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Tag Archives: Hosea 6:4

Thomas Boston, On the Instability of Human Goodness

04 Tuesday Feb 2020

Posted by memoirandremains in Biblical Counseling, Hosea, Thomas Boston, Uncategorized

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Biblical Counseling, goodness, Hosea, Hosea 6:4, Instability, Thomas Boston

In August 1710, Thomas Boston preached a sermon entitled, “The Instability of Human Goodness” based upon the text of Hosea 6:4, “For your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.” The text itself concerned the instability of the Israelites faced by the prophet Hosea. Boston takes the text, which first applied particularly to the Israelites as a common attribute of us humans. The fault of the Israelites was not unique to them:

Such is the instability of many in the good way of the Lord, that the goodness at which they sometimes arrive, passeth away as a morning cloud, and as the early dew.

He then begins to make observations on the good state of human beings. First, he notes that he often fails quickly after some good thing has come to them. The Israelites turned to the Golden Calf just after Mount Sinai. How quickly the disciples deserted Christ after the Last Supper. How quickly the disciples feared after the miracle of the loaves and fish.

Second, goodness often fails slowly,

The devil does not always act the part of a roaring lion when he intends to strip people of their attained goodness, but in this work advances with a soft pace. We may observe that men’s goodness ordinarily goes away by degrees, almost imperceptibly.

He goes on to note:

It is a piece of Satan’s policy to attack people with slender temptations at first, when he designs to rob them; for then they think they are strong enough for them, therefore they grapple with them on their own strength and are foiled. A small temptation will take off the chariot wheels of the soul. An unseasonable thought has sometimes proved a wide door, by which a good frame has escaped.

Third, goodness will fail when it is most needed:

As the heat of summer produces many insects which are not to be seen in the frost of winter; so the time of peace in the church produces many false friends who will never stand the shock of trouble for the gospel.

Why then does goodness fail? The primary reason he gives is that the one who fails truly does not know the Lord. He notes this in three ways: The Spirit does not dwell in them. They are not united to Christ. They may be frequent in a church, but that is not their real element.

He then addresses those who know the Lord, do show a loss of their goodness. And for this he gives four types.

First, they become discouraged; they will not seize heaven by force. They face a difficulty, a delay and they quit:

They cannot wait on at Christ’s gate. They know not what it is to have their appetite sharpened with disappointments; but as soon as they feel not that sweetness in religion which they imagined, they go directly to their old lusts; and find in them what they could not find in religion.

Second, they will not mortify their sin, but let it linger until it turns on them in force:

Another reason is, the entertaining of unmortified lusts, which are like the suckers that draw the sap from the tree and make it barren. It is hard to get wet wood to take fire, but harder to get it to keep in the fire, but hardest of all, to get a heart polluted with, and enslaved to vile affections, to retain any attained goodness. They that have many friends in the enemy’s camp will find their hands sore bound up in the day of battle. …That heart will not abide with God that has secret filthy lusts to nourish.

He then considers these two matters from a different angle; rather than consider them subjectively, he states them objectively: :The profits and pleasures of the world soon charm away men’s goodness.” He gives these in rather strking terms:

They are tenter hooks of the soul, the black devils that draw men from God, and from that sweetness that is in the enjoyment of him, and drive them like the demoniac among the tombs in the region of the dead. They are the wasps and flies that buzz about and sting the soul when it should rest in the bosom of God. And for the pleasures of the world, when they once get a hold of the heart, they quickly run away with it.

He gives a final statement which helps explain the whole, “Unwatchfulness over the heart and life. Our goodness is a tender bud that will easily be blasted if we do not take all possible care of it.” He turns this into a remarkable picture:

What wonder then, if in such a case our goodness goes away, when there is no watching; for such a soul is like a great fair, where some are going out, some entering, and those within are all in confusion.

He ends with an admonition to jealously protect what goodness we have. To this he provides practical direction:

Advices 1. Do not sit down contented with any measure that you have attained. Alas! little satisfies people in religion. He that does not exert himself to grow, will assuredly decay. “Do not think that you have already attained, or are already perfect; but follow after, if that you may apprehend that for which also you are apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Labour to make two talents of your one by industry. The fire will be extinguished by withholding fuel, as well as by throwing water upon it.

  1. Keep up a holy jealousy over your own hearts. You hear that the goodness of some is as the early cloud, and the morning dew, it passeth away. This should make us say, each for himself, Lord is it I? “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.” If you be saying with Hazael, “Am I a dog, that I should do this?” Look that you be not the dog, that will be among the first to do it.
  2. Put what you have in the Lord’s hand. Depend upon him and wait about his hand for more influences. For this purpose be much in prayer. You may come to get that in secret, which you have not got at the table.

