THE SIXTH SERMON.
I will love them freely : for mine anger is turned away. I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his root as Lebanon. — Hos. XIV. 4, 5.
It was a good speech of St Austin, * Those that are to petition great per- sons, they will obtain some who are skilful, to frame their petitions ; lest by their unskilfulness they provoke anger, instead of carrying away the benefit desired.' So it is here with God's people, being to deal with the great God, and not being able to frame their own petitions, God, as we heard before, doth it for them, and answers them graciously with the same mercies which he had suggested them to ask ; his answer being exact to their petitions, ' I will heal their backsHding, I will love them fr'eely,' &c., wherein God exceeds all physicians in the world whatsoever. For they have natui-e to help them. Physic is the midwife of nature, helping it to do that which it cannot do itself. Physic can do nothing to a dead man. But God is so great a physician, that he first gives life, and after that spiritual life is in some degrees begun ; by httle and little he heals more and more. ' I will heal theii* backsUdings.'
We have an error crept in amongst some of the meaner, ignorant sort of people, who think that God sees no sin when he hath once pardoned men in justification ; who falsely smooth themselves in this wicked, sensual con- ceit, think they can commit no sin ofiiensive to God ; as though God should frame such a justification for men, to bUndfold him, and cast dust, as it were, in his eyes ; or justify men, to make them loose and idle. No ; it is false, as appeareth by this place ; for how can God heal that he sees not ? He sees it not to be revenged on them for it ; but he sees sin, to correct it and to heal it. He sees it not after a revengeful, wrathful justice, to cast us into hell and damn us for it ; but he sees it after a sort, to make us smart and lament for it, and to have many times a bitter sense of his wrath and forsaking, as men undone without a new supply of comfort and peace from heaven. Let a man neglect sanctification, daily sorrow and confession of sin, and now and then even craving new pardon for sins past, casting all upon a fantastic conceit of faith in their justification : what follows but
HOSEA XrV. 4, 5.] THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER. 317
pride, hardness of heart, contempt of others, and neglect of better than themselves, and proneness out of God's judgment, to fall from ill to worse, from one error to another ? In this case the heart is false and deceitful. For whilst it pretends a glorious faith to look back to Christ, to live by- faith, and lay all on him by justification, it winds itself out of all tasks of religion, sets the heart at liberty, neglects sanctification and mortification of lusts, and beautifying the image of God in them, giving too much way to the flesh. Therefore, away with this false and self- conceited opinion, which draws poison out of that which God speaks to confirm and stablish us, ' That he sees no iniquity in Jacob,' &c.. Num. xsiii. 21. Whence from these hj'perbolical speeches, they think that God seeth not that which we ourselves see. But, ' He heals our backslidings,' therefore he sees them. For how can he heal a wound, if he see it not ? He sees it, but not to their destruction who are fi'eely justified by his grace. But we will leave this point, it being too much honour to them to spend time in confutation of it, and will rather say unto it, as Isaiah speaks of a menstruous cloth, ' Get thee hence,' Isa. xxx. 22.
Now as God is a most gracious God, never weary of well-doing and com- forting his people, because it is his nature to be merciful, so he hath suitable expressions of it ; he goes on with mercy upon mercy, loving- kmdness upon lovingkindness. He had promised before, ' I wiU heal their backsUdings,' take in sum all their apostasy, all shall be healed. But this is not all. He answers all the accusations and doubts of Satan, who is still objecting against us our unworthiness, misery, wretchedness to have such favours conferred on such filthy creatures. Therefore, he takes ofi" all with this which followeth. As they had prayed, * Receive us gi'aciously ;* so the answer is full, and suitable to their request, ' I will love them freely.'
Put case, they out of conscience of their own guilt should see no worth in themselves, or cause why they should be respected, yet I see reason in mine own love. ' I "^ill love them fi'eely.'
Quest. But may some say. How can God love freely ?
Atis. Ask thyself. Doth not a father and mother love their child freely ? What doth the child deserve of the father and mother a great while ? No- thing. But the mother hath many a weary night and foul hand with it. Hath God planted an afiection in us to love our children freely ; and shall not God much more, who gives this love and plants it in us, be admitted to love freely ? But indeed there is absurdity^ and infidelity in distrust. For it is against reason, to deny the mighty God that which we have in ourselves. If he did not love freely, how could he love us at all ? What could he foresee in us to love for beforehand ? The very manhood of Christ deserved not the grace of union, it was freely given.