" held fast deceit, and refused to return to the Lord our Godd" ]
But this sin must of necessity provoke God to anger.
II. Their punishment —
The text may be understood as an advice to Judah, not to hold intercourse with the idolatrous Israelites. Our Lord gives a similar direction to his followers6 —
But it rather imports a judicial sentence of final
dereliction —
[This is a just punishment for turning away from God. Nor can there be a more awful punishment inflicted even by God himself. It is worse than the severest afflictions which can come upon us in this life. For they may lead to the sal- vation of the soulf ; whereas this must terminate in our con- demnation. It is worse than even immediate death and immediate damnation. For the greater our load of sin, the greater will be our treasure of wrath g.]
And there is reason to fear that God may inflict this punishment upon as —
[In this way he punished the Gentiles who sinned against their light'1. In this way he visited also his once-favoured people the Jews1. Why then should we hope for an exemp- tion, if we imitate their conduct? God has repeatedly warned us that impenitent sinners shall have this doomk.]
Infer —
1. What reason have we to admire the patience and forbearance of God !
[He has seen us cleaving to idols from the earliest period of our lives1 ; and though we have changed them, we have never turned unto him. In the mean time we have been deaf to all his expostulations and entreaties. What a mercy is it that he has never yet said, " Let him alone ! " Yea, he has even restrained us from perpetrating all that was in our hearts m. How gracious is he in yet striving with us by his Spirit! Let then his goodness, patience and forbearance, lead us to
d Jer. viii. 5. and xliv. 16, 17. e Matt. xv. 14.
f 1 Cor. xi. 32. and v. 5. s Rom. ii. 5.
h Thrice mentioned, Rom. i. 24, 26, 28.
i Ps. lxxxi. 12. Matt, xxiii. 32 — 35.
k Prov. i. 30, 31. and v. 22. 2 Thess. ii. 10—12.
1 Ezek. xiv. 3. m Gen. xx. 6. and xxxi. 29. 1 Sam. xxv. 34.
1149.] causes of men's sutineness. 31
repentance"; and let us say, like Ephraim, in his repenting state0 — ]
2. How evidently is salvation entirely of grace !
[If left to ourselves we never should renounce our idols p. We should act rather like that obstinate and rebellious people q. The case of Judas may shew us what we may do, when once abandoned by God. God must give us a will, as well as an ability, to turn to him1. Let us then entreat him never to leave us to ourselves. Let us be thankful if, in any way, he rend our idols from us. If we have never yet resembled the Thessalonian converts s, let us now cry unto him*. If we have, let us bear in mind that affectionate exhortation11 — .]
n Rom. ii. 4. ° Hos. xiv. 8. p Jer. xiii. 23.
i Zech. vii. 11, 12. * Phil. ii. 13. s 1 Thess. i. 9.
t Jer. xxxi. 18. Hos. xiv. 2, 3. u 1 John v. 21 .