Obs. That nothing is lost by renouncing idolatry and carnal confidence in any uvrldly thing.
For God makes a supply in himself. * I will hear him and observe him.' Nothing is lost, for God will be true of his promise. ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be minis- tered unto you,' Mat. vi. 33. The truth of God, and then his mercy, makes this good. Is not God merciful to his children when they renounce all false confidence ? In regard of the truth of his promise and mercy, he will make good this, that nothing is lost by cleaving to him. We read in the stoiy of our own times, in King Edward the Sixth's reign, the same day that there was reformation of idolatry in London, purging of churches from
HOSEA XIV. 8.] THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER. 3&B
roods* and idols, the same day vras that noble -sictoiy and conquest in the north parts over the enemies (x). So God answered their care in reforming things amiss with good success.
On the contrary, when we go on with favom-ing abuses and corruptions, yet expecting good success, it is in vain. Let Ephraim come to say, ' ^Vhat have I to do with idols ? ' and see then whether God will respect him or not. Do nations or persons think that God will respect them or bless them, whilst they do that which is abominable to him ? No ; when Ephraim saith, ' ^Vhat have I to do with idols ?' then presently comes, God ' will hear and observe him, and look to him ;' as you have it in that gracious promise, ' The eyes of the Lord are open unto all them that fear him, and bis ears are open to their prayers,' Ps. xxxiv. 15. His eyes and his ears. Indeed, God is all eye and all ear. The best friend in the world cannot have his eye always upon us. The mother's eye cannot be always upon her child. She must have a time to sleep, v/hen neither her eyes nor ears are open to her child's prayers. It may cry, and die in ciying sometimes, before she can help it. But if we renounce sin, we have a gracious Father ' who will hear us, observe us, and see us,' and not only hear and see, but, as the Scripture phraise s, do that that follows all this. "Where he sees, he will pity and reUeve ; and where he heai's, he will pity and protect.
' I have heard him, I have observed him.' God will hear, when once ■we renounce sin. ' If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear my prayers,' Ps. ixvi. 18, saith David. But when I do not regard iniquit}', God will hear my prayers. Then a man may know that God will hear him, when once he hath renounced sin, and comes with clean hands and heart to God. As it is in Isaiah, they were con-upted in their course, and yet came to God, Isa. i. 11, seq, but he rejects all ; so in the last of that prophecy, he accounts of their sacrifices as of the cutting off of a dog's neck, because their hands were full of blood, and they were full of sin, Isa. Ixvi. 3. Refonn abuses, let there be personal and national reformation ; and then come and reason the matter with God, and see whether he will re- gard us or not. The Spirit, it is said, makes requests for the saints, and ' God knoweth the meaning of the Spirit, because it makes request accord- ing to the will of God,' Rom. viii. 27. The same Spirit that stii's us up to amend our lives, and fly idolatrous courses, the same Spirit stu's us up to pray to God, according to the will of God ; and then God hears the desu-es of his own Spirit. Of all judgments in the world, this is the greatest, to pray and not to be heard ; for when we are in misery, our remedy is prayer. Now when that which should be our remedy is not regarded, what a pitiful thing is that ? Now, here is an excellent blessing set down, to pray, and for God to hear, ' I will hear him, and observe him.' Because then, God and Ephraim were of one mind, and join in one, therefore God cannot but hear and regard Ephraim, being of his mind, to love and to hate what he loves and hates. As soon as ever the prodigal began to hate his fonner courses, the father came out to meet him, Luke xv. 20, scq. ; and so of David, ' I said I will confess my sins to God,' Ps. xxxii. 5. I said, that is, in my heart, I resolved to confess to God, and thou forgavest mine iniquity. God heard his resolution. We cannot else entertain a full pui-pose to go to God, imless there be a cessation from sin. The prodigal, for all his con- trition, was afraid to be shaken off his father, for his dissolute life. Oh, but the father provides a banquet. So it is when we turn to God, and re- * That is, ' crosses,' as in Scotland, Holyrood = holy cross. — G.