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SERMON
IV.
ESA!
lvii.
18.
I have seen his ways, and
I will
heal him.
INow
proceed
to make some
little improvement of
the
discourses
thus far.
These
inferences
may
be
drawn
from them
:
I.
How extensive and unsearcheable
are
the riches
of
grace
in
the covenant.
Grace,
that
is
resolved
to
recover
such
stubborn
backsliders.
Large
grace
it
was
that
pro-
cured
the covenant,
that
promised the
blessings
of
it,
and that
fulfilled all its
articles,
according to
the several
seasons
of the
church's
necessities. How
abundant
must
be
the compassion
of
the
Father,
that
he
should
see
our
sinful
ways,
and yet
heal
us
!
the wilfulness
of our
rebellion, and yet not stretch
out
his
hands and smite
us
!
That
he should
see
us
in
all the aggravations
of our
guilt, and yet
not
lift up
his
sword
of
justice, and take
an ample vengeance
on
us
!
Well
may
we
cry out, '
Lord our Lord,
how
glorious
is
thy grace
throughout
all
the
earth'..
how
vast
thy magnificence
of
compassion
'above all
our abounding iniquities
!'
Again, how
abun-
dant
is
the
love
of our
Redeemer
!
He
died for
his
enemies;
yea, he
continues
still with a
heart
and
tongue
pleading
for
us
;
for
us,
who have sinned
against
him-
self and
his
Father
!
How glorious and
efficacious
are
all
his
perfections
!
What
great
righteousness must
that
be
that
could make satisfaction for such guilt
!
What
strong
compassion dwells in the
heart of
this physician,
that
he
will
apply
his
blood to those wounds
that
we
have
made after
his
once healing
us.
How great are
his
sanctifying influences
!
A touch
of
his finger
brought
us
to
him
at
first,
and recovered
us
after our
backsliding.
How
long
-
suffering
is
he
;
his
love
has
been quenched
by
our
many rebellions
;
and
we
may
well
wonder
that
he should
return
to
rekindle
dying grace.
Let
every
backslider
that
has been healed,
let
every
preserved be-
liever,
and let
every
converted sinner
in
this assembly
say,
Honour
and
glory be to the love
of God
the
Fa-
4