An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 6
VER. 6.
They ſhall go with their flocks and their herds to ſeek the Lord.
SHall they fall? No they have a way to prevent it, they wil paſſifie God with the multitude of their ſacrifices, their flocks and their herds,Expoſ. 1. they are content to ſpend thoſe all in ſacrifices unto God, and ſhal this people fall? They wil make God amends with theſe, they will make up their ſins with theſe, with the multitude of their ſacrifices. There is much to be obſerved from every word here; the difficulty for interpretation is not much, and the Obſervations I ſhall paſſe briefly.
They ſhall go] Ibunt huc & illuc, modo ad hunc, modo ad illum montem, as Interpreters render it, They ſhal run up and down from one place to another, from one ſacrifice to another, in a kind of hurrying of their ſpirits. And from that word there may be this noted, That Thoſe who depend upon duties,Obſ. danger of dependance on duties. are in a hurry and diſtraction of ſpirit, when they do not prevail with their duties in that they deſire.
They often change their duties, but they do not change their hearts. Many think, Well, I have done thus and thus, yea but if I ſhal ad to what I have done and do thus and thus, then I ſhall prevail: whereas thoſe that do their duties in obedience unto God, and go out of themſelves and depend for their acceptance upon a higher ſacrifice, upon Jeſus Chriſt; theſe go on with much ſweetneſs and quietneſs of ſpirit, though for the preſent they ſee not the thing performed which they aim at in their duties: their ſpirits are not in a hurry and in a diſtraction ſo as the ſpirits of others that depend upon their duties are. This is to be noted from the clauſe, They ſhall go; Curſitando, running up and down.
They ſhall go with their [flocks with their flocks.and herds.] He meaneth, with their ſacrifices, but he gives them not the name of ſacrifices, but only their flocks and herds, for they are not worthy of that name. From hence the Note is.
God contemneth the ſervices of hypocrites, of ſuperſtitious and Idolatrous apoſtates.Obſ.
Their Their.flocks and their herds.] Mark, They make uſe of their own, according to their own mind, in their own waies, to worſhip me as they liſt, and therefore God doth not call them His, doth not own them as His, but he calls them their flocks and their herds; What they do ſaith God, what they offer, it is their own, their flocks and their herds, I will not own them. From thence the Note is this, That Obſ.It is a ſad thing that what we tender up unto God, God will not own as His.
When in our ſacrifices (that are typified by thoſe legal ſacrifices) in our prayers, there we ſeem to tender up unto God our parts, our abilities, our inventions, our expreſſions, our wits, our memories, and the ſtrength of our bodies: But now when we have done all, ſaith God, All theſe parts and all that is come from you all this while in your prayers, I do not own them, theſe are none of mine, they are al your own. This is a ſad thing.
There is no ſuch way to put an excellency upon any thing we have, upon our parts, and abilities, and eſtates, as this, To tender them up firſt unto God, and if God ſhall pleaſe to own them, then to receive them again out of Gods hands; we ſhall then receive them with abundance of ſweetneſs and excellency. But here, he calleth them, Their flocks and their herds, though they were tendered unto God in ſacrifice, yet He will not ſay, they are His, but their own. Thus it is with all Hypocrites and formal and ſuperſtitious perſons in what they tender unto God.What is done out of ſelfe-love is our own. Self is the principle of what you do and therefore all your ſervices remain your own, you ſerve your ſelf rather than God in them.
