The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 70

penc\l." 2. In _tlle world of grace . . Jcl1ovah is the ultimate Author of all spiritual 2lc_ss,~□ g. ~~ g1v~s the" corn" ol Ilihle truth, and the "wine" of gospel joy, and tho 01! . of sp111t11al mfl.11:ence. W:hen the foundation-st~ne of a pla_ce of worship is laid, sometime~ corn and wme and 011 are sprinkled upon 1t-a beautiful expression of the ~reaL truth, that" except the Lord build the house, they labour in V1Lin that build it." It is JeboYah alone who has" built up mercy for ever," and who sustaliui the fabric of redemption. The Lord, in the Trinity of his sacred Persons, is .the First Cause of our salrntion (Titus iii. 4-6). II. ATI'ACHED TO BIS THRONE HANGS A CHAIN OF SECOND CAUSES. These are repre- sented here br the "heavens," and the "earth," and the "corn and wine and oil" and by "Jezreel." The second causes have a real efficiency of their own: we' live' under "the reign of law." Yet they arc at most only second causes-instrumentalities 'con- trolled by the will of the First Cause. There can be no snch reign of law as makes Jehovah a subject or an alien in his own world. Law reigns, but~ God governs. He was, before any second causes began to operate. He used none when he created the uni verse, whcu he originated life upon the earth, when he instituted the laws of matter and of mind. And, when be pleases, he may still work without them, both in nature and grace. Usually, however, God does not dispense with second causes. In his ordinary providence everything requires everything. " All are needed by ea.eh one ; Nothing is fair or good alone." (Emerson.) Second causes combine: 1. In the world of nature, Indeed, there is scarcely any physical effect which we can ascribe to the operation of any one natural force alone. ,vhen God "·ills that it should rain, or that we should have sunshine, he wills .that all the physical causes which produce these effects respectively, should come into operation. And, moreover, there are ma?iy other powers engaged in ·the management of the world besides what we call physical laws. 'fhere are, e.g., the power of animal"instinct; the power of human thought and sentiment; the power of love and sympathy; 'the power of conscience ; the power of free-will. There is the power of master-minds, wielded sometimes by direct communications, e.nd oftener by subtle influence. Some men.are "world-controllers," and leave their impress upon millions. 2. In the world ef grace; 1n this region we call the subordinate causes "means of grace." Of these, some a.re iuward, such as faith and repentance. Some are outward-the Word, the se.craments, and prayer. Among the means of grace, we must also reckon those influences in providence which operate in the formation of a godly character-education, early train- ing, parental ex.ample, youthful companionships, disappointments, and afllictions. And these various kinds of means act in combination. They are a·" sacred chain that binds the earth to heaven above." "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by'the Word of God" (Rom. x. 17). " All things work t.ogether for ·good to them that. love God" (Rom. viii. 28). '' ' • lll. PRAYER LIKKR ITSELF ON TO THE ENTIRE CHAIN OF CAUSATION. It is represented here as the last link of the chain; and it is in the 'hands of Jezreel.' But who is "J ezreel "? She is "the seed of God," whom he bas "sown unto himself in the earth" (ver. 23); i.e. the spiritual Israel, the Christian Church in the latter days. Just as the valley of Esdraelon, in this beautiful parable, is conceived of as praying to "the corn, and tl,e wine, aud the oil/' so the supplications of God's chosen seed have their place awong the second causes of things. Btlieving prayeir is, of course, addressed directly only to Jehovah, the First Oause. According to the teaching of Scripture and the testi~ rnony of experience, it is t,bc condition which God himself has attached to the ,enjoy, n,ent of his mercies, and especially of all spiritual blessings (Ezek. xxxvi. 87; Matt. vii 7, 8). "For so the whole round world is every way Bound by gold chaillB about the feet of God." (Tennyson.) But true prayer takes bold also of the second causes. "They shall hear Jozreel," It Cll. 11. 1-23.] THE DOOK OF HOSEA. G7