Hosea 14

Fruit 4. Growth of Grace.] True grace is progressive, of a spreading growing nature; it is with grace as with the light, first there is the Crepusculum or day-break; then it shines brighter to the full meridian: A good Christian is like the Crocodile, Quam diu vivit, crescit, he…

What have we to do with sin? Is it not this, that if it does not break, yet will weaken the interest (Hosea 14:8)? What have I to do any more with idols?

Quest. What are the qualifications? Resp. 1. The spring of mercy which God shows, is free and spontaneous: to set up merit, is to destroy mercy; nothing can deserve mercy, or force it, we cannot deserve mercy, because of our enmity, nor force it; we may force God to punish us, n…

O the free grace of God, that he should parley with sinners, and set his wisdom and mercy to work to bring rebels into the bond of the covenant. 2. It is a covenant of grace, because it is a royal charter, all made up of terms of grace; that God will cast our sins behind his bac…

That they should be willing to hold a candle to a Mass-Priest, and bow down to a strange God. Let us not say, we will make a captain; but rather say as Ephraim (Hosea 14:8): What have I to do any more with idols? 3. If it be a mercy to be brought out of Egypt, then it is not des…

(Ezekiel 16:14) You were comely through my comeliness which I put upon you. If we bring forth any good fruit, it is not of our own growth, it comes from Christ the true vine (Hosea 14:8). From me is your fruit found.

Shall I sin against a gracious Father, and abuse that love which pardons me? (3.) The breaking off sin must be perpetual, so as never to have to do with sin any more (Hosea 14:8): "What have I to do any more with idols?" Repentance is a spiritual divorce, which must be till deat…

1. God's mercy is free: To set up merit is to destroy mercy; nothing can deserve mercy, because we are polluted in our blood, nor force it. We may force God to punish us, not to love us (Hosea 14:4): I will love them freely. Every link in the chain of salvation, is wrought and i…

A man does not call for a debt, when he has crossed the book. When God pardons a man, his former displeasure ceases (Hosea 14:4). My anger is turned away.

Query 1. If this be so, how is it that Christ put such a favorable construction upon the disciples' sleeping a third time when he had as often reproved them for it — Matthew 26:40-41? And how is it that we find in Scripture so many promises made not only to first sins but also t…

Mercy is his proper work: Why may not Mercy give the casting-voice? And that which may make us hope in this mercy, is, 1. The mercy of God is free. Hos. 14. 4. I will love them freely. Mercy sends out its pardons to whom it will; Mercy doth not go by desert, but by Prerogative,…

On a high and lofty mountain to set our bed (Isaiah 57:7). God must strew thorns and briars in our love-bed, and take Ephraim off his idols (Hosea 14:6), and from riding on horses, and make the soul as white and clean paper, that Christ may print a new lover on it. Therefore it'…

So that when men are willing to forego their honorable sins, their sweet and delightful sins, their profitable sins, and those with which they have been most captivated; and he knows one may as well pull their hearts out of their bellies, as some sins out of them; but when he se…

He that has the Son, he has life; not so, he that has the gifts and benefits of the Son: but Christ first, and in having Christ we have all. Christ must be received as God gives him, we must acknowledge there is no life in any grace, but in Christ (Hosea 14:8). On me is your fru…

And he is therefore called Jesus (Matthew 1:21). And notable is that expression (Hosea 14:2): Take away all our iniquities, and receive us graciously, so will we give you thanks. Thus they desire salvation from all their iniquities, and not so much salvation in the pardon of all…

And an Highway shall be there, and a Way, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness, the Unclean shall not pass over it. Hosea 14:9. The Ways of the Lord are right, and the Just shall walk in them; but the Transgressors shall fall therein.

