Hosea 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come to us as the rain… Doctrine: That the way to thrive in religion is to follow on, to pursue, to hold our hand to it, when once our hand is in it. I. WHO THEY ARE WHOM WE MAY CALL TO FOLLOW ON. There are some whom we cannot call to follow on, because they have not yet stirred a foot in religion. There may be some whom the King has brought into His chambers, and assured of His love. Their business is to follow on. Others have got but some glimmerings of solid hope from the Lord. Others have gained some mastery over spiritual foes. Others are yet only striving. Others can only be said to have some desires towards God. Others have only had passing convictions of sin. Yet others know nothing more than inward uneasiness. II. WHAT IS IT TO FOLLOW ON? 1. You must make religion your great end. 2. You must be persuaded of the weight and worth of religion. 3. You must hold fast what you have. 4. You must be moving forward, labouring for more. 5. You must habitually attend upon religion, and make it your chief business. 6. You must be resolute and vigorous in your endeavours. 7. You must entertain a hope of success. 8. If you fall, you must get up again, and quicken your pace. III. CONFIRM THIS DOCTRINE. However small your beginnings or hopes may now be, yet persevere. You have God's Word for it. "You shall reap, if you faint not." 1. You have God's Word of promise for it (Matthew 25:29). 2. It is the Lord's ordinary way in His works, to bring great things by degrees out of small beginnings. 3. The works of grace in the soul ordinarily arise from very small beginnings. Consider — 4. The bountiful nature of God, who surely will not always flee from those who follow Him, but will at length be found of them. 5. No person gets a refusal from heaven, but those who court it by their own indifference. A faint way of seeking is to beg a denial. 6. As importunity is usually in all cases the way to come speed, so it has special advantages in this case which promise success. 7. Such followers the Lord does not bid to go back. And this is encouraging. 8. The Lord commands you to follow Him (Luke 11:19). IV. PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 1. Those who have not yet begun to seek the Lord are neither prospering in their souls, nor are they in the way to it. 2. It is no wonder that back sliders have lean souls. 3. They are in no prospering case who are at a stand in religion. 4. The smallest spark which you now have may be brought to a flame. 5. See what is the ruin of many communicants.It is not that they get nothing, it is that they carry nothing away; they follow nothing on. They do not hold their hands to it when they are at home. (T. Boston, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. |
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