Sermon 6- I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away - Hosea 14:4-5
THE SIXTH SERMON
I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away. I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his root as Lebanon.—HOS. 14:4, 5.
IT was a good speech of St Austin, 'Those that are to petition great persons, they will obtain some who are skilful, to frame their petitions; lest by their unskilfulness they provoke anger, instead of carrying away the benefit desired.' So it is here with God's people, being to deal with the great God, and not being able to frame their own petitions, God, as we heard before, doth it for them, and answers them graciously with the same mercies which he had suggested them to ask; his answer being exact to their petitions, 'I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely,' &c., wherein God exceeds all physicians in the world whatsoever. For they have nature to help them. Physic is the midwife of nature, helping it to do that which it cannot do itself. Physic can do nothing to a dead man. But God is so great a physician, that he first gives life, and after that spiritual life is in some degrees begun; by little and little he heals more and more. 'I will heal their backslidings.'
We have an error crept in amongst some of the meaner, ignorant sort of people, who think that God sees no sin when he hath once pardoned men in justification; who falsely smooth themselves in this wicked, sensual conceit, think they can commit no sin offensive to God; as though God should frame such a justification for men, to blindfold him, and cast dust, as it were, in his eyes; or justify men, to make them loose and idle. No; it is false, as appeareth by this place; for how can God heal that he sees not? He sees it not to be revenged on them for it; but he sees sin, to correct it and to heal it. He sees it not after a revengeful, wrathful justice, to cast us into hell and damn us for it; but he sees it after a sort, to make us smart and lament for
it, and to have many times a bitter sense of his wrath and forsaking, as men undone without a new supply of comfort and peace from heaven. Let a man neglect sanctification, daily sorrow and confession of sin, and now and then even craving new pardon for sins past, casting all upon a fantastic conceit of faith in their justification: what follows but pride, hardness of heart, contempt of others, and neglect of better than themselves, and proneness out of God's judgment, to fall from ill to worse, from one error to another? In this case the heart is false and deceitful. For whilst it pretends a glorious faith to look back to Christ, to live by faith, and lay all on him by justification, it winds itself out of all tasks of religion, sets the heart at liberty, neglects sanctification and mortification of lusts, and beautifying the image of God in them, giving too much way to the flesh. Therefore, away with this false and self-conceited opinion, which draws poison out of that which God speaks to confirm and stablish us, 'That he sees no iniquity in Jacob,' &c., Num. 23:21. Whence from these hyperbolical speeches, they think that God seeth not that which we ourselves see. But, 'He heals our backslidings,' therefore he sees them. For how can he heal a wound, if he see it not? He sees it, but not to their destruction who are freely justified by his grace. But we will leave this point, it being too much honour to them to spend time in confutation of it, and will rather say unto it, as Isaiah speaks of a menstruous cloth, 'Get thee hence,' Isa. 30:22.
Now as God is a most gracious God, never weary of well-doing and comforting his people, because it is his nature to be merciful, so he hath suitable expressions of it; he goes on with mercy upon mercy, lovingkindness upon lovingkindness. He had promised before, 'I will heal their backslidings,' take in sum all their apostasy, all shall be healed. But this is not all. He answers all the accusations and doubts of Satan, who is still objecting against us our unworthiness, misery, wretchedness to have such favours conferred on such filthy creatures. Therefore, he takes off all with this which followeth. As they had prayed, 'Receive us graciously;' so the answer is full, and suitable to their request, 'I will love them freely.'
Put case, they out of conscience of their own guilt should see no worth in themselves, or cause why they should be respected, yet I see reason in mine own love. 'I will love them freely.'
Quest. But may some say, How can God love freely?
Ans. Ask thyself. Doth not a father and mother love their child freely?
What doth the child deserve of the father and mother a great while?
Nothing. But the mother hath many a weary night and foul hand with it. Hath God planted an affection in us to love our children freely; and shall not God much more, who gives this love and plants it in us, be admitted to love freely? But indeed there is absurdity and infidelity in distrust. For it is against reason, to deny the mighty God that which we have in ourselves. If he did not love freely, how could he love us at all? What could he foresee in us to love for beforehand?
The very manhood of Christ deserved not the grace of union, it was freely given.
