men.

Lastly, He promiseth, That all these should be 'fruits of Lebanon,' of the best and perfectest kind. There are many evidences of the goodness of God even in the lives of Pagan We read of Abimelech's forbearance to sin against. God; and of his and Ephron's singular kindness to Abrahamm. No argument more common than this of the virtues, the temperance, prudence, justice, mercy, patience, fidelity, friendships, affability, magnanimity of many heathen men; insomuch that some have presumed so far as to make them 'ex congruo "' meritorious, or dispositive to salvation. But all these are but wild grapes, bitter clusters, the fruits of an empty vine, not worth the gathering in order to salvation but the graces which God bestoweth upon his church, are of a more spiritual and perfect nature, proceeding from faith in Christ, from love of God, from a conscience cleansed from dead works, from an intention to glorify God and adorn the gospel, from a new nature, and from the Spirit of Christ, conforming his servants unto himself; they are not grapes of Sodom, but grapes of Lebanon.

And as he thus blesseth us, in the like manner should we serve him; not offer unto him the refuse, the halt, and blind, and maimed, for sacrifice; not give unto him of that which cost us nothing, but go to Lebanon for all our sacrifices, covet earnestly the best gifts, press forward and labour to perfect holiness in the fear of God; give unto him our lilies, the beauties of our minority; and our cedars, the strength of our youth; and our olives, and grapes, and corn, and wine whatever gifts he hath bestowed on us, use them unto his service and honour again; not content ourselves with the form of godliness, with the morality of virtue, with the outside of duties, with the seeds and beginnings of holiness (he hath none, who thinks he hath enough); but strive who shall outrun one another unto Christ, as Peter and John did towards his sepulchre. It was a high pitch which Moses aimed at, when he said, "I beseech thee, show me thy glory "." Nothing would satisfy

in Gen. xx. 14, 15. xxiii. 10, 11, 15.

1 Gen. xx. 4, 6. n Vide Vegam de Justif. lib. 6. cap. 18, 19, 20.-Andrad. Orthodox. Explicat. 1. 3.Maldonat. in Johan. v. 6.-Sixt. Senens. Bibliothec. 1. 6. annot. 51.-Collium de Animabus Pagan. 1. 1. cap. 11. et 20.-Ban. in secundam secundæ qu. 2. art. 8.Greg. Valent. To. 3. disput. 1. Qu. 2. punct. 1 et 4.-Erasm. Præfat. in Qu. Tusc. Cic-Aug. contra Julian. Pelag. 1. 4. c. 3. • Exod. xxxiii. 18.

him but fulness and satiety itself. Be sure that all your graces come from Sion, and from Lebanon, that they grow in Emmanuel's land: till Christ own them, God will not accept them. Moral virtues and outward duties, grapes of Sodom, may commend us unto men; nothing but inward, spiritual, and rooted graces, the grapes of Lebanon, will commend us unto God. To do only the outward works of duty, without the inward principle, is at best but to make ourselves like those mixed beasts, elephants and camels, in the civil law 9; "operam præstant, natura fera est;" which, though they do the work of tame beasts, yet have the nature of wild ones. Moral virtue', without spiritual piety, doth not commend any man unto God; for we are not accepted unto him, but in Christ; and we are not in Christ but by the Holy Spirit.

P Reproba pecunia non liberat solventem, 1. 24. Sect. 1. P. de pignoratitia actione. q Leg. 2. P. ad Leg. Aquil.-Senec. de Benefic. lib. 7. cap. 19. r Vide Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. 5. cap. 19. et lib. 19. cap. 4. et cap. 25.-Retract. 1. 1. cap. 3. de Trin. lib. 14. cap. 1.-de nup. et concupis. 1. 1. c. 3.-contra Julian. Pelag. 1. 4. c. 3. Ad Simplician. 1. 1. qu. 2. contr. 2. Ep. Pelag. lib. 3. cap. de fide et operibus, c. 7. Epist. 105, 107, 120.-Prosper. contra Collat. c. 13.—Greg. Arimin. 1. dist. 1. q. 3. art. 2.

THE

SIXTH SERMON.*

HOSEA XIV. 8.

Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with Idols? I have heard him, and observed him. I am like a green firtree: from me is thy fruit found.

SECT. 1. The conversion of Israel unto God in their trouble, was accompanied with a petition and a covenant:—a petition imploring mercy and grace from God; and a covenant, promising thanksgivings and obedience unto him. And God is pleased, in his answer, to have a distinct respect unto both these for whereas they petition, first, for pardon, that God would take away all iniquity;' he promiseth to heal their backslidings, and to love them freely:-and whereas they pray for blessings, Receive us into favour, do us good;' God likewise maketh promises of that in great variety, expressed by the several metaphors of fertility, answering to the name and blessings promised formerly unto Ephraim. And all this we have handled out of the four preceding

verses.

