An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 6 · Verse 2
VER. 2.
After two daies will he revive us, in the third day he will r…iſe us up, and we ſhall live in his ſight.
GODS Works are Comments upon his Word; and it hath been ſo frequently in the opening of this Propheſie: as Chriſt ſaid of that Scripture, Luke, 4.21. This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears, ſo may I ſay of this Scripture at this time, how hath God litterally fulfilled it? The laſt Exerciſe you heard of Gods wounding and of his healing; How hath he healed us in a gracious manner? and how are theſe words fulfilled in the litteral ſence? After two daies he will revive us. But two daies after our humiliation he revived us, and the third day we lived in his ſight, and if we follow on to know the Lord we ſhall know more of his counſel, and though the darkneſs of the night be not yet over, yet the morning is prepared.
But may we have ſuch ground to think ſo as this people,when any people may apply the promiſe. that God will revive u… and that we ſhall live in his ſight. If we can prove our turning unto God, and our returning from ſin, the other may be made good; that he will revive us in our ſorrows.
The ſcope of theſe two verſes is to expreſs a further confidenceſcope and ſum. of repenting beleeving Iſrael in Gods goodneſs: before he ſmote them, and now he would revive them; but before this reviving comes perhaps we may be as dead men, yea lie a day (that is a certain time) as dead men, forſaken of God, quite out of his minde, yea, we may lie the ſecond day alſo, that is a ſecond time wherein we expected help, yet then alſo the enemy may triumph over us, yet ſhall we live in his ſight, that is, all ſhall ſee, that the eye of God was on us for good: he will revive us, and God ſhall be in our ſight as we ſhall be in his, glorious things is he about to make known to us, though it be night now, yet know his mercy is a coming, even as the morning followeth the dark night; this is the ſum of theſe words.
Yet for the further opening of them, know that interpreters differ, they keep a great ſtir to know what's meant by two daies, ſome think it ſpoken of the Jewiſh captivity, others of the ſecond coming of Chriſt, the Meſſias therefore: Luther Lutherſeems to contemn their inceties, ſaying, he thinks them not worthy to find out the meaning of a text, who ſtand ſo curiouſly upon ſuch inceties.
The meaningthe meaning therfore of the words are, after two daies, that is, although God do not come preſently, after two daies, yet he will come, mercy though it ſtaies long yet it will come; two daies in Scripture ſignifies a little and a ſhort time; as Numb. 9.22. whether it were two daies, or a month, or a yeer, that the cloud ſtayed upon the Tabernacle: two daies, that is, when we ſhall be in any great extremity of pain or miſery, Mercer Mercerquotes R. Abrah. R. Abrah.Ezra filium, who ſaies, that wounds and gaſhes in a mans body pain and ſmart more at two daies end than at the firſt; ſo God may let us lie in the ſmart of pain and ſorrow two daies, but in the third day mercy ſhall follow.
Interpreters generally conceive theſe words to have reference unto the two daies that Chriſt lay in the grave;Chriſts reſurectiō propheſied in this ſcripture. and Luther ſaith that this is the Scripture which Paul ſpeaks of in 1 Cor. 15.4. That Chriſt roſe the third day according to the Scripture; what Scripture? why this, the third day we ſhall live in his ſight; though the text Notes the confidence which repenting Iſrael had in Gods mercy towards them, yet hath it reference alſo unto Chriſt, as if they ſhould ſay, our ſtraits and miſeries may be great and we may lie in them a while, ſo did Chriſt, but he was raiſed the third day and ſo ſhall we. Mr. Calvin Calvinſaith that God gave a famous and memorable example of Iſraels mercy after their captivity by Chriſts riſing from the grave, and this may well be meant of Chriſt as that Scripture ſhews, Hoſea, 11.1. When Iſrael was a child then I loved him, and called my ſon out of Egypt: Who would have thought that this had meant Chriſt, but that the Scripture applies it unto Chriſt, in Mat. 2.15. And he departed into Egypt, untill the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled &c. How darkly was Chriſt ſhadowed out in the old Teſtament? as by Jonas in the Whales belly three daies: Oh what cauſe have we to bleſs God who lives in the times of the Goſpel where Chriſt is manifeſted ſo cleerly? what dark and miſtical intimations had they of Chriſt in thoſe daies, this was one of the cleereſt, and that of Jonas in the Whales belly.