'I will love them freely.' That which, first of all, we observe hence is thus much, that God loves his people freely. So saith the apostle,
'God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us; much more being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him,' Rom. 5:8, 9. The like we have in Ezekiel. Saith God, 'Therefore, say unto the house of Israel,
Thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen whither ye went,' Ezek. 36:22. Adam when he had sinned that main, great sin, what did he? Fly from God, run away; and when God called to him, and debated the matter with him, he accused God, and excused himself, Gen. 3:12, 13. Yet for all this God pitied him, and clothed him, and made him that promise of the blessed seed. What desert was there here in Adam! nay, rather the quite contrary; yet God loved him freely. The same may be said of St Paul, for the time past a persecutor, what deserving was there in him? None at all; yet he found God's free love in his conversion; for, saith God to Ananias, 'He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my
name before the Gentiles,' Acts 9:15. Here was no deserving in St Paul, but God's free election, which in time took place, Acts 9:5. And so we may say of the prodigal, having spent all, his father pardoned all, and loved him freely, Luke 15:20.
Reason 1. The reason hereof is, because it is his name and nature to be gracious, and to love freely; and whatsoever is God's nature, that hath a freedom in the working.
Reason 2. Because no creature can deserve anything at God's hands.
(1.) Because by nature we are all God's enemies; and therefore what can enemies deserve? Nothing but wrath and vengeance. (2.) If we have any graces, they are the gift of God; and therefore we deserve nothing by them, they being of his own gift. So St James speaks,
'Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning,' James 1:17. And St Paul saith, 'That of him, and through him, and to him, are all things,' Rom. 11:36. What should follow hereupon? 'To him be glory for ever.'
Use 1. This, in the first place, serves for reproof of our adversaries of the Romish Church, who say that God loves us for something foreseen in us, which is good, or for somewhat which in time we would do to deserve favour at his hands. But both are false. The cause of love is free from himself; for, 'when we have done our best,' yet, saith the Holy Ghost, 'we are unprofitable servants.' Luke 17:10.
Use 2. Secondly, It is for reproof of God's own dear children, who, because they find no deserving in themselves, are therefore discouraged at the sight of their own unworthiness; whereas, quite contrary, the sight of our own unworthiness should make us the more fit subjects for Christ's free love, which hath nothing to do with them that stand upon deserving. Many of God's dear children are troubled with temptations, doubts, and fears of God's love and favour towards them, because they expect to find it in the fruits of grace, and not in free grace itself. If we would have any sound peace, let us
look for it in free grace. Therefore the blessed apostle, in the entrance of his salutations in his epistles, still joineth grace, and then peace, to shew us that if we look for sound peace, we can nowhere find it but in grace. We would find peace in the grace that is in us, but it is labour in vain, for we shall never find it but in free grace.
Use 3. Hence we may also be comforted in the certainty of our salvation; for that grace, and love, and favour, whereby we are saved, is in God, not in us. Now, whatsoever is in him is immutable and sure. So saith the apostle, 'Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his; and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity,' 2 Tim. 2:19. Where speaking of election, which comes from the free love of God, he makes that a sure foundation to build on. If there be a reformation 'to depart from iniquity,' we may be comfortably assured of our salvation. And as it is with election, so is it with all the other fruits of God's love: vocation, adoption, justification, and perseverance. The foundation of God, fastly sealed in the way of holiness, stands good and sure in all, Rom. 3:24; John
13:1.
Use 4. This further teacheth us thankfulness unto God, who hath so freely loved us; for if there were deserving on our part, what place were left for thankfulness? We know, one who deserves nothing, and hath small matters bestowed upon him, at least will be thankful for such favours. But when one is so far from deserving anything, that by the contrary he deserveth all plagues and punishments, hath yet many and abundant mercies bestowed freely upon him, this doth exceedingly provoke (especially a generous spirit) to a suitable thankfulness, as much as may be.
Use 5. And let it likewise breed confidence in us to God, in all our miseries, both for pardon of sin, help in distress, and comfort in sorrows, because he 'loves us freely,' and did love us whilst we were enemies. Make, therefore, upon all occasions, the apostle's use of it.
'For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the
death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life,' Rom. 5:10.
'I will love them freely.'
