posture and condition which are requisite to the right reception of the gospel, and the attainment of its blessings. This is the sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit which God will not despise. This is the state to which the scriptures every where labour to bring us; and to which they every where speak encouragement. This is the state to which Ephraim was brought when the bowels of divine mercy yearned over him, and again acknowledged him as a child. (Jeremiah xxxi.) "Surely, saith the Lord, I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus: Thou hast chastized me and I was chastized, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: Turn thou me, and I shall be turned. Surely after that I was turned, I repented, and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth." "Is Ephraim," the Almighty immediately interposes, Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? I do earnestly remember him still: my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him." This too, was the state of the prodigal when he resolved, "I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." This the very state which

our Lord describes in the case of the publican, whom he holds up to us as a pattern of the spirit and temper in which we sinful creatures ought to draw nigh to God, if we would obtain justification and salvation. "He would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast and said, God be merciful to me a sinner.” This, in short, is true repentance; and it will infallibly connect with true faith in the Saviour, and issue in newness of life.

Contemplate then a moment the change which has taken place. See the mind which was before hard, now softened in contrition: the mind which before fled from God, now turning again to him, and seeking all its relief from him: the mind which before felt only its miseries, and rebelled against the hand that inflicted them, now feeling its sin and submitting to correction: the mind which before "dissembled and cloaked its sins," now confessing them with a humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart: the mind which before indulged sullen despondency, now exercising hope in the mercy of God. Happy spectacle! the angels of heaven contemplate it with joy and congratulation. The eye of God himself rests upon it with approbation and delight. "This my Son was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found!"— It is already in good measure turned to God and

converted already it manifests not only repentance, but faith-for it renounces all other confidences to trust solely in the mercy of God in the way in which he is pleased to show mercy: already the love of God appears in it, though not, it may be, in any of its joyous actings, yet in this, that it can no longer bear a state of distance and separation from God, and in this, that it mourns over its offences against him. Thus changed, and thus disposed, it cannot but turn from all its sins, cannot but cease to do evil and learn to do well. Already then it is in the way to salvation, and on the very confines, at least, of happiness: "For he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy.”—So the Psalmist found it: In the very same breath with the words which describe his resolution," I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; " he goes on "and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin."

III. This leads us to consider THE LAST STATE OF MIND into which he now describes himself as having passed. It is that of heavenly tranquillity and joy arising both from the sense of divine favour, and the exercise of devout affections and sweet communion with God.

Nearly all the remainder of the Psalm is occupied in describing the felicities of this condition.-The

first verses are thus employed. The Psalmist writing under the enjoyment of the consolations of peace with God thus restored, breaks forth, "Blessed is the man," or "O the felicities of the man, whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sin is covered: Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." And having given his history, he in the latter verses again recurs to the same subject, and triumphantly observes, in devout address to God:

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah!” He describes himself as now secure and happy under the guidance as well as protection of the Almighty, whom he hears (as it were) saying to him: "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye." On the whole therefore, he concludes, "Many sorrows shall be to the wicked, but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad (therefore) in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart!"

Time would fail us to enter at large into the consideration of the blessings which he here describes. Let only their nature and their value be briefly touched upon.

The first is forgiveness of sins. This immediately follows the production of such a disposition as we last considered. Not that there is anything in repentance, or in a disposition thus far right, which can intrinsically merit forgiveness, or in its own right furnish a claim to favour. No! the true penitent renounces every idea of merit. But it has pleased God, having opened the way for the honourable exercise of his mercy through the sacrifice and mediation of Christ, to promise forgiveness of sins and restoration to his favour to all those who seek it in this way. He gives it therefore freely according to the riches of his grace.

And oh! how invaluable a blessing is this-the 'forgiveness of sins." Whatever they may think of it who make light of sin, and are blind to the number and aggravation of their transgressions, let him speak the value of forgiveness who, like the Psalmist has known the miseries of guilt, who has learnt to compare himself with the divine law, and thus to estimate the multitude of his offences: who has learnt to feel the importance of death, judgment, and eternity, to tremble at the divine wrath and to count the favour of God better than life itself. He will feel the meaning of David's exclamation, "Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, whose sin is covered." Oh how will