When at any time God would comfort his people in diſtreſs, what doth he do?Chriſt Gods uſual medium to comfort his afflicted people Luthers Object. he reveals a propheſie of the Meſſias to come: as in Iſa. 7.14. and in Iſa. 9.6. and when was this? when the rod of the oppreſſor was broken in Zacca. 9.9. and ſo here, God having ſmitten, wounded & torn them, he comes and heals them, promiſing life and reviving to them.
But here now, Luther makes an objection, If theſe words had reference unto Chriſt, they ſhould run thus, He ſhould live in his ſight, not we; and he anſwers it himſelf, that it notes the efficacy of his reſurrection,Anſw. Oſtendit. fructum reſurectionis Chriſti, we are riſen & live in Chriſts reſurectiō foreign ad facies ejus. not only for himſelf but for many others.
We ſhall live in his ſight; that is comfortably, mortis habet vices, que trahitur vita genitib. before his face, that is, His favor ſhall be towards us for mercy; as the turning the face away ſhews anger, ſo the turning of Gods face towards us ſignifies favor:
2. We ſhall ſee his face with comfort and re…oyce in the ſight of it.
3. We ſhall eye his face in acts of obedience and he will eye our duties with acceptance.
4. It notes ſecurity in his preſence: As when we are in the preſence of a King his very preſence is our ſecurity, and ſafety, ſo we ſhall live in his …ght, that is, we ſhall be ſafe in his preſence. The Notes from hence are,
Obſ. 1 That Gods own people may not only he ſmitten and wounded by God, but may lie for dead in their own eyes, and in the eyes of all about them for a time: ſee it in the caſe of Heman, Pſal. 88.8. & 14. verſes, Lord, why caſteſt thou off my ſoul? why hideſt thou thy face from me? verſe 10. Wilt thou ſhew wonders to the dead? ſhall the dead praiſe thee? Ezek. 37.3. we reade there of drie bones which ſhould be made to live, and Revel. 11. the witneſſes ſhall be ſlain and lie dead in the ſtreets, the beaſt ſhall overcome them, the generallity of thoſe that ſtand for Chriſt ſhall be ſlain by the beaſt, and overcome by his power.
Reaſ. God works by contrariesThe reaſon of this may be, becauſe God can work about his glory by contrary means. This is a great affliction, yet not ſo great as ſin is, when God fetches out his glory from the afflictions of his people, it coſts him not ſo much nor ſo deer, as when he fetcheth it out of ſin, now if Gods glory be ſo dear to him, that he will ſuffer ſin to be in the world, thereby to fetch his glory out of it, why ſhould we be unwilling that God ſhould ſuffer afflictions to be upon us ſeeing by them he fetcheth out glory to himſelf? Exod, 15.7. In the greatneſs of thine excellency haſt thou overthrown them which roſe up againſt thee; how ſhould God manifeſt his glorious power in raiſing them up? were they never brought very low? In Heaven God will manifeſt his glory ſo to us, that we ſhall not need ſuch dark ſhadows to have it ſet out and opened unto us as here it is.
Uſe, Care to be well grounded in a cauſe th…t may ſuffer.If this be thus, take heed of drawing darker concluſions from Gods dealings than they will bear, as to ſay, the Lord hath forſaken us, and God will have mercy no more upon us, he hath forgotten to be gracioos, or to ſay, he hath left his cauſe and turned his back upon his inheritance, therefore we ſhould labor to be well informed in the grounds upon which his cauſe ſtands, and is maintained, and which may uphold us in the maintenance of it; for know that God may put thee to the tryal, and if thou art not throughly grounded thou wilt apoſtatize.
