Ways Hedged Up

“AND SHE SHALL FOLLOW AFTER HER LOVERS, BUT SHE SHALL NOT OVERTAKE THEM; AND SHE SHALL SEEK THEM, BUT SHALL NOT FIND THEM; THEN SHALL SHE SAY, I WILL GO AND RETURN TO MY FIRST HUSBAND; FOR THEN WAS U BETTER WITH ME THAN NOW.” — HOSCO, ii. 6, 7.

r I “HIS is a parenthesis of mercy in a passage of threatening.

It relates to a people to whom the Lord was united by bonds of covenant love, who had, nevertheless, been faithless and rebellious.

Strangely enough, it begins with a “therefore;” and the logic of it lies in the immutable resolve of the unchanging God never to renounce his covenant, nor utterly to cast away his chosen; as, also, in his unchangeable determination to win them to himself.

The words might still be spoken in reference to the chosen but sinning people of God.

Let us note carefully, —

I. THE STUBBORN CHARACTER OF MANY SINNERS.

This appears in their case, as in that of Israel, in •everal ways: —

1. Ordinary means have missed their aim. The details are given in previous verses; and

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then we read “therefore:” showing that because of former failures the Lord is about to try further measures.

2. Extraordinary means are now to be used, and

attention is called to their speciality by the
word “behold.” God’s wonderful ways of
grace prove the wonderful obstinacy of
sinners.

3. Even these means are to fail. Providence uses

strange ways, like making hedges and walls; and yet for a while the sinner defeats the gracious design. “She shall follow after her lovers,” etc. Men will leap hedges, and scale walls, to get at their darling sins.

4. Only divine power can overcome the hardened

one. God saith, “I will,” and adds “she shall not,” and “she shall;” proving that the omnipotence of love had now entered the lists, and intended to conquer the rebellious and obstinate transgressor. God him self must personally interpose, or none will turn to him.

What sinners those must be whom neither hedge nor wall will stop unless God be there also in omnipotence of grace!

II. THE MEANS WHICH GOD USES TO BECLAIM
THEM.

These, when used by God himself, become effectual, though they would have accomplished nothing of themselves.

1. Sharp afflictions: “I will hedge up thy way

with thorns.” Many are checked and made to think by being made to smart. Travellers tell us of the “wait-a-bit thorn,” which puzzles the most cautious walker. When in full pursuit of evil, the Lord can bring the sinner to a pause.

2. Insurmountable difficulties: “and make a wall.”

The Lord of love places effectual stop
pages in the road of those whom he means
to save: if men break down hedges, his
persevering love builds walls, so that they
may find it hard to persevere in sin.

3. Blinding perplexities: “she shall not find her

paths.” He can make the ways of sinful pleasure to be difficult and bewildering, till even the broad road seems to be barricaded.

4. Utter failures:” she shall follow after, but not

overtake.” We know persons with whom
nothing is going right; even the utmost
diligence in their case fails to secure prosperity: and all because their ways are not
pleasing to God, and he means to bring
them out of them. Such men hunt after
sinful success, but it flees from them.

6. Bitter disappointments: “she shall seek them,
but shall not find them.” Pleasure shall
be no longer found by them even in those
amusements where once it danced around
them.

These severe chasten ings are frequently made useful in the early days of religious impression * they are the ploughing before the sowing.

III. THE BLESSED RESULT WHICH IS AT LAST
ATTAINED.

The wandering, wanton spirit is led to return to her God.

1. Remembrance aroused:” it was better with

me.”

2. Confession of sad loss extorted:” then was it

better with me than now” She thinks upon happier times, now that her days are clouded over.

3. Resolution formed: “I will go and return.”

4. Affection stirred: “I will return to my first

husband.”

She owns the bands of love; she sorrows that she has strained them so terribly.

When the matter has come so far, the sad breach is healed, the work of reclaiming love is done.

Let us turn to the Lord before he uses thorns to stop us.