In the next place, from hence we observe another point, which necessarily followeth upon the former,—that God did not then begin to love them, when he said, 'I will love them freely;' but to discover that love unto them, which he carried unto them from all eternity.
For instance hereof, St Paul was beloved of God, ere God manifested his love unto him; as he testifieth to himself, that the discovery of this free love was, 'when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his son in me,'
&c., Gal. 1:15, 16. So the apostle blesseth God, in his salutation unto them, 'who had blessed them with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,' Eph. 1:3. But whence fetcheth he the ground hereof? 'According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unblameable before him in love,' verse 4. We need not multiply places more to prove it. Our adversaries would fain seem to clear God only in all,* and so shroud their arguments under such needless pretences, shift off all places, name we never so many, with their strong heads, distinctions, and sophisms. But God will one day give them no thanks for their labour: the will of God (how unequal soever in our eyes, who cannot with our shallow conceits sound the depth of such mysteries) being ground enough to justify all his actions whatsoever.
We will therefore come to some reasons of the point.
Reason 1. Because whatsoever is in God, manifested in time, is eternal and everlasting in him, without beginning and ending; for whatsoever is in God is God. God is not loving, but love, 1 John 4:8; and he is not only true, but truth itself, John 14:6. He is not wise only, but wisdom itself, 1 Cor. 1:24. And therefore his love, discovered in time, must needs be from all eternity.
Secondly, If God did then first begin to love us, when he manifested his love unto us, then there should be a change in God, because he should love them now that he did not formerly love. As we see, those who loved Paul after his conversion loved him not before. There was then a change in the church. In which case, if God should so love, he should be changeable, and so be like unto man.
Thirdly, And then, again, Christ's prayer, John 17, makes it clear that the love of God beginneth not with the manifestation thereof; for Christ there, knowing all the Father's secrets, as coming out of the bosom of the Father, intimates the contrary, where he makes one end of his prayer for them to be, 'That the world may know that thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me,' John 17:23. Now, how he loved
Christ is also shewed a little after, 'For thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world,' verse 24. Therefore the saints and children of God are loved with an everlasting former love, not beginning at that instant discovery thereof.
Use 1. The use hereof is, first of all, against those who measure God's love and favour by their own feeling, because, as God loved them before, so he loves them as well and as dearly still; when he hideth his face from them, as when he suffered his lovingkindness to shine most comfortably upon them. He loved Christ as dearly when he hanged on the tree, in torment of soul and body, as he did when he said, 'This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased,' Mat. 3:17; yea, and when he received him up into glory. The sun shineth as clearly in the darkest day as it doth in the brightest. The difference is not in the sun, but in some clouds which hinder the manifestation of the light thereof. So God loveth us as well when he shineth not in the brightness of his countenance upon us as when he doth. Job was as much beloved of God in the midst of his miseries as he was afterwards when he came to enjoy the abundance of his mercies, Job
42:7.
'I will love them freely,' &c.
The last point which we gather from hence, as a special ground of comfort, is this, That this free love and favour of God is the cause of all other mercies and free favours, whereby he discovereth his love unto us.
(1.) It is the cause of election, 'Even so, then, at this present time also there is a remnant, according to the election of grace,' Rom. 11:5. So (2.), For vocation. When the apostle had shewed that the Ephesians were saved by grace, he adds, 'That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus,' Eph. 2:7. He afterwards sheweth, when this grace began first to have being, 'For we are his workmanship, created unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk therein,' Eph. 2:10. (3.) Forgiveness of sins. 'In whom we have a redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.' Eph. 1:7. So (4.), For the grace of love. 'We love him because he loved us first,' 1 John 4:19. (5.) For justification and sanctification. It is said 'that Christ hath loved us.'
Why? 'For he hath washed us from our sins in his own blood,' Rev.
1:5; and St John saith, 'He hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father.' [1.] Kings to fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil. [2.] Priests to teach, instruct, reprove, and comfort ourselves and others by the word of God, and then to offer up the sacrifice of a broken heart, in prayers and praises. All comes from freedom of love. (6.) So every good inclination comes hence, 'for it is
God which worketh in us, both to will and to do of his good pleasure,'
Phil. 2:13. So (7.) Every good work. 'For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which he had before ordained that we should walk therein,' 'for by grace ye are saved,' saith he, 'through faith,' Eph. 2:8, 10. So (8.) For eternal life. The apostle sheweth, 'It is the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord,'
Rom. 6:23.