God leaves his people in that dead condition for a time; the firſt Obſ. 2 day they may look for help, and it may not come; and the ſecond day he may let them lie when help is look'd for, and this may be after their ſeeking of God: This people they ſaid, Come, let us return unto the Lord, yet what do they ſay? after two daies he will revive us; it muſt be ſome time firſt: God is a great God, and his creature muſt wait, there is much grace exerciſed in an afflicted condition, when the ſoul quietly ſubmits to God and patiently waits upon his pleaſure, let his dealing be never ſo hard towards them; God ſometimes anſwers his peoples prayers preſently when they ſeek him, ſo that it may not only be ſaid, in the evening, but in the morning haſt thou heard me; not only this day, but the next alſo: ſee that place in 1 King. 18.38, and 44. Elijah praies, and the Lord heard him preſently, but he praies again, and then the Lord defers: in the 38. verſe he praies for fire to come down to conſume the ſacrifice, and it did ſo; but in the 44. verſe of the ſame chapter he praies again for rain, and ſee in what a poſture he praies in and obtained his petition with much difficulty, ſent his ſervent Seven times, and at the ſeventh time it was but a little cloud; at firſt God heard him preſently, but he praies again, and then mercy comes difficultly, yet God was not angry with Elijah. So Daniel, he prayes and was heard preſently; but the people they pray, and pray earneſtly, yet they were not anſwered.
Oh therfore let us take heed of impatiency and frowardnes of ſpirit in trouble, and of being weary of duty,Uſe. be patient in prayer. and g…owing careleſſe in holy ſervices, becauſe an anſwer comes not preſently, this ſhows the rottenneſſe of our ſpirits as much as any thing, and 'tis as evident a ſign of an hypocrite as any we have in Scripture Iſa 8. they fa…ed and prayed ſo long that they thought themſelves mightily wronged becauſe they were not heard; therfore are they ſo bold to ask God a reaſon why he was ſo far behind hand with them when they had done ſo much ſervice for him? Oh boldneſſe of ſpirit!
Obſ. 3 That the time of Gods reviving his people, is neither long in Gods nor the Saints account; 'Tis but two daies, the third day we ſhal live. Iſa. 31.5.Iſa. 31.5. opened As birds flying, ſo will the Lord be ſwift to help Jeruſalem; He hath promiſed not to contend for ever: and in 1 Peter, 1.6.1 Pet. 1.6 rightly pointed. Though now for a ſeaſon (if need be) ye are in heavineſs, through many tribulations: in the Original 'tis, If now, if need be, ſo that there is great need of afflictions before God ſends them. So 2 Cor. 4.17. afflictions they are for a moment a very little time: Faith, that lifts up the ſoul upon two hills, where it ſeeth Heaven on the one, and the vally of Achor in the middle, and it ſo works in the ſoul that it cauſeth it to be patient in ſuffering the greateſt tryals, it is a ſign of a diſtempered ſpirit, to complain of the length of an affliction, a gracious heart deſires more the ſanctifying it than taking it away; we might have been ſwallowed up in the gulf of eternal miſery. Hag. 2.6. yet a little while and I will ſhake Heaven &c. But it was between five and ſix hundred yeers before this ſhaking came, viz. at the coming of Chriſt; our impatience make affliction ſeem long.
