(2.) In such a time the true Israel of God, the elect themselves, are apt to be overtaken with the sins of the whole, and so to backslide from God, and so to fall into spiritual decays. So Israel had now done, though she had not absolutely broken covenant with God. He was yet unto her "The Lord thy God ; " yet she had fallen by her iniquity. Times of public apostasy are often accompanied with partial defects in the best: "Because iniquity abound eth, the love of many shall wax cold," Matt. xxiv. 12.
(3.) When God designs to heal the backsliding of his people by sovereign grace, he gives them effectual calls unto repentance, and the use of means for their healing : so he doth here by his prophet, " 0 Israel, return ; take mth you words." And if I could see that God
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did stir up his faithful ministers to apply themselves in a peculiar manner unto this work of pressing vehemently all their congregations with their duty herein, and let them know that there is no other way to prevent their ruin but by returning unto the Lord, according to the ways of it here prescribed, I should not doubt but that the time of healing were at hand.
4. The means prescribed unto this end, that our backslidings may be healed in a way suited unto the glory of God, is renewed repent- ance: and this acts itself, —
(1.) In fervent prayer. "Take with you words,. and say." Consider the greatness and importance of the work before you, and weigh well what you do in your dealing with God. The matter of this prayer is twofold. [1.] The pardon of all iniquity; that is, the taking of it away; and no sin is omitted, all being now become equally burden- some : "Take away all iniquity." When the souls of sinners are in good earnest in their return unto God, they will leave out the con- sideration of no one sin whatever. Nor are we meet for healing, nor shall we apply ourselves unto it in a due manner, without some pre- vious sense of the love of God in the pardon of our sin. [2.] Gra- cious acceptation : "Receive us gTaciously." The words in the original are only niD nj?"!, "And receive good;" but both the words being used variously, the sense eminently included in them is well ex- pressed by — " Receive us graciously." After we have cast ourselves under tokens of thy displeasure, now let us know that we are freely accepted with thee. And this also lies in the desires of them who design to obtain a healing of their backslidings ; for under them they are sensible that they are obnoxious unto God's displeasure.
(2.) Affectionate confessions of the sin wherein their backslidings did consist, or which were the occasions of them. " Asshur shall not save us ;" — " We will say no more to the work of our hands. Ye are our gods." Fleshly confidence and false worship were the two great sins that had now ruined the body of the people. These believers themselves had an accession unto them more or less, as now they have unto the prevailing sins of the days wherein we live, by confor- mity unto the world. Of these sins God expecteth a full and free confession, in order unto our healing.
(3.) A renewed covenant engagement to renounce all other hopes and expectation, and to betake themselves with their whole trust and confidence unto him ; whereof they express, first, the cause, which was his mere grace and mercy, " For in thee the fatherless findeth mercy;" and, secondly, the effect of it, which is praise and thanksgiving, " So will we render the calves of oiur lips." And some things we may hence farther observe as unto the case under consideration. As, —
[1.] Although God will repair our spiritual decays and heal our
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backslidings freely, yet he will do it so, or in sucli a way, as wherein he may communicate grace unto us, to the praise of his own glory. Therefore are these duties prescribed unto us in order thereunto ; for although they are not the procurmg cause of the love and grace from whence alone we are healed, yet are they required, in the method of the dispensation of grace, to precede the effect of them. Nor have we anywhere a more illustrious instance and testimony of the consistency and harmony which is Ijetween sovereign grace and the diligent dis- charge of our duty than we have in this place ; for as God promiseth that he would heal their backslidings out of his free love, verse 4, and would do it by the communication of effectual gi'ace, verse 5, so he enjoins them all these duties in order thereunto.
[2.] That unless we find these things Avrought in us in a way of preparation for the receiving of the mercy desired, we have no firm ground of expectation that we shall be made partakers of it ; for this is the method of God's dealing with the church. Then, and then only, we may expect a gracious reviving from all our decays, when serious repentance, working in the ways declared, is found in us. This grace will not surjorise us in our sloth, negligence, and security, but will make way for itself by stirring us up unto sincere endeavours after it in the perseverance of these duties. And until we see better evidences of this repentance among us than as yet appears, we can have but small hopes of a general recovery from our present decays.