Lastly, And what I say to one I say to all, watch. The time is short. Watch, and ere long you shall be in that place, where the gates are not shut by day, and there is no night there. But if any man draw back, the Lord’s Spirit will have no pleasure in him. Amen.

 

 

Paul Baynes, Brief Directions Unto a Godly Life, Chapter Five

17 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in Biblical Counseling, Confession, Mortification, Paul Baynes, Puritan, Self-Denial

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1 Samuel 4:7, 2 Corinthians 7:1, 2 Peter 2:20, 2 Timothy 3:1-9, Genesis 39:10, Hebrews 11:24, Hosea 14:9, Hosea 6:4, James 1:25, Luke 19:2, Luke 7:37., Mark 6:19, Matthew 22:31, Matthew 5:20, Micah 6:6, Psalm 50:16, Romans 6:2, Titus 3:1-2.

(The previous chapter may be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2013/06/13/paul-baynes-brief-directions-unto-a-godly-life/)

CHAPTER FIVE: PRACTICE AND PROFESSION

            Thus having spoken of the inwards lusts and sins of the heart, and showed how they are disliked and renounced all believers: the like is to be shown of outward sins of the life, that they be abhorred and shunned also: which is the rather to be considered, because many boast they have true hearts to God, when their lives are wicked; but rejoice either about their salvation, or the goodness of their heart: if their behavior be stained with outward wickedness, and their holy profession blemished with open in shameful sins, then their boast is vain. None can be truly godly who does not endeavor to walk free from offensive evils (if he knows them to be sins). This can be seen throughout Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:7, Hosea 14:9, 2 Corinthians 7:1; 2 Peter 2:20, James 1:25; Romans 6:2. By example, Joseph, Genesis 39:10, Moses, Hebrews 11:24, Zacheus, Luke 19:2, of the sinful woman, Luke 7:37.

            They plainly showed that they believed in Christ, because they came to forsake sins which by nature they loved and by custom they had long lain in; they did this even though the sin was pleasant unto them[1].

            Those Who Will Not Utterly Renounce Sin

            Notwithstanding the former doctrine be most plain for Scripture and reason, yet there are many that hope for salvation, and yet renounced not open sins, and outward offenses.

            These are referred to four sorts.

            The Gross Offender[2]

            The first are gross offenders. They show their hypocrisy by open and repeated evil. They may profess Christianity, but they consider it to be of little worth.  Their constant wickedness causes them to think poorly of all others – and to become hardened and blinded in their own sin. Now such hardness of heart and lack of conscience evidences God’s judgment – especially when they continue to make some sort of profession of godliness and at the same time show no evidence of change in their heart. 2 Timothy 3:1-9.

            The Completely Careless

            The second sort are such as being rude[3] and ignorant, or altogether careless; flattering themselves in that gross and brutish estate, who have many speeches also suitable for their lives, which lay open their hearts to all.

            The Occasionally Conforming

            The third sort our such as because they keep within some civil course of honesty, and are free from gross[4] crimes[5], think themselves to be in a very good estate – even though their many faults to be seen in them. Some of these (as also of the former) are sometimes pricked in their conscience for sin, or rather for punishment of it. Exodus 9:27. They may show some change in life. Mark 6:19, Hosea 6:4, Micah 6:6. They will sometimes make vows and covenants to do well. Psalm 78:36.  They will sharply reprove others. Psalm 50:16.  They have some sudden flashes of grace, and yet do lack true godliness. Therefore, they have their sentence pronounced by their Savior. Matthew 22:31 & 5:20.

            The Censorious “Brother”

            The fourth sort of professors[6] are such who think well of themselves due to their  seeming zeaL. Yet, they cannot brook or abide any other that differ from them in judgment. They are taunters, railers[7] and slanderers of their brothers.  Yea, most sharp and uncharitable and proud censurers of their brothers and betters; who are so soon ripe in their own conceit, that none is meet[8] or sufficient to teach them. Titus 3:1-2.

            The life thus led is not the life which God requires, neither are those works which faith affords. So that howsoever God gathers his elect out of all these kinds, yet are none of them will be accounted as his, while their hearts abide stained with such corruptions, or their lives defiled with such treachery.

            The Godly Do Have Faults

            Against this that has been said, some will be objecting in asking, Why such differences made of men? Have the godly no faults? Are they without infirmities? Are they not like unto other men sinning [don’t they sin like other men?].  If it be so, why should they be shoaled [differentiated or distinguished as a group] from the others?