Obſ. 4 In the ſadeſt condition, faith makes preſent and real Gods reviving mercies. When their help is gone, in the mount of mans extremity will God be ſeen. We ſhould reaſon thus, becauſe Gods people are in great extremity, then 'tis a ſign that God will ariſe and help them, and not deſpair and give over our hopes;ſimile. as before the morning light is the thickeſt darkneſs, ſo let us never be diſcouraged at the encreaſe of afflictions, for they ſhew the time then haſtens for deliverance; and thi… faith makes preſent to the ſoul, it ſhews the ſoul life in death, favor in frowns, love in ſtrokes, faith ſeeth a great difference between the ſtrokes of God upon the Saints and upon the wicked: that place is famous for this, Iſa. 26.14. compared with the 19. They are dead, they ſhall not live, they are diſeaſed, they ſhall not riſe. When God ſtrikes wicked men their wounds forerun death here, and eternal death hereafter, when he ſmites them in their cauſe, in their names, or eſtates, 'tis to undo them: But now mark in the 19. verſe, Thy dead men ſhall live, together with my dead body ſhall they ariſe. Some think that theſe words note the glorious condition of the Church in regard of their ſafety, that though men and means fail, yet faith can ſee deliverance in the womb of an infinite wiſdom,Faith revives other graces power and faithfulneſs, Faith revives other graces when ſeeming dead and puts life into them, much more doth it into our dead conditions; 'tis reported of the*Vt vives alijs lapidibus pretioſis extinctis, ſolo attactu luſcitoret. Guliel. Pariſ. Criſtal, that it hath ſuch a vertue in it, that the very touching of it quickens other ſtones, and puts a luſtre and beauty upon them. This is true of faith, it makes evil things preſent, far off, and good things far off, preſent, and herein conſiſts the exerciſe of faith in a great meaſure, Pſal. 91.7. A thouſand ſhall fall on thy left band, and ten thouſand on thy right hand, but it ſhall not come nigh thee: this is a very ſtrange ſpeech, that a man may be in a place where a thouſand ſhall fall by him, and ten thouſand on the ſide of him, and yet he not touched by the diſeaſe. By faith the ſoul enjoyes this ſecurity. Pſal. 60.6. God hath ſpoken in his holineſs. I will rejoyce, I will devide Sechem and met out the vally of Succoth: the thing was not yet done, yet they rejoyced in it as preſent; faith it enables a dead and a barren womb to bring forth a child, it raiſeth up a dead ſon out of the aſhes, Abraham bids his ſervants to ſtay at the bottom of the hill, and expect his coming, Oh ſtrong was his faith in this thing.
How unbeſeeming are our ſpirits and how is our faith manifeſted to be weak and poor,Uſe of reproof. when a mercy promiſed is within ſight ready to be fulfilled and made good, yet how impatient are we and froward when it comes not ſo ſoon as we deſire? when we are full of ſuch determinings againſt our ſelves or the Cauſe of God, ſaying, alas all is now gone, we are left deſperate, God hath forſaken his Cauſe, Oh let us take heed of pleaſing our ſelves with this kind of carnal arguing and objecting, for they are ſuch as mightily provoke God and diſhonor him, and hinder much good which elſe we might enjoy.
But were I worthy, I could think ſomething, Obj. then I might have ſome hopes.
Anſw. Faith ſees worthines in its unworthinesIn this caſe do thou exerciſe faith upon Chriſt even in thine unworthyneſs, and though thou maieſt die and not ſee the harveſt, nor reap the fruit of thy prayers, yet know the generations to come ſhall, and this may comfort thee. That ſpeech of Jacob is remarkable to this purpoſe; when he lay a dying, ſaith he, Behold I die; but God ſhall do much more for you. The Cauſe may be trod…n down for a while, and God may hide himſelf, but know, that he wil keep his Covenant with thee, he never yet broke Covenant; ſo long as Chriſt is thine and thou art his, Gods faithfulneſſe in keeping Covenant is alſo thine; what if thoſe that ſtand for Chriſt and his Cauſe be ſometimes beaten, muſt they therefore give over? No, but venture ſtill, and if our ſins hinder not, though we may lie dead to day, and to morrow, yet the third day we may live in his ſight.
Obſ. 5 Mercies after two daies death, are reviving mercies.
After two daies I will revive you. Promiſes in times of afflictions are ſweet indeed: Oh then, how much more deliverance? Such mercies are reſurection-mercies which God ſends after killing afflictions. And ſuch mercies hath the Lord given us at this very day; the Lord hath revived us when almoſt dead,Applicat. for Engl. therefore would we give God the glory of ſuch mercies, and render unto him due and ſeaſonable praiſe for ſuch ſeaſonable mercies, Let us obſerve theſe rules.
