A Wilderness of Trouble Leading to a Canaan of Comfort, Authors note
ADVERTISEMENT.
The Author being very remote from the Preſs, and not having ſeen the Sheets, 'tis likely ſome Errata's have eſcaped; which the Reader is entreated to Correct, or Pardon.
HOSEA 2.14.
Therefore, behold I will allure her, and bring her into the Wilderneſs, and ſpeak comfortably unto her.
THis, with the reſt of the Chapter, is no National Hiſtory, limited to the Body, as ſome temporal Felicity, conveyed in a Promiſe to that People; but an Evangelical Prophecy, extended to the Soul, diſcovering the means, and aſſuring everlaſting Beatitude to the Church, as under Grace. True it is, and from the Letter of the Text we may gather, that God was good and bountiful to Iſrael; but ungrateful Iſrael abuſed God's bounty. [As the fed Hawk forgets his Maſter, and as the Full Moon gets fartheſt from the Sun; ſo they forgat God, and wickedly departed from him; like ill Grounds, they caſt up Thorns where Roſes were planted; they printed the ſteps of Sin upon Divine Clemency]. Which moved the Lord to deprive her of his Bleſſings, and to ſend her into Captivity, by abſence to learn the worth of his Preſence, and to take good leave and leiſure to bewail her own Folly. [What can he do leſs than forget them, ſo they may remember him?] Where being oppreſs'd, and diſconſolate, as a mourning Widow, bereft of Friends, and means to relieve her, ſhe returns upon her ſelf, and complains unto God, who ſaw her Tears, heard her Cries, and brought her from Babylon to Canaan, turned all her ſighing into ſinging, and made her rejoice on that Bed which had ſoaked in Tears, and made to ſwim again, like David, Pſal. 6.6. Repentance can turn Croſſes into Comforts▪ and like the Philoſophers ſtone, make Golden Afflictions. But all this was for a further intent and purpoſe, even to ſet forth their Sin, ſpiritual Bondage, and the manner of Converſion. Under that, this was meant. And ſo the words are to be taken with the beſt Interpreters of the manner of God's dealing in the diſpenſation of his Grace to all in Covenant with him.
The ordinary Method which he obſerveth in beſtowing Grace upon Men converted after actual Sins, is here fully diſcovered.
Firſt, He convinceth all thoſe of their Sins, & that diſtinctly and throughly, whom he intends to convert; as the skilful Chirurgeon ſearcheth that Wound to the bottom, which he labours to heal. This may be gathered from the 2, 4, 5 verſ. Plead with your Mother, plead; for ſhe is not my Wife, neither am I her Husband. Let her therefore put away her Whoredoms out of her Sight, &c. As if the Lord ſhould take a Prodigal aſide, and ſay, Theſe and theſe, O Man, are thy Sins, thy Wantonneſs and Uncleanneſs, thy Oaths and Lies, thy Pride and Covetouſneſs; thus it is with thee; thou art the Man, that haſt abuſed my Bleſſings, profaned my Ordinances, and miſ-pent thy time, and which is worſt of all, haſt often refuſed Grace ſo ſeriouſly offered: ſtay now, and conſider it, what will be the end hereof? [God's Word is not like a Shadow, which repreſenteth obſcurely and confuſedly; but as a Glaſs, or rather a Picture, which ſetteth forth things in their diſtinct Lineaments]. Which Conviction is begun and finiſhed, in part by the Law, and in part by the Goſpel, as in the Sequel will appear.
Secondly; He threatneth and denounceth deſerved Judgments, if they ſtill perſiſt and go on in their ſinful Practices; in verſ. 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Therefore, behold I will hedge up thy Way with Thorns, and make a Wall, that ſhe ſhall not find her Paths. Therefore will I return, and take away my C…rn in the time thereof, &c. i. e. Except thou accept of Grace, now in this thy day, except thou repent and turn to me, I will purſue thee with variety of Rods, both privative and poſitive, and will never leave thee, till thou be amended or confounded. It is Sin and Obſtinacy that putteth Thunderbolts into God's hand, and provoketh him to do his Work, his ſtrange Work; and to bring to paſs his Act, his ſtrange Act.
Thirdly; He proceedeth to ſome melting Promiſes, in the 14 verſ. and others following; like Sun-ſhine after a boiſterous Storm, or ſome purling Dew after a waſting heat, or refreſhing Spring after a nipping Winter. The Sun of Righteouſneſs never loves to ſet in a Cloud. I will give her the Valley of Achor for a Door of Hope: I will make a Covenant for them with the Beaſts of the Field, &c. The meaning whereof is thus much: If both the former ways, viz. of Conviction and Affliction, ſhall prove ineffectual, (as indeed they would, if the Lord ſhould leave them there, and go no further,) if neither prevail to bring thee home unto me, rather than thou ſhouldeſt remain ſtill in the State of Nature, or in the Wilderneſs of Legal Terror, but almoſt converted; or elſe after thy Confirmation of a League and Covenant with me, ſhould'ſt totally and finally apoſtatize; I will take the whole Buſineſs into my own hand, and go one ſtep further with thee, uſing ſuch means as work infallibly, and never fail: I will allure her into the Wilderneſs, &c.
Wherein are three things to be explained, all tending to the Confirmation of the Propoſition laid down in the beginning, viz.