Way-marks by G.T. Bedell — Read

My dear young Friend,-As your mind becomes more enlightened in the knowledge of divine things, I am sure you will ever find fresh cause to wonder at the goodness of God. The contemplation of his character is a theme of never-ending delight; and in proportion as we discover our own worthlessness and guilt, we shall likewise have the brighter manifestations of his unspeakable excellence. And it is most profitable to cultivate such inquiries; for, the more we are impressed with the infinite holiness and purity of God, our hatred to sin will increase.

This, again, directly leads to the promotion of genuine humility, and lively gratitude, and unfeigned piety. We are humbled to the dust when we think of "the rock from whence we are hewn; " that we are the apostate children of apostate parents: still more so when we feel the awful aggravation of our guilt, in having wilfully forsaken and estranged ourselves from a God, whose peculiar characteristic is love; a God, who, in spite of all our rebellions against his authority, and all our violations of his law, and all our contempt of his gracious warnings, is yet ready to extend his merciful forgiveness, and to restore his lost favour to every penitent and returning sinner. I have often considered the following passages from the prophecies of Isaiah, as a most engaging and encouraging delineation of Divine goodness; "Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you." The most hardened and abandoned criminal is often melted into tenderness by the compassionate sympathy of the person whom he has offended. He not only humbly confesses his guilt, but is overwhelmed with grateful, joyful surprise. So it frequently happens, when the sinner, convinced of his guilt, first discovers that the great God against whom he has been offending all his life long, is actually waiting that he may be gracious; and is exalted on a throne of mercy, as it were, for the very purpose of dispensing the blessings of forgiveness. "The goodness of God leads him to repentance:" and then, with the most affectionate humility, at once he leaves off his rebellion, enlists himself into the service of so kind a Master, and, with the newly converted Paul, exclaims, "Lord what wouldest thou have me to do?" This devoted attachment kindles into acts of open and decided piety. He feels his unspeakable obligations to redeeming love; and these obligations are ever acquiring fresh strength, as he grows in a more thorough knowledge of the "desperate wickedness" of his own heart: he loves much, because much has been forgiven.