Mannasseh thought upon what had passed, he began to cry for mercy & deleverance. He confessed his sins, condmned himself, was humbled before GOD, loathing himself as a monster of impiety & wickness. Yet he hoped to be pardoned through the abundant mercy of the LORD. Then Manasseh knew that JEHOVAH was GOD, able to deliver. He knew HIM as a GOD of salvation. He learned to fear, trust in, love & obey HIM. From this time he bore a new character, & walked in newness of life. Who can tell what tortures of conscience, what pangs of grief, what fears of wrath, what agonizing remorse he endured. When he looked back on his many years of apostacy & rebellion against GOD, on his having led thousands into sin & perdition. And on his blood-guiltiness in the persecution of a number of GOD's children(II Chronicles 33:7).
how long we possess the means of grace; & the longer we have them, the heavier will our account be if we have not improved them.(Jere. 25:6)
Our cheerfulness should show itself as becomes Christians, in what may tend to GOD's glory. A covetous man makes a god of his money; Places that hope, confidence, & delight, in worldly good, which should be in GOD only. Those who allow themselves, either in the lust of the flesh or the love of the world, belong not to the Kingdom of grace, nor shall they come to the Kingdom of glory(Eph. 5:5). The way of those who mind earthly things, may seem pleasant, but death & hell are at the end of it. If we choose their way,we will have their end(Phil. (3:19).
HE directed the apostle to the true & only object of religious worship; To worship GOD, & HIM alone! This plainly condems the practice of those who worship the elements of bread & wine, & saints, & angels, & of those who do not believe that CHRIST is truly & by nature GOD, yet pay HIM a sort of worship. They stand convicted of idolatry by a messanger from heaven. These are true sayings of GOD, of HIM who is to be worshipped, as one with the Father & the Holy Spirit(Rev. 19:10).