Herein lies the ſweetneſs and true comfort of a mans eſtate, and of his credit, and parts, or of whatſoever he hath, when he ſhall conſecrate and devote them unto God ſo as they remain no longer his own. This is a ſacrifice that God is well pleaſed with. Theſe are my parts ſaith God, this is my eſtate, here I give them back to you again: And when a man ſhall take what he hath as having firſt conſecrated and devoted it unto God and taking it out of Gods hand again, Oh this addeth a ſweetneſs and a bleſſing to his eſtate. All we have is Gods as He is the firſt cauſe of all; but mark, God rejoyceth as well,God delights moſt in his ſecond right. if not more in a ſecond right that He hath to what we have (namely by our tendring up all unto Him in a gracious manner) than He doth in the firſt right of being the cauſe of all. I beſeech you obſerve it, God hath a twofold right to the eſtates, parts, and abilities of His people. Firſt, He hath a right to them as He is the cauſe of them; I gave them to you therefore they are mine. But Secondly, There is a ſecond right that God ſeemeth more to rejoyce in, and that is this, When His ſervants by an exerciſe of grace, ſhall tender them up again and give them back again unto Him; Now ſaith God, they are mine by a ſecond right; and this ſecond right unto them, they being tendered up unto me in a holy way, is the right that I rejoyce in: and this will be moſt comfortable unto you. Oh my brethren, let us not deprive God of this ſecond right to all we have or are or can do; for this will not at all weaken our right of our own to what we have, we may enjoy our eſtates and parts and abilities; but this will ſtrengthen, and ſweeten, and bleſs them abundantly.
They ſhall go with their flocks and their herds.] Another Note is this, That Obſ. Superſtitious abundant in ſervices.Superſtitious and Idolatrous people they are abundant in their ſervices.
They are content to go with all their flocks and their herds to ſeek after God; thouſands of rams and ten thouſand rivers of oyl, any thing to offer up unto God, but mark, it is in this, their own way of worſhip, and whatſoever is mens own that they will be abundant in their worſhip, but what is Gods that they will be ſcant enough in;Holydays as might be again inſtanced in in regard of ſetting of daies apart for God.
Reaſon.Natural conſcience telleth us that when we have to do with God in our ſervices, that great things are ſutable to a great God. Your Papiſts,Papiſts. in times of ſtraights, they have a kind of praying that they appoint for fourty hours together; but it is in their own way, they will be abundant enough in that. Many of you think much to ſpend a quarter of an hour in a morning or in an evening in ſeeking God in your families;Family Duties when ſuperſtitious and Idolatrous people are abundant in thoſe ſervices, in ſeeking God in their own way.
But obſerve it, though ſuperſtitious and Idolatrous people be abundant in their ſervices to their Idols, yet they are not infinite in their ſervices to them. But the Saints of God if their ſpirits be right, they are enlarged to a kind of infinitneſs in Gods ſervice. As thus, ſtill they would know more of Gods mind, they would do more, and are never ſatisfied with what they do. There is no Idolatrous and ſuperſtitious perſon, but there are ſome limits that he puts himſelf to, and he thinks that when that task is over, when the fourty hours is over, the work is done: But now here is the difference between a natural work and a ſpiritual; A natural work is alwaies a limited work;ſupernatural works unlimited. but a ſpiritual work hath alwaies an infiniteneſs in it; Thus, though I am not able to do what is actually infinite, yet my heart is infinite in this, that it is never ſatisfied, but it would fain have more, and if I were able to do ten thouſand times more than I do, yet my heart would be as eager to do more as it was at firſt, I ſhould not think I am any neerer to the end of my journey than I was at the firſt day; for I am to deal with an infinite God, therefore let my ſervices be never ſo great and many, yet ſtill, Oh that I could riſe higher, Oh that I could do more. Here is the ſupernatural work of grace which doth go beyond all Idolatry in the world.
Again obſerve, Obſ. Superſtitious ſpare no coſt in worſhip.Superſtitious and Idolatrous people they will ſpare no coſt in Gods ſervice in their own way.
They will go with their flocks and with their herds, beſtow all their eſtates upon the ſervice of their Idols. How ſhameful is this for us to be ſo ſparing and ſcant in the true ſervice of God? Uſe. Never men had more large opportunities to honor God with their eſtates than at this preſent we have. And certainly men ſhould rather rejoyce that they have an opportunity to ſerve God with their eſtates, than murmur that the ſervice of God is ſo chargable to them as it is. Although ſome men think themſelves wiſe in appearing little in what may be chargable unto them, yet they loſe the chief comfort in and bleſſing upon what they do, in withdrawing themſelves from ſuch a ſervice as God requireth at that time.
They ſhall go with their flocks and their herds and ſeek the Lord.
