and the offer of the kingdoms of this world and all their glory had no influence to turn him aside from the path of duty. In all this we may see some resemblance, though alas too faint, between Christ and his followers; for as he was, so are they in this world. 1 John iv. 17. From this view of the subject we may learn the two following things: (1.) What judgment we are to form of those about us. Is it not evident that the far greater part are mere men of the world, who have their portion in this life? Are they not influenced by the spirit of the world, conformed to its customs, and have no hopes beyond it, though they bear the christian name? They are the friends of the world, and therefore the enemies of God. In this life they have their good things, and are comforted; but in the next they shall have their evil things, and be tormented. James iv. 4. Luke xvi. 25. (2.) What is duty with respect to ourselves. If we bear the character here described, and are not of the world, then is it our honour to be like Christ, and should be our endeavour to resemble him more. It becomes us to have as little to do with the world as we can, and to look for troubles in it, seeing we do not belong to it. Let us not repine at sufferings, for they are the common lot of the people of God, and to be found in the inventory of their blessings. Let us cherish a warm affection for our christian brethren, who are also in the world, and fellow-travellers in the way to heaven. Those should be our bosom friends who are destined to be our everlasting associates. We should long to leave the world, with all its allurements, that we may eat of the hidden manna, drink of the water of life, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God. Surely, I come quickly, says the Saviour. Even so come, Lord Jesus! Who knoweth but he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him? IN the prospect of approaching calamities, the pro phet, in the foregoing verses, calls aloud to repentance, and enforces the exhortation by the probability of success, arising from the consideration of those perfections of God which lay a foundation for the trust and confidence of his people. Rend your heart and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the. evil. Who knoweth but he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him? I shall here notice the objects of the prophet's hope-its nature-and some of the cases in which it may afford encouragement to the people of God. 1. The objects of this hope. These in general are three-that the Lord would return that he would repent-and that he would leave a blessing behind him. 1. That the Lord would return. This can only be in a way of manifestation, all idea of place or motion being utterly incompatible with a Being who fills heaven and earth. God is said to depart, when, being provoked by the sins of any people, he withdraws his wonted assistance; and to return, when his anger being appeased, he again shews himself favourable. He departs in wrath, and returns in mercy. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face-Return unto me, and I will return mnto you, saith the Lord of hosts. There is sometimes a sad parting between God and his own people; but this is not owing to any want of faithfulness in him, but to those things in them which awaken his resentment, as pride and self-confidence, carnality and worldly-mindedness. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God. But when the cause is removed, the effect ceases; corruption being mortified, sin repented of, and grace drawn forth into exercise, the Lord renews his former visits, and restores those blessings and comforts which before had been withheld. 2. Another object of hope is, that he would repent. It is true, God is not a man, that he should lie, neither the son of man, that he should repent. Yet the Lord is said to repent that he made man; and the hope of the prophet was that he would repent concerning his people, and leave a blessing behind him. This however does not intimate any change in his nature or purposes, but only in his conduct. He himself is without variableness or the least shadow of turning; yet he may alter his dispensations, so as to repent him of the evil which he had threatened. Though God cannot repent as men do, yet he may act as men do when they repent: he may cease to do what he had begun, may revoke his threatenings, recal his judgments, and no longer treat penitent sinners as his enemies. Instead of saying, I will be unto Ephraim as a lion; and as a young lion I will tear, and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him; he may break forth in that endearing language-Is Ephraim my dear son; is he a pleasant child? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: theremy bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. The change however was not in God, but in Ephraim. Hos. v. 14. Jer. xxxi. 20. 3. It is hoped that if the Lord would return and repent, he would leave a blessing behind him. This may refer to the devastations made by the locusts, &c., mentioned in the first chapter, so that there was no oil or wine, frankincense or fine flower, for the meat and drink offerings, the fruits of the earth being destroyed. Those devouring insects left a curse, but God would leave a blessing. He will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oil, and they shall hear Jezreel.-Hence we may observe, (1.) That God never comes to his people empty handed. If he come, it is to bring a blessing;, and if he put in his hand by the hole of the door, the handles of the lock shall drop with sweet-smelling myrrh.-(2.) What God gives, we should at least in part return. When he makes provision for us and our families, we should in gratitude make provision for his priests and altar. Thus it was prophesied of Tyre: Her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord; it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. Isai. xxiii. 18. II. The nature of this hope. It is indeed far from being what is called the full assurance of hope, or a confident persuasion that the blessing hoped for shall certainly be received; for it rises no higher than a peradventure. A peradventure, lest they should sink into despondency; and a peradventure only, lest they should give way to pre sumption and carnal security. Their hope must be mixed with fear, and their joy with trembling. There are other instances in which the hopes of the godly are thus expressed, and thus supported; such as the following." It may be that the Lord will work for us; for there is no restraint to the Lord, to save by many , or by few-It may be that the Lord God of hosts. will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph-Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?-Seek ye the Lord, seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." 1 Sam. xiv. 6. Amos v. 15. Jonah iii. 9. Zeph. ii. 3. A possibility, and much more, a probability of obtaining mercy at the hand of God, is a sufficient encouragement to a poor perishing sinner to seek, to trust in, and wait for him. Self-destroyed and self-condemned, destitute of all help in himself, and despairing of all help from creatures-Who knows! This is his last refuge, and perhaps for a time his only one! A possible hope in such a situation as this, affords a motive to activity, and a strong inducement to apply for merey. If, said the starving lepers at the gate of Samaria, we say we will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we thall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians ; if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. The most profligate of characters, whose former lives have been one continued scene of wickedness and rebellion, when they come to be seriously concerned about their souls, may reason like these lepers. Our present condition is desperate; if we continue in it we must unavoidably perish. There is a possibility that God will save us; for he is able.' And the first attribute upon which such generally fasten is, the divine power: Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean! This is also represented |