course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the
turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their
coming; but My people know not the judgment of the Lord."

Now look: "I hearkened and heard; but they spake not aright." No
family altar! No reading the Bible! No closet devotion! God stoops to
hear; but His people have turned away! If there be a penitent
backslider, one who is anxious for pardon and restoration, you will
find no words more tender than are to be found in Jeremiah iii. 12:
"Go, and proclaim these words toward 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." Now notice: "Only acknowledge thine iniquity,
that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast
scattered thy ways to the stranger under every green tree, and ye
have not obeyed My voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding
children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you"--think of God
coming and saying, "_I am married unto you!_--and I will take you one
of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion."

"Only acknowledge thine iniquity." How many times have I held that
passage up to a backslider! "Acknowledge" it; and God says I will
forgive you. I remember a man asking, "Who said that? Is that there?"
And I held up to him the passage, "Only acknowledge thine iniquity;"
and the man went down on his knees, and cried, "My God, I have
sinned"; and the Lord restored him there and then. If you have
wandered, He wants you to come back.

He says in another place, "O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O
Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning
cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away" (Hosea vi. 4). His
compassion and His love is wonderful!

In Jeremiah iii. 22; "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will
heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto Thee; Thou art the Lord
our God." He just puts words into the mouth of the backslider. Only
come; and, if you will come, He will receive you graciously and love
you freely.

In Hosea xiv. 1, 2, 4: "O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for
thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to
the Lord (He puts words into your mouth): say unto Him, Take away all
iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the c