And this is the growth of Trees and Plants. Hos. 14. 5, 6. I will be as the dew to Israel, he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his Roots as Lebanon, his branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the Olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

He applyes himself not to any thing but God, he applyes himself unto God. An eminent instance we have of it in both parts; or both to the one side and the other, Hosea 14:3. Ashur, say those poor distressed returning sinners, shall not save us, we will not ride upon Horses, neit…

And these three things which we have passed through, compose the frame and first actings of a gracious soul, rising from its depths. They are all of them signally expressed in that place where we have a signal recovery exemplified, Hosea 14:1, 2, 3, 4. And this makes way for the…

This is the first thing that a soul in its depths riss up unto: And it is a supportment for it; enabling it unto all present duties until consolation come from above. Thus has it been to, and with the saints of old, Hosea 14:3. Ashur shall not save us, we will not ride upon Hors…

And there are two things included in this duty,1. The Renuntiation of any hopes in expectation of deliverance either from sin or trouble, any other way; hope in Jehovah; this is frequently expressed, where the performance of this duty is mentioned; see Hosea 14:3. Jeremiah 3:22,…

Lebanon is a hill often mentioned in Scripture, excellent for beauty, and therefore Christ's countenance is compared (Song of Solomon 5:5) to it: Moses desired to see the goodly Lebanon (Deuteronomy 3:25). It was profitable for cedar-wood, and sweet in smell by the flowers that…

She answers them, though he be not present to sense, yet is he ever kind to his people, and therefore cannot but be kind to me, which makes me conclude, that though he be not present to sense, yet he is mine, and I am his. Believers are called Lilies often, 1. For their native b…

There was a general plague upon the heart, a more dangerous infection, and deadly plague of sin, before there was sent a plague upon the body; there was a fire of various lusts which was kindled, and did burn in the bosom, [reconstructed: sometimes] issuing out flames at the doo…

God delights, says Solomon, in them that deal truly, but lying lips are an abomination to him (Proverbs 12:22). Lying was one sin of Israel, for which their land did mourn (Hosea 14:2, 3). And God threatens to give all liars their part in that lake which burns with fire and brim…

The Lord is a jealous God, and will not hold them guiltless that thus profane his name: their wit, and learning, and figure in the world, may embolden them in their sin, and bear them up a while in an open defiance of all that is sacred, but nothing can prevent their utter ruin…

First, it is only the rational creature that knows any thing that is beyond this season: this is the excellency of a rational creature, that it has any notion about any thing that is eternal: Now that God has made us of such a nature, and no creature else, but us, and Angels, su…

Rest no longer satisfied in it, but look out for a Christ also. What though I be a vile, unworthy wretch? yet he promiseth to love freely, Hosea 14:4. and invites such as are heavy laden to him, Matthew 11:28. Hence also should the gracious Soul reflect sweetly upon it self afte…

Supposing himself in the jaws of death, rolling into the grave through innumerable troubles, yet he found more sweetness in God, than in a long life, under its best and most noble considerations, attended with all enjoyments that make it pleasant and comfortable. From both these…

It views also legal righteousness, blamelessness before men, uprightness of conversation, duties upon conviction, and concludes of all as Paul does in Philippians 3:8: doubtless I count all these things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. So also do…

In some it is more large and more effectual than in others — indeed in some persons more at one time than another. Hence are those dyings, decays, ruins, recoveries, complaints, and rejoicings of which such frequent mention is made in scripture, Psalm 51, Hosea 14:4. These thing…

Take an instance; suppose the wound and disquiet of the soul to be upon the account of relapses, which whatever the evil or folly be, though for the matter of it never so small, yet there are no wounds deeper than those that are given the soul on that account, nor disquietments…

If you cannot say, Father, yet plead fatherless. (Hosea 14:3) In you the fatherless find mercy. Come as poor, helpless, shiftless creatures; seek peace and reconciliation with God in Christ.

