Ayis. 2. And then again, avoid all parley and intercourse with sin in the first suggestions, or with wicked persons that may draw us away. Use sin ruggedly and harshly, as they do here. ' What have I to do with idols ? ' Do but entertain parley with it, and it is of such an insinuating nature, that it will encroach daily, and spread over the soul suddenly, betraying it to the devil. Therefore, use it hardly in the first beginnings, and avoid Satan in the first suggestions, if we love the peace of our souls ; as Ephraim here, ' What have I any more to do with idols ? ' For as we say in case of honesty, they come too near that come to have the refusal. They should not have so much hope from a chaste person. There should be such a modest carriage as should not give any one the boldness to adventure in tliat kind. So if a man carry himself remotely from sinful courses, he shall have a great deal of peace from wicked men, who dare not so much as ad- venture to draw away such a one. They know he is resolved. Therefore, constant resolution against all sin and wicked men mil breed a great deal of peace, so as to say with Ephraim, * What have I anv more to do with idols ? '
Ans. 3. And ice must know that this hatred comes from the life of God in us. Therefore we must by all means maintain spiritual life ; and then, as we grow spiritual, we shall grow in the detestation of sin, a sense of joy in good things, with a hatred of all that is contrary. A man can never hate sin till he hath the Spirit of Christ in him. For there be three queries, whereof this is the last.
1. The first is set down, * No man said, Wliat have I done?' Jer. viii. 6. When conscience in a man is awakened once, he saith. Oh ! what have I done ? what case am I in ?
2. The second query of a wakened conscience is, * What shall I do ? '
392 THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER. [SeRMON XII.
As that, ' Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved ? ' Acts ii, 37. He that truly saith, ' What have I done ?' if conscience be awakened, will also say, * What shall I do ?' You shall not need to drive him when the ques- tion is answered, ' What shall I do to be saved ?' that is, by casting myself upon God in Christ.
3. We need not put the question, he will say of himself, ' What have I any more to do with that vthich is contrary to that which saves me ? ' ' What have I to do with idols ?' This comes in in the last place. 1. A man is awakened out of his natural condition. 2. Then he goes to God in Christ. And then, 3. There is a spiritual life wrought in him, which stirs him up to hate all that is contrary unto it. ' What have I now any more to do with idols ? '
' For I have heard him and observed him.'
' I have seen and observed him,' some read the words, but very few (w) : which is thus a very good and pious construction of them. ' What have I now any more to do with idols ? ' As if Ephraim should say these words, ' I have seen him and observed him ;' that is, because I have seen him and observed ; therefore, ' What have I now any more to do with idols ?' As soon as a man comes to hear God speak, and to observe God, down goes all idols ; for, indeed, the respect to idolatry, and anything that is naught, it falls down in the soul, as the knowledge of the true God is lifted up, and as affection to good things are raised up in the soul. ' What have I to do with idols any more ?' 'I have seen and observed him.' As Job said of himself when he had seen God, ' I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes,' Job xlii. 6 ; much more all false courses. I abhor them all, now that ' I have seen and observed him.'
This is a safe, pious, and good sense ; but the words, under correction, are fitliest applied unto God himself, as if God rather than Ephraim said thus, ' I will hear him and observe him ;' I will do thus and thus ; * I will be as a green fir-tree,' to shade him from danger, and to make him fruitful.
Ohj. But you will say, Ephraim cannot cast away idols till God respect him first. Therefore, this is promised in the second place. ' Ephraim shall say. What have I to do with idols ?' And God shall say, ' I have seen him, heard him, and observed him,' when he hath cast away idols.
A)is. To this the answer is : Indeed, in the order of nature, God doth first stir us up to pray to him, and promiseth us respect and hearing of our prayers, after which we cast away idols ; but the experience of it is after we have done the deed. After that we have found God experimentally gracious, protecting and hearing of us, then we cast away idols. So this experience a Christian fijids when he abominates and rejects ill ways. Then he finds God all-sufiicient, as indeed God is never fully felt and known till we renounce all other helps. So the general point is,