Now, in this eighth verse, God is pleased not only graciously to accept, but further to put to his seal, and to confirm the covenant which they make,—promising, that, by the assistance of his Spirit, they should be enabled to do what they had undertaken. This is the greatest ground of confidence that we can have, to bind ourselves in holy covenants unto God, even the promise of his strength and assistance, enabling us to keep covenant with him. Therefore when David had said, "I have sworn, and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgements;" it follows a little after,

Folio-Edition, p. 577.

"Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill-offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me thy judgements." David was confident, that God would not only accept his covenant, but teach him how to keep it; and that made him the more confident to bind himself by it.

с

In the original, the words are only thus, "Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols?" which therefore some would have to be the words of God spoken unto Ephraim: but there is nothing more usual in Scripture, than an ellipsis of the verb. And we find this very verb omitted, and yet necessary to be supplied, Isai. v. 9.; and in this place, the Chaldee paraphrast, and from him the best interpreters, with our translators, have supplied it. Thus, Ephraim shall say and so it is God's confirmation of the promise which penitent Ephraim had made, and his undertaking for him, that he should indeed be enabled to perform his covenant.

"What have I to do any more with idols?"] It is interrogatio cum indignatione;' an interrogation not only importing a negative, I will not any more have to do with them,' but also a vehement detestation of them, and indignation against them as that of David to Abishai, and that of Elisha to Jehoram f, and that of the devil to Christ .

With idols."] The original word signifieth likewise sorrows, and grief of mind, a fit word to express their sin and repentance. 'What have we to do with these idols and sorrows any more? they can produce no good; they can hear no prayers; they can work no deliverance; they can bring nothing but evil and anguish to us; and therefore we will not follow or seek unto them any more.'-Here then is a solemn detestation, as of all their other sins, so of that especially which had most dishonoured God, most wounded their own consciences, and procured most sorrow unto themselves; with God's confirmation of it.

Next, follow several promises of special mercies. 1. Of hearing and answering their prayers: "I have heard" or answered "him ;" or, as others render it, "I will hear him.” 2. Of fatherly care and providence over them; I have “observed him," or fixed mine eyes " upon him;" I have strictly

b Psalm cxix. 106, 108. d Folio-Edition, p. 578. xvi. 10.

2 Kings iii. 13.

c Solom. Glassias Grammat. Sacr. p. 380, 654. Glass. Rhetor. Sacra, Tract. 2. cap. 5. 2 Sam.

g Matth. viii. 29.

considered his condition, that I might proportion my mercies thereunto. It is a symbol, First, Of vigilant care, and most intent and solicitous inspection and providence : The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine "."-Secondly, Of direction and counsel: "I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go;"-"I will guide (or counsel) thee with mine eye i."-Thirdly, Of honour and exaltation: he "withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, but with kings are they on the throne;" yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted." Lastly, It is an expression of 'hearing prayers: God is said to have his "eye open to the supplication of his servants," to hearken unto them in all that they call upon him for '; and "the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ear open unto their cry"." The church had before professed herself to be an orphan, that stood in need of tuition and protection: and here God promiseth to cast his eye, and to place his affection upon her; to look to her; to be her tutor and guardian; to govern her with his special providence and wisdom; to take notice of her wants, and supply them; to take notice of her desires, and fulfil them; to take notice of her condition, and, accordingly, in all respects to provide for her. 3. Of refreshment from the heat and violence of temptations, or any kind of afflictions, by the metaphor of a 'fir-tree,' which, being ever green, and casting forth a large shade, doth afford much comfort and reviving to the weary traveller. 4. Because the fir-tree, though comfortable in regard of the shade, is yet unfruitful; therefore he further promiseth to be "a root of blessings," and all kind of spiritual graces unto them: "From me is thy fruit found;" that is, from me is, or shall be thy fruit "; though the word found may here seem to imply and direct unto an enquiry after the foundation and original of the fruit here mentioned: 'Though all thy fruit of good works and new obedience may seem to proceed from thyself, and to be thine own; yet if thou be careful to enquire after the root of them, thou wilt find that they come from us, though they grow upon thee; and that

b Psalm xii. 18, 19. 11 Kings viii. 52. Zeph. iii. 13.

i Psalm xxxii. 8.

m Psalm xxxiv. 15.

k Job xxxvi. 7. n Mal. ii. 6. 1 Pet. ii. 22.