VII. Everlasting joy.
I. THE MERCY OF GOD.
7. “If thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (for the Lord thy God is a merciful God); he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers, which he sware unto them.” Deut. 4:29-31. What tender affection, as of the heart of a father, have we here presented to us! And how just and reasonable is it, that it should move us to repentance! For how numerous and great soever our [pg 190] sins may be, the mercy of God is still greater, according to the words of the Psalmist: “With the Lord there is mercy; and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” Ps. 130:7, 8. And again: “According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.” Ps. 51:1. Nor are our sins so filthy and abominable, but God can make them white as snow. “Though your sins,” says the prophet, “be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Isa. 1:18. And the Psalmist says: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Ps. 51:7. Neither are they so various and manifold, but that they are surpassed by the riches of divine grace, according to the apostle: “In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Eph. 1:7. And what we read in Exodus teaches the same: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin.” Exod. 34:6, 7. Nor are they so strong and powerful, but God can destroy them, and throw them into the depth of the sea, as he did unto Pharaoh and all his host. “He will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19. Nor, finally, are they so mortal and pestilential, but God can heal them, as the prophet assures us: “The wicked shall not fall by his wickedness in the day that he turneth from it.” Ezek. 33:12.
II. THE KINDNESS OF CHRIST.
8. How kindly and affectionately Christ Jesus receives sinners, he himself abundantly declares in the Gospel: “They that be whole,” says he, “need not a physician, but they that are sick. I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matt. 9:12, 13. “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. Of this gracious bounty of Christ towards returning sinners, the prophets have left us many predictions. “Woe be to the shepherds of Israel,” saith Ezekiel, “who have not sought that which was lost: but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd. Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock, in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick.” Ezek. 34:2, 4, 12, 16. And the prophet Isaiah says, “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.” Isai. 40:11. Nor should only the gracious nature of Christ move thee to repentance; but more especially his extreme sorrow, and most innocent blood shed on thine account. For consider within thyself:
(1.) That he laid down his life, not for heaven or earth, but for thy soul. And wilt thou, by sin and impenitence, wantonly cast away so great and valuable a treasure?
(2.) Remember, that thou couldest not have been redeemed by any other or less price than the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:19). Why shouldest thou deprive thyself of a ransom so inestimable as the Redeemer has paid for thee?
(3.) Call to mind, that Christ has [pg 191] redeemed thee from the world, from sin and the devil. And dost thou desire to continue longer in the service of so hard and cruel a master?
(4.) Be assured, that without unfeigned repentance, the merit of Christ will avail thee nothing; yea, that thou tramplest under foot his blood, and dost “despite unto the Spirit of grace.” Heb. 10:29.
(5.) Lastly, consider how sharp and cruel were the sufferings which thy Saviour underwent on thy account! How he wept and sorrowed, trembled and feared! Heb. 5:7. How grievously he was wounded for thy transgressions (Isa. 53:5), and, at last, as a worm (Ps. 22:6), and cursed (Gal. 3:13), hung upon a tree! How loudly this mournful scene calls on thee to repent!