If already hedged up, let us consider our ways.

In any case, let us by faith turn to Jesus, and rest in him.

CUTTINGS.

“j? will hedge up thy way” — There is a two-fold hedge that God makes about his people. There is the hedge of protection, to keep evil from them; and the hedge of affliction, to keep them from eviL

The hedge of protection you have in Isa. v. 5, where God threatens that he “will take away the hedge” from hie vineyard; and it is said of Job that God had “hedged him about.” But the hedge here meant is the hedge of affliction. “I will hedge up thy way,” that is, I will bring sore and heavy afflictions upon you to keep you from evil.

When a husbandman sees passengers make a path in his ground where they ought not, and so spoil the grass or the corn, he lays thorns in the way that they cannot go into his corn; or if they do, they shall go with some pain and trouble: “so,” saith God, “I will hedge up thy way with thorns.”- Jeremiah Burroughs.

Consider the good effects of a wounded conscience, privative for the present, and positive for the future. First, privative; this heaviness of thy heart (for the time being) is a bridle to thy soul, keeping it from many sins it would otherwise commit. Thou that now sittest sad in thy shop, or standest sighing in thy chamber, mightest perchance at this time be drunk, or wanton, or worse, if not restrained by this affliction. God saith to Judah, “I will hedge up thy way with thorns,” namely, to keep Judah from committing spiritual fornication. A wounded conscience is a hedge of thorns; but this thorny fence keeps our wild spirits in the true way, which otherwise would be straggling; and it is better to be held in the right road with briars and brambles than to wander on beds of roses in a wrong path which leadi to destruction. — Thomas Fuller.

A popular and successful young minister in America became entangled in the meshes of infidelity, left the pulpit, joined an infidel club, and derided the name he had preached to others as the Saviour of the world. But he sickened, and came to his death bed. His friends gathered round him, and tried to comfort him with their cold and icy theories, but in vain. The old thought came back to him — the old experience came before him. He said, “Wife, bring me my Greek Testament.” Upon his bed he turned to the fifteenth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. When he had finished the chapter, great tears of joy rolled down his cheeks. He closed the book, aid said, “Wife, back again at last upoD the old rock to die.”

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INTO T1IE WILDERNESS, AND SPEAK COMFORTABLY UNTO

HER.” — Hosea ii. 14.

TN the former part of the chapter we find words of -*• accusation and threatening most justly uttered towards a guilty nation.

In this second portion we come to a passage of unmixed grace.

The person dealt with is the same, but she is dealt with under another dispensation, even that covenant of grace of which we find an abstract in verse 23.

God, intending to deal with his sinful people in love, speaks words which are of the most extraordinary tenor.

I. HERE is, FOB ma DBXDS OF LOVE, A REASON

BEYOND ALL BJAfiON.

The text begins with “therefore.” God always has a reason.

The context describes the grossest sin, and how should God find a reason there?

1. God finds a reason for grace where there ii

none. Why else did he bless Israel, or any one of us?

2. God makes a reason which overrides all other

2 — 14 reasons. Because his people will persist in being so evil, he will display more love till he wins them from their wanderings.

8. God creates a reason for out of reasons against. “She forgat me, saith the Lord. Therefore I will allure her.” (See all preceding verses.) The great sin which is in itself a reason for judgment is by divine grace turned into an argument for mercy.

4. God justifies his own reasoning with men by a reason. According to the margin, “I will speak to her heart,” is the promise of the text, and the Lord gives a “therefore” for it. He has a gracious reason for reasoning with us in love.

The sovereign grace of God had chosen his people, and his immutable love resolves to win this people to itself, therefore it sets about the work.

II. HEBE is A METHOD OF POWER BEYOND ALL

POWER. “I will allure her.” 1. Allurement of love surpasses in power all other

forces.

It appears that other methods had been used, such as —

Affliction with its thorny hedge (verse 6). Instruction with all its practical application

(verse 8).

