ON HOSEA XIV.- VERSES 5 7. 221 better to our resolutions afterwards. After all that is come upon us for our sins, take heed of breaking his commandments again, Ezra ix. 13, 14. As Job's riches after his, so we should endeavour that our graces after our afflictions may be doubled upon us, and that the scent of our holy example may, like spices bruised, or the grapes of Lebanon crushed in the wine-press, give a more fragrant smell to God and man, as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed. He promiseth that all these should be fruits of Le- banon, of the best and most perfect kind. There are many evidences of the goodness of God even in the lives of Pagan men ; we read of Abimelech forbear- ing to sin against God, Gen. xx. 4. 6. and of his and Ephron's singular kindness to Abraham, Gen. xx. 14, 15. xxiii. 10, 11. 15. No argument more common than this of the virtues, the temperance, pru- dence, justice, mercy, patience, fidelity, friendships, affability, magnanimity of many heathen men ; inso- much that some have presumed so far as to make them dispositive to salvation. But all these are but wild grapes, bitter clusters, the fruits of an empty vine, not worth the gathering in order to salvation : but the graces which God bestoweth upon his church, are of a more spiritual and perfect nature, proceeding from faith in Christ, from love of God, from a con- science cleansed from dead works, from an intention to glorify God and adorn the gospel, from a new nature, and from the Spirit of Christ, cdnforming his servants unto himself : they are not grapes of Sodom, but grapes of Lebanon. And as he thus blesseth us, in the like manner should we serve him, not offer unto him the refuse, the halt, and blind, and maimed, for sacrifice, not T3
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