Use 1. This should teach us, in the first place, to be humbled, in that we are so miserable, naughty servants, doing so little work, nay,
nothing as we should, yet should have so good wages. But 'God loves us freely,' &c. It should rather humble us the more than puff us up in pride, in regard that there was nothing in us which might deserve anything at God's hand, 1 Cor. 4:7; Eph. 2:9.
Use 2. And hence also it followeth that if he loved us from everlasting with a free love, John 17:23, 24, in a sort as he loved Christ, that therefore the effects of his love towards us shall never fail, as the apostle sheweth, 'The gifts and calling of God are without repentance,' Rom. 11:29. Faith and repentance, being fruits of his love wrought in us, shall hold out. Therefore the weakness of these graces, as they shall not hinder our salvation, no more should they discourage us, or hinder the comfort of our profession; because that faith and repentance which we have is not any work of ours, but the work of God's free love in us. Therefore they shall be continued and accepted. For our perseverance doth not stand in this, that we have strength in ourselves to continue faithful to God, but because he, out of his free love, continueth faithful to us, and will never fail nor forsake them whom he hath once taken into his everlasting favour, on whom he hath set his everlasting free love, as the apostle speaks of Christ, 'Who also shall confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.' But upon what ground? 'God is faithful, by whom we were called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,' 1 Cor. 1:8, 9. So that if any of the elect should fall away, God should be unfaithful. The case in perseverance is not how faithful we are, but how faithful God is, who 'guides us here with his counsel in all things, and afterwards receiveth us into glory,' Ps. 73:24. So in another place, after the apostle had prayed, 'Now the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.' What maketh the ground of this his prayer? 'Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it,' 1 Thess. 5:23, 24.
Use 3. If, then, we would have God to manifest his free love to us, let us strive to be obedient to his commandments, and stir up our hearts
by all means to love him who hath so freely loved us.
Quest. Now, how should we manifest our love toward God?
Ans. First, in loving his word, as Ps. 19. and Ps. 119. Secondly, in loving his people, 1 John 5:1, 2. Thirdly, in longing for and loving his second coming, Rev. 22:20.
Now followeth the reason of the discovery of this free love shewed now in time to them.
'For mine anger is turned away from him.'
Here is the third branch of God's answer to their petition,' Mine anger is turned away from him,' which is included and implied in the former, 'I will heal their backsliding.' How could he do this if he were angry? No; he saith, 'I will love them freely,' which argues that his anger was appeased. God knoweth that variety of words and expressions are all little enough to raise up and comfort a doubting, wounded, galled soul, which, when it is touched with a sense of sin and of his displeasure, cannot hear words enough of comfort. This
God knows well enough, and therefore he adds expression upon expression, 'I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for mine anger is turned away from him.' The soul which is touched with the sense of wrath, and defiled with the stains of sin's dreadful impressions, receives all this cheerfully, and more too. Therefore, in such cases we must take in good part the largeness of God's expressions, 'For mine anger is turned away from him.' To unfold the words, therefore, Anger is the inward displeasure which God hath against sin, and his purpose to punish it, accompanied with threatenings upon his purpose, and execution upon his threatenings. The point to be observed in the first place is, That there is anger in God against sin.
We need not stand to prove the point, it is so manifest to every man.
The Scripture is copious in it. If we consider either judgments executed upon sinners, threatenings against sin, or the saint's complaining of it, as Ps. 74:1, Job 42:7, Ps. 6:1, Ps. 90:11, Ps. 38:1, 3,
Isa. 63:6, with many the like places, prove that there is anger in God against sin. We will rather see the reason of it.
Because there is an antipathy betwixt him and sin, which is contrary to his pure nature. Sin, as it opposeth God, so it is contrary unto him; and, indeed, sin would turn him out of his sovereignty. For what doth a man, when he sins wittingly and willingly, but turn God out of his government, and causes the devil to take up God's room in the heart? When a man gives way to sin, then the devil rules, and he thinks his own lusts better than God's will, and his own carnal reason in contriving of sin above God's wisdom in his word; therefore, he is a proud rebel. Sin is such a kind of thing, that it labours to take away
God; for it not only puts him out of that part of his throne, man's heart, but for the time a man sins, he could wish there were no God to take vengeance of him. Can you wonder, therefore, that God is so opposite to that which is so opposite to his prerogative royal as sin is?
