when God's people follow after other lovers, originally entitled Certain Observations upon Hosea, the second chapter. Hosea chapter 2, verses 7 and 8. Though she follow after her lovers, she will not come at them. Though she seek them, she will not find them. Then she will say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better with me than now, for she did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. The Lord intending to set forth His own majesty and greatness, together with His love and goodness to the world, makes choice of a people, whom in special He displays His glory before, and makes known His love and goodness unto. Amongst the rest of God's ends and designs which He hath in so doing, this is one that He makes known to us, namely, that they might declare and hold forth these excellencies of God to the world, which people were the children of Israel, as appears in Amos chapter 3 and verse 2. That these might excel above others, he makes covenant with their fathers and them, Genesis chapter 17 and verse 7, and therefore claims a special interest in them, expecting appears by Deuteronomy chapter 14, verses 1 and 2, where Moses tells them, You are the children of the Lord your God, for thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen you to be a precious people unto himself above all the people that are upon the earth. as if he should say, You are the particulars of my love, and therefore I would have you be particular in your chariots, and that there might be nothing wanting on God's part to make them complete herein. He therefore gives his laws unto Jacob, and his statutes unto Israel, not dealing so with any other nation. Psalm 147, verses 19 and 20. But now he having planted this noble vine, he expects fruit proportionate to the means. But behold and see how soon they degenerated and fell from God, and followed the inventions of their own brains, spirits, for no sooner was the ten tribes rent from Rehoboam to Jeroboam, but they were rent from the possession of God's truth, to the following of Baal, which was occasioned by the subtle counsel of Jeroboam, who having gotten a kingdom, thought to keep it by his own policy, rather than going in a way of truth. For if we look into the book of the kings, we shall find there that that which was the great masterpiece of policy proved to be the great masterpiece of his misery, and the truth of God herein appearing to be made good, which is well specified by the apostle in Romans chapter 8 and verse 7, where he states that the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God. But to come as briefly as I can into the things intended in the words, You shall find, therefore, after their apostasy from God, the Lord is pleased to walk in a course of means towards them, which means was the sending of his prophets among them, to discover their evil to them, so that they might be reduced into their former state and condition. Amongst the rest of these prophets, Hosea was one, who doth in this first and second chapter declare unto them their sin, as likewise the threatenings of God against them for that sin, and that he might not bestow labor in vain, there is therefore in verses 6 and 7 of the second chapter declared a special means that God took which should take effect to reclaim some of them to himself. The means is laid down in the sixth verse and further amplified in the seventh. In the sixth, he saith he will stop her way, he will hedge up her path, and whereas it might be objected, though they may be stopped and hedged up, yet love will make men leap through hedges and dishes, there is to this objection in answer made in verse seven. though she does follow her lovers, she will not come at them. As if he should say, they shall not be left so much as a probability or possibility of means to come at them. So that in this seventh verse, we may observe these four things. Number one, the strength of these people's spirits in clinging to her lovers, expressed in these words, following after them and seeking them. 2. The means which the Lord here uses to reclaim her from them, expressed in these words, though she doth seek them, she will not find them. She shall be disappointed of her ends herein. 3. The effects that this means wrought by the blessing of God upon it, expressed in these words. Then she will say, I will return to my first husband. 4. Here is laid a main motive or consideration that wrought upon her spirit, expressed in the latter clause of this verse. For then, says she, it was better with me than now. From the former part of the words we may observe thus much, namely, that there is an aptness of spirit even in men professing religion, which are in the visible church of God, to forsake God, to follow other lovers, other gods. This we shall see plainly proved to us if we do but a little examine the Scriptures. Jeremiah chapter 2 and verse 13. The Lord there complains, My people have committed two evils. They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to dig them pits. even broken pits that will hold no water. We see here those that God owned for His people, even these forsake Him. But before we further prove it, some may object and say, but what is it to forsake God? Or how and when may men be said to forsake God? I answer that usually in