"the Lord fhall he behold;" Numb. xii. 6, 7, 8. The phrase likewise represents the manner in which God converfed with the congregation of Ifrael from mount Sinai. "The "Lord talked with you face to face in the

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mount, out of the midst of the fire;" Deut. v. 4. Doubtlefs on that occafion they faw with their bodily eyes, and heard with their bodily cars. When Gideon perceived by the miracle he wrought, that the person who talked with him was an angel, he faid, "I have feen an angel of the Lord face to face;" Judges vi. 22. I cannot doubt, therefore, from the use of the expreffion in other places, but God intimates by the prophet Ezekiel, that he will give Ifrael in the wilderness of Affyria, fome open visible manifeftation of himself, fimilar to that given their fathers of old, for the express purpose of bringing them into the bond of the covenant, that is, converting them.

Nor does the manifeftation promised appear to be a tranfient vifion, like that seen by the apostle in his way to Damafcus, but à permanent glory during their continuance in the wilderness of Affyria. This is implied in the expreffions of Ezekiel: "Like as I pleaded with 66 your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt." God pleaded with their fathers

not

not for a day, or a year, but for forty years together. It is clearly afferted by the prophet Micah, chap. vii. 15. "According to the days "of thy coming out of the land of Egypt, will "I fhew unto him marvellous things," (wonders). The conduct of God to Ifrael in the wilderness was one series of wonders, and the pillar of cloud and of fire, the visible symbol of his prefence, never left them by day or by night.

Such are the means of their converfion, the effect produced by them is in general life. The movements of the spiritual life, when unfolded, are godly forrow for their paft fins. This is reprefented by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was "heard upon the high places, weeping and fup"plications of the children of Ifrael; for they "have perverted their way, and they have for"gotten the Lord their God. Return, ye back"fliding children, and I will heal your back"flidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for "thou art the Lord our God. Truly in vain "is falvation hoped for from the hills, and from "the multitude of mountains: truly in the "Lord our God is the falvation of Ifrael. For "fhame hath devoured the labour of our fa"thers from our youth; their flocks and their "herds, their fons and their daughters. We lie "down

PP

"down in our fhame, and our confufion cover

"eth us: for we have finned against the Lord

tr

our God, we and our fathers, from our youth, " even unto this day, and have not obeyed the "voice of the Lord our God; Jer. iii. 21.-25. "I have furely heard Ephraim bemoaning him"felf thus, Thou haft chaftifed me, and I was "chaftifed, as a bullock unaccustomed to the "yoke: Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; "for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after "that I was turned, I repented; and after that "I was inftructed, I fmote upon my thigh: "I was afhamed, yea, even confounded, because "I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is "Ephraim my dear fon? is he a pleasant child? "for fince I fpake against him, I do earnestly "remember him ftill; therefore my bowels are "troubled for him; I will furely have mercy, upon him, faith the Lord;" Jer xxxi. 18, 19, 20. "In those days, and in that time,. "faith the Lord, the children of Ifrael fhall come, they and the children of Judah toge.. "ther, going and weeping: "feek the Lord their God.

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they shall go, and

They fhall afk the.

way to Zion, with their faces thitherward,. t faying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the "Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not "be forgotten;" Jer. 1. 4, 5. "Take with.

you words, and turn to the Lord, fay unto

❝ him

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"him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us "gracioufly: fo will we render the calves of "our lips. Asfhur fhall not fave us; we will "not ride upon horfes; neither will we fay any more to the work of our hands, Ye are "our gods for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.-Ephraim fhall fay, What have I to do any more with idols?" Hofea xiv. 2, 3.8. Their forrow fhall be excited in a particular manner for their great national fin, "crucifying "by wicked hands the Lord of glory," and continuing for fo long a period to reject and blafpheme him. "They fhall forrow a little (time) for the burden of the king of prin"ces;" Hofea viii. 10. "They shall look up-

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on me whom they have pierced, and they "fhall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his "only fon, and shall be in bitterness for him,

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as one that is in bitterness for his first-born;" Zech. xii. 10. Their unbelief of this prophecy concerning their converfion previous to its accomplishment, fhall be powerfully urged on their confciences, to convince them of fin. God will address them upon their conversion, in the language of the prophet: "I have fhewed thee new things from this time, even hidden

things, and thou didst not know them. They are created now, and not from the beginning'; "even before the day (of their accomplish

❝ment)

"ment) when thou heardeft them not; left "thou fhouldeft fay, Behold, I knew them. "Yea, thou heardeft not; yea, thou knewest "not; yea, from that time that thine ear was "not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest "deal very treacherously, and waft called

a tranfgreffor from the womb;" Ifa. xlviii. 6, 7, 8. Prophecies which they profeffed to believe before hand, fuch as the appearance of the Meffiah at a particular period, they rejected when accomplished; but for this they have a fpecious apology, that they expect their accomplishment ftill. But as to the prophecy concerning their converfion, though they have frequently heard it, they do not believe it, nor expect its accomplishment. When they are converted therefore, and fubmit to him whom they rejected and blafphemed, for two thoufand years before, the event must afford themselves a convincing evidence of their obftinate refiftance to God's revealed will. The movements of the fpiritual life proceed from a conviction of fin, to faith in the Saviour; for the Saviour now addreffes them, "Come ye near unto me, hear 66 ye this: I have not spoken in fecret from the "beginning; from the time that it was, there "am I: and now the Lord God and his Spirit "hath fent me. Thus faith the Lord, thy Re"deemer, the Holy One of Ifrael, I am the Lord

thy