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Bible reading: 2
Chronicles 28
Israel gained
this victory because God was wroth with Judah, and made them the
rod of his indignation. He reminds them of their own sins. It ill
becomes sinners to be cruel.
Could they hope for the mercy of God, if they neither showed mercy
nor justice to their brethren? Let it be remembered, that every
man is our neighbor, our brother, our fellow man, if not our
fellow Christian.
No man who is acquainted with the word of God, need fear to
maintain that slavery is against the law of love and the gospel of
grace. Who can hold his brother in bondage, without breaking the
rule of doing to others as he would they should do unto him? But
when sinners are left to their own heart's lusts, they grow more
desperate in wickedness.
God commands them to release the prisoners, and they obeyed. The
Lord brought Judah low. Those who will not humble themselves under
the word of God, will justly be humbled by his judgments.
It is often found, that wicked men themselves have no real
affection for those that revolt to them, nor do they care to do
them a kindness. This is that king Ahaz! that wretched man!
Those are wicked and vile indeed, that are made worse by their
afflictions, instead of being made better by them; who, in their
distress, trespass yet more, and have their hearts more fully set
in them to do evil.
But no marvel that men's affections and devotions are misplaced,
when they mistake the author of their trouble and of their help.
The progress of wickedness and misery is often rapid; and it is
awful to reflect upon a sinner's being driven away in his
wickedness into the eternal world.
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