Remember, when we are to deal with God, that he is the great Mover of all things; who, if he be angr\", can overturn all things, and cross us in all things ; and can also heal us of all our diseases. But what must we do if we would be healed ? We must take the course prescribed here, ' Take unto us words ;' humble ourselves, and have no coafidence in Asshur, munition, people, or in 'the works of our hands;' but trust in God, so shall we be happy and blessed. AMiatsoever our enemies be, yet if we can make God our rock, fortress, and shield, then it is no matter who be our enemies. ' If he be on our side, who can be against us ?' Rom. viii. 31. Let us all, ministers and all, reform ourselves, and stand in the gap, after the course here prescribed, and go to God in a right manner ; so we may dissipate all the clouds of anger which may seem to hang over our heads, and find God experimentally making this promise good to us, which he made then to his people, ' I wiU heal their backsUding, I will love them freely : for mine anger is tm-ned away from him.'
Therefore let us do as Jacob did with Esau, when he came incensed with mighty displeasure against his brother. Jacob comes before him humbly, prostrates himself before him, and so turns away his anger. Gen. xxxiii. 3. So when God is angiy with us, and comes against us, let us liumble ourselves before him to appease him. As Abigail quieted David, liy humbhng herself before him, when he had a purpose to destroy her family, 1 Sam. xxv. 23, seq., so let us come before God in humiUty of soul, and God will turn away his anger. As when there was a great plague begun in the army, Aaron stood va\h. his censer betwixt the living and the dead, offering incense and making atonement for them, whereby the plague was stayed, Num. xvi. 48 ; so in any ^^^-ath felt or feared, for ourselves or the State we live in, let eveiy one hold his censer and offer the incense of prayer, 'Take with you words,' Rev. viii. 4. God is won- drousl}' moved to pity by the incense of these sweet odours offered up by
328 THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER. [SeRMON VII.
Christ unto the Father. Believe it, it is the only safe course to begin in heaven. Such a beginning will have a blessed ending. Other courses, politic and subordinate helps must also be taken, but all is to no purpose, unless we begin in heaven ; because all things under God are ruled and moved by him ; who, when he is favoui'able, makes all the creatures pliable unto us, but especially makes this good, ' I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely ; for mine anger is tm-ned away from him.'
THE SEVENTH SERMON.
I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his root as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. — Hosea XIV. 5, 6.
The church, as we heard, had been humbled, and therefore is comforted. It is usual in the Scriptures, especially in the prophetical parts thereof, after terrible threatenings to come with sweet promises ; because God in all ages hath a church.- Therefore God in this chapter takes this com-se. He makes gracious promises to this people, grounded upon the former part of the chapter, wherein God had dictated unto them a form of prayer, repentance, and reformation. ' Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him. Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously,' &c. Whereupon a reformation is promised, ' Asshur shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses,' &c. Which was a reformation of that national sin which they were guilty of, false confidence. Now, as we have heard, God answers them to every particular. He makes a gi'acious promise, * that he will heal their baclvsliding,' according to their prayer, ' Take away all iniquity.' And to that, ' receive us graciously,' he answers, ' I will love them freely, for mine anger is tm-ned away from him.'
Now, it cannot be but that God should regard the desires of his own Spirit, when both the woi'ds and Spirit proceed from him. Therefore he goes on more fully to answer their desire of ' doing good to them,' saying, ' I will be as the dew to Israel,' &c.
In which words the holy prophet doth fii'st, by a metaphor and borrowed speech, set down the ground of all happiness. So that there is here given a more full satisfaction to the desires of the chmxh.
1. The cause of all — ' I will be as the dew,' &c.
2. The particular persons to v/hom — ' to Israel.'
3. The fruit of this follows — ' he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his root as Lebanon.'
Now the words read are a fuller satisfaction to the desires of God's people, which were stirred up by his own SiJirit. ' I will be as dew unto Israel.' Where,