The truth is, God is angry with nothing else but with sin, which is the only object of his anger. That which foolish persons make a trifle and sport of, swearing, filthy speaking, and lying, is the object of God's anger, Ps. 14:1. For this offence of sin he did not spare the angels of heaven, 2 Pet. 2:4, but tumbled them thence, never to return again.
Sin also thrust Adam out of paradise, Gen. 3:23, and made God angry with him and the whole world, so as to destroy it with a flood of water, Gen. 6:13, and will at last make him burn and consume all with a deluge of fire, 2 Pet. 3:12. Yea, it made him in a sort angry with his own dear Son, when he underwent the punishment of sin as our surety, so that he cried out, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' Mat. 27:46. If God thus shewed his anger against sin, in punishing it in Christ our surety, who was made sin for us, and yet had no sin in himself, how will he punish it much more in those who
are not in Christ? Those who stand in their own sin and guilt, what will become of them? So that God is angry with sin, and with nothing else.
The second thing we gather from this, where he saith, 'My anger is turned away from him,' God's anger being taken especially for judgments, is, That God's anger is the special thing in afflictions.
They come from his anger, as hath been shewed. Therefore he saith, 'I will take mine anger from you,' whereby he means judgments, the effect of his anger. For in the Scriptures anger is ordinarily taken for the fruits and effects of God's anger, which are terrible judgments, as we may see, Deut. 29:20, and so in many other places.
Quest. [Why are] judgments, then, called God's anger?
Ans, 1. Because they issue from his anger and displeasure; for it is not the judgments, but the anger in them, which lies heavy upon the soul. When they come from God's anger, they are intolerable to the conscience: else, when we suffer ill, knowing that it is not from God's anger, but for trial of our graces, or for exercise, we bear it patiently.
Therefore God saith, 'Mine anger is turned away from him:' for this, unremoved, embittereth every cross, though it be never so small. Let
God's anger be upon a man, and he will make a conceit, a very light thing, to be as a heavy cross upon him, and vex him both in body and state more than mightier crosses at some other time shall. Will you see this in one instance, where God threatened his own dear people thus: 'And the Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emrods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed,' Deut. 28:27. What! is a scab, and an itch, and the like, such a terrible judgment, which in these days is set so light by? O yes! When it comes with God's displeasure; when the least scratch is set on fire by God's anger, it shall consume us, it proves uncurable, as there it is threatened: 'whereof thou canst not be healed.' When the
vermin came in God's anger upon that hardhearted king, all Pharaoh's skill, and his magicians' skill, could not beat them out, because, as they confessed, 'this was the finger of God,' Exod. 8:19.
Let any thing come as a messenger of God's anger, it comes with vengeance, and sticks to the soul, like a 'fretting leprosy,' Lev. 14:45,
46, which, when it entered into a house, many times could not be gotten out again with pulling out stones, or scraping them, till the house were demolished. So, when God's anger is raised and kindled against a person, you may remove this and that, change place and company, and use of helps; yet it will never leave fretting till it have consumed him, unless it be removed by repentance. If it be never so small a scratch or itch, all the physic in the world shall not cure it.
For as the love of God makes all other things in God comfortable unto us, so it is his anger which makes all his attributes terrible. As, for his power, the more he loves me, the more he is able to do me good. But otherwise, the more he is angry and displeased, the more his other attributes are terrible. If he be wise, the more he will find out my sins: if he be powerful and angry, the more he can revenge himself on me. Is he angry and just? the more woe to me. So there is nothing in God when he is angry, but it is so much the more terrible.
For this puts a sting in everything: which, when it is removed out of malignant creatures armed with a sting, then they are no more hurtful. The sting of every evil and cross, is God's anger and wrath.
