ntrite heart. I have looked upon him whom I
have pierced, and been in bitterness as for a first-born. I feel it
now, and must feel it while the body of sin exists. But Oh, Lord God,
merciful and gracious, the cause is in thyself, that I hear thy voice,
and that I answer. 'Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal
your backslidings. Behold, I come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our
God. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills and the
multitude of mountains. Truly, in the Lord God is the salvation of
Israel. We lie down in our shame, our confusion covereth us: for we
have sinned against the Lord our God; we and our fathers, even from
our youth; and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord God. Thus saith
the Lord God, I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, who hast
despised the oath in breaking the covenant. Nevertheless, I will
remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth; and I will
establish unto thee an everlasting covenant, and thou shalt know that
I am the Lord. That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never
open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified
towards thee, saith the Lord God.' Amen, Lord God, merciful and
gracious. Be it so. It is so _now_--it _must_, it will be
so, until death shall open mine eyes on that mystery: The glory of God
arising out of the abounding of sin, through the superabounding of
grace, and grace reigning through righteousness unto eternal life, by
Jesus Christ our Lord!

"Till then, while sin dwelleth in me, let me enjoy the
blessedness of a contrite heart; yea, even shame and confusion, since
it is the sign that thou art pacified with me. Thou hast dealt with
me, thou hast chastened, and in some instances taken vengeance on my
inventions. But thou art pacified with me, and I dare look again to
thy holy temple, to the temple not made with hands, to the minister of
the sanctuary, and the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not
man; to the blessed High-priest, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself a sacrifice without spot unto God, and by his own
blood entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us, and when he had purged our sins, sat down on the
right hand of the Majesty on high; to the blessed Mediator of the new
and better covenant, established on better promises; to the Surety of
the new testament, and sealed with his own blood. Oh, I will look unto
Jesus, the object