The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 193

those who he.d been emitten or sent into exile. They mean: let us go no more to the Assyri~nR nor to an:y other incapable deliverer, but'.' let u~ retnrn unto the Lord;" put away ail confidence m an arm of flesh, renounce all 1<lolatnes. Take the words as indi- cating man's highest social action. Man, as a member of society, bas mnch to do with his fellow-men; he should contribute to the advancement of general knowled"'e to tho progress of political purity and freedom, and to the augmentation of the gene;'.'li health and comfort of the kingdom. But there is a higher work than this for him in society• it is that of stimulating the community to which be belongs to" return unto the Lord,: to bring them into fellowship with the infinite Father. "Come, and let us retu;n unto the Lord." Taking the words in this application, what do they imply? I. THAT socrnTY IS AWAY FROM Gon. Not locally, of course-for the great Spirit is with all and in all-but morally. Society is away from him in its thoughts: it prac- tically ignores bis existence and his claims. Away from him in its sympathies: its heart is on those things that are repugnant to his holy nature. Away from him in its pursuits: its pursuits are those of selfish and carnal gratifications and aggrandizements. Far gone, in truth, is society from its true Centre-God. It is like the prodigal, in a. "far country." II. THAT ESTRANGEMENT FROM GoD IS THE SOURCE OF ALL ITS TRIALS. Because the prodigal left his father's home he got reduced to the utmost infamy and wretched- ness. Moral separation from God is ruin. , Cut the branch from the root and it withers; tho river from its source, and its dries up; the planet from the sun, and it rushes into ruin. Society has left God-its Root, Source, Centre-hence the terrible evil with which he by his government" bath torn" it. Nothing will remove the evil, under which society is groaning but a return unto God. Legislation, commerce, science, litera- ture, art, none of these will help it much so long as it continues away from him. III. THAT RETURN TO HIM IS A POSSIBLE WOB.K. 'vVere it not so there would be no meaning in the language, "Come, and let us return unto the Lord." With some estranged spirits in the universe a return may be impossible for ever; not so with human spirits on this earth. There is a way, a true and living way, by which all may return-return by repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord and Savionr J"esas Christ. "God is in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." CoNCLUSION. Who are the greatest social benefactors? Those who are the most suc- cessful in exciting and stimulating their fellow-men to come hack to God, to return home to the great Father oflove who awaits their return. He says," Come now, and let us reason together," etc. 'fo bring society back to God is pre-eminently the work of the gospel minister; to this he consecrates his power, bis time, his a.11.-D. T. Ver. 3.-Man God-ward, and God man-ward. "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know, the Lord : his going forth is prepared as the morning; and be shall come unto tis as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." "Let us therefore know-hunt after the knowledge of Jehovah; his rising is fixed like the morning dawn, that he ma.y come to us like rain, and moisten the earth like the latter rain" (Keil arid Deli'tzsch). 'l'bere are two pursuits in this passage-man pursuing God," fol- lowing on to know him," and God as a consequence pursuing men. "He shall come unto us as the rain." Observe- r. MAN IN A GoD-WARD DIRECTION. "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord." The particle if is not in the original, although it is certain that a. know- ledge of Jehovah depends on searching after it. Two thiags are here implied. 1. That a knowledge of God is the essence of spiritual good11ess. This is clear from reason, and is 'everywhere taught in the Bible. By a knowledge of him, however, we do not mean a scientific acquaintance with his attributes, relations, and works; but a sympalhetic experience-an experience of those sentimeats of justice, truthfulness, love, and mercy, which a.re the inspiration, the moral life of God himself. Philosophically, we can only know a man as we sympathize with the leadin"' principles of the man's heart; and it is only thus we can know God. 2. That a kno~ledge of God can only be attained by earnest searching. We shall 'know if we" follow on," if we" hunt after." Intellectually, whatever may be the amount of earnest searching, we shall never know him. " Who by searching can find out God?" Bnt with the heart we may know him whom to know is "life eternal,N Evtry day by study we may get new ideas of him, every day 192 THE BOOK OF HOSEA. [OH. TI. 1-11,