better to our resolutions afterwards. After all that is come upon us for our sins, take heed of breaking his commandments again, Ezra ix. 13, 14. As Job's riches after his, so we should endeavour that our graces after our afflictions may be doubled upon us, and that the scent of our holy example may, like spices bruised, or the grapes of Lebanon crushed in the wine-press, give a more fragrant smell to God and man, as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed. He promiseth that all these should be fruits of Lebanon, of the best and most perfect kind. There are many evidences of the goodness of God even in the lives of Pagan men; we read of Abimelech forbearing to sin against God, Gen. xx. 4. 6. and of his and Ephron's singular kindness to Abraham, Gen. xx. 14, 15. xxiii. 10, 11. 15. No argument more common than this of the virtues, the temperance, prudence, justice, mercy, patience, fidelity, friendships, affability, magnanimity of many heathen men; insomuch that some have presumed so far as to make them dispositive to salvation. But all these are but wild grapes, bitter clusters, the fruits of an empty vine, not worth the gathering in order to salvation: but the graces which God bestoweth upon his church, are of a more spiritual and perfect nature, proceeding from faith in Christ, from love of God, from a conscience cleansed from dead works, from an intention to glorify God and adorn the gospel, from a new nature, and from the Spirit of Christ, conforming his servants unto himself: they are not grapes of Sodom, but grapes of Lebanon. And as he thus blesseth us, in the like manner should we serve him, not offer unto him the refuse, the halt, and blind, and maimed, for sacrifice, not give unto him of that which cost us nothing, but go to Lebanon for all our sacrifices, covet earnestly the best gifts, press forward and labour to perfect holiness in the fear of God. Give unto him our lilies, the beauties of our minority; and our cedars, the strength of our youth; and our olives, and grapes, and corn, and wine; whatever gifts he hath bestowed on us, use them unto his service and honour again; not content ourselves with the form of godliness, with the morality of virtue, with the outside of duties, with the seeds and beginnings of holiness, (he has none who thinks he hath enough,) but strive who shall outrun one another unto Christ, as Peter and John did towards his sepulchre. It was a high pitch which Moses aimed at, when he said, "I beseech thee show me thy glory," Exod. xxxiii. 18. Nothing would satisfy him but fulness and satiety itself. Be sure that all your graces come from Sion, and from Lebanon, that they grow in Immanuel's land; till Christ own them, God will not accept them. Moral virtues and outward duties, grapes of Sodom, may commend us unto men; nothing but inward, spiritual, and rooted graces, the grapes of Lebanon, will commend us unto God. To do only the outward works of duty, without the in ward principle, is at best but to make ourselves like those mixed beasts, elephants and camels, in the civil law, which, though they do the work of tame beasts, yet have the nature of wild ones. Moral virtue, without spiritual piety, doth not commend any man unto God; for we are not accepted unto him, but in Christ, and we are not in Christ but by the Holy Spirit. SERMON VI. EPHRAIM SHALL SAY, WHAT HAVE I TO DO ANY MORE WITH THE Conversion of Israel unto God in their trouble, was accompanied with a petition and a covenant. A petition imploring mercy and grace from God, and a covenant promising thanksgivings and obedience unto him. And God is pleased in his answer to have a distinct respect unto both these; for whereas they petition, first for pardon, that God would take away all iniquity, he promiseth to heal their backslidings, and to love them freely; and whereas they pray for blessings, Receive us into favour, do us good, God likewise maketh promises of that in great variety, expressed by the several metaphors of fertility, answering to the name and blessings promised formerly unto Ephraim. And all this we have handled out of the four preceding verses. Now in this eighth verse, God is pleased not only graciously to accept, but further to put to his seal, and to confirm the covenant which they make, promising that by the assistance of his Spirit they should be enabled to do what they had undertaken. This is the greatest ground of confidence that we can have to bind ourselves in holy covenants unto God, even the promise of his strength and assistance enabling us to keep covenant with him, Therefore when David had said, "I have sworn and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments;" it follows a little after, "Accept, I beseech thee, the free-will offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me thy judgments," Psa. cxix. 106. 108. David was confident that God would not only accept his covenant, but teach him how to keep it, and that made him the more confident to bind himself by it. In the original, the words are only thus; "Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols?" which therefore some would have to be the words of God spoken unto Ephraim. But there is nothing more usual in scripture than an ellipsis of the verb, and we find this very verb omitted, and yet necessary to be supplied, Isa. v. 9. and in this place the Chaldee paraphrast, and from him the best interpreters, with our translators, have supplied it. Thus, "Ephraim shall say:" and so it is God's confirmation of the promise which penitent Ephraim had made, and his undertaking for him, that he should indeed be enabled to perform his covenant. "What have I to do any more with idols?" It is an interrogation not on'y importing a negative, I will not any more have to do with them, but also a vehement detestation of them, and indignation against them, as that of David to Abishai, 2 Sam. xvi. 10. and that of Elisha to Jehoram, 2 Kings iii. 13. and that of the devil to Christ, Matt. viii 29. "With idols." The original word signifieth likewise sorrows and grief of mind, a fit word to express their sin and repentance. What have we to do with these idols and sorrows any more? They can produce no good, they can hear no prayers, they can work no deliverance, they can bring nothing but evil and anguish to us, and therefore we will not follow or Here then is a solemn seek unto them any more. detestation as of all their other sins, so of that especially which had most dishonoured God, most wounded their own consciences, and procured most sorrow unto themselves, with God's confirmation of it. After this, follow several promises of special mercies. 1. Of hearing and answering their prayers: "I have heard" or answered him, or, as others render it, "I will hear him." 2. Of fatherly care and providence over them: "I have observed him," or fixed mine eyes upon him; I have strictly considered his condition, that I might proportion my mercies thereunto. It is a symbol; (1.) Of vigilant care and most intent and solicitous inspection and providence ; "The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine," Psa. xx. xiii. 18, 19. (2.) Of direction and counsel; "I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go. I will guide or counsel thee with mine eye," Psa. xxxii. 8. (3.) Of honour and exaltation; "He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted," Job xxxvi. 7. And, (4.) It is an expression of hearing prayers: God is said to have his eye open unto the supplication of his servants, to hearken unto them in all that they call upon him for, 1 Kings viii. 52. and the " eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears open unto their cry," Psa. xxxiv. 15. The church had before professed herself to be an orphan, that stood in need of tuition and protection: and here God promiseth to cast his eye, and to place his affection upon her, to look to her, to be her tutor and guardian, to govern her with his special providence |