From whence the Note is, That There is a time when vile and wicked men ſhall ſee need of God.Obſ. Wicked men ſhall need God
Though wicked men when they have all about them ſuitable to their carnal deſires, they ſlight and neglect God, yet there is a time when they ſhall be brought into ſuch a condition as they ſhall ſee their need of him. Oh let us remember this in the midſt of our proſperity! We find by experience that God doth bring men to times wherein they ſee need of Him, Oh therefore now the love of God, now the mercy of God and pardon of our ſins, and peace with God, how precious ſhould it be in our eyes! It is good to make God our friend whom we are ſure one day we ſhall have need of. We all conclude that it is a point of wiſdom to make ſuch a man our friend of whom we can certainly ſay, we ſhall one day have need of him: Oh let us be ſure to make God our friend, for certainly one day we ſhall have need of Him. Bleſſed are thoſe ſouls who have an intereſt in that God whom all the world ſhall ſee one day they have need of.
Further, They ſhall go with their flocks and with their herds to ſeek the Lord; Thence this Note likewiſe, Obſ. All pretend to ſeek God.The moſt ſuperſtitious and Idolatrous and falſe worſhipers, they will pretend to ſeek God as well as any.
Whatſoever they do, Oh they do it for the honor of God, and for the ſervice of God, and out of reſpect unto Him; and why ſhould not we do this and this, we have good aims and good intentions, do we not ſeek to honor God in what we do? When thoſe Idolaters of Iſrael ſet up the Calf, they proclaimed a day unto Jehovah, a day for the honoring of God, they pretended that what they did was out of reſpect unto God and to honor Him. The worſt men and the moſt ſuperſtitious will yet pretend the honoring of God. So it is again in regard of thoſe daies that men have ſet apart for God, Uſe and it is that which hath ſetled men in the ſuperſtitious obſervation of them,Chriſtmaſſe. that it is for the honor of Chriſt; what (ſay they) ſhall we not honor the birth of our bleſſed Savior? what a profaneſs, what a diſreſpect is this unto Jeſus Chriſt? well let others do what they will, for our parts we will do it, for hereby we ſhall do honor unto our bleſſed Savior. So the Papiſts for the adoration of Images,Images ſay they, What not regard not to reverence the Image, the Picture, of our bleſſed Savior,Holydays & Images have the ſame ground. and of the holy Saints? And the truth is if it be duly weighed, there is the ſame reaſon of Images of Chriſt and the Saints, and of daies ſet apart for the honor of Chriſt by mans invention; and there is as fair a pretence of honoring Chriſt by ſetting up His Image before me to put me in mind of Him; as of honoring of Him by keeping a day of mine own appointment. There is (I ſay) the ſame reaſon of both, and whatſoever argument any man ſhall bring me againſt the one, I dare undertake to make it good to be againſt the other. As now,ſimile is not natural reaſon as ſtrong to ſet up the picture of the King to honor him (and you do it for that end) is not this as much as to keep a day once a yeer to remember him? So the reaſon may be as ſtrong to honor Chriſt by way of picture, as to honor Him by obſerving any day ſet apart for that end by the inventions of men.
We are (my brethren) to take heed of men that are pretenders to the honor of God.Admonition. Theſe here will ſeek the Lord though in a falſe and ſuperſtitious way. But thoſe that are pretender… to the honor of God they prevail much with weak ſpirits and with ſuch as are mo…t conſcientious: As your greateſt Hereticks that have ever been in the Church, have been great pretenders to godlineſs; and many there are at this day that out of pretence to honor Chriſt have leavened the hearts of people with dangerous errors, and eſpecially leavened young converts; for your young converts aſſoon as ever God is pleaſed to work upon them,Young converts and weak Chriſtians ſoon deceived. to convert them firſt unto himſelf, Oh they love Jeſus Chriſt, their hearts are taken with Chriſt and inflamed with love unto him, and they honor free grace that hath pardoned the ſins of their youth of which they have ſuch freſh ſenſe: Now falſe teachers they take advantage of this, and therefore if they ſhall bring any thing unto them that hath the Name of Chriſt, and the Goſpel,with pretence of Chriſt, Goſpel, free grace and free grace, they know they will greedily drink it in; and many dangerous errours that are ſweetened with ſuch pretences are ſtrongly maintained. By this means their leaders attain their own ends, and they ſee it not.
