The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-11-07


fIe sought God that be might propitiate
him.
lie asked ouly to be saved from his
wrath He expected no sympathy, lie
cn,reated only for forbearanee.
The world was crying for mercy. And
this they found Ia the God manifest. Yea
before his glorious train hssted the glad
messengers Of Heaven proolaiming Peace
on earth good will 10 men There need
/ be no longer disircssful iorebodings, aud
fearful looking for Of frey indignation.
In tones dlvinely sweet he announces
OF a trembling world, 81 forgive thee 20
n2eace"
I Pardon was all men soBsht, is all any
of us without God ever asked for, or ex-
1 pected TO find in him. Would he remove
this weight Of condemnation hanging
over u.s. would he save US from wrath
impending, no further favor should We
crave.
/ II has always been fear that has driven
men IN search OF God,
! Protection l. all they ask
The Athenians so deeply devoted while
/ the fatal plague ravagc their city, rever-
entity seeking all their own deities, then
/ the deiiies of other nations, who were
/ known to them, and at length in despair
addressing themselves TO the unknown
God, but when the pestilence is passed
returning to their wild profligacy with
new zest; the Israelites humbling them
1 selves before Jehovah, when national ex-
| termination stares them in the face, but
/ forgetting his ordinances when the enemy
withdraws his legions from the gates !;
/ the tempest driven sailor praying most
earnestly TO God while enroclydon bears
sway, but cnSing him as vociferously
when the storm is past, are not anomal-
les in human history. They fairly repre-
sent the attitude of mankind towardGod.
The cagerncss with which they inquire
after God has always been proportioned
10 this fear OF his anger.
The reply returned by men when urged
to embrace religion, that they don't feel
the necessity Of it, means only that they
are not sufficiently alarmed about the
consequences of neglecting this matter to
induce them to the sacrifices involved.
Infinite In his attributes, terrible in his
holiness what can they find in the Deity
congenial to their natures, what, but i'm
munity from punishment that they want
at his hand1
They desire not the day of the Lord,
To them the day Of the Lord Is darkness
and not light. Brought sometimes into
the Divine presence aud made to see their
spiritual condition as revealed in the lur-
id flash of some fell stroke of Providence
pardon they feel their need of, pardon
this will satisfy.
But God as declared by the son that
came forth from the bosom of the father
sends away no supplient seeking pardon
with simply what he sought
He adds to this the consciousness of be-
ing justified.
lie does not dismiss him with the feel.
! ing that he is q criminal above whose head
the rctributive sword is only arrested,
| (what soul ever expected more than this? p
Yet the supplient is made to feel that he
is no longer a culprit, but innocent, ap-
proved in the sight of Heaven.
Ills crouching depricating posture is
changed to an upright self assured bear
ing. Fear is gone. The thunderings of
the law are unheeded And with some
thing of triumph he exclaims: ''Being
justified by faith we have peace with
God" The peace of Heaven spriags up
in his soul, as he realizes he is not mere.
ly endured, tolerated, but loved, loved
with an everlasting affection.
Truly he hath done for us exceeding
abundantly above that we could ask.
This is God as declared by his sonl
Yet not all. He does not stop here in
bis work for man.
So far the supplient has seen love man
ifested toward himself but has never been
disposed TO rcciprocate. ..
The consciousness of divine approval,
I but no love for holiness is found in the
heart.
Observance Of the divine law would
be onerous. Its pure spirit tonches no
responsive chord ia his breast. Still 1t is
a privilege TO be allowed to SerVe. The
/. drudgery will be uucomplainingly un,
dertaken. But here help is afforded. The
regcnerating stream from that fountain
opened for sin and uncleanness' is turned
upon the heart. The transforming power
Of the holy spirit is put forth.
The dominion of sin IL broken andabol-
ished SO that with full choice of viii
and the whole energies Of the affections
be scr ses God freely, aud runs with al
acrity In the way Of his commandments
He makes his service even the most joy.
Gus of pleasures.
This Is God as "decisred" by bis son
But the worshiper Is not kept at service
agreeable as ia service made 10 him, will
lingly as he would be to remain ~ tn
capacity Of servant to 30 generous mas
ter, be Is brough, within the inner cir
Gle.
"ileuceiorth | call you not servants, 70
servants kuoweth not what his Lort
docth but call you frien ds.'
The seryIle spirit Is taken away. Th'
, largest privileges are conferred. And cla'
= Ia new apparel and adorned with th'
gold ring he Is proclaimed an heir ant