scripture men are said to forsake God when they forsake the law of God, the commandments of God, or the worship of God. And therefore saith the Lord to Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 31 and verse 6, This people will rise up and go a-whoring after the gods of a strange land, and will forsake me and break my covenant which I have made with them. As if he should say, by breaking my covenant they forsake me. And so in Joshua chapter 24 and verse 20, Judges 10, 10-13, 1 Samuel 8, 8, 2 Chronicles 13, 11. All which scriptures prove that a people in outward covenant with God have forsaken God, and that then they are said to forsake God when they forsake the worship of God. Now I come to the reasons how it comes to pass that such an aptness of spirit doth appear. Reason number one, because the terms which other gods propound are more suitable unto men's carnal reasonings than the terms propounded by the Lord. Therefore we read in Ezekiel chapter 5 and verse 23, and Ahola played the harlot when she was mine. and she was set on fire with her lovers. And the reason is given in verse 6, which were clothed with blue silk, and so indeed that preferment and honor which is held unto men by the hand of the whore as a cup of gold draws all men, high and low, rich and poor, to commit spiritual fornication with her. Whereas the terms which the Lord of heaven tenders to men, if they will follow Him, is that they must suffer for his name's sake, and that foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not whereupon to lay his head, the consideration of which terms makes men many times turn off the profession of Jesus Christ, When tribulations or afflictions come, men are offended, Matthew chapter 13 and verse 1. Reason number two, such an aptness of spirit doth appear because men have more conversements with other gods. The hearts of men naturally have more commerce with the world and sin. And so with the worship set up by the men of the world, rather than with God and the things of God, and certainly where a man's thoughts are, there is his love and delight. For where the treasure is, there will be the heart. And therefore saith the Apostle, Demas hath forsaken us, and embraced this present world. As if the Apostle should say, he hath considered things beforehand concerning the world, and hath found by his conversements with it that the world is good, and therefore now he hath embraced this present world, he hath given up the strength of his heart and affections to it. Whereas on the contrary, when the soul begins to have his thoughts pitched upon God, and hath his spirit raised up to behold the loveliness and glory, fullness and excellency that is in Christ Jesus, The soul upon these considerations closes with Christ, embraces Christ, and faith concerning Him, as the church saith in the like case concerning Christ. In Pentacles chapter 1 and verse 12, a bundle of mirth is my well-beloved to me, he shall lie all night between my breasts. O saith the soul, Christ shall have the chiefest seat of residence in my heart, and his laws shall bear sway in my life, what though I am imprisoned, reproached, disgraced, counted a rebellious person, one that troubleth the state, Yet this is no trouble at all unto such a heart, for he looks up to Christ, desiring with him to endure the cross and despise the shame. But on the contrary, men's hearts being set upon the creature, and their desires being set upon the excellencies here, reject the excellency of Jesus Christ and the profession of His truth. Reason number three, men in an external covenant with God, Those that God owns as His may fall back and degenerate, because men, and even they which have more in them than men, even the saints of God themselves, do neglect their spiritual watch. They suffer their spirits to wander. And then it's no marvel that he who wanders up and down the whole earth, seeking whom he may devour, doth meet with this wandering spirit, and turn it out of the way. And so we see David's eyes wandering upon Bathsheba, and Nathan soon caught him in a snare, as you may see in 2 Samuel 11, verse 2 and 4. These, with many other reasons, might be laid down for the confirmation of this truth, but I judge these will suffice. The second thing observable from the words is the means itself used by God to reduce them to their former state. Laid down in these words, though she seek after her lovers, she will not come at them. As if he should say, I will take a sure course with them to reclaim them to myself. Though she do go a-whoring after her lovers, and follow other gods, and loveth so to do, she shall not find them. That is, she shall find no content nor satisfaction in them, as formerly she hath done. From which we may observe that when God intends to do any soul's good, either to reclaim them from a fallen condition, or to bring persons to the knowledge of Himself, The usual way that he takes herein is to discover to them the emptiness and insufficiency of all things that is here below, as not being able to give any content or satisfaction to the soul. There is something of this truth, methinks, appearing in verse fourteen of this chapter, where the Lord saith, I will bring her into the wilderness. Now we know a wilderness condition is a condition destitute of all help. Nothing