Use. Therefore make this use of it, not to be discouraged when God doth confound any carnal plot or policy of ours, as to think that God hates either a nation or a person when they have ill success in plots and projects which are not good. Nay, it is a sign rather that God intends good, if they make a right use it. God intends conversion, to translate false confidence from the creatui'e to himself, and to learn us to make God wise for us. It is a happy thing when in this world God will disappoint a man's courses and counsels, and bring him to shame, rather than he should go on and thrive in an evil and carnal course, and so end his days. There is no evidence at all which can be given of a reprobate, because there may be final repent- ance, repentance at the last. But this is one and as fearful a sign as may be, to thrive and go on in an evil course to the end. When God shall dis- appoint and bring a man to shame in that he prided in and built upon, it is a good sign. If thereupon we take advantage to tm-n to God, and lay a better bottom and foundation, as we see here, ' Asshur shall not save us ; we will not ride upon horses,' &c.
' For in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.'
As if he should say. We have that supply of strength and comfort from thee that Asshur, horses, and idols cannot give. Therefore we wiU alter cm* confidence, to fix and pitch it upon thee, and trust thee ; because ' in thee the fatherless fimdeth mercy.' We shall not need to say. In thee will we trust ; for, if God be apprehended thus, as one in whom ' the fatherless findeth mercy,' afiiance will follow. For the object is the attractive and loadstone of the soul ; so that if a fit object be presented unto it, affiance, confidence, and trust will of itself follow. Therefore the Spirit of God for- bears multipUcation of words, and sets down this, ' For in thee the father-
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less findeth mercy ; ' and dotli not say, In thee will I trust, for that is implied. Whatsoever conceives that God is so gracious and merciful to despicable, miserable persons, such as are set down in this one particular, ' fatherless,' they camiot but trust in God. Therefore the one is put for the other, ' for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.' Whence, from the de- pendence of the words, observe,
Obs. That it is not sufficient to disclaim affiance in the creature, but we must -pitch that affiance aright upon God.
We must not only take it oflf where it should not be placed, but set it where it should be. * Cease from evil, and learn to do well,' Isa. i. 1(5, 17. Trust not in the creatui'e. ' Cease from man,' as the prophet saith, ' whose breath is in his nostrils,' Isa. ii. 22 ; ' Commit thy ways to God, trust in him,' Ps. xxxvii. 5. The heathen, by the hght of natui-e, knew this, that for the negative there is no trusting in the creature, which is a vain thing. They could speak wonderful wittily* and to purpose of these things, especially the Stoics. They could see the vanity of the creature. But for the positive part, where to place iiieir confidence, that they were ignorant in. And so for the other part here, ' Neither will we say any more to the works of oui' hands. Ye are our gods.' Idolaters can see the vanity of false gods well enough. In Italy you have thousands of the wittier and leanieder sort, who see the folly and madness of their religion. And among ourselves, how many witty men can disclaim f against popery, who yet in their lives and conversations are not the better for it ; because they think it enough to see the error that misleads them, though they never pitch their confidence as they should do. It is not enough therefore to rest in the negative part. A negative Christian is no Christian ; not to be an idolater, not to be a papist ; no, there must be somewhat else. We must bring forth good fruit. Mat. iii. 10, or else we are for the fii'e, and are near to cursing and bm-ning, Heb. \i. 8. This is spoken, the rather because many think themselves well when they can disclaim against the errors of poperj' ; and that they are good Christians, because they can argue well. Oh ! such make rehgion nothing but a matter of opinion, of canvassing an argument, &c. But it is another manner of matter, a divine power exer- cised upon the soul, whereby it is transformed into the obedience of divine truth, and moulded into it. So that there must be a positive as weU as a negative religion ; a cleaving to God as well as a forsaking of idols.
Again, in the severing of these idols fr-om God, we must know and observe hence,
Obs. That there is no communion between God and idols.
' Neither wiU we say any more to the works of our hands. Ye are our gods : for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.' There must be a re- nouncing of false worship, religion, and confidence, before we can tnist in God. ' Ye cannot serve God and Mammon,' saith Christ, Mat. vi. 24. We cannot serve Christ and Antichrist together. We may as well bring north and south, east and west together, and mingle light and darkness, as mix two opposite rehgions. You see here, one of them is disclaimed ere affiance be placed in the other. Therefore the halters betwixt two rehgions are here condemned. It was excellent well said by Joshua. They had there some mixture of false worship, and thought therewith to serve also Jevovah. ' No,' saith he, ' you cannot serve Jehovah,' Josh, xxiv. 19. What is Joshua's meaning when he saith they could not ? Not only that they had no power of themselves ; but, you are a naughty, false * That is, ' with wit ' = wisdom. — G. t Tliat is, ' duclaim.' — G.