This being removed, nothing hurts. All crosses then are gentle, mild, tractable, and medicinal, when God hath once said, 'For mine anger is turned away from him.' After that's gone, whatsoever remaineth is good for us, when we feel no anger in it. What is that which blows the coals of hell, and makes hell hell, but the anger of God, seizing upon the conscience? This kindles Tophet, and sets it a-fire like a river of brimstone, Isa. 30:33. Therefore this is a wondrous sweet comfort and encouragement when he saith, 'For mine anger is turned away from him.' Whence, in the next place, we may observe,
That God will turn away his anger upon repentance.
When there is this course taken, formerly mentioned, to turn unto the Lord and to sue for pardon, to vow reformation, 'Asshur shall not save us,' and a thorough reformation of the particular sin; and when there is wrought in the heart faith to rely on God's mercy, as the 'Father of the fatherless,' in whom they 'find mercy,' then God's anger is turned away. God, upon repentance, will turn away his anger. The point is clear. We see, when the Lord hath threatened many grievous judgments and plagues for sin, one upon the neck of another, denounced with all variety of expressions in the most terrible manner; yet, after all that thundering, Deut. 28 and 29, it follows, 'And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessings and the curses, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, and shalt return unto the Lord thy
God, &c.; that then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee,' &c., Deut. 30:1, 2, 3. After repentance, you see the promise comes presently after; not that the one is the meritorious cause of the other; but there is an order of things. God will have the one come with the other. Where there is not sense of sin and humiliation, and thence prayer to God for pardon, with reformation and trusting in his mercy, there the anger of God abides still. But where these are, 'his anger is turned away.' God hath established his order, that the one of these must still follow the other.
Another excellent place to the forenamed, we have in the Chronicles, 'If my people that are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray,' (as they did here in this chapter, 'take words unto yourselves') 'and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,' 2
Chron. 7:14; as they did here, 'Asshur shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses,' &c. We will no more rely on the barren false helps of foreign strength. What then? 'I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land,' 2 Chron. 7:14. Here is the promise, whereof this text is a proof. So in all the prophets there is a multiplication of the like instances and promises; which we will not stand upon now, as not being controversial. It is God's name so to do, as we may see in that well known place of Exodus. 'Jehovah,
Jehovah, God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin,' &c., Exod. 34:6, 7. And so it is said, 'At what time soever a sinner repents himself of his sins from the bottom of his heart, I will put all his sins out of my remembrance, saith the Lord God,' Hebrews 8:12. The Scripture is plentiful in nothing more; especially it is the burden of Ezek. 18 and 33, forgiveness of sins, and removal of wrath upon repentance.
And for example. See one for all the rest. Let the greater include the lesser. Manasseh was a greater sinner than any of us all can be; because he was enabled* with a greater authority to do mischief, (all which no private man, nor ordinary great man, is capable of, not having the like power); which he exercised to the full in all manner of cruelty, joined with other gross and deadly sins; and yet the Scripture shews that, upon his humiliation and praying, he found mercy. God turned away his anger, 2 Chron. 33:12, 13.
That of the prodigal is a parable also fitted for this purpose, who had no sooner a resolution to return to his father, Luke 15:23. Filius timet convitium, &c. The son fears chiding; the father provides a banquet.
So God doth transcend our thoughts in that kind. We can no sooner humble ourselves to pray to him heartily, resolving to amend our ways and come to him, but he lays his anger aside to entertain terms of love and friendship with us. As we see in David, who was a good man, though he slubbered over the matter of repentance, all which while God's hand was so heavy upon him, that his moisture was turned into the drought of summer, he roaring all the day long, Ps.
32:3, 4. But when once he dealt throughly in the business, and resolved, 'I will confess my transgression unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.' Let our humiliation be real and thorough, with prayer for pardon, and purpose to reform, and presently God will shew mercy.
The reason is clear, because it is his nature so to do. His nature is more inclined to mercy than anger. For him to be angry, it is still
upon supposition of our sins. But to be merciful and gracious, it always proceeds from his own bowels, whether we be sinners or not.