is to be found herein but wild beasts ready to devour. No help is to be expected in the wilderness from it. So indeed, men are brought into a wilderness condition, having neither penny nor penny's worth. As the prophet saith, Isaiah chapter 55 and verse 1, then is God pleased to speak comfort to his people, and then does he cause them to look upwards. But for further proof, see Jeremiah chapter 3 and verse 23. See they're the ground of their return to God. Truly they say, The hope of hills is but vain, nor the multitude of mountains. What then, but in the Lord our God is the health of Israel?" So in Ecclesiastes 1, verses 1 and 2, Solomon, after his setting his heart to find out contentment in the creature, and after his following other gods, and forsaking the Lord who had appeared twice unto him, you will find upon his return, this is the account that he leaves behind him. All is vanity and vexation of spirit. And the reason why God takes such a course with men is because while the soul sees any fullness in anything in heaven or earth whereby to lean to besides Christ, it will fasten at the horns of that altar, be it what it will, and never make any further search or inquiry after Christ. The carriage of the soul in this case is like the carriage of Jacob in another, for while there was corn in Canaan, Jacob never thinks nor mentions going into Egypt. But when there was none there, then saith old Jacob in Genesis chapter 42 and verse 2, Why gaze ye one upon another, seeing there is corn in Egypt? So indeed, while there is any food to be got for the soul here below, it looks no higher. And therefore it is that the Lord is pleased to cut off all springs of comfort and peace, to be found from anything here below, so that the soul may see Jesus Christ to be He who has all the wellsprings of comfort and peace and joy and refreshment to the soul. Use number one. Let us from the consideration of this doctrine examine our spirits and see how our hearts stand affected or what our spirits is fraught with, whether with high conceits of the world and of the excellency and fullness and glory of it, or whether with the excellent fullness and goodness that is in Jesus Christ. Certainly this is an undoubted truth, that if any man loved the world, the love of the Father is not in them. Let them profess what they will. Therefore it behooves every man to look about him, and see whether God hath ever yet made this discovery to his soul, namely, that all the things of the world are empty and poor and weak, not able to give out the least gram of true comfort to the soul. Therefore I beseech you, let us again ask our hearts this question, as Christ did in the life case. Are we able to drink of the cup that Christ hath drunk of, and to be baptized with the baptism that Christ is baptized with? We do not know what employment Christ may put us upon. Certain it is that that heart which is in the last engaged to the world will never do any great matters for Jesus Christ. He will play fast and loose with Christ. This we all profess to know, that we cannot serve two masters, God and mammon. Their commands are so opposite to each other that as if we obey the one, we must reject the other. Wherefore let us commune with our own hearts. and see a little how our spirits stand affected to Christ. Do we find upon serious examination that Christ and His laws doth bear sway in our hearts, and that excellency that is in them doth in the eyes of our souls weigh down all the riches and honors and pleasures and performance of the world? Nay, more than this, Do you see so much excellency in God's ways that it will bear your charges with great allowance through those miseries and sorrows, reproaches and losses that you shall sustain in this life, yea, even life itself? We shall see Paul, when he cast up his account of matters of this nature, he triumphs in that glorious allowance that he saw provided for him by God. 2 Corinthians 4 1 says Paul, are like afflictions which are but a moment, they work for us a far more excellent eternal weight of glory. Wherefore let us not rest satisfied with the face of a profession, but let us labor to make our inquiry into our own hearts and see what discoveries God hath made to us of the creature's emptiness and of his own fullness. Youth number two, we may also see from this doctrine delivered the reason why the Lord many times is pleased to strip His own people naked of creature comforts. It is so that the Lord may discover to His people the emptiness of this life so that they may see more the fullness, yea, even all the fullness in Himself. And therefore, though the world misconstrue God's meanings to His saints in His carriages toward them in the passages of His providence, in saying that they are poor and mean and the off-stouring of the world, God regards them not. Let not the servants of God misconstrue His meaning, too. This will but aggravate their sorrow. But let us see what the Scripture saith, and consult with it. In James 2, verse 5, Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom? This is a thing worthy of serious attention, that God should choose poor nothings of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom. And this is most usually found that the meaner the saints' conditions are in the world, the fuller