Ver. 14.-Useless prayers. Two instances in Scripture or true repentance at the point of death. Manasseh in the Old Testament, the dying thief in the New Testament. 'l'hese save from despair, yet are too few to allow any to presume on them. Four characteristics of the useless prayer mentioned in the text. I. IT IS A DEFERRED PRAYER. "On their beds." In health and strength the idols had been worshipped. Now death seemed near, the Name of Jehovah was on the irem bliug lip. Mercifully, delay is not of itself sufficient to make a cry to God useless. David lingered in sin till Nathan rebuked him. The prodigal dwelt in the far country till all was gone, etc. Still it is perilous to defer any known duty, most of all that of ,coming to God. II. IT IS AN INSINCERE PRAYER. "They have not cried unto me with their heart." This fact would make any prayer useless. "God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." Compare the prayers of the Pharisees in the temple or the street with those of publicans and sinners (Matt. vi. 7; xv. 8, etc.). ill IT IS A DESPERATE PRAYER. "They howled upon their beds." The agony of pain, or the dread of meeting God, not the consciousness of sin, caused this. Repent- ance is not the dread of sin's punishment, but the turning from sin because of its tiinfulness. Contl'8b1. the cry of the condemned criminal with the prayer of the dying Christi.an. Depict, for exarupl~, the death of Stephen, and the utterance of Paul about Lis departure (2 'l'im. vi. 6). IV. IT IS UNAVAILING. The unreality of the prayer was seen in the subsequent conduct of those who offered it. Thi,; is tlescribed in the next clause. No sooner were they restored to health than "they assembled for corn and wine," i.e. went back to the old revelries and forgetfulness. How many have dealt thus with God I Brought Lack from the gates of death, the spared life is no more sober, devout, and holy than the past. Let us beware Jest we harden ourselves through the deceitfulness of sin. If, of those restored, so small a proportion prove that the prayers and vows in illness were genuine and availin;r, how can we indulge much hope of those whose future is not in time but in eternity? lIJ view of this i;olernn subject: 1. Urge Christians eo speak faithfully to sinners in tl,e day of health. 2. Urge ,inners to come humbl~ eo t!,. Saviour in the dav 'If /i{.c;,t.-.A.. il. 0.11. m.. 1-16.] THE BOOK OF HOSEA. 225
Ver, 2.-God's memory of man's wicleedness. There is something to all unreconciled and unpardoned sinners very terrible in this assertion, "I remember all their wicked- ness." 1. Gon REMEMBERS MAN'S WIOKEDNEBB m THE EXERCISE 011' HIS OMNISCIENCE. " All " ~ere comprebe?ds every kind of wickedness, in thought, word, and cleecl; every rn~tance of w!ckednees, whether no_ted or not by fello~-men; the_ aggravations of wickedness which has been more senous because of the light and pnvileaes 0 notwith- standing which the sinner bas transgressed. II. GOD REMEMIJERB MAN'S WICKEDNESS IN HIS CHARACTER 011' A PERFECTLY HOLY BEING. It is not simply a matter of knowledge; the evil be knows God hates. Every such recollection is accompanied with displeasure. "He is angry with the wickc(l every day;" o.nd whilst men, through familiarity with human sins, often become either in<lilferent or cynical, the Most Holy retains his disapproval and his loathin"0 undiminished. III. Goo REMEMBERS MAN'S WICKEDNESS m HIS CHARACTER OJ' A RIGHTEOUS JUDGE. The upright and pure man may view the prevalence of wickedness with revulsion and distress ; but " vengeance belongeth unto God." .As the sovereign Ruler of the universe, bound by his own nature to maintain his authority, and to do righteously as the Judge, the Lord exercises his judicial attributes and functions. And what he remembers he will one day bring forward, for the confusion of the impenitent. IV. Goo HAS PROMISED THAT, Ill' THE SINNER WILL REPENT, HE WILL REMEMBER HIS BINS NO MORE. We need not trouble ourselves with the attempt to reconcile what may seem to us conflicting statements, which, however, are both necessary to set forth a.11 the truth. Let the impenitent bear in mind the fact that the righteous God remembers all their iniquities; and let the penitent and believing hearers of the gospel rest assured that a merciful God will cast their sins behind his back, and sink them in the depths of the unfathomable sea of oblivion.-T.
Ver. 7.-None calleth unto God. '.!.'he calamities and miseries which befell Israel were in themselves awft1l, but perhaps the most terrible circumstance connected with them was this: they failed to lead the people to a better mind, to true repentance, to sincere supplication unto God. I. '.!.'HE HA.ND THAT AFFLICTS A.LONE CAN HEAL. Chastisement is necessary in the economy of Divine government; yet our heavenly Father chastens, not for his pleasure, but for our profit.. He is more ready to cherish and to comfort than to smite. .And when he has afilided, it is vain to look elsewhere than to him for solace. II. THE CALLOUSNESS OF SINNERS MAY PREVENT THEM FROM SEEKING DrvCTE MERCY AND CONSOLATION, Surely the first thing for those tu do who are smarting beneath the rod is to humble themselves beneath the mighty hand of God, to repent of sin, to entreat clemency, favour, forgiveness. But so hardening is the effect of sin, that there are many cases in which this is the last thing that occurs to the mind. It is an addition to the heinousness of sin, wheu the sinner refrains from bringing his transgression with penitence before the throne of him whom he has offended. Ill, YET THERE 1B NO RELIEF EXCEPT UI'ON THE CONDITION OF APPLICATION TO THE ALL-MERCIFUL. To call upon man is vain. 'fo sink into apathy is to despair. Hope is in one direction only. Let the sinner call upon God, and God will hear, answer, and save,-T.
Ver. 10.-They return not unto the Lora. The life of man is a journey, and the sinner has taken the wrong road-the road which leads to destruction. I. THE IMPORTANCE AND NECESSITY 011' RETURNING UNTO THE LORD. The further the sinner proceeds the nearer hs approaches final ruin, and the harder it is for him to reverse his steps. II. 'l'eE METHOD OF BETUB.NING UNTO THE LORD, '.!.'he sinner must change his view of God and his view of himself. He must repent of sin and believe the gospel. III. THE ENOOUBAGEMENT TO RETURN UNTO TH:& Lo.RD. There are the express directions, and the faithful promises of Heaven. l V. 'L'HE RESULT8 o:r BB1uaN1NQ UllTQ TBB LoBD. To return to God UJ to return LU BOIIIIA. Q 226 'rtn: BOOK 01!' BOSBA.
holiness and happiness, to peace and hopa. Truly to return 1n him la to n1maln for ever in his favonr and his fellowship.-T. · , 1 1,