Without all supposition, God is still merciful unto whom he will shew mercy. 'Who is a God like unto thee,' saith the prophet, 'that pardoneth iniquity? he passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage, and retaineth not his anger for ever; because he delighteth in mercy.' Things naturally come easily, without pain; as beams from the sun, water from the spring, and as heat from fire; all which come easily, because they are natural. So mercy and love from God come easily and willingly. It is his nature to be gracious and merciful. Though we be sinners, if we take this course here, as the church doth, to pray and be humbled, then it will follow, 'Mine anger is turned away from him.' The use is, First, to observe God's truth in the performance of his gracious promises, who, as he makes gracious promises to us, so he makes them good. His promise is, 'If we confess our sins, he will forgive them and be merciful,' Prov. 28:13. So here he says, 'Mine anger is turned away.' As they confess, so he is merciful to forgive them. It is good to observe the experiments* of God's truth. Every word of God is a shield, that is, we may take it as a shield. It is an experimental truth, whereby we may arm our souls. This is an experimental truth, that when we are humbled for our sins, God, he will be merciful unto our sins, and allay his anger, as it is in this text. Therefore it is said,
'Those that know thy name will trust in thee, for thou never failest those who put their trust in thee,' Ps. 9:10. Let us then open our hearts unto God, and confess our sins unto him; and if we resolve amendment, we shall find the truth of his gracious promises. He will turn aside his anger, and will never fail us, if we put trust in him.
'The name of the Lord is a strong tower, and the righteous fly to it and are safe,' Prov. 18:10. This name of mercy, grace, and favour, is a strong tower to distressed consciences. Let us therefore remember to fly unto it, when our consciences are awaked and distressed with sin, and sense of God's displeasure. Seeing these kinds of promises are as a city of refuge, let us run unto them, and we shall not be pulled from the horns of this altar, as Joab once was from his, 1 Kings 2:28; but
shall at all times find grace and mercy to help us at the time of need.
It is a comfortable point, 'Mine anger is turned away from him.'
Quest. But it may be said, How is God's anger turned away from his children, when they feel it ofttimes after in the course of their lives?
Ans. The answer is, that there is a double anger of God, whereby we must judge of things, for either it is, 1. Vindicative; or, 2. Fatherly anger.
God, ofter our first conversion, he removeth his vindicative anger, after which, though sometimes he threaten and frown upon us, yet it is with a fatherly anger, which God also removes, with the shame and correction attending it, when we reform and amend our wicked ways.
There is, 1. A child of anger; 2. A child under anger.
God's children are never 'children of wrath,' Eph. 2:3, and anger, after their first conversion. But sometimes children under wrath, if they make bold with sin, so as they cannot use their right of sonship, to go boldly to the throne of grace. Because then, though they have the right of fear,* they conceive of God as angry with them, and cannot use it, so long as they live in any sin against conscience, and so continue, until they reform and humble themselves, as the church doth here; after which they can and do rejoice again, claim their right, and are not either children of wrath, or under wrath. David, after he had sinned that foul sin, Ps. 51 was a child under wrath, not a child of wrath. So, if we make bold to sin, we are children under wrath, for ofttimes God begins correction at his own house, if there be any disorder there, 1 Pet. 4:17. You know God was so angry with Moses, that he was not suffered to enter into the land of Canaan,
Num. 20:12. And David, when he had numbered the people, God was angry with him, 2 Sam. 24:1; and with the Corinthians also, for unreverent receiving of the Lord's Supper, 1 Cor. 11:30. But here is a course prescribed to remove his fatherly anger, and to enjoy the beams of his countenance, and sunshine of his favour in Christ. If we
humble ourselves, confess our sins, and fly unto him, as the church here doth, then we shall find this made good, 'For mine anger is turned away from him.' But it may be asked,
Quest. In times of affliction, how may we know God's anger to be removed, when yet we endure the affliction?
Ans. The answer is, that God is infinitely wise, and in one affliction hath many ends; as, 1. When he afflicts them, it is to correct them for their sins; after which, when they have pulled out the sting of sin by confession and humiliation, if afflictions continue, his anger doth not continue.
2. Affliction sometimes is for an exercise of patience and faith, and trial of their graces, and for the exemplary manifestation to others of God's goodness to them.