Firſt, Look back to your baſe unbeleeving hearts formerly, and chide them, upbraid them with this now, Oh vile heart of mine, did not I begin to ſay, Alas I am undone, all i… now loſt, my hopes are now abortive? was not I ſorry that ever I was ſo engaged as I am? were it to do again I would be better adviſed? did not I think newters which had never manifeſted themſelves for God in his Cauſe in a far better eſtate than I, and wiſh my ſelf in their condition? how hath the Lord been diſhonored by me? what ſecret pining and grudging thoughts have I had even againſt God Himſelf, becauſe of the various diſpenſations of providence? Say now oh baſe vile unbeleeving heart, how hath the Lord confuted thee, and made thee to ſee thy ſhame and ignorance in beleeving ſence rather than faith?
Secondly, Hath God beſtowed reviving mercies upon you? then be willing to give God the glory of them, and reſign them up to him, upon thi… ground, becauſe we have forfited them by our unbeleef: an unbeleeving heart forfits all mercies before he hath them; 'tis true God gives many precious mercies to ſad, dumpiſh, froward, diſcontented ſpirits, but you cannot have that comfort in your mercies which others have becauſe they are forfited, and though God through his bounty lets you enjoy them, yet you are in fear continually leſt God ſhould take his forfiture. Oh beleeve your mercies in the promiſe through the difficulties.
Thirdly, Remember the Covenants which you made unto God in the times of your trouble, and keep them. 'Tis a provoking ſin to break Covenant with God, God complains of it againſt Iſrael, Pſal. 78.38. They flattered him with t…ir lips in making Covenants to him in their trouble, but they were not ſ…eadfaſt in their Covenants. Oh how uſual is it with men in any miſery to Covenant largely with God, and preſently to forget what they have done! this is a ſign of a falſe heart, therefore take heed of it. Lay more wait upon your Covenants which you make, if ever you mean to give God real praiſe for any mercy.
Fourthly, Conſider how much better it is to give God the glory of a mercy willingly, than force him to extort it from you in a way of wrath; God is better pleaſed with active praiſe, than paſſive for his mercies; conſider, glory he will have for his mercies, Oh put not God to that trouble to force his own glory ſo due to him, from you, if you give not God the glory of a mercy in poſſeſſion, he in wrath will take it from you: and had not God given us this reviving mercy, it might have been our caſe to have been forced to give God his glory in a paſſive way.
Fiftly, Whatever God c…lls for now, from you, be willing to give it up to him freely; whatſoever we would have been willing to have given for ſuch a mercy in our miſery, had God indented with us for it, let us be ready and willing to give it to him now the mercy is come; had we known our danger and the miſeries which would have flowed in upon us had not mercy prevented, if God ſhould have ſaid thus, What would you do? what would you ſuffer? what would you part withal for me? and you ſhall be delivered out of this danger and poſſeſs the contrary mercy? Then ſeeing God hath given us ſuch a mercy without this indenting, make this an argument to come off freely in giving God that which he now calls for; you have been (perhaps) in bodily fears and danger of death by ſome ſickneſs, now if God ſhould have cald for your eſtates, would not you have given them to him? Do that now which you would then have done.
