What might such persons expect at the hand of God ?
II. God's conduct towards them —
How different are God's ways from the ways of man ! Instead of executing vengeance in a moment,
He deliberates —
[Admah and Zeboim were cities destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah ; and such monuments of wrath do the unre- generate deserve to be; hut God knows not, as it were, how to inflict the deserved punishment : he calls to mind that they are his people0; he hesitates, like a parent that is about to dis- inherit his son ; thus is he distracted between his affection for them, and his regard for his own honour'1.]
He relents —
[To accommodate himself to our weak apprehensions, he speaks of himself after the manner of men : he cannot endure the thought of making men the objects of his everlasting displeasure. Thus did Jesus weep over the murderous Jeru- salem6; and thus do the bowels of our Father yearn over usf.]
He resolves —
[Often has " the fierce anger" of the Lord been kindled against us ; yet many times has he turned away from his wrath- ful indignation8 : often, when his bow was bent, has he forborne to strike h : he waits, if peradventure we may yet return to him. His language to his rebellious creatures is the same as ever 1 — .]
Infer —
1. How precious in the sight of God are the souls of men !
[When it was necessary for man's salvation, God gave his Son: nor did he then deliberate, "how shall I do thisk?" neither did he relent, when he laid our iniquities on him1; yea, he was even pleased in bruising his own Son for usm. But when a sinner seems irreclaimable, every tender emotion is excited ; God sustains a conflict in his mind, and cannot give him up. O that men would duly estimate the worth of their own souls !]
c The repetition of their names, " thee, Ephraim, and thee, Israel," seems to import tenderness and affection towards them.
d Thus also in Hos. vi. 4. e Luke xix. 41. f Jer. xxxi. 20. s Ps. lxxviii. 38. i» Ps. vii. 11, 12. ! Jer.iii. 12, 13.
k Rom. viii. 32. ' Mark xiv. 35, 36.
m This is the proper sense of Isai. liii. 10.