and richer are they in faith and in communion with Jesus Christ. Therefore, if God be pleased to take away wife or children or friends or liberty or estate, if God be pleased to take any of these from us and to empty us of these, we should labor to make that use of it which the Lord expects we should, namely to see more fullness in Him from whom we have all of our mercies. The third thing laid down in the words is the fruit or effect that the means wrought in her. Expressed in these words, then she will say, I will go and return to my first husband. where we take notice under what consideration she returns home to God, and that is here declared under the consideration of a husband. She doth not say, I will return to my Saviour, and so expect salvation from Him, but to my husband, to him to whom I desire to yield subjection and obedience as a loving spouse ought to do, from whence we may observe thus much. that Jesus Christ is the only Head and Husband, Lord and Lawgiver of His Church and people. For proof of which, let us examine the Scriptures, Ephesians chapter 1, verses 22 and 23, and gave Him to be the Head of all things, to His Church which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. That fullness the body hath, it hath from the head." Ephesians chapter 4, verses 15 and 16, where the apostle exhorts them that they should not be tossed up and down with every wind of doctrine by the slights of men that lie in wait to deceive. and that they might prevent this evil, he lies down a means in verses 15 and 16. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom all the body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, make an increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love." Ephesians chapter 5 verse 23. Christ is the head of the church and the savior of his body, and so in Colossians chapter 1 verses 18 and 33 and Isaiah chapter 22. Now for the reasons how it comes to pass that Jesus Christ is the only husband and head, lord and lawgiver of his church. Reason number one, because the church of Christ is sprung up from the loins of Christ. They have been taken out of the very sides of Christ. For alas, this we are all to know, that though we were glorious in the loins of our first parents in the day of our creation, though God made man righteous, yet he sought out many inventions. " The creature-man soon lost his glory and became vile and miserable, and so had continued had not Jesus Christ stepped between the misery of the creature and the wrath of his father, and by his own blood made up that great breach which sin had made between the creature-man and the great Creator, the Lord of heaven and earth. Had it not been for Christ, there had not so much as the name of the church of God been heard of upon the face of the earth. Therefore, as Adam claims propriety over Eve, because she proceeded from his side, saying, This now is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, she shall therefore be called woman, so may Jesus Christ claim a propriety and interest in the church, to be Lord and husband of it, because it proceeds from his very loins, his very sides. Reason number two, because Jesus Christ has purchased his church, they are the prevail of his soul, the glory of his mediatorship. Are there not all the reasons that possibly can be? Seeing Christ have prevailed for his church, and by his prevails brought forth a glorious deliverance to his church, that now his church should be subject to him and yield obedience to him? Seeing Christ hath satisfied God his Father by his own blood, is it not reason that we should live to his praise and honor? Is it reason that when a mother hath undergone sore travail and pain with a child, and at last when the child is through many difficulties and hazards of a woman's life brought forth, that another woman that stands by when the child is delivered should snatch it up and say, this child shall be subject to me and own me for its mother, and what I command it to do, it will do, and what I command it to wear, it shall wear? Would this not be considered unjust dealing with this poor woman that has suffered so much in bringing it forth, that now she should be deprived of the comfort of bringing it up? And is it not unjust to Jesus Christ Seeing he hath prevailed for his church, and brought forth his church, that now other men should arrest it out of his hands, and prescribe laws to them, which they would force their consciences to be subject to, and therefore by way of use in this first place, this serves to reprove all these persons that do so. Certainly Jesus Christ will one day be even with all those persons. Sure it is, that the church being the glory of His mediatorship, He will not give His glory to any other, nor His praise to graven images. But though now men do labor to dethrone Christ, yet there is a time coming wherein Jesus Christ will dethrone all of His enemies and will reign gloriously in the fall of them all. He will make His enemies His footstool. The mountains of the house of the Lord shall be established in the tops of the mountains, Therefore, let all men for the time to come take heed how they prescribe any laws for the government of the church, that they step not up in Christ's stead. But this let all men know, that Christ hath prescribed