Ver. 5.-The delusions of the ungodly. Israel sinned, not only by forsaking God anrl by worshipping the idols of the heathen, but by defending this conduct-by justifying her apostasy, and attributing to the supposed deities her mercies and enjoyments. This is a common case with sinners; who first do wickedly in departing from God, and then give God's honour to another, praising those whom they have substituted for the great Giver for what they owe to him alone. l. THE UNGODLY ATTRIBUTE THEIR ADVANTAGES AND ENJOYMENTS TO OTHEP.S THA~ Tc;> Goo. It is not,mµy professed idolaters who act thus. Whoever they may be who turn aside from the Lord, they are one in this-they all assign to inferior beings or principles the .credit and honour which are properly due to God alone. For example, men deify their own created and limited powers of body and of mind. " They give me my bread and my water," etc. Or they attribute all prosperity and happiness to society, to the political authority under which they live, to human kindred or patrons. God is not in all their thoughts. The agiints they see, but him who is above all they see not and will not see. lL THE: UNq<>D;LY CONSEQUENTLY ENCOURAGE THEMSELVES IN DEVOTION TO OTHERS TffAN Goo., ';L'.he unfaithful wife perseveres in the adulterous connections she has fo~med, becai;ise she.persuades herself that her happiness and welfare are dependent upon other,!! Jhan .her l11wful spouse. ''. I. wjll go after my lovers," etc. Thus men :first forget G,od,.and.giye tqei;nselves.to the pleasures and the service of sin, and then, fancying themselves to be un\ler obligation to the gods they have made, they addict themselves the more zealously to the debasing worship in which they have engaged. III. T,BE. UNGODLY :MUST BE CONFRONTED WITH THE SHAMEFULNESS AND VILENESS OF, TREIB coURs;i;:s. ,The language of the prophet is frank and unsparing; had it been otherwise it would have been unfaithful. The case is one that does not admit of nice langunge,.or of gentle tones and bated breath. The spiritual harlotry of ungodliness must be exposed and rebuked; otherwise there is no prospect of repentance and of reformation.-'-T.
.Ver. 6.-The way, hedged up.· A w11y may be hedged or walled up on either side for security a.n,d protection. But when the hedge is planted, or the wall built right across the path, such, a liarri~r .is of course i~tended to impede progress, and to render proceed- ing in that direction impossible. '. I., J)xyiNE lf'ROVIDENOE SOMETlMES HEDGES UP THE SINNER'S PATH. It does some- times seem as. if the, ungodly weri: left to go their way unchecked; as if there were nothing to restrain their headlong race upon the downward path; as if sentence agn.inst an. evil work were not executed speedily. But how often is it observed that Providenco t,io~s interpose to restrain the mad career of iniquity and folly I To change the figure, it is as though. the voice addressed the raging sea, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves 'be stayed." • II. .VERY VARIOUf! AR;i;:.,THE HEDGES AND WALLS ENCOUNTERED IN THE WAY 01!' sn.. Sometimes sickness and infirmity ,render the sinner incapable of pursuing his evil ways; .sometimes,temptatioµ is signally removed from his path; sometimes uisappointment and sorrow produce,.~evulsion and even disgust; some.times conscience is awakened, and sternly forbids indulgence in the pleasures of sin. Ill, ~OOH HEDGES AND WALLS AROUSE A HASTY AND VEHEl!ENT RESE:l!TMENT. The bird strikes her wings against the iron bars of the cage iu which she is confined ; tho ox kicks against the goad by which the driver urges him. And the first impulse of the sinner who encounters a, hedge. upon his sinful path, is to resent, to resist, to displace it. This is human nature; and only calm reflection and Divine grace can effect that it shall be otherwise. IV. NEVERTHELESS, THE IN'l'ENTIONS OF DIVINE IIERCY MAY 1N TIME DE BECOG• NIZED. The disappointed adulteress, tinding that her uulawfol lovers are indifferent to f2 THE BOOK OF HOSEA. [cm, II, 1-23.
her, and have fo1'8Bken her, comes to a better mind, and compares with their treatment of her the conduct of her just and rightful spouse. The sinner, learning by bitter expe- rience that the way of transgressors is hard, comes to see that this is a provision of heat"enly love and pity; acknowledges that it was not intended that the pursuits of worldliness and selfishness should satisfy man's immortal soul; and thus is led to seek forgiveness and reconciliation from a justly offended God. V. THE HEDGING UP OF THE WAY THUS APPEARS TO THE PENITENT BINNER A BLESSING IK DISGUISE. He says within himself, "Had the road been open, and my course unimpeded, perhaps I should never have paused until I had rushed into ruin and destruction. How does it become me to adore and to bless the very mercy which I hated and despised, to which I owe it that my mad career was checked, and that my wandering feet have at last been led into the way of peace I "-T.