Laſtly, Lay up againſt unbeleef for time to come. Hath God remembred us in our low eſtate? let us ſay with David, We will tr…ſt in him ſo long as we live, we will never determine ſo as formerly we have, either againſt our ſelves or the cauſe of God, we wil never entertain hard thoughts of God more, but we are reſolved to do what belongs to us as creatures, and leave the ſucceſs of the buſineſs to God; apply this any way and it will be very uſeful: hath God helped us in any ſoul-trouble? revived thee in the depths of ſorrow when God hid himſelf from thee? lay up the paſſages of God towards thee in this caſe againſt all the riſings of unbeleef whatſoever, reſolve upon this, that thy ſoul ſhall relye upon him for help whatſoever becomes of thee, this is to give God the glory of reviving mercies. Pſal. 18.1, 2. thus doth David apropriate God to himſelf and gathers ſtrength from this to ſupport him, David at this time was in a great ſtraight by Sauls perſecution of him, that he gave all for loſt, I ſhall one day periſh by the hands of Saul; but he ſoon recals himſelf again, It was in my haſt, he ſaid in his haſt the Prophets of God (Gad and Nathan) they are lyars, they tell me that I ſhall be King, that I ſhall ſway the Scepter in Iſra…l, but 'tis nothing ſo, I am like to be kild and betrayed every moment, ſuch enemies wait to catch me, and is it ever likely that I ſhould fit upon the Throne and be King? So, men in their haſt are ready to think that God will forſake them, and leave his cauſe upon every frown and hard word which he ſpeaks; but David found a reviving mercy preſently upon it in the 1. and 2. verſes of the 18. Pſalm, where he praiſed God for that mercy, which formerly he would not beleeve; before in this 2. verſe he ſets out God in way of praiſe by eight titles,8. Relations of God in Pſal. 18.2 with the Believers propriety in them. and all his propriety in them for ſtrengthening of his faith. 1. My rock, 2. my fortreſs, 3. my deliverer, 4. my God, 5. my ſtrength in whom I will truſt, 6. my buckler, 7. the born of my ſalvation, 8. my high Tower; from all theſe titles of God as his, he ſtrengthens himſelf. In all the Scripture I know not ſuch a ſhort text ſo full for the ſtrengthning of faith as this is: and it is the ſpecial work of faith to make God to be ours in all theſe relations;Pſ. 18.2. An eminent prop of faith. Oh how beautiful would our praiſes for reviving mercies ſhew could we but exerciſe our faith thus upon all theſe titles of God as ours.
The real ſight of deliverance from evil and the apprehenſion of Obſ. 6 certain mercy a coming, is a ſtrong argument to put the ſoul on to turn to God. This people did make this uſe of mercy coming to them, What wil God after two daies deliver and revive us? Come then, and let us return unto him, let us not any longer ſtand out but come in, that he may revive us and raiſe us up. When the ſoul ſees mercy coming it beholds God outbidding all other temptations, and over-powering all difficulties; when men by ſence can behold mercy coming they will then think it beſt to turn to God, happy are thoſe who by faith can ſee mercy coming a great way off and thereby are ſtirred up to turn to God, when God lets ſuch thoughts as theſe into the ſoul and ſettles them upon the ſpirit, I am now in a very good condition, well and in health for the preſent, but where may I be within two daies? I enjoy peace and have every thing that heart can deſire, both for neceſſity and delight, but within a ſhort time where may I and theſe be? Theſe are dreadful thoughts to conſider of: But on the other ſide, to beleevers theſe words are very comfortable and full of ſweetneſs, I am in great extremity of miſery, but after two daies they will blow over, then oh where ſhall I be? in heaven, in joy and bleſſedneſs for evermore, at reſt with my Savior; dreadful are the meditations from theſe words to all the wicked, but very ſweet and comfortable to the Saints of God, as any text I know. This conſideration made Paul over look all his afflictions, 2 Cor. 4.…7. he thus conſidered, '…is true, I am under great afflictions, but they are but light, and 'tis but for a moment, and what ſhall I have then? An eternal waight of glory. Therefore Chriſtians ſhould not be alwaies poring upon their afflictions, but look up to mercy, behold that which may comfort them as well as what may diſcourage them; conſider, that within two daies God will raiſe us up again, and this wil mightily raiſe our ſpirits and quel the tumults in our hearts; as we ſhould be ſenſible of Gods hand to be humbled for our ſins the cauſe of it, yet ſhould we take care that we do not deſtroy our ſelves by our fears.
