Now this eighth verse containeth a further gracious promise to Ephraim, upon his repenting and former resolutions. Ephraim said, ' Asshur shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses : neither will we say any more to the work of our hands. Ye are our gods.' Now what saith God here, repeating the words of Ephraim ? Ephi-aim ' shall say ' is not in the original ; but only set down to express what the meaning is ; whereas Ephraim said, ' What have I any more to do with idols ? ' Ephraim shall have this answer, ' I have heard him, and observed him, I am like a green fii'-tree : from me is thy fruit found.'
As though the Lord had said, let not Ephraim think that when he hath forsook idols, he hath forsaken his comfort, as though there were no com- fort in walking according to the rule of my word and laws. Let him know, that instead of these poor and base comforts, either in gross idolatry, or other more cunning idolatries whatsoever, which formerly took him up, that now he shall exchange them for more solid and substantial comforts. For ' I have heard him and observed him.' So that let him see what he loseth in parting with base conniptions, worldly lusts, pleasm-es, and the like, he shall find it more abundantly supplied in a far more excellent manner in me, and in the fruits and etfects of my love unto him ; so as he shall find that there is nothing lost by entering strictly into my service. And whereas formerly he walked in a vain shadow, in relying on ' Egj-pt, Asshur, and the works of his own hands ; ' now he shall have a far more excellent shadow, which no storm, nor rain, nor injury of weather can pierce through. ' I am like a gi*een fir-tree unto him.' Not such a shadow as those his idols were, who could not keep off the storm of God's wrath from him ; nor such a shadow as Jonah's gourd was, which flourished for one day, and was nipt the next, Jonah iv. 7. No; I will be constant and permanent as myself, ' I will be as the green fir-tree ; ' a constant shadow to keep back all annoy- ance whatsoever ; not like the cursed noisome shadow of idols, under which Ephraim rested before. But ' I will observe and regard him, and be like a green fir-tree unto him.' I will not only be a shadow and shelter of defence unto him from injury and molestation, that he may rest quietly; but he shall be also fruitful. Though the fii'-tree be not so fruitful, yet ' from me is thy fi-uit found.' Whatsoever he is in himself, yet this shall not be matter of discouragement unto him. I am all-suflicient, there is enough in me to supply him with ; ' from me is thy fruit found.' But to take them in order.
' Ephraim shall say. What have I any more to do with idols,' &c.
Some think the words come upon Ephraim's obser\-ing and hearing of him ; so as when God is seen in his most excellent majesty and glory, and observed as he is just, merciful, and wonderful, terrible in himself, that this manner of hearing and observation causeth flesh and blood so to stoop and reform, as they yield themselves, and resign up all unto God ; seeing htat miserable condition they are in, and what an infinite distance there is be-
368 THE KETURNING BACKSLIDER, [SeEMON X.
twixt their impurity and God's most excellent holiness. As we read of Isaiah, when he had seen God in his throne of majesty, ' Woe is me ! ' saith he, ' for I am undone ; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips : for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts,' Isa. vi. 5. And so of Job, ' I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee ; wherefore I abhor my- self, and repent in dust and ashes,' Job. xlii. 5, 6. Which, indeed, is true in the general, that a man then truly repenteth and tumeth unto God, when he knoweth God and himself to purpose, and never effectually until then ; for Christ, who cannot lie, and is truth itself, calleth this kind of knowledge eternal life. ' This is life eternal, to know thee to be the only very God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ,' John xvii. 3. But, though this be a general truth, yet wo take it here rather for an encouragement unto Ephraim, as before, that nothing is lost by cleaving unto God's ways, and forsaking of sin. Now whereas, ' Ephraim shall say, what have I any more to do with idols ? ' In the words we may consider.
1. The manner of expression, with a great indignation of soul, * What have I any more to do,' &c.
2. The matter so hated tiith indignation, is idolatry, their former idols, * Ephraim shall say. What have I any more to do with idols ? '
Ephraim, we see, renounceth idolatry. But in what manner is this done? with an high indignation of zeal and hatred : ' "What have I any more to do with idols ? ' lie doth not say. Now that Ephraim hath left idolatry, I wiU supply all these comforts that they had by idols. But Ephraim loathes idolatry. Therefore he saith, ' What have I any more to do with idols ? ' It is a figurative question, implying a strong denial with a strong indigna- tion. ' What have I any more to do with idols ? ' I have had too much to do with them : I have now nothing to do with idols. It is a negation and denial, with as gi*eat aversation * and abomination as can be possibly expressed : for in such questions, the denial is set forth more strongly by a negation, and with a gi*eater emphasis, than by any affirmation is possible to express. So elegant is the Spirit of God, in setting forth spiritual things in a heavenly and transcendent manner.