But even then they may know that things come not in anger unto them by this; that after repentance God speaks peace unto their conscience; so that, though the grievance continue, it is with much joy in the Holy Ghost, and peace of conscience, in which case, the soul knows that it is for other ends that God continues it. Therefore the first thing in any affliction is, to remove away the core and sting thereof by humbling ourselves, as the church here doth, after which our consciences will be at peace for other things. God hath many ends in correcting us. He will humble us, improve our afflictions to the good of others, and will gain himself honour by our afflictions, sufferings, and crosses. When God hath shed abroad his love in our hearts by his Spirit, then we can rejoice in tribulation, and rejoice under hope, Rom. 5:5. Though the afflictions continue, because the sting is gone, anger is removed.
'For mine anger is turned away from him.'
The last point we observe from hence, and gather from all these general truths, is this,
Where there is not humiliation for sin, and hearty prayer to God, with reformation of our ways, flying unto God for mercy, who is merciful to the fatherless, there God's wrath continues.
For as where they are performed his anger is turned away, so must it needs follow, that where they are not performed, his anger continueth. Therefore, let us examine ourselves. The Spirit of God here speaks of 'healing backslidings,' and of 'turning away iniquity.'
Let us look well to ourselves, and to the present state of things, that our diseases be soundly cured, our personal diseases; and then let us be sensible of the diseases of the land, and pray for them. For there are universal diseases and sins of a kingdom, as well as personal.
And we are guilty of the sins of the times, as far as we are not humbled for them. Paul tells those who did not punish the incestuous person, 'Why are you not humbled rather for this deed?' 1
Cor. 5:2. Where there is a public disease, there is a public anger hanging over upon that disease; the cure whereof is here prescribed, to be humbled, as for ourselves, so for others. Therefore let us beware of sin (if we would shun wrath), especially of idolatry, or else we shall be sure to smart for it, as Ephraim did, of whom the Spirit of God saith, 'When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died,' Hosea 13:1. Ephraim had got such authority, what with his former victories, and by the signs of God's favour among them, that when he spake 'there was trembling,' and he 'exalted himself in Israel;' but when he 'offended once in Baal,' that is, when he became an idolater, 'he died.' It is meant of the civil death especially, that he lost his former credit and reputation. We see then the dangerous effects of sin, especially of idolatry. Wherefore let us fortify ourselves against it, and bless God that we live under such a gracious, just, and mild king, and good government, where there are such laws against this great sin especially, and beseech God long to continue his life and prosperity for our good amongst us. For use then.
Remember, when we are to deal with God, that he is the great Mover of all things; who, if he be angry, can overturn all things, and cross us
in all things; and can also heal us of all our diseases. But what must we do if we would be healed? We must take the course prescribed here, 'Take unto us words;' humble ourselves, and have no confidence in Asshur, munition, people, or in 'the works of our hands;' but trust in God, so shall we be happy and blessed.
Whatsoever our enemies be, yet if we can make God our rock, fortress, and shield, then it is no matter who be our enemies. 'If he be on our side, who can be against us?' Rom. 8:31. Let us all, ministers and all, reform ourselves, and stand in the gap, after the course here prescribed, and go to God in a right manner; so we may dissipate all the clouds of anger which may seem to hang over our heads, and find
God experimentally making this promise good to us, which he made then to his people, 'I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.'
Therefore let us do as Jacob did with Esau, when he came incensed with mighty displeasure against his brother. Jacob comes before him humbly, prostrates himself before him, and so turns away his anger,
Gen. 33:3. So when God is angry with us, and comes against us, let us humble ourselves before him to appease him. As Abigail quieted
David, by humbling herself before him, when he had a purpose to destroy her family, 1 Sam. 25:23, seq., so let us come before God in humility of soul, and God will turn away his anger. As when there was a great plague begun in the army, Aaron stood with his censer betwixt the living and the dead, offering incense and making atonement for them, whereby the plague was stayed, Num. 16:48; so in any wrath felt or feared, for ourselves or the State we live in, let every one hold his censer and offer the incense of prayer, 'Take with you words,' Rev. 8:4. God is wondrously moved to pity by the incense of these sweet odours offered up by Christ unto the Father. Believe it, it is the only safe course to begin in heaven. Such a beginning will have a blessed ending. Other courses, politic and subordinate helps must also be taken, but all is to no purpose, unless we begin in heaven; because all things under God are ruled and moved by him; who, when he is favourable, makes all the creatures pliable unto us,