Deprivation even of necessaries (verse 9). Exposure of sin beyond all denial (verse 10). Sorrow upon sorrow (verses 11 and 12).

The sweet allurement of tenderness would succeed where these failed.

2, Allurement of love overcomes the will to resist.

Assaulted we defend, allured we yield. 8. Allurement of grace has many conquering

weapons. The person, work, offices, and love of Jesus

lead men captive. The freeness and abundance of divine pardon

vanquish opposition.
The grace and truth of the covenant defy

resistance.

The adoption and inheritance so graciously bestowed subdue the heart by overwhelming force of gratitude.

The sense of present peace, and the prospect of future glory, allure us beyond all things.

III. HERB is A CONDITION OP COMPANY BEYOND

ALL COMPANY.

1. She is made to be alone. Free from tempting,

distracting, or assisting company. All her lovers far from her. Her hope in them is gone.

2. Alone with God. He becomes her trust, desire,

aim, love.

8. Alone as in the wilderness. Illustrate by Israel, who, in the wild M npss, knew the Lord as Deliverer, Guide, Guard, Light, Manna, Physician, Champion, central Glory, and King.

4. Alone for the same purpose as Israel, for training, growth, illumination, and preparation for the promised rest: above all that they might be the Lord’s own separated ones.

IV. HEBE is A VOICE OF COMFORT BEYOND ALL COMFORT. “And speak comfortably to her.”

1. Real comfort is given to souls alone with God.

The divine speech is applied to the heart, and so its comfort is understood, and appropriated, and effectually touches the affections.

2. Abundant comfort is bestowed, received and

acknowledged, —

By renewed gratitude: ‘* she shall sing there

as in the days of her youth.” See verse 15.

By a more confiding spirit: “thou shalt call

me Ishi,” &c. See verses 16 and 17. By an established peace. See verse 18. By a clearer revelation of eternal love. See

verses 19 and 20.

By a surer sense of the eternal future, and its marriage-union of endless bliss; for betrothal prophesies marriage. Now let all this be known and felt, and we are sure the heart is won: there can be no revolting after this.

Let the prayer of each one of us be, —

O heavenly love, iny heart subdue,

I would be led in triumph too;
Allured to live for God alone,

And bow submissive at his throno

JOTTINGS.

When God’s free grace has pitched upon its object, it often solicits that soul in its own peculiar way: I mean that grace woos and wins by its own graciousness, it conquers not by arms but by allurement. Have you not seen a mother allure her child to run into her uosom with the promise of a kiss? Have you never heard the little birds alluring their mates with rapturous song? Know you not the way of love by which it wins its victories? If so, you also understand why the beloved one is to be spoken with in the wilderness. Love is shy, and shuns the crowd: solitude is her element. When a soul is made to be alone with God, it shall hear many things which for the present could not be spoken to it. Speaking to the heart is reserved for retirement; it were not meet to display the secrets of divine communion to a mingled concourse. Understand, therefore, O lonely one, why thou art made to be one by thyself; and now surrender thy heart to the sacred allurements of sovereign grace! — C.H.8.

Some years ago an affecting incident was reported in reference to the ex-Empress Charlotte, an Austrian princess, whose husband was for a short time Emperor of Mexico. In the year 1867 he was shot by the revolutionists, and his unhappy widow became the victim of melancholy madness, which her physicians gave up all hope of curing. As in similar oases, she returned to the tastes and habits of childhood, one of which was a passion for flowers, and she spent most of her time over them. Their attractiveness for her was touchingly manifested on the occasion in question, when, having eluded the watch of her attendants, she had fled from the castle. When overtaken it was found impossible to induce her to return, except by the use of means which would certainly have proved hurtful. One of her physicians happily bethought himself of her intense affection for flowers; and by showing them from time to time before her, she was gradually lured on her way back to her home. May not this story be taken as an illustration of the way in which God allures wandering souls back to himself by the invitations and promises of the gospel?