            The distinction is made by the Lord himself, in name, conversation [manner of life], and reward. Psalms 1:2 & 50:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

            The end of the ministry is to shoal God’s elect and beloved ones from the world, and to bring them to his sheepfold.

            When the Godly Comes to Themselves

            How can this be, if they be not partakers of the same sins that other men are? It cannot be denied, but the godly are somewhat infected with common corruptions, living where Satan lives.  And further, it is possible they may also lie in the same loathsomeness for season. But yet so, as it appears plainly, that they were not given over like wicked men: for when they come to themselves again, we see how strangely they are amazed at their own offense, how they tremble to think what they have done, and can have no peace within themselves till they return home again after they are gone out of the way, and so are made more vigilant and wary against the like another time.

            The which of the wicked cannot be said. 

 

            Why Would God Let the Godly Sin?

            Besides the falls of the godly are but when they are securer and take liberty onto themselves[9]. 2 Samuel 11:4. Sin comes for the godly when they fail to fence themselves and as they are charged.[10] Hebrews 4:1 & 3:12. As for reproachful and flagitious falls, we must know that it is possible for us to be preserved from them. 1 Peter 5:10. So was Enoch, Abraham, Caleb, and Joshua, with many others; but yet as many rare and servants of God have fallen into shameful sins, so may we: God suffers his servants to fall so dangerously for these causes.

1.      1.  For the humbling of them.

2.     2.. That they see his exceeding bountifulness and pardoning so great sins, and so love him the more, Luke 7:47, John 21:15.

3.     3.   That others far weaker than they, yet faithful, may be encouraged to believe that there sin shall be pardoned, and their weak service accepted by God. 1 Timothy 1:16. Without such an example of repentance, they might otherwise be discouraged. Out of these cases, if we hold fast to faith and stand upon our watch, we need not fear falling, for God takes no pleasure to cast them down who desire to stand, but to raise them up who are fallen. Psalms 130:3. To help our weakness, the supply our wants, and to deliver us from such dangers as we fear, so far as it is expedient; or else he makes us able to bear them.

      The Infirmity of Sin Continues

      Now concerning infirmities, it must be granted, that because they have still a body of sin within them, they must needs be subject to infirmities, and this is properly a sin of infirmity, When partly of  [deficient] knowledge and more through frailty, an offenses is wrought to the displeasing of God: and when such a one is committed – even though he does not wish it to be so –  yet because the power of corruption at that time is greater in him the strength of grace, therefore he was forced to yield to it. It is in this that the godly do much differ from all wicked: for it is their greatest care that they may not fall, the greatest sorrow when they are overcome, their greatest joy, when they do prevail over sins; none of which are to be found in the wicked.


[1] The original sentence reads, “Thefe forfaking thofe sinnes whicy by nature they loved, and by cuftome they had long lien in, doe plainly fhew that they believed Chrift, forfaking their old sinnes, though they were never fo pleafant unto them.”  

[2] The original paragraph reads, “The first are gross offenders,whom every vile person do scorn because he does see their hypocrisy by open and often committed evils, and has Christian religion itself in mean account, for their cause; for profane men when they see and walk sincerely indeed, and without just cause of rebuke, are little moved up their example, neither greatly reverence them, or take any good by them, but reproach them rather; for this is because they see so many, besides some outward appearance of zeal, were little better in their lives than themselves, and therefore they are hardened to think so of all the rest; which willful blindness and hardness of heart, though it be a fearful sign of God’s vengeance to them, yet this is the great part may be justly ascribed to the lives of those two professing godliness, in their deeds deny the same. 2 Timothy 5:6. For whom it had been better but they had never made any profession at all, such as Saul. 1 Samuel 22:18.”

[3] Here “rude” means unsophisticated, ignorant – not merely poorly mannered. These are people who seemingly do not even recognize their profligate sin.

[4] Open, obvious sin.

[5] Not merely offenses against the law of the state, but also against God’s law.

[6] A “professor” is one who professes Christianity, irrespective of whether he leads a Christian life.

[7] To “rail” against someone would be rant and revile.

[8] No one is suitable.

[9] Our greatest danger comes when we think ourselves secure.

[10] Proverbs 4:20–27 (ESV)

            20          My son, be attentive to my words;

incline your ear to my sayings.

            21          Let them not escape from your sight;

keep them within your heart.

            22          For they are life to those who find them,

and healing to all their flesh.

            23          Keep your heart with all vigilance,

for from it flow the springs of life.

            24          Put away from you crooked speech,

and put devious talk far from you.

            25          Let your eyes look directly forward,

and your gaze be straight before you.

            26          Ponder the path of your feet;

then all your ways will be sure.

            27          Do not swerve to the right or to the left;

turn your foot away from evil.

 

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