Hosea 7:10

They do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek Him for this.

Our sin

I. The duty of seeking God. In the Scriptures this stands for the whole of religion. Religion is thus substantially expressed for two reasons--because it is with God that we have principally to do. Our principal dependence is upon Him; our principal expectations are from Him; our principal connections are with Him. And because, before we can have anything to do with Him, we must find Him. Morally and spiritually considered, we are away from God, and God is away from us. We have left Him criminally, and He has left us penalty. Our first concern, therefore, is to find God, and for this purpose we are to seek after Him. See four purposes for which we are to seek God, and which enter essentially into genuine religion.

1. We are to seek to know Him. Here genuine religion begins.

2. We must seek to enjoy Him, and in order to this we must be reconciled. Till His anger is turned away from us, He cannot comfort us.

3. We are to seek to serve Him. He is our Master to obey and to wait upon.

4. We must seek to resemble Him. It is the essence of religion, to be like Him whom we worship. You cannot resemble His natural perfections; you can His moral perfections.

II. The neglect of this duty. “They do not seek the Lord their God.” Are there no exceptions? Yes, God always has His remnant. But the language of Scripture is awful upon this subject. Its language implies generality, if it does not imply universality. Glance at five classes of delinquents.

1. Infidels. Who deny, at least, the moral providence and government of God, and also a future state.

2. The profligate. These hide not their sin as Sodom, but publish it like unto Gomorrah.

3. The careless. Who are indifferent to everything of a religious nature.

4. Formalists. Who have a name that they live, but are dead.

5. Partial seekers. Whose goodness is like the morning cloud. Not always insincere at the time. Their religion is dependent upon external excitements. This is enough to refute the lies you find in all our churchyards, where every tombstone and every headstone tells you that all the parish has gone to heaven, or is going there.

III. The aggravation of this neglect. “They seek not the Lord their God for all this.” All what? How various and numerous are the means which God is providing, and which He perpetually employs as the prevention of sin and the excitements to holiness; or to induce men to seek the Lord their God. What are they? Profusion of benefits in nature, providence, and grace. The Scriptures, which men have in their own hand, and in their own tongue. Sending His ministers, so that men can hear the words of eternal life. The power of conscience. The various addresses, reproofs, admonitions, encouragements, derived from their various connections, father, mother, etc. Afflictions. Public calamities. The Jews were threatened with four very sore judgments.

1. From wild and noisome beasts.

2. From war.

3. From famine.

4. Pestilence.

Here we recently have awfully resembled them. The sermon was preached on the day of national humiliation on account of the cholera. But repentance is never produced by unmixed terror. Terror may drive, but goodness alone leads to repentance. You are not to yield entirely to the seducements of croaking and brooding. Close with a reflection, turning on the goodness of God and depravity of man. The goodness of God, who sees all sins, and yet forbears. The depravity of man, in that the beneficiaries are constantly neglecting and opposing their kind Benefactor. How the goodness of God and the depravity of man have been displayed in our country. Apply to individuals. Individualise you in your gratitude, your penitence, your danger, and your hope. (William Jay.)

Will not be humbled

1. God expects we should turn upon affliction.

2. Afflictions, if not sanctified, will never turn the heart.

3. It is a great aggravation of men’s sins not to turn under afflictions.

4. Though afflictions may work repentance, yet such repentance is seldom true; it will not often sustain the trial.

5. True repentance is rather a seeking of God’s face than our own case from afflictions. (Jeremiah Burroughs.)