2 Chronicles 33:25

REFLECTIONS

MY soul! in the contemplation of such characters as are here represented, behold the awful situation of the wicked. How by sin they destroy themselves, ruin their friends, involve their dearest connections in evil, and beginning in sin, for the most part terminate their existence in vanity and vexation of spirit. But think, my soul, what a miracle of grace must it be, when any, like Manasseh are delivered out of the snare of the devil, who were taken captive by him at his will. Surely none will venture to dispute here the sovereignty of grace, or to put that down to man's free will which can belong to _ none but the undeserved; unsought for, unexpected, mercy of God in Christ. And hast thou, Lord, brought my soul out of the prison house, out of Satan's empire; and washed me from my sins in thy blood! Hast thou made me a rich partaker of the grace which is in Christ Jesus! Oh! blessed, forever blessed, be the means in affliction like Manasseh's, and yet more blessed be the God of the means, who remembered me in my low estate, for his mercy endureth forever.