laws already, which are perfect and pure, by which he doth and will forever govern his church. And therefore let this be the duty of us all to labor to know what these laws and rules are, that so we may be more and more subject unto them, that we dishonor not Jesus Christ by giving anything to any other which is only of right due unto him. Use number two. If it be so that Christ is the head and husband of his church and people, then in the next place we may take notice of the wonderful and singular love of Jesus Christ towards a poor company of creatures. that Christ should stand under such a near relation to them as a husband, there is no reason can be given in respect of us why Christ should do it. We may find reason enough in ourselves why Christ should condemn us, reject us, but that He should love us stand as a husband to us, we must seek a reason of this elsewhere than from ourselves. And truly the scripture doth declare the reason fully to us in Hosea chapter 2 and verse 19. I will marry thee to myself in mercy and compassion. It has been the mere mercies and compassions of Jesus Christ working in His own breast which has brought this great and mighty work to pass. And truly the serious consideration of this were it well weighed by us, would cause us to be willing to be anything, to do anything, yea, to suffer anything for him who hath been and done and suffered so much for us. Use number three. This exhorts all of us that seeing Jesus Christ as the head of the church, We should from hence be exhorted to yield subjection to Jesus Christ and his laws in all things. And first of all, our subjection to Christ must be free subjection. Secondly, it must be universal subjection. Thirdly, it must be perpetual subjection. First, our subjection to Christ and his laws must be free. That is, it must be raised within us from the consideration of that excellency that is in Christ and His laws, and from no by-end whatsoever. This was David's frame in Psalm 119 and verse 94, saith he there, I am thine, save me, for I seek thy precepts. As if he should say, I seek them merely for that excellency that I see in them. Many may outwardly be subject to Christ, but yet not under this consideration. As Christ said in John chapter 6, ye seek me for the loaves. So may Christ say to many, you seek me, you yield outward subjection to me, not freely from that excellency that is in me, but for your own buy-ins and respects. But we must know that that subjection which Christ calls for must be free. Secondly, it must be universal. Christ calls for all. Mark chapter 12 and verse 33, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and might and strength. And sayeth the apostle, You are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your bodies and in your spirits, which are God's. Thirdly, it must be perpetual. Christ cannot endure that any should deal deceitfully with Him, but we must prove constant unto Him whatever it costs us. Revelation chapter 2 and verse 10. Be faithful to death And in Luke 1, verses 74 and 75, Christ expects that His people should serve Him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives, not for a little season only, but constantly. And if we do but cast our eye upon Christ, we shall see that which may engage us hereunto, as Christ's love was a free love. Secondly, it was a full love, and thirdly, it was a durable love, whom he loves once, he loves to the end, and therefore we should be engaged freely and universally and constantly to submit to Jesus Christ. Use number four. This doctrine is for the consolation of those saints of God that have given up themselves to be swayed by the scepter of Christ. I say consolation in diverse particulars. If Christ be thy husband, then be comforted in this. that He will provide for thee. Psalm 34, verse 10, The lion shall lack and suffer hunger, but those that fear the Lord shall lack no good thing. And Isaiah 54, verses 4 and 5, Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed, neither shalt thou be confounded, for He that made thee is thy husband, whose name is the Lord of hosts. Secondly, as we may expect provision from Christ, so protection from Christ. Christ, He will certainly protect His people. Deuteronomy chapter 33 and verse 3. All my saints are in thy hand. He will either keep His people from trouble or support them in trouble. Isaiah chapter 43 and verse 2. When thou passest through the water, I will be with thee, and through the fire it shall not hurt thee." The servants of God, in their troubles and sorrows which they undergo for His name's sake, need go no further than Jesus Christ Himself, who goes along with them. Isaiah chapter 63 and verse 10. In all their afflictions He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them. Thirdly, as we may expect provision and protection from Christ, so preservation also. Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 5, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. There is not anything that men or devils can do that can by any way, through their subtleties or persecutions, separate Jesus Christ from the soul. But as Christ saith, Because I live, you shall live also. And therefore when there is such a conception raised in the heart of the church, re-reading Isaiah chapter 49 and verse 14, Zion saith, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me. See what answer the Lord makes in verses 15 and 16. Can a woman forget her child? Though she may, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hands. Thy walls are ever in thy sight. As if he should say, it is as possible for men to pull away my strength from myself as to pull away my people from me, which seems to be held out in these words, I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hands. Now that which is engraven in a man's hands is as it were made one with the hand. you may as well pull apart part of the hand as the engraven in the hand. So indeed, so deeply are the people of God invested in that great attribute of God's strength that men and devils may as soon pull God out of heaven as the saints out of God's hands. The fourth thing observable in the words is the motive by which she is provoked to return to her first husband. laid down in these words, for it was better with me than now. The consideration of that goodness that formerly she had in God's ways did mightily provoke her to return again, from whence we may observe thus much, that it is ever best with the servants of God and churches of Christ when they are kept closest to God. Now what it is to keep close to God we have already showed. that to keep close to God is to keep close to the law of God, the commandments of God. Now that it is best both with churches and persons when they do so, will appear by the Scripture, Jeremiah chapter 2 and verse 2, saith the Lord there, Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I remember thee with the kindness of thy youth, and the love of thy espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, any land that was not sown. What then? Did they lose anything by it? No, certainly. In verse 3, Israel was a thing hallowed to the Lord and His first fruits. All they that eat of it shall offend. Evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord. We see God makes special notice of it and tells them, Israel was a thing hallowed to the Lord. God Himself sets them apart as people excellent in His eye, and so did He esteem of them, that men had better have taken a bear by the teeth, as we say, than have meddled with them. Evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord." Exodus chapter 19 and verse 5. See what the Lord here saith. Now, therefore, if ye obey my ways indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be my chief treasure above all people, though all the world be mine, and ye shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Those that God owns as his chief treasure are such as obey his voice and keep his covenant. Jeremiah chapter 7 in verse 23. This thing commanded I them saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people, and walk in all the ways which I have commanded you, that it may be well with you. It is and hath been well with the saints, when they have closely walked in the ways of God. So we see in Jeremiah chapter 11 and verse 4, reason number one, why it's best with the servants of God when they cleave closest to Him is because those who do so are kept by God from that disaster of sorrow and shame and confusion that follows upon those who forsake Him. Therefore saith David in Psalm 119 and verse 4, then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy commandments, whereas in Psalm 99 and verse 7, confounded be those who worship graven images. And in Jeremiah chapter 3 in verse 2, we lie in our own confusion, and our shame covereth us. The reason is given, for we have sinned against the Lord our God even to this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God. It is sin that brings shame and confusion of face, but when the soul walks closely with its God, it shall be sure to be kept from shame. For what is it that makes men ashamed and confounded? It is when they are frustrated of their hopes, of their expectations, of what they thought to enjoy in the way wherein they walked. But now the servants of God shall be sure never to be frustrated of their hopes for what they expect from any promise of God made by God unto them, they shall be sure it will be performed in its season. It's true there may be many things which are imposed upon them by men as reproaches and scoffs and imprisonments, which they think is a matter of shame, but even these things are looked upon by the saints as a matter of honor and joy. Acts chapter 5 and verse 41, they went away rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer anything for His name's sake. Reason number two is because those who keep closest to the commands of God are most honored by God, and it must needs be well with those whom the Lord will honor. These are they whom the Lord will employ in His special service, being made vessels of honor, fit for every good work. For those which walk closest to the Lord in the doing of His will are those whom the Lord most usually employs in that most honorable service of suffering for His name's sake. And you will always find, since the coming of Christ in the flesh, that those churches and persons that have most shined in a way of innocency and holiness towards God have been most liable to persecutions and afflictions from men. You shall see that the church of Smyrna, which Christ had nothing