ON HOSEA XIV. -VERSE 9. 301 pretence, that it is impossible for him to avoid them, because God hardeneth whom he will ; though the apostolical increpation be answer sufficient, " Who art thou that repliest against God f' yet he may fur- ther know, that he is not only hardened judicially by the sentence of God, but most willingly also by his own stubborn love of sin, and giving himself over unto greediness in sinning, and thereby doth actively bring upon himself those indispositions unto duty, so that the law being impossible to be performed by him, is indeed no other than the would himself have it to be, as bearing an active enmity and antipathy unto it. The mercy and free grace of God in the promises, is unto wicked men an occasion of stumbling while they turn it into lasciviousness, and continue in sin that grace may abound, Rom. vi. 1. Jude, ver. 4. and venture to make work for the blood of Christ, not being led by the goodness of God unto repentance, but hardening themselves in impenitency because God is good, Rom. ii. 4. There is not anything at which wicked men do more ordinarily stumble than at mercy, as gluttons surfeit most upon the greatest dainties, venturing upon this ground to go on in sin, because they cannot out -sin mercy ; and to put off repentance from day to day, because they are still under the offers of mercy ; making mercy not a sanctuary unto which to fly from sin, but a sanctuary to protect and countenance sin ; and so by profane and desperate presumption, turning the very mercy of God into a judgment, and savour of death unto them- selves, Deut. xxix. 19, 20. Num. xv. 30. pretending liberty from sin, that they may continue in it, and abuse God by his own gifts. Lastly, the threatenings of God set forth in his 2c
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