say, "I will let them alone; I will see what their end will be." But he immediately adds, "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." He makes his east wind to blow, he corrects and contends. but will not continue always to do so; because the spirit would fail before him, and the souls which he has made many, as he loves he rebukes and chastens; in order to purge away their sins, and to make them partakers of his - holiness." Thus he heals their backslidings, because he loves them freely.

"As

6. Ir implies that he will take the greatest delight in manifesting his love to his people. Since he loved them from everlasting, with a design to promote their salvation, the carrying on of that work must be well pleasing to him. In the successful work which the Mediator carries on, the pleasure of the Lord prospers; what he wishes to have done is executed, according to his will. It must, then, be highly pleasing to God, to confer on his people what he prepared and designed for their salvation and felicity, in his infinite goodness. Delight, among men, often means that pleasure and enjoyment, which they derive from some object to which they are attached, and which they view as possessing such excellence as affords them that satisfaction. But delight in God does not consist of any derived satisfaction, or any pleasure which he receives from his people. It consists in communicating good to them, and giving them delight. It is delighting and pleasing himself in such a display of his own perfections as produces in them soul-satisfying pleasure. Rest to the wearied and exhausted body is very agreeable, being what suits its condition; in like manner the displays and communications of the love

of God to his people, are highly delightful to him, because agreeable to his nature. If their salvation be

an object which he will have accomplished, the work must be agreeable to him, and he cannot but delight in it. Their happiness lies wholly in the enjoyment of his love, and in proportion as it is, made known to them, and the fruits of it communicated, their sensible happiness will be more or less increased. As an evidence that he delights to manifest his love to them, he has chosen to dwell with them. Of the church, in general, he says, "This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it:" And every believer is built up as an habitation of God through the Spirit. This he does in order to sanctify them, to enrich them, and build them up as a more meet abode for himself. He does it that they may enjoy nearness to himself, and delightful intercourse with him. intercourse with him. If "their joy is not full," it is not owing to any backwardness in God to grant them more abundant displays of his love, but to their own indifference, not being solicitous to obtain it. "Hitherto," said Christ to his disciples, on this very account, "have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” John xvi. 24. Once the spouse denied herself the highest enjoyment, in a sense of the love of Christ, when, in the most moving language, he entreated her to accept of it. "Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night:" She replied with astonishing indifference, "I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?" Song v. 2, 3. Throughout the book of the Song, as well as in other parts of the Scriptures, we find many very cordial and pathetic invi

tations given to believers to go along with Christ, to leave every other source of pleasure, and to associate with himself. As this can be of no advantage to him, his object must be to solace his people with the soul-improving and soul-ravishing fruits of his love.

WHEN God puts, either the church in general, or the souls of particular believers, into a flourishing condition, it is by granting them a more extensive experience of the fruits of his love; for it is by these only that he draws them unto himself. And when he does this, he shows how much he delights in them, and how much he has their interest and happiness at heart: at the same time he imposes upon them a name highly expressive of this-a new name from his own mouth. "Thou shalt no more be termed, Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed, Desolate: 'but thou shalt be called, Hephzibah, and thy land, Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married." Isai. lxii. 4. Having beautified and adorned his people, he addresses them, as he addressed the spouse: "How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!" Song vii. 6.

To these few remarks I shall now subjoin some reflections.

1. NOTHING is more certain than that all believers shall persevere unto the end, and obtain eternal life. This is evident from the view which has been taken of the divine love. This love has three things to do in order to prevent its objects from falling finally away-Mercifully to pardon all their sins-repel the assaults of all their enemies-and advance to perfection, the work of grace which is begun in them. None of these can be neglected, otherwise the love of God

1

must be sent it.

very

different from what the Scriptures repre

IT has been shown that this love is very intense and superabounding, and that God will rest in it. The salvation of its objects is the great design of it. On this end it is intensely set, and will allow no intermediate step, which is necessary to accomplish the end, to be omitted. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John iii. 16. It is so intense and so determined, that it will have its objects put in possession of eternal life. When the believer, then, falls into any sin, he must either be delivered from it, or the divine love must lose its end.. But this love hath secured the destruction of sin, by the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God. Though eternal death is the fruit of sin, yet no believer can be exposed to it; because, by expiating sin, "Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortali ty to light by the gospel. Divine justice has nothing to say against the believer for any sin which he may commit, having sustained Christ's sacrifice as completely expiatory; it rather adjudges to him every saving blessing. Love, then, does the work, covers a multitude of sins, yea all sins, and saves the believ er from its prevalence. Though he turn aside, though he linger, yea though he fall, God will lift him up, accelerate his pace, and draw him with loving-kindness unto himself. Though the believer may sometimes, in consequence of having greatly provoked God, be tempted to conclude that he shall be finally rejected; yet this is only his infirmity and the working of unbelief. In such a case let him turn his thoughts to that love which chose him to eter:

nal life, when all his sins and provocations were full in the view of God-that love which has already pardoned his enormous guilt, and plucked him as a brand from the burning-that love which instead of seeking good in him, has no other object but to make him good; and which, instead of waiting for his return unto God, powerfully draws him.

BUT, the assaults of enemies are also to be repelled. Among men, calumnious and groundless aspersions sometimes alienate the attachment of one person from another. Men are, in all things, mutable, and often too credulous of what is unfavourable, without investigation. God cannot be affe&ted in this way.

He knows his own people, and observes all their imperfections and evils, so cannot be imposed upon by any. Satan once and again calumniated Job, in order to provoke God to reject him; but in vain. Job was tried and kept from falling. When any enemy attacks believers, he touches the apple of God's eye,-the dearly beloved of his soul; this he will resent and punish. In all such cases divine power is exerted to subserve the designs of love, and prevent these assaults from accomplishing the end intended: therefore says Christ "I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." Though the believer should fall, though he may be cast down, he remains in perfect safety. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." Psalm xxxvii. 23, 24. He may, therefore, adopt the song of the prophet, Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: though I fall, I shall

arise."