li, 5. And though, while
so much of error, prejudice and carnal interest, lie as impassable
mountains in the way, there is little appearance of the nations taking
this course yet the Lord seems still to bespeak us in that endearing
language, Jer. iii, 12, "Go and proclaim these words towards the north,
and say, Return thou backsliding _Israel_, saith the Lord, and I will
not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the
Lord, and I will not keep anger forever." Though we have nationally torn
our marriage contract with heaven, and taken away our names, yet the
Lord has not. _Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord, for I am
married unto you._ Let all, then, _repent, and turn themselves from all
their transgressions, so iniquity shall not be their ruin_; but if not,
then let all the impenitent despisers of the repeated calls of mercy
know, that abused patience will at length turn into fury, and the Lord
Jehovah, who has already furbished his sword, and prepared the
instruments of death, will speedily give that dreadful commission to the
executioners of his wrath: "Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is
ripe; come, get you down, for the press is full, the fats overflow, for
their wickedness is great:" Joel iii, 13.
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