2. Those that hope to remove evil, either by sinful means or natural means, without being reconciled to God. (1.) Sinful means. As Saul in his distress goeth to the witch of Endor. These do more entangle and involve themselves. Fear is an ill counsellor, and urgeth men to use indirect and evil means to avert the things feared; and so, whilst they think to avoid their danger, they hasten and increase it, Prov. x. 24. Instances are frequent. Samson's wife, the Philistines threatened to burn her and her father's house with fire
440 A SERMON ON MICAH VII. 18.
unless she would betray her husband's secrets, Judges xiv. 1,5. She doth so, and Samson taking his revenge ; they fulfil what they threatened, Judges xv. 6. The cliildren of Israel murmured at the report of the spies, and said, ' Would God we had died in the wilder- ness,' JSTum. xiv. 2 ; and God saith, vers. 28, 29, ' As ye have spoken in my ears, so will I do unto you ; your carcases shall fall in this wilder- ness.' The rebels against fatherly government were afraid of scat- tering ; they would build a tower, 'lest they should be scattered on the face of the earth ' (a solemn 2)lace wherein to meet), Gen. xi. 4; and for that reason God ' confounded their language, and scattered them,' ver. 8. Jeroboam, to secure the kingdom in his own house, set up calves at Dan and Bethel, lest the people should return, when they went up to Jerusalem to worship, to their natural lord, 1 Kings xii. 26 ; and this very thing became a snare to the house of Jeroboam to cut it off and destroy it, 1 Kings xiii. 3, 4. The Jews were afraid of Christ, lest the Komans would take jealousy at their frequent resort to him, John xi. 48 ; and for that reason wrath came upon them to the uttermost. Many will help themselves by sinful compliances, seek to preserve their families, and thereby they ruin them. The second com- mandment is express. The way to secure ourselves is not to commit new sins, but get a pardon of the old. (2.) By lawful means. Usually means are cursed v/hen we tamper with them before we have made our peace with God. Israel's going forth without a peace-offering, Judges XX. ; Asa seeking to the physicians before the Lord, 2 Chron. xvi. 12, will sufficiently instruct us in that. Therefore 'acquaint yourselves with God, and be at peace, and good shall come unto you,' Job xxii. 21. Bustling in the world occasioneth more trouble till our peace be made with God. There is no getting out of the comfortless pit but by the blood of the everlasting covenant, Zech. ix. 11. All our mercies come from a covenant of love, and a covenant made sure by the blood of the Son of God. David had his sins pardoned before his health restored, Ps. ciii. 3. First iniquity removed, then the disease. 3. It reproveth those that, lying under the fruits of sin, have not an heart to seek their recovery from the Lord's pardoning mercy. The church here was fallen under God's indignation, and that by reason of sin : ver. 9, ' I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him.' It was a rod dipped in guilt ; and yet hopeth in the Lord for a restitution to wonted privileges, because none like him in pardoning. When God covereth himself with frowns, there is no cause of despair. God threateneth that he may not punish, and pun- isheth that he may not punish for ever. God maketh show of depart- ing that we may hold him the faster, and threateneth to remove from a person or nation that he may not indeed remove, but that we may entreat him to stay. And, indeed, he is not hard to be entreated. He that is going away showeth us the way how to keep him still ; when he flieth from us, he draweth the soul that it may run after him, Ps. Ixiii. 8. When he seemeth to remove, he doth not go out of sight, that you may always follow him ; and if you follow him, he will stand still. If he seem to be wholly out of sight, it is that you may seek him early and earnestly, Hosea v. 16. He hath left somewhat behind him to draw tlie soul to him. When he smiteth very sorely, it is to awaken a
A SERMON OX MICAH VII. IS. 441
drowsy sinner, that we may bethink oui-selves, and not perish for ever : ' Who is a God like nnto thee ? '
Use 2. To instruct ns what should most affect our hearts ; not so much God's acts of power as his acts of grace. The churcli here ad- mireth more his pardoning mercy than his glorious power in her restoration ; that mercy should find the way to them, notwithstanding sin, yea, many sins. The godly are sensible of the desert of sin. and their inability to satisfy justice for it. The impediments of God's power lie altogether without God ; but the imjoediments of his pardon- ing mercy within him. The soul pauseth upon this, that God is just and holy ; therefore, when mercy rejoiceth over judgment, there is the triumph of the saints. The effects of God's power are more obvious to our apprehensions, but the fruits of his pardoning mercy are more suspected because of our ill-deservings. It is notable here that God pardoneth as El, as a strong God. Quis Deus fortis 2^cir tihi ? So Junius, Who is a strong God like thee in pardoning ? Partly to show that he doth not pardon out of need, but choice. He could avenge us, but he will not. Men forbear their enemies out of policy, not out of pity. The sons of Zeruiah may be too hard for them ; otherwise, ' Who findeth his enemy and slayeth him not ? ' We are always in God's power, yet he pardoneth and spareth us. The more power men have, the more they are given to oppression and acts of violence. God is able to desti'oy us, but he showeth his power rather in pitying our miseries and relieving our wants, in pardoning rather than in punish- ing ; partly to show the concomitancy of his power with his pardon- ing mercy. He will be strong in pardoning ; he will pardon so as to subdue enemies, to remove lets and impediments. So Exod, xxxiv. 6, 7, ' Jehovah, Jehovah, El, the Lord, the Lord, the strong God, merciful and gracious.' So Num. xiv. 17, 18, where Moses alludeth to the former place : 'Let the power of my Lord be great.' So doth this to both of them : ' Who is El like thee ? '