against, Revelation chapter 2, verses 9 and 10, was that church which of all the rest had suffered and was like to suffer most for His name's sake. And therefore, as faith is the gift of God, wherein those who have it bestowed upon them excel above other men, so suffering for Christ is as well an excellent gift of God, given as a special favor to some of the saints." Philippians 1.29, by which they walk, as it were, upon a higher ground above their brethren. having the spirit of glory and of God resting upon them. And so in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 4, Thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments, and did they lose anything by cleaving to God? By keeping their garments undefiled, know, saith God, these are they that I own. These shall walk before me in white, for they are worthy. And therefore, though this may be a reason which may seem to beat off some from the profession of Christ, Yet it should rather engage the saints to follow Christ and to keep close to His ways, as knowing that those that honor God, He will honor them. And wherein can men honor God more than by a close walking in conformity to His will? Reason number three, why it's best with the saints when they cleave to the Lord, is because that those who do so are not only kept from shame and confusion, but likewise are kept from those distracting fears that are ready to lay hold on persons of all sorts in times of danger. And therefore saith David, I will not be afraid of evil tidings. And what was the reason of it? He gives it himself, because he says, my heart is fixed. trusting in the Lord. It's like if David's heart had been wandering anywhere else, then he would quickly have feared evil tidings. But he now, having his heart pleading to God, feareth them not. And in Psalm 23, verses 3 and 4, David writes, He restoreth my soul, and leadeth me in the path of righteousness, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. Mark, I pray, when once David was brought to walk in the paths of righteousness, then saith he, Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear. As if he should say, Though my life is near being taken away from me, as the shadow of a man is to a man, Yet I will not fear, for I am walking in the paths of righteousness now, and Thou art with me. And truly it is no small privilege, especially in times of fear, to be kept and secured from fears, for many times the consequences that fears produce upon a person brings more dangerous events along with them. then if the very fears had come upon them, and more is required to keep a man from the fear of danger than from the danger itself. As, for instance, a little apparel will keep a man from nakedness, when a great deal both of money and apparel will not keep him from the fear of nakedness. And therefore, if you would be kept in times of trouble, from overflowing fears of trouble, and keep close to God, for in so doing you will see so much fullness of strength and mercy and love in God, as will swallow up all other inordinate fears. 1 If it be so that it is best with the servants of God, when they keep closest to Him, let us who profess the name of Christ, and appear to be in the number of those made nigh unto God by the blood of Christ, Be exhorted, therefore, to take heed of backsliding, and let us labor to know that first it is an easy thing to backslide if we consider the many provocations hereunto by reason of the deceitfulness of our own hearts and the snares of the world." of Satan. Secondly, it is a dangerous thing to backslide if we do but consider, number one, from whom we backslide, namely God, who is the fountain of life and the giver of all mercies. Secondly, to what we backslide, namely to that which is not able to receive us, nor help us in any misery or strife that we fall into. Thirdly, if we consider what the carriages of God hath been and is to backsliders, we shall see it's dangerous. He shall be filled with his own ways, saith Solomon. And if anyone draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him, saith God." Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 38. We shall therefore, for the preventing of this great evil, lay down some signs of a soul declining from God. and secondly we shall lay down some measures of prevention. The signs of declining are these. First, a disregarding of the truth of Christ. 2 Chronicles chapter 24 and verse 20. When the minds of men grow weary of the truths of Christ and their estimations of truth which have formerly been slackens, it's one sure sign of declining. A second sign is when men begin to grow distrustful of God and His truth, when many things which God has said in His word seems harsh to men's spirits. They cannot relish it, as they were in John 6, verse 60, when the sayings of Christ began to be hard and harsh to them. Then they draw back, verse 66, A third sign is unfruitfulness under the means and mercies which God bestows. Luke chapter 13 and verse 7. When men shall rather turn the truth of God, which they have received, into notions, and please themselves more with talkings of truth than of practicing what they know, then it is a sign that truth is bidding them farewell, and they it. The fourth sign is love of the world. When men's spirits begin to hanker after the world or the honor thereof, they will soon lose heart and his truth. