and, next, to reveal God to him. The Bible contains a revelation of the gracious heart of God, and of the sinful heart of man. Both were necessary, for man is essentially ignorant of himself, and the degree of his distance and separation from God (Prov. xxx. 13; Rev. iii. 17-19). The text is a case in point. It was necessary that the Jews should be rebuked for their rebellion, and that God's mercy should be revealed to them. God condescends to argue the case with them, and to justify His procedure in permitting their captivity and desolation, whilst He gives the promise of their future restoration and recovery to His image and favour. I. THE ABOUNDINGS OF SIN ON THE PART OF ISRAEL By the "iniquity of covetousness we may perhaps understand their reluctance to uphold the service of God, contrasted by their prodigality and profusion in the service of idols (vers. 5, 6, 9; ch. xliii. 22-24; Hos. ii. 8, 9). But as human nature is always the same, we may trace here the marks of a declining professor. 1. Their obduracy under Divine chastisement (Jer. v. 3; Zeph. iii. 2, 5, 7). It argues a strange boldness not to put away sin, when men are suffering under Divine rebukes. It is to refuse the antidote, and let the poison of sin work on. The bond of iniquity must be exceedingly strong, if when the hand of God is upon us, the heart do not relent (Prov. xxiii. 15; 2 Chron. xxviii. 22). We may well pray: "From all hardness of heart," &c. Guard not only against sinful acts, but against a sinful and unsubdued temper of mind (Rev. iii. 19; Ps. xxxii. 9). 2. Their apathy under the Divine withdrawments. A good man is anxious to possess the tokens of the Divine favour, &c. The withholding of these is a source of humiliation and sorrow (Ps. li. 12; lxxvii. 1-9). But Israel was tull of apathy. Samson was uncon scious of the loss he sustained: "He wist not that the Lord had departed." 3. Their neglect of the kindest appeals and promises of God's mercy. God had said (vers. 15, 16); yet this awakened no response. There are some whom neither judgments awe, nor mercy subdues. II. THE ABOUNDINGS OF GRACE ON THE PART OF GOD. 1. For obduracy here is mercy. The criminal is arraigned, convicted, condemned, and punishment actually begun; and yet an arrest is placed upon the execution of judgment. When you would expect nothing but actual destruction, you have immediately after the triumph of grace. "Who is a God like Thee?" &c. God hates the sinner's ways, but He loves the sinner's soul. His grace is able to subdue the evils that nothing else can. He not only pardons but sanctifies. 2. For desertion here is the promise of guidance. Christ is the Shepherd of the souls He came to redeem. 3. For sorrow here is comfort. When the soul wants peace, it can have none till God speak it. 4. For despondency here is triumph. So great was the despondency that the restoration of peace is a miracle! It must be created! (ch. lxv. 17, 18). CONCLUSION.-The text is a most instructive and encouraging comment on Rom. v. 20. It has been the characteristic of humanity, in all conditions and dispensations, that sin abounded. But the mercy of God has superabounded. The pardoning mercy of the Gospel greatly triumphs over sin, though so greatly aggravated by the light of Divine revelation. It can erase the deepest stains of guilt, and ennoble the nature which sin has degraded and defiled. This abounding grace is offered for your acceptance.-Samuel Thodey. Ver. 18. GOD'S TENDER MERCY TOWARD PENITENT SINNERS. Through the cloud of His people's sins God's mercy shines most brightly. Here is unspeakable tenderness, to melt, to strengthen, and to console. Verily, "the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him," &c. (ch. xliii. 25; xlviii. 9, and others). God's tender mercy toward penitent sinners is here presented in several ways I. He sees them. This ancient doctrine is at variance with modern popular philosophy, which maintains that God holds Himself too high apart to take cognisance of men on this low earth; that if there is a God at all, He is very distant, and does not condescend to "look upon men" (Job iii. 27, 28). If this is the God of popular philosophy, it is not the God of the Bible (Ps. cxiii. 6; Prov. xv. 3; v. 21; Heb. iv. 13). Present everywhere, He sees all that transpires throughout His vast domains, &c. In this chapter, we read of some of the things that God saw in those of whom He here speaks; scoffing at religion; infatuated by sin; given over to the grossest iniquity; hardened in sin (vers. 4-9, 17). God's compassionate eye is fixed upon you; He sees your wanderings, sins, repentance, &c., from His Omniscient outlook, as though you alone of all His children were penitent. As a compas sionate parent looks upon his erring penitent child, so God looks upon broken-hearted penitents. His pitying eye sees the contrite spirit and the aching heart, &c. (Ps. ciii. 13; Luke xv. 20; xxii. 61). Ever look upon God as ever looking upon you. Look well to your "ways," cherish the spirit of prayerful watchfulness and self-denial. "Thou God seest me." II. He heals them. Pardons and restores them. Sin is often represented as a painful, loathsome disease, and pardon and salvation as a healing of the disease (ch. vi. 10; xxx. 26; 2 Chron. vii. 14; Jer. iii. 22; viii. 22; XVII. 4; xxxiii. 6; Ps. xli. 3, 4; ciii. 3; cxlvii. 3). 1. The inimitable character of the Physician. (1.) His skill is infinite. A physician must understand anatomy, disease, symptoms, causes, &c., and he must be skilful to prescribe suitable directions and remedies, &c. The Divine Physician possesses unbounded knowledge of the cause, the progress, and the precise state of the soul's disorders and infirmities, of which bodily diseases are analogous. (See pp. 496.) (2.) His power is almighty. No spiritual disease so inveterate and stubborn but He can conquer and cure it with infinite ease. He never turns any away, saying, "I can do no more for you,' &c. (3.) His tenderness and compassion is unspeakable (ch. xlii. 3; Ps. ciii. 13, 14). (4.) His patience and diligence is unwearied. He bears with their ingratitude, &c., pursues His work till He has effected a cure. 2. The remedy by which He heals. (1.) His pardoning and restoring mercy through the redemption of Christ (ch. liii. 5; Zech. xiii. 1; Rom. iii. 23-26; Rev. v. 9, 12; viii. 14). Announced in the ministry of the Word. Applied by His Spirit (Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27; Heb. x. 16). Received by faith. (2.) The means of grace (Eph. iv. 11-13). Designed to promote spiritual health. The Church-the hospital of grace, where the Divine art of healing is carried on, &c. III. He leads them. Not only amends what is amiss in them, that they may cease to do evil; but directs them into the way of duty, that they may learn to do well (Ps. xxiii. 2, 3; lxxiii. 24; and others. See pp. 296). He leads them to the mercy-seat; to His Word; into paths of righteousness, &c. IV. He comforts them. He restores the comforts which they had forfeited and lost, for the return of which the grace of God had prepared them, and for which the pious among them had fervently prayed. They had experienced true and satisfying joy, but they sinned it away-they had lost their peace of mind, their souls were sad and cheerless. Sin always produces this effect. In the path of sin neither hope nor comfort can be found. And when lost, it can be recovered only by penitent faith (Ps. li. 1-12, and others). God graciously restores the comfort of forfeited mercy, lost joy, vanished hope, &c. (Ps. xxiii. |