The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 212

the removal of ringleaders in iniquity and notable apostates, as when ho made an ond of the dynasty of Ahab. Not e. few similar instances in subsequent and modern times might be pointed out. III. THE EXTENT OF THE HURT DI'SCOVERED BY THE ATTEMPT AT HEALING, While God was n111nifest-ing his intentions of mercy towards Israel, the virulence of their disease became evident. God here, in condescension to our wealmcas, acoommodates himself to the manner of men and adopts their mode of speech. As thouuh ho had not known the desperate state of matters before, he speaks of it being now di~overed. It is by probing a wound that a surgeon discovers its depth, and whether it reaches some ,it.al part; it is only by careful examination a physician detects the character of his patient's disease, and whether it is curable or likely to prove fatal. So with the good physician on closely examining the state of Israel; he found it even worse than had been supposed-much worse than it appeared to the superficie.l observer. Much, no doubt, must have appeared on the surface, and much lay hid in secret; it had been, in fact, "half revealed, half concealed." When the iniquity of Ephraim was fully dis- covered and the wickedness of Samaria clearly seen, it proved incurable, so enormous was their guilt, so hardened were they in their transgressions, above all, so impenitent were they and so unwilling to be helped and healed. Their obduracy barred the door against the entrance of mercy, their refusal to part with their enormities checked the outgoings of the Divine goodness towards them. Nay more; as when a rock rises up in a river-bed, or the stream is narrowed by the encroaching banks, the water rushes with greater violence and is lashed into foam, so the very attempt to repress the sin of Israel rendered it more violent and outrageous. The rulers and those who occupied high places, as the inhabitants of the metropolis Samaria, and the people of the pre- eminent tribe of Ephraim, proved the most incorrigible of all. .Among the vices of the time were falsehood and fraud, and the fraud was both private and public. TV. THE EINS CHARGED AGAINST ISRAEL ARE OOllllll0N TO THEM, WITH THE UNGODLY, AT ALL TIMES. This assertion is proved by the further enumeration of these sins by Hosea. There was also sinful security and senseless stupidity. 1. They did not confer with their own hearts in reference to their state in the sight of God, nor impress on themselves their responsibility to him. They were strangers to any right searching of heart, or any serious reflection on the issues of their conduct and conversation. lt is thus with hundreds of our fellow-men; want of consideration has ruined thousands both for time and eternity; hence the earnest wish of the great lawgiver," Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!" Hence, too, the solemn command of "the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways." 2, The want of consideration or of communing with their own heart had special reference to the relationship in which they stood to God. They did not reflect that God remembered all their wickedness, consequently they did not recollect their liability to punishment for their wickedness at the hand of God, and therefore they did not feel any remorse on account of their wickedness when committed. Being spared after their wickedness, and not visited with immediate vengeance because of their wickedness, they thought themselves certain of impunity; enjoying a season of prosperity notwithstanding the greatness of their wickedness, they were emboldened in their wicked ways. 3. .Atheism, theoretical or practical, or both, was at the root of the matter with them. The first article of belief embraces the existence of God, and the existence of God implies a Beiug of Divine attributes and infinite perfections; the second article includes a belief in God that he is a Recompenser of men's actions-a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and a Punisher of all workers of wickedness. They rejected, at least prac- tically, these rudiments of the faith, these primary articles of belief; "as if God could not see their wickedness, though be is all eye; and di,! not heed it, though his name is Jealous; or had forgotten it, though he is an eternal miud that can never be unmind- ftil; or would not reckon for it, though he is the Judge of heaven and earth. 'l'his is the sinner's atheism; as good say there is no God, as say he is either ignorant or for• getful; none that judgeth in the earth, as say he remembers not the things be is to give judgment upon; it is a high affront they put upon God, it is a. damning cheat they put upon themselves, when they say, The Lord shall not see" nor remember. 4. The eyes of such shall be opened one day. 'l'hey shall wake up out of their day- dream, and their delusion shall vanish when their doings shall beset them about, and  THE BOOK OF HOSEA. 211