May 7

midnight gloom of thy experience or condition—He can turn the shadow of death into the morning. Thirdly, that we are allowed to ask of him largely—“Send me, not a loaf, but three loaves.” Fourthly, that we need not be ashamed to tell him our destitute and straitened condition—“I have nothing to set before him.” Fifthly, that we must be earnest and persevering in our addresses. “Asking,” “seeking,” “knocking,” are not a mere repetition, but an emphatical gradation. Importantly is not necessary to move God; but it is necessary to evince our sincerity, and to prepare us to enjoy his undeserved favours with improvement and praise. Lastly, that none who ask, and seek, and knock, shall be refused—“For whoso asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” We often talk of holding a man by his word; and if he be an honest man, we have nothing by which we can hold him more firmly. Here we have the assurance of truth itself. He cannot deny himself. Let us therefore take Him at his word, and, relying on his engagement, whoever we are, whatever be our character and condition, draw near in full assurance of faith, and be filled with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.

MAY 7.—“I am pacified toward thee.”—Ezekiel 16:63.

THERE can be no pacifying without previous offence and provocation. Sin rouses the displeasure of God. Therefore he says, “O do not that abominable thing which I hate!” He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. The wicked shall not stand in his sight. It is no trifling thing to provoke a fellow-creature. Every one is able to injure us: but some possess larger influence and power. It is spoken of as a great disadvantage in contention, to “be as one that striveth with the priest:” and it is said, “the wrath of a king is as the roaring of a lion.” But to fall into the hands of the living God! Man is mortal, and soon dies. And as the injury he inflicts is temporary, so it is limited. At most he can only kill the body—there is no more that he can do—But there is One “who, after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell.” Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? Hast thou an arm like God, or canst thou thunder with a voice like his? As sinners, therefore, we lay entirely at his mercy, and he could easily and righteously have destroyed us, “and that without remedy.” But he was not revengeful or implacable. He was not only willing to be pacified, but even devised means for the purpose—for by grace are we saved.

This pacification is to be viewed three ways: in the cross: in the gospel: and in the conscience. In the cross it is accomplished. Though God is good and merciful, he must maintain the honour of his law, defend his truth, and display the rectitude of his government. Hence he set forth his Son, “to be a propitiation—to declare his righteousness—that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Hence also we are told that Christ “made reconciliation for the sins of the people.” His death was infinitely valuable, not only from his innocency, but his divinity; and was “an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet-smelling

savour." Thus while sin is condemned it is pardoned; and God is glorified while we are redeemed. There is now no hinderance to a sinner's return on the part of God; and "we have boldness to enter into the holiest of all by the blood of Jesus." What do people mean when they talk of making their peace with God? If such peace can be made, it was made by the blood of the cross. If our tears, and confessions, and performances, could have accomplished the work, God would have spared his own Son an immensity of needless suffering. If without shedding of blood there is no remission, Christ has been sacrificed for us, or we are yet in our sins.

In the gospel it is revealed. In vain the work had been effected unless it had been made known. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets: and whatever obscurity attaches to any other subject in the Scriptures, the light of life shines on this subject with peculiar lustre. The Peacemaker himself came and preached peace: and sent forth also his servants to publish it everywhere, and upon the house-tops. The gospel ministry is called the ministry of reconciliation; that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: upon which ground, says the Apostle, "we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." How blind must that guide be, who does not show unto men this way of salvation! What a physician of no value is he who does not employ this balm of Gilead in the cure of souls!—By his stripes we are healed.

In the conscience it is realized. In vain is it not only procured but published, if it be rejected or disregarded. It must be applied by faith. Then we receive the atonement: rely upon it; plead it; and have access with confidence. By believing we enter into rest; and being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; not only peace above, but peace within. And it is a peace which passeth all understanding. For he is pacified perfectly, and for ever. Who can describe the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin? and who is able to say, "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us?" God's frown darkens the universe: but when he smiles every thing rejoices. Eternity has no dread. Death has no sting. Affliction has no curse. "In that day," therefore, says the Church, "O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me."

Nor is this experience unfriendly to holiness, and good works. Yea, it is necessary to them: and believers are witnesses of these things. The people of the world may think that their liberty is licentious; but they run in the way of his commandments when God hath enlarged their heart. The joy of the Lord, instead of weakening their motives to duty, is their strength. The comforts of the Holy Ghost, instead of being opiates, prove cordials, and give them life more abundantly. The promises cleanse them. Hope purifies them. What says the Apostle? "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to