Again,Obſerv. Superſtitious and Idolatrous men in time of their afflictions and ſtraights, then above all they are abundant in their ſervices.
They will go with their flocks and their herds, when th… are in extremity; O then God ſhal have any thing from them. Self-love drives men far and enlarges them much. Men in a ſtorm are content to caſt out much of that which is precious to them. Iſa 29.16.Self-love. ſinful. Iſa. 26.16 opened. They powred out prayer when thy chaſtening was upon them. They are ſtraitned in prayer before, it commeth our by drops before, but when thy chaſtening is upon them, then they powre it out. And this is the baſeneſs of our hearts that we can find enlargment for God only then when it is ſutable to our own ends. Thoſe whoſe hearts are more enlarged in adverſity than in the enjoyment of mercies, had need to examin their hearts.
Further, Superſtitious formal profeſſors, think to make God amends for former and preſent evils of their hearts and lives, with outward performances.
Obſer.If they bring their flocks and their herds, much ſacrifice, they think that will do it. But let us learn to take heed of this; take heed of this vanity, to think to make God amends for former or preſent ſins by any ſacrifice thou performeſt to Him thus. Some of you perhaps that are negligent in the duties of your relations, you are wicked in your waies; ſervants, children,Applic. ſtubborn, ſtout againſt parents and governors, and wives neglecting their duties to their husbands, and ſo they theirs to their wives; and you think though you take liberty in thoſe things, yet if you pray much, and hear much, and ſpeak of good things, and be forward in the profeſſion of Religion, that will make amends for the neglect of your duties. Oh take heed of that for ever you that are forward in your profeſſion, and abundant in the performance of holy duties: take heed of this deceit of your hearts, to think to put off God with theſe things, & that that ſhal make up the neglect of your duties: Other kind of people are accuſed for injuſtice and uncleanes & much wickedneſs, & yet they think to put off al this, by going with their flocks and their herds. Here is their ſinfulneſs, they reſt in the bare duties. But the Saints they have a further ſacrifice to offer to God, to be a ſweet ſavour in His noſtrils.Saints. They have firſt the ſacrifice of Jeſus Chriſt that theſe ſacrifices typified. And then they have their ſouls and bodies which they tender up to God as a reaſonable ſacrifice.
But mark, They ſhall go thus with their flocks and their herds, but they ſhall not find him. Obſerve from hence, Obſ. God found no where if not in duties. The Tabernacle a type of the Ordinances of Goſpel.Firſt, If God be to be found any where he is to be found in his Ordinances, in the performance of holy duties.
Theſe ſacrifices they were materially good, but yet they ſhould not find God in them. Exod. 29.42, 43. When the Lord appointed the Tabernacle to be erected (a type of the Ordinances we now enjoy) ſaith he, There will I meet with thee, and there will I meet with thee again the ſecond time. If God be to be found any whereit is in the performance of holy duties.
But ſecondly, The end of all holy duties we perform unto God, it ſhould be to find God in them.Obſ. 2. End of duties to find God in them.
It ſhould be ſo. They pretended that end here. When either God is coming unto us in mercy, or when we are drawing neer unto God in duty, we muſt be reſtleſs till we find him; Eſpecially in the latter. Many men and women (I beſeech you obſerve this one thing) perform duties, but they do not look at finding God in them. They do not examin after the duties are done, Have I met with God in this or that duty? Have I met with God this day in the word? I have been in my cloſet and there I have prayed, have I found God in prayer? Found God? what is that? You ſhould never be quiet in the performance of holy duties till you meet with God one of theſe two waies. Either that you find God coming to you in the communication of himſelf and the ſweetneſs of his love and mercy to you; Or at leaſt till you find your hearts got neerer unto him. And either of theſe waies we find God.
