October 21

"O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever." Deuteronomy 5:29.

HERE we see the character of real religion. The seat of it is the heart. The principle of it is the fear of God. The expression of it is keeping his commandments—all of them, and always.

We have also the benefit resulting from it. The good is personal—that it might be well with them; and relative—and with their children; and durable—for ever.

But how lovely does God appear in the concern he here expresses. "O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever." It is the language of complaint. It is as much as to say, "But I do not find it so." Is he then disappointed? Not as to fact, for he knows all things; but he is as to right. Surely he may justly expect from us an attention to his voice, and the improvement of the means and advantages with which we are favored. And when he meets with nothing of this, he has reason to complain. And this is his meaning when he says, "What more could have been done for my vineyard, and I have not done it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" "These three years I came seeking fruit, and finding none."

It is the expression of desire. We are aware that when the Scripture ascribes human attributes and feelings to God, they must be understood according to the perfection of his nature. They cannot mean precisely the same in him as they do in us. Yet there is always a truth which is the basis of all such metaphorical representations. And a slavish adherence to systematic divinity has much injured some of the finest passages of revelation, and which were intended to be felt rather than criticised. Let it not therefore be objected, that "our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he pleaseth;" and asked, "Who hath resisted his will?" This is his own language. "O that there was such a heart in them!" "O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments; then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness like the waves of the sea." "How often would I have gathered thee as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not." Yes;

these are his own words, the expressions of a God that cannot lie. This affords me every encouragement I want. Unworthy as I am, I see that he does not abandon me. He is willing to save me. He is waiting to be gracious. He is exalted to have mercy upon me. What is the inability of men to harmonize such declarations with some other parts of their creed, to the oath of the living God? "As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth; wherefore turn, and live ye."

It is the dictate of parental solicitude. It is the voice, not of a severe legislator or judge, but of a Father—a Father who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; a Father who does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men; a Father who says of the refractory child, "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together;" a Father who says of the relenting, self-bemoaning child, "Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still; therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord." How often does he assume this relation, in order to deprive his greatness of terror; and to render it our encouragement and our confidence. And not only has he said, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him," but he has taken for an image of his tenderness the heart of a mother, and surely all that is parental indwells there. "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you." "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?"—she may: Ah, ye mothers, your affection is ice, your heart is iron compared with his—"Yet will I not forget thee."

Surely "he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love." Can this encourage us to sin? Can we grieve his Holy Spirit? Can we hear him saying, in vain, "O do not that abominable thing which I hate?" "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance; but, after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God?"