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 10. The love of money is the root of all evil, which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and therefore from love to Christ. He that loves the world had rather lose Jesus Christ than the world, and it must needs be so, because he loves it. Fifthly and lastly, another sign is spiritual pride, self-confidence, for before destruction the heart is haughty. When a man is proud of that which is not his own, it's no marvel if he soon proved a spiritual bankrupt. Therefore I beseech you, let us look to ourselves. If any man thinks he stand, let him take heed lest he fall. Therefore to prevent it, let us consider some measures. First, let us labor for soundness of judgment in the truths of God, so that we may receive nothing upon other men's judgments and reports, but trying all things we may hold fast that which is good. For ignorance is the mother of error, and a corrupted life does soon follow an erroneous judgment. Wherefore let us be often in searching the scripture, and seeking of God by prayer, that He would be pleased to unfold those glorious mysteries of His will in His word unto us by His Spirit, so we may be able to judge of things that differ. Secondly, let us labor to receive the truth in love of it. For when truth is received by men under this consideration of love, when men see an excellency in truth and love, for the third means, let us consider that the truth of God is the portion of the saints. If we lose truth, we lose Jesus Christ. Where will you have comfort and where will you have salvation if you lose truth? And therefore saith Solomon in Proverbs chapter 4 and verse 13, Keep her, for she is thy life. And therefore David hath recourse upon all occasions to the word. Psalm 119 verses 49 and 50. Remember thy word made to thy servant. Why? It's my comfort in my trouble. As if he should say, I have no other companion in my troubles but it. And so, in the ninety-second verse of the same psalm, saith he, except thy law had been my delight, I should have utterly perished in mine afflictions. And therefore, as worldly men count themselves with all they have by what they have and are in the world, So let the servants of God count themselves with what they have, and are by nothing but what they have in Jesus Christ, who dwells in the truth and conveys himself through the truth into the hearts and consciences of his people. And therefore let us labor to count it our portion. And if Naboth should incur the displeasure of the king, and part with the inheritance given him by his fathers, 1 Kings 21, verses 3 and 4, how much more should we be willing to incur the displeasure of all men, rather than lose any part of the truth of Jesus Christ given unto us, and purchased for us at so dear a rate as his own precious blood. Now we should come to the next words expressed in this eighth verse. Now she did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oil and multiplied her silver and gold which they have bestowed upon Baal. These words seem to be the main reason here given by God for His people's declining from Him, and that is laid down in general as the not taking notice or observing the mercies and favors of God given unto her, in which words four things are to be considered. First, the mercies themselves, laid down in these words, corn and wine and oil. Second, the author of these mercies, under the terms, I gave them, that is God. Third, the persons to whom these mercies were given, they were the children of Israel. Fourth, the carriage of this people towards God, in the enjoyment of these mercies, and that is here declared. First, they took no notice of them, from what hand they came, expressed in these words. Now she did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oil. Second, in spending them, it should seem that taking no notice of whom the mercies came from, takes as little notice or care how they go, which appears in these words. which they have spent upon Baal. The words being thus considered, we may observe diverse things from them for our instruction and comfort. Observation number one, that God is the only giver of every mercy and favor that the creature doth enjoy. Observation two, that it is the duty of the saints to make special notice of the mercies and favors which God gives them. Observation number three, that the not taking notice of mercy and favors of God is a special means to occasion men to depart from God. As concerning the first observation, that God is the only giver of every mercy and favor we enjoy, I conceive none will deny the truth of it, because it is both a common truth and that which all generally will acknowledge. James chapter 1 and verse 17. Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights. Therefore, the consideration of this truth should teach all of us to take notice of the mercy of God in all the good things we enjoy, to behold God in all the passages of His providence to us, so that if we have any riches, any honors, any friends, any and therefore we should take heed of sacrificing anything to our own nets, but as all mercies we receive come from God, we must give the glory only to Him who is only worthy of all honor and glory and praise forever.