Thirdly, God will not be alwaies found when he is ſought.Obſ. 3. God will not be alwaies found. 1. when ſuperſtitiouſly ſought.
They ſhall go with their flocks and their herds, but ſhall not find me. As thus. Men are never like to meet with God.
Firſt, When they ſeek him in any ſuperſtitious way. Theſe kind of formal ſuperſtitious worſhipers of God, they did much, they ſpent much time in Gods worſhip, I appeal to their own conſciences, and unto all men that knew their lives, did any thing of God appear in them? It may be manifeſted in their frothy, vain, and carnal converſations, that they never met with God in thoſe worſhipings. When God is ſought and not in his own way, he will not be found.
And then ſecondly, When we ſeek our ſelves rather than God, 2. when our ſelves chiefly. 3. when not as Godthen he will not be found.
And thirdly, When we do not ſeek God as a God; that is, when we tender him only external ſervices and not ſoul-ſervices alſo; when we ſeek him not with the uprightneſs of our hearts, when we ſeek him not with our whol heart, when we ſeek him not with thoſe high and reverent apprehenſions of him, when we have not that fear of his Name as is ſutable to ſuch an infinite God as the Lord is, then God will not be found.
4. when too late.And then laſtly, When we ſeek him too late. There may be a ſeeking of God too late. Seek Him while He may be found. Oh then we had need loſe no opportunity of ſeeking God, for He will not be alwaies found. And this is juſt with God; for God often ſeeks unto us when we will not be found, and therefore it is juſt that He ſhould not be found when we ſeek Him.
And then it follows, He hath withdrawn Himſelf from them.
Expoſit.When the Saints of God ſeek Him in a holy way, He is preſently found. Eſa. 58.9. They ſhall cry and he ſhall ſay, here I am: Perhaps they do not take notice of God, he is many times with us and ſtandeth by us, He is preſent and we do not know that he is there; But now that we may know that he is there, he makes that promiſe, that when we ſeek him as we ought to ſeek him, he will ſay, here I am.
foreignHe hath withdrawn himſelf. The word that is here tranſlated [withdrawn himſelf] may as well be tranſlated, Diviſit ſe; or Eripuit ſe; He hath divided himſelf, yea ſnatched himſelf from them: that's the propriety of the word; they go to ſeek him and cry after him, God ſnatcheth himſelf from them, as one that refuſeth their friendſhip, he turns his back upon Obſ. 1 them. This noteth, That God hath no delight in the ſervices of ſuperſtitious and formal profeſſors. God delights not in formal profeſſorsBut to the humble and contrite heart, he delighteth to be with them. The flocks and the herds of the wicked are rejected and God withdraweth himſelf from them; but ſmall things from the Saints are accepted. As you ſhall obſerve in 1 Sam 7.9. when holy Samuel there did but offer a ſucking lamb for a burnt offering unto the Lord, preſently followed that the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philiſtins and diſcomfited them, and they were ſmitten before Iſrael. Here are herds and flocks and yet God withdraweth himſelf; but Samuel there offers but a poor ſucking lamb, and preſently the Lord thundereth with a great thunder upon their adverſaries. So you have it Revel. 8.4.Rev 8.4. opened, after the the Incenſe with the prayers of the Saints were offered up there followed voices, and thundrings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. Great things are done by ſmal ſervices of the Saints, when done in uprightneſs, but the greateſt ſervices of Hypocrites and formal Profeſſors God regardeth not but withdraweth himſelf from them.