Obſ. 7 The apprehenſion of the death and reſurrection of Chriſt is a ſpecial means to help faith in the times of the greateſt afflictions: Many things may help faith in this caſe, but the conſideration of Chriſts reſurrection is the chief: when the ſoul ſhall exerciſe faith thus; I am thus and thus afflicted and in miſery, ſo was Chriſt and much more, although he were the Son of God, the firſt begotten of the Father, and ſo bleſſed for ever, he was delivered up into his enemies hands, ſcorned, perſecuted, and contemned, nay, he was crucified and put to a ſhameful death: but my condition for the preſent is not thus, but if it ſhould be ſo it is no more than Chriſts was; in this his great miſery all his frinds forſook him, which aggravates their miſery which are in ſtraits, in ſo much that thoſe two Diſciples which went to Emmaus ſaid, We had thought that God would have delivered Iſrael by this man: What a low condition did God bring Chriſt unto? and yet this was the greateſt work that ever was done, and ſuch a …ork as brings God the moſt glory of any work in the world;Chriſt therefore become miſerable for our conſola… … the Church ever in a lower condition than Chriſt himſelf was? yet Chriſt was raiſed and delivered out of them all, yea this was a ſpecial end why Chriſt was brought into ſuch a low eſtate, to be a comfort and a pattern for his Churches, that may come into the ſame condition which he was in, and ſeeing this is held forth unto us in a cleerer way than it was to the Jews under the Law, we ſhould make more uſe of it than they did? was Chriſt ſo low that the wrath of God was upon him for ſatisfact…on even to death? this ſurely was a very low condition; and now, is there any hope that ever he ſhould be raiſed from this? yea now was Gods time to ſhew his power, and to diclare him to be his Son, God be ſpeaks his people in all their ſtr…its thus, Did my power raiſe my ſon in ſuch a low eſtate? it is able alſo to raiſe you; as the Apoſtle argues in the 1 Cor. 15. If Chriſt be not riſen, the dead are not raiſed &c. ſo from thence I alſo infer, That the Church muſt riſe becauſe Chriſt is riſen; if the Church does not riſe, Chriſt is not riſen; and if ſo, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is to no purpoſe; therefore raiſe up your ſadded ſpirits upon thi… ground; wel, Chriſt is riſen, and I alſo ſhall riſe with him It was wont to be the ſalutation of the Chriſtians in ancientt time,Chriſt is riſen: t… antient form of ſalutatio among chriſtian Chriſtus reſurrexit, Chriſt i… riſen: ſo the Saints may conclude though brought very low, yet that power which raiſed the head will in his time raiſe the body and make it glorious with himſelf.
And we ſhall live in his ſight.
As Iſrael was repenting ſo it was beleeving Iſrael alſo:Faith an… repentan… mu…ually act one another. and as their beleeving furthered their repentance, ſo their repentance furthered their faith; they were confident that they ſhould live in his ſight.
When God grants mercies to his people, he would have them of Obſ. 1 lively ſpirits, to be quick and vigorous and of active ſpiri…s. And this is the ſcope of the holy Ghoſt in this text, however the Saints may ſeem as dead men when wicked men prevail over them, yet when God gives reſt and life they ſhall be lively and full of ſpirit; God loves not to ſee his people of a ſad fullen penſive diſpoſition, when that they have mat…er of the greateſt joy in the world.
When God is reconciled to … people, his face is then towards his Obſ. 2 people, he looks then upon them and loves them, Apo…. 22.4. And they ſhall ſee his face. God doth nor deal with us as David did with his ſon, 2 Sam. 14.24. And the King ſaid, Let him not ſee my face any more. But if God be once reconciled all the frowns in his face are turned into ſmiles, he is all lovely towards them.
Uſe 1 Now how incongruous a thing is it, that when God ſmiles we ſhould lowr, be heavy and lumpiſh: And as God ſmiles Uſe 2 when we humble our ſelves; So ſhould we look cheerfully upon our children and ſervants, upon their ſubmiſſion having committed a fault.
Obſ. 3 Gods people account their life to be in Gods favour, not ſo much in what they receive from God, as what they are in Gods favour and preſence. Hypocrits deſires are only for the enjoyment of mercies, & if they obtain their deſires they are contented, though they have no preſence of God at all in them: but the Saints if they have precious mercies and no preſence of God with them it contents not them; if they have health and not Gods preſence in it, if they have peace and not their peace with God it ſatisfies not them; this is their cry, Lord, let us hear thy voice, let me ſee thy face;Cant. 2.14 for thy voice is pleaſant, and thy countenance comely.
