The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 256

:ire (see Pe. xix. 7-11). (3) Great in their ccmprehenswene.,s. Some read the clause thus: "I wrote to him the myriads [or, 'the fulnesses '] or my Law;" the reference being to the almost nWnberless Individual ordinances connected with the Mosaic institu- tions. This thought may well remind us of the inexhaustible supplies of knowledO'e of all kinds-facts, doctrines, ethical principles, precepts, promises. predictions, etc ..'.'.'._ which are stored up in Holy Scripture. The Book evinces its greatness in this respect, that it affords us sure rules and directions for our life under all circumstances. 3. In what sense has God" written" these great things 1 In the same tense, surely, in which a man reveals his thoughts through the medium of his writings. 'J'l.e Lor,l himself is the Author of the Uible. Its teachings rest upon his authority. Whatever is rleclare,l by inspired men to be part of Divine truth or of human dnty, God declares to be such. Christians may and do differ reg,irding theories of inspiration, but every believer accepts the fact that the books of Scripture are the Word of God. II. MAN'S SHAMEFUL NEGLECT OF THIS GIFT. ., But they were counted as a stranO'C thing." The people of the ten tribes treated the precepts of the Pentatench as if th;y were a matter which did not concern them. Holy Scripture is treated similarly still: 1. By worldly men. Some refuse to receive it as a Divine revelation. They reject the supernatural, ignore the whole realm of faith, and particularly dislilre the distinc- tive doctrines of Christianity. Many more, however, have an orthodox intellectual belief in the Bible as the Word of God; but their faith, such as it is, does not affect the conscience or the heart. When they read ftom the inspired volume, its words do not " come home' to their business and bosoms." "They do not realize the grand evil which the Bible has come to cure, and they have not a heart to the blessings which it offers to bestow. 'l'he film of a fallen nature, self-maintained, is upon their eyes while they read" (Dr; John Ker). So, they neglect "the great things of God's Law" for the little matters of sense and worldly vanity. Many see no further grandeur in the Bible than, its literary beauty. Others prize it simply as a book of moral culture, and nothing more. The baser sort profane Divine revelation by jesting with its holy subjects, and using its most sacred words as idle oaths. 2. By many profesmng Christians. Are there not such, to whom the Bible is "a strange thing," because they very seldom Rit down to read· it?- And of those who do regularly read "their chapter," how many do so merely 'to pacify" conscience, and thus make little or no effort to understand the meaning_ of the· passages read ! Some sincere believers confine their attention to a few pet cbapfors which contain what they call "the simple gospel," and ignore the rest, although the Scriptures are fun·•rf ,"the manifold wisdom of God." This very prophecy of Hosea, as one has· saiff, is" too often a deserted well;" but those, ho"'e"er, who come and draw from it find it full of living water. One of the wants of the a,:,;e among professing Christians is a more adequate acquaintance with the contents of the Bible. 'rhe man who would enjoy robustness of spiritual life must study tbe Scriptures book by book, that he may discern the drift and scope of each book, apprehend its particular place in the scheme of truth, and at the same time appropriate and assimilate its teaching for the nourishment of his soul. III. How WE OUGHT TO USE HOLY SCRIPTURE. (See Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 90.) If we would avoid incurrin~ the censure of this text, we must: 1. Receive the Book with a believing and thankful heart; treat it with deep reverence as the Divine Word; and make what effort we can to circulate it throughout the world. 2. "Search the Scriptures" with regularity and system, that our intellectnal acquaint- ance with them may be both accurate and comprehensive. 3. Meditate upm Bible teaching with self-application in our leisure hours, that our minds may be imbued with its principles of truth and duty, and that conscience and affections and will lllay become subject to their power. 4. "Keep" God's Word in our daily acts, and in the habits which we form, so that it may mould our character, and make us Christ-like. "My mother and my brethren are these wbich hear the Word of God, and do it" (Luke viii. 21). 6. And in all our use of Scripture we must pray for the pramiaed aid of the Holy Spirit, without which our best efforts will be in vain. -C.J. Ver. 2.-0n knowi11g God. Ignornnce of God or forgrtfulness of him Irnds tn moral depravit;y. 'rhis may be illustrated both by natirnal history and by iu,livi,\ual  256 THE BOOK OF HOSEA. [ au. mi. 1-H-