And then obſerve, It is a heavy and ſad condition when Obſ. 2 God withdraws himſelf from his creature ſeeking him, yea ſeeking him and that in a time of diſtreſs. As in 1 Sam. 28.5. when Saul was ſeeking God, and God was departed from him, mark what Saul ſaith, I am ſorely diſtreſſed, for God is departed from me. And in the 9. Chapter of this Propheſie, verſ. 12. Wo unto them when I depart from them ſaith God. Oh that is a ſad condition. It is a ſign,
Firſt, of a diſhonor that God puts upon a people (as I Reaſ. 1 ſhewed you more largely when I ſpake of the rejecting of their ſacrifices.) What greater diſhonor can it be unto a people, than for God to take more pleaſure in their howlings under his wrath than he doth in their cryings unto him for mercy? And yet to ſuch a condition may a people, a particular ſoul be brought into, I ſay that God may take more pleaſure in your howlings under his wrath than in your cryings unto him, and that in your Temples, if you do not reform as well as cry unto him: and for that you have that evident place in Amos, 8.3.Amos. 8.3 opened. In that day ſaith the Lord, ſhall the ſongs of the Temple be howlings; As if he ſhould ſay, the ſongs of the Temple were loud, but I will take more pleaſure in their howlings than in their ſongs. And that place is very famous, Eſa. 29.1. Wo to Ariel the City where David dwelt &c. and verſ. 2. Yet I will diſtreſs Ariel, and there ſhall be heavineſs and ſorrow, and it ſhall be unto me as Ariel. The Text ſeemeth to be obſcure at the firſt reading, therefore the meaning is this. By Ariel, Iſa. 29.1. opened.is meant Jeruſalem, the City where David dwelt, the place where the ſacrifices were offered unto God; And Ariel Ariel.ſignifies an Altar of God, Gods Altar that did devour the ſacrifices like a Lion: Now ſaith God, Thou ſhalt be to me as Ariel, thou Jeruſalem where my famous Altar was, where ſo many famous ſacrifices were offered, thou ſhalt be to me as Ariel, that is, you indeed offer many ſacrifices unto me, and you continue ſtill in your hypocriſie, in your wicked lives, know ſaith God, I will make that City as an Altar upon which your blood ſhall be offered, and I will take as much pleaſure in the ſacrifice of your blood offered upon this Altar, as in all the ſacrifices that were offered upon the Altar from whence the City had its name, your name ſhall be Ariel, that is, your City ſhall be ſtained with your blood as the Altar was with the blood of the ſacrifices. God rejecteth and caſteth out the ſervices of ſuch as are ſuperſtitious and ungodly.
Reaſ. 2 And certainly my brethren, when God withdraweth himſelf no creature can help us; they will ſay, how can we help for God will not?
Reaſ. 3 And ſome great judgment muſt be expected when God withdraweth himſelf; As when a poor Petitioner goes to the Prince with a Petition, and the Prince turns his back upon him; ſurely thinks he now ſome evil is nigh me.
Reaſ. 4 And no protection from any evil can be expected when God withdraweth himſelf.
Reaſ. 5 And then conſcience flies in thy face and terrifies thee, Oh the bleſſed God is gone, and mercy is gone, and Chriſt is gone, and that for ſuch and ſuch ſins of mine, and ſuch and ſuch luſts of mine that lay ſo neer my heart. Oh how terrible will it be to conſcience when God ſhall appear to withdraw himſelf!
Reaſ. 6 And this withdrawing of God is but a forerunner of Gods eternal withdrawing himſelf from the ſoul, and from the body too.
The Saints had rather have Gods preſence though angry, than God withdrawing himſelf from them. When God withdrawing himſelf but a little, Oh they could never be at quiet, till God returned again, O caſt me not from thy preſence ſaith David.
Applic.My brethren, when we perceive God withdrawing himſelf in any degree from us, Oh let us ſtir up our ſelves and cry mightily, as the Church doth, Jer. 14.9.Jer. 14.9. opened. O leave us not, the Church gives a ſhrike as it were, ſhe ſaw that God was going, as God is ſaid, firſt to go to the threſhold; God goes by degrees from a people, and Jeremiah a holy Prophet, he ſaw God going from them; Carnal hearts they do not percive how God withdraweth himſelf from a people by degrees, but thoſe that are acquainted with the mind of God and ſearch into the word, they are able to diſcern God withdrawing himſelf from a people, and they cry, Lord leave us not, if thou be gone all is gone.
Yea, but doth not God withdraw himſelf from his Saints? Queſt. how then is this a judgment peculiar upon Idolaters and wicked ſuperſtitious perſons?
