394 THE RETUKNING BACKSLIDER. [SeRMON XII.
solve a new life, to cast away our idolatries, and former abominations ; pre- sently, ' God hears us, and observes us,' and is ready to meet us.
There is an excellent place, even touching Ephraim himself. * I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself : Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke : turn me to thee, and I shall be tm-ued ; thou art the Lord my God, &c. Is Ephraim a dear son ? is he a pleasant child ? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still ; therefore my bowels are troubled for him : I wiU have mercy upon him,' Jer. xxxi. 18. If Ephraim begin to bemoan himself for his folly, presently follows, that God's bowels are turned to him ; so it is said of Ephraim here. After he had renounced idols, God's bowels are turned towards him, ' I have heard him, and observed him.' Which yields us a sweet and comfortable consideration, to turn to Godfrom all our sinful courses, because God is so ready to forgive, and to forgive great sins. What if our sin be idolatry, the grand sin of the first table ? Yet if Ephraim say, ' What have I do with idols ?' (though it be spiritual adultery), yet if Ephraim begin to renounce idolatry, God will say, ' I have hoai'd him, and observed him.' If your sins were ' as red as crimson,' saith God, ' I will make them as white as wool,' &c., Isa. i. 18. Crimson sins, double-dyed sins, it is no matter what they are, if we come to God. There is more mercy in him than sin in us. If Ephraim say. What have I to do with my former evil courses, ' God will hear him, and observe him.'
It is never better with a Chiistian, than when he hath renounced aU wicked courses, (though he thinks himself undone if he leaves his foitner Delilah delights). But there is no such matter, for we shall find an him- dredfold more in God, as Christ speaks, ' Whosoever leaves father or mother, brother or sister, house or kindred for me, shall have a hundred- fold in this world,' Mat. xix. 29 ; that is, they shall have it in contentment and grace, in peace of conscience, and perhaps in the things of this life in another kind. What lost Abraham when he obeyed God, and forsook his father's house ■? God was aU-sufficient for him. He grew a rich man. And what lost he by giving Isaac to God ? He received his son again, of whom ttiore came an innumerable seed. And what lost holy David, in waiting for the time that he should come unto the kingdom, without making haste ? He came quietly to the possession of the crown ; whereas Jeroboam, who made more haste, after God had told him he should reign, he was cursed in his government, and none of his posterity came to good. There is no- tiiing lost by de'pending and waiting upon God, and renouncing of carnal confidence. We think naturally we are undone. Oh, there is no such mutter, as David speaks, ' When my father and mother forsaketh me, yet the Lord taketh me up,' Ps. xxvii. 10. As we know in the gospel, when the blind poor man was excommunicated and cast out, after he had spoke somewhat stoutly to the Pharisees, ' Will je also be his disciples ?' John ix. 27, yet then Christ takes him presently into his company, being expelled by them. What lost he by this ? So when Israel had lost aU their flesh- pots in Eg}^t, they had no loss, for God provided them manna from heaven, and what lost they by that ? They had angels' food instead of their garlic and onions.
' I have observed him.'
That is, I will have a special eye to him ; I will look to him in all con- ditions and states whatsoever. God never slumbers nor sleeps. Like the master of the house in the parable, who, when the poor man came for bread, Luke XI. 5, all the rest being asleep, is awaked, and raised up by the im-
HOSEA XIV. 8.] THE KETUENING BACKSLIDEK. 395
portunity of the poor man. So the great master of the family of heaven and earth, that governs all, he wakes day and night, and never sleeps ; herein going beyond the care of the dearest friends we have in the world, for they must have a time to sleep. The mother, though she love the child as her own bowels, yet notwithstanding she must have a resting time, and perhaps in that time the child may miscarry ; but God always observes ; his eye is always upon his chikben, they are before him, written ' in the palms of his hands, he hath them in his eye,' Isa. xlix. 16 : as in Exodus, you have there God brought in observing the children of Israel. * I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people Israel,' Exod. iii. 7. They thought themselves neglected of God, but he tells Moses, ' I have seen, I have seen,' I know it very well ; he adds knowledge to sight. So there is no affliction in this world to God's children, but God in seeing sees. As l)efore, he hears the groans and sighs ; so he sees the most intimate in- ward affliction whatsoever that afflicts the soul ; as they were grieved in verv^ soul at the tyranny of Pharaoh. Oh, but God in seeing he sees, whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the sun ! This is a consolation, when one thinks that no man sees and regards ; alas, what shall become of me ! "Why should any man say so, that hath God to go to, who is all eye, and all ear ! God hears and sees ; his ears are always open, as it is often shewed, especially, Ps. xxxiv. 15.