2 Kings 17:41

REFLECTIONS

PAUSE, my soul, over this chapter, and behold the awful visitations of God upon his own people. Well may every truly awakened soul take part in what he reads here, and tremble lest, for the wickedness of our own land, the Lord should send similar judgments. Are we better than they? (saith the apostle upon an occasion not unlike this) No, in no wise. For he hath before concluded all under sin. And though from the relation God the Father stands in to his people in his dear Son; though from the ransom he hath received from our Almighty Surety, the everlasting welfare of the regenerate is secure; yet for the honour of his holy name, to prevent the abuse of his covenant-mercy, and for the holiness of his nature, God will correct (and to what extent who shall say) the unhumbled state of his people in their sins and transgressions.

Reader! are you a real follower of the Lord Jesus Christ? Hath the Holy Ghost convinced you of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment? Hath he led you to the precious Jesus for the whole of your salvation? And if so; can you be unmoved in the view of the present state of the church in this highly favoured land, and behold the languishing condition of Zion among us, unconcerned. How did holy men of old feel on such occasions? My flesh trembleth (saith one of them) for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments! for these things (saith another) weep, mine eyes run down with tears. When I heard (saith a third) my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice; rottenness entered into my bones. Are you unmoved! Oh! for grace from him who hath the residue of the Spirit, to be earnest in prayer with him for his sparing mercy!

Precious Jesus! where shall we flee, to whom shall we come, but to thee? We are indeed a guilty, sinful land, a wretched, unworthy people. We are sadly gone away from thee. We are a race of evildoers, children that are corrupters. We have sinned, what shall we say, O thou Preserver of men? But, Lord, help us to return, Let thy grace induce, in all ranks, a spirit of reform. Oh! thou exalted Prince and Saviour! pour out thine ascension gifts of repentance, and remission of sins. Bring us before thee, looking with an eye of faith to thy blood, beholding thee as the Lamb that hath been slain, and wearing thy Priesthood still. And oh! be thou very jealous for this land, and heal thy people. Come, gracious Lord, return to thy people with pardons to bless, with grace to purify, with love to allure; and draw our hearts unto thee. And let us hear those soul reviving words; I am returned to the British Jerusalem in mercy. Then may our souls answer to the words of thy grace, and say; Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage. The Lord will not retain his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again. He will have compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities: and thou wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.