The anſwer is this, It is true, Anſw. God withdraweth himſelf ſometimes from his Saints, but his withdrawing himſelf from them is not like unto his withdrawing himſelf from the wicked. As
Firſt, Though God withdraw himſelf from the Saints, yet they retain good thoughts of him in his abſence; whereas the wicked pine, and vex, and fret againſt him.ſimile a wife. A husband may be gone abroad about his buſineſs from his wife a great while; yea but if ſhe be a faithful wife, ſhe ſtill retains good thoughts of him as of her husband and loveth him ſtill. But another, when her husband is gon and hath withdrawn himſelf, ſhe beginneth to have hard thoughts of him. So wicked men do upon Gods withdrawing of himſelf, in judgements and afflictions, they begin to have hard thoughts of God, and to ſay, I this is to ſerve God & to walk in his waies, what good have we got by all that we have done? But now you ſhall obſerve in the Cant. when Chriſt had withdrawn himſelf from the Church, ſhe ſtill calls him her King, and her Beloved, ſtill gives him honorable titles.
Secondly, Though God withdraweth himſelf from his people, yet ſo, as he draweth their hearts after him to cry more earneſtly. As a mother wil withdraw her ſelf from her child, ſhe gets behind the door and hides her ſelf, but to this end, that the child may be more earneſt to come into her arms, that the child may cry after her to come to her, and the mother loves it. So the Lord loveth to hear his children cry after him to come to him. The Lord ſhall hear none of our cries in Heaven, for there we ſhall alwaies be with him; but here he ſomtimes withdraweth from us that he may hear us cry after him.
Thirdly, God though he withdraw Himſelf from His Saints, yet ſo as He leaveth ſome light behind Him that they may ſee which way he is gone and ſo follow him. As when a Torch or Candle is taken out of a room, yet you may ſee ſome glimmering light which way they went; ſo when God withdraweth Himſelf He uſeth to leave ſome glimering light that his people may ſee which way to follow him.
Fourthly, God withdraweth Himſelf from His People, yet ſo as his bowels yern toward them. Jer. 31.20. Is Ephraim my dear ſon, &c. I thought of him and my bowels yerned ſaith God, or my bowels were troubled. He hath an eye toward them for much good in all his withdrawings.
Fifthly, When God is withdrawn from the Saints, nothing will ſatisfie them till God come again. When God withdraws Himſelf from others, they will ſeek after vanities to make up the want of Gods preſence; As an Adultreſs in her husbands abſence will ſeek other loves. But the Saints ſay, if God be gone I will enjoy nothing elſe, at leaſt I will be ſatisfied in nothing elſe until I have Gods preſence again.
Sixthly, Though God withdraw himſelf from the Saints, yet he doth not utterly forſake them, as David praies, Pſalm, 119.8. I will keep thy precepts, O forſake me not utterly. It ſeems that then God had ſomewhat withdrawn himſelf from David, yet mark, his heart was toward God, I will keep thy precepts, thou haſt forſaken me in ſome degree, yet I wil keep thy precepts ſtill, O forſake me not utterly. If thou canſt ſay thus, Indeed God hath withdrawn himſelf from my ſoul, yet though I have not that comfort in him that my ſoul deſires, I will keep his precepts as long as I live, I will do what I can to honor him: Thou mayeſt pray with comfort, Lord do not utterly forſake me.
As thoſe that are godly may depart from God,Saints departing frō God. but yet as in Pſalm, 18.21. I have not wickedly departed from my God; they do not depart from God as other men do. So God may depart from the godly, but yet not ſo as he departs from the wicked.
Let us take heed of withdrawing from God,Admonit. of withdrawing our ſouls from any way of truth. If we in proſperity withdraw from God, and think we can live without him, he will make us know in adverſity that he can be bleſſed without us too. It is uſual for men in proſperity to rub out with God wel enough, but when thou comeſt into adverſity, the Lord wil make thee know, though thou periſheſt as droſs and dung from the earth, yet he will remain a bleſſed God without thee to all eternity. God hath no need of us. If thou thinkeſt thou canſt do well enough without him, he wil ſhew that he can do well enough without thee. And thus much for this Sixth Verſe.