Obſ. 4 When the Lord delivers his repenting beleeving Iſrael, he ſettles mercy upon them, and ſettles their hearts in the poſſeſſion of mercy. He doth not only give them hints, but real poſſeſſions of mercy. We are revived and raiſed, yea but we may die again: No, we ſhall live in his ſight, we ſhall live before him. Mercies to the Saints are not the fruit of Gods patience, for then they would not be ſetled mercies: But they are ſuch mercies as comes from the Covenant of grace, and ſo they come to be ſetled, therefore called, the ſure mercies of David, Iſa. 55.3.
Obſ. 5 Faith is ſuch a grace as raiſes the ſoul high and will not be contented with ſmall mercies. He will revive us, and He will raiſe us up;A carnal heart. Is that all? No, but we ſhall live in his ſight. It is an argument of a very carnal heart to be contented with low mercies, when a man will be put off with any thing: It pleaſeth God very well, when his people will not be put off with ſmal mercies:Caution. though it's true, we muſt be thankful for the leaſt merciemercy, and content with it in opp…ſition to murmuring, yet we muſt not reſt therewithal ſatisfied, but if thy faith be true, it wil expect more, and if it hath got a promiſe from God it wil improve it to the utmoſt extent that the promiſe wil bear, and when it hath one promiſe fulfilled it wil look out for the anſwering of another; we do not approve of ſuch a craving diſpoſition in a beggar, but God is much delighted with it in his people,
Gods people rejoyce much in this, That God ſees them, they Obſ. 6 have much comfort from Gods eye; whereas 'tis the greateſt terror to the Hypocriteshypocrits that God ſees them, that they are continually in Gods eye, Job, 24.17. If one know them they are in the terrors of the ſhadow of death, if man being a ſpectator is ſo terrible, how much more is Gods eye? It's no wonder they would fain hide themſelves from his preſence, for the face of the Lord is againſt them that do evil, but his eyes are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer; 1 Pet. 3.12. The Saints account it their priviledge that God ſees them, and it's a very good ſign of ſincerity, when the ſoul is not afraid that God ſhould ſee him, when the ſoul can look upon the cleer beams of the Sun of righteousneſs without dazeling,ſimile as the Eagle when ſhe would prove her young ones holds them up in the ſight of the Sun and if they can endure the ſhining and look upon it, then are they of the right Obſ. 7 kind.
It is the great care of the Saints to walk as in Gods ſight, and to have their eyes in Gods ſight, Pſal. 16.8. I have ſet the Lord alwaies before me, becauſe he is at my right hand I will not be moved, I will not fear, I have ſet him before me, this text is ſpoken chiefly of Chriſt as a Prophetical expreſſion of him.
And if Chriſt muſt be kept from falling, Uſe by ſetting the Lord alwaies before him, much more muſt we, not that he was in danger of falling as we are, but this is to be underſtood as that text is, he learned obedience by his ſufferings, he looking at God, helped him to obey and to ſtand in obeying; as the Apoſtle ſpeaks,2 Cor. 2. ult. What we ſpeak it is as in the ſight of God in Chriſt, that is, what we ſay, it is in the power and efficacy of Chriſt: but how comes this to paſs, that they thus preach? why as in the ſight of God? We thus preach, his power enables.
Obſ. 8 The eye of God upon his people is their ſafety, and ſecurity. The forenamed place teſtifies it, 1 Pet. 3.12. The eyes of the Lord are the ſafety and guard of the righteous; ſimileas a child thinks it ſelf ſafe if it be in the parents eye; ſo the Saints ſhould look upon themſelves very ſecure in the ſ…ght of God. A Philoſopher could ſay in danger of Shipwrack in a light ſtarry night,A notable ſpeech of an heathē in danger Surely I ſhall not periſh there are ſo many eyes of providence over me. Could a …hiloſopher ſay thus, and may not a Chriſtian ſay ſo much more, that he ſhall not periſh ſeeing Gods providential eye is over him?