I shall give you directions, 1. About our words | In prayer. | 2. About our thoughts | 3. About our affections | First, about our words; there is a use of them in prayer, to excite, and convey, and give vent to affection: Hosea 14:2: Take with you words, and turn to the Lord, an…

Or as the sea, whatever comes into it, the sweet rivers and droppings of the clouds, turns all into salt water. (Hosea 14:9) Who is wise, and he shall understand these things; prudent, and he shall know them: but the transgressors shall stumble therein. As right excellent and as…

Now a renewed man should do more, being capable of more. 4. The outward act of a duty is commanded as well as the inward, though they come not up to the nature of a perfect duty, there is somewhat of the ordinance of Christ in them (Hosea 14:2). Take with you words, and turn to…

A man grows more prudent, and more able to guide his course according to the rules of religion, faith is opposed not only to ignorance but to folly; O you fools and slow of heart to believe. A man may be a knowing man, yet a very fool in spirituals, if he has not a knowledge how…

Secondly, they who are received to favor still need mercy to pardon failings (Galatians 5): the best are but sanctified in part, and have the dregs of corruption always remaining, and frequently stirring in them. Use: Let us thus deal with God (Hosea 14:3): Take with you words,…

They agree that we use our voice in thanksgiving as we do also in praise, for they are both said to be the fruit of our lips. What is in the Prophet Hosea (Hosea 14:2), calves of our lips, is in the Septuagint the fruit of our lips. And they both agree that they are a sacrifice…

Therefore besides the general rule, the knowledge of God's will, it is necessary to have the gift of discretion, when particulars are clothed with circumstances. There is an infinite variety of circumstances which requires a deal of prudence to determine them: a man may easily d…

A winnowing storm may be sent to this purpose; we think our faith and resolution strong, now God will try how we can stand alone. And partly to drive us to God — with you the fatherless find mercy (Hosea 14:3); (Psalm 60:11): Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of ma…

Man's mercy is large when it reaches to seven times — what is God, then, that reaches to more than seventy times seven in a day! (Matthew 18:21). When good men have prayed, "Lord, forgive them not" (Isaiah 2:9; Jeremiah 18:23), yet God has pardoned: and when himself was so put t…

Here then is the great danger of being almost a Christian, he is liable to this dreadful unpardonable sin. 6. This being but almost a Christian subjects us to apostasy, he that gets no good by walking in the ways of God, will quickly leave them, and walk no more in them; this I…

And thus we are put beyond any principle of our own, or to be the beginners of our own work, by anything we have in ourselves, which cuts the sinews of the Covenant of Works; and here many times God will bring us to our beginnings, to the bare board, even to leave our souls with…

If Christ pass by, in conference, in communion, in public or private, in set seasons, or such as could not be expected; whereby the healing virtue of the blood of Christ may be dispensed, they greedily repair there: and if the question be what would you have? the answer of the s…

(Isaiah 43:[illegible]): I will blot out your sins for my name's sake; here [illegible] no Qualifications, you will say, whereas if you [illegible] but look into some verses of the chapter going [illegible], as verse 20, he speaks to his People, His [illegible], these are said […

The Lord therefore that he might wholly [reconstructed: dash] these dreams, and take off these [reconstructed: carnal] thoughts, he puts it beyond all question and doubt by a [reconstructed: plain repetition] to the contrary, 'He that has no money; that is, no spiritual [reconst…

He who is spiritually adopted has now no more to do with sin. Ephraim shall say, 'What have I to do any more with idols?' (Hosea 14:8). A child of God has indeed to do with sin — as with an enemy against which he does battle — but not as with a lord to whom he yields obedience.

Dead things do not grow; a picture will not grow; a hypocrite, who is but a picture of religion, does not grow. A good Christian grows in love to Christ, in humility, in good works (Psalm 92:12; Hosea 14:5): he shall grow as the lily, his branches shall spread. When the Spirit o…

As sin made us sick, so it made us poor; so Christ came as a physician not out of hope to receive anything from us, but prompted by his own goodness. I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely (Hosea 14:4). Love set Christ to work — not only his Father's commission,…