Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day… I. IF MEN WILL NOT DRAW NEAR UNTO GOD, YET HE WILL FIND THEM OUT IN THEIR SINS, AND BRING THEM INTO JUDGMENT BEFORE HIM. Let all those that have sinned come and prepare to meet their God (Amos 4:12), who can neither be blinded not escaped, nor resisted, that they may take hold of His strength to make peace with Him, considering — 1. That it is more credit to come in voluntarily than to be drawn in by force. 2. A readier way to obtain pardon, as Benhadad's lords found by experience (1 Kings 20:32), and David much more in submitting unto God (Psalm 32:5). 3. If we come not in voluntarily, God will bring us in by force, which will be worse for us every way. II. GOD, WHO HATH ALL THE WRONG WHEN HE IS PROVOKED BY OUR SINS, IS THE FIRST THAT SEEKS TO MAKE PEACE WITH US. 1. He allures us by His mercies, as He promised to deal with His people (Hosea 2:14, 15). 2. By the inward and secret persuasions of His Spirit, in giving them hearts to return (Zechariah 12:12). 3. By the effectual ministry of the gospel, wherein He doth not only offer unto us, but persuade and beseech us to embrace those terms of peace which He offers, as the apostle speaks (2 Corinthians 5:20).The reason is — 1. Necessity, seeing we cannot turn our hearts unto Him unless He draws us (John 6:44), which moves the Church to pray, "Turn us, and we shall be turned" (Jeremiah 31:18). 2. The fitness of this way, to advance the free mercy of God the more, that all men's boasting may be taken away (Ephesians 2:8, 9), and that he that rejoiceth may rejoice in God alone (1 Corinthians 1:31), who, as He loves us first, so He seeks us first (Isaiah 61:1), and recovers us oft when we go astray. III. GOD, WHEN HE DEALS WITH MEN, DELIGHTS TO BE HEARKENED UNTO WITH REVERENCE AND FEAR. IV. GOD, IN REPRESENTING HIS MAJESTY TO MEN, SO DEALS WITH THEM THAT HE MAY HUMBLE BUT NOT CONFOUND THEM. 1. In dispensing His Word by the ministry of men (and not of angels, whose presence might affright us), and that, too, in such a manner, that whereas it is in itself like a hammer (Jeremiah 23:29), mighty in operation through God, sharper than any two-edged sword (2 Corinthians 10:5), able, if it were set on by the strength of His hand, to break the heart in pieces, yet is so tempered in the dispensation thereof, by men like unto ourselves, and therefore sensible by experience of human infirmities, that it only pricks the heart (Acts 2:27), but cuts it not in pieces. 2. In the terrors of conscience, which being in themselves unsupportable (Proverbs 18:14), yet are so moderated unto us, that though we be perplexed, we are not in despair (2 Corinthians 4:8), burned but yet not consumed, like Moses' bush (Exodus 2:2), walking safely in the flames of fire with the three children (Daniel 3:25). 3. In afflictions, which God lays on us in such a measure proportioned to our strength (1 Corinthians 10:13) that they only purge us, but do not destroy us (Isaiah 27:8, 9). V. GOD MANY TIMES CALLS MEN TO ACCOUNT, AND PROCEEDS IN JUDGMENT AGAINST THEM IN THE MIDST OF THEIR DELIGHTS. VI. IT IS VERY NEEDFUL TO OBSERVE A FIT SEASON IN DEALING WITH OFFENDERS AFTER THEY HAVE SINNED. VII. THE PRESENCE OF GOD IS TERRIBLE TO A SINNER. 1. Behold, then, the miserable condition into which sin hath brought us, which hath changed our greatest desire (Psalm 42:2), and joy (Psalms 16:11), and content (Psalms 17:15), into the greatest terror, especially unto the wicked, who neither can fly from God's presence (Psalms 139:7) nor endure His revenging hand. 2. Behold the comfort of a good conscience, wherein we may behold the face of God with comfort and confidence (1 John 3:21); but not in ourselves, but in the name of Jesus Christ, who hath by His mediation established with us a covenant of peace between God and us (Romans 5:1) and purchased unto us access with boldness to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), so that we can not only rejoice at present in God's presence with us in His ordinances, but withal love and long for His appearance, when He shall come in His glory (2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 22:20). VIII. WHEN MEN ARE ONCE FALLEN AWAY FROM GOD, THEY ARE LEFT TO MISERABLE AND UNPROFITABLE SHIFTS. 1. It cannot be otherwise when men are once gone away from God, in whom only is true comfort and safety, and His name a strong tower, which they that run unto are safe, and from whom is the efficacy of all means, which without Him can do neither good nor evil. 2. God, in His just judgment, when men honour Him not as God, deprives them of that wisdom. IX. MEN ARE NATURALLY APT TO FLY FROM THE MEANS OF THEIR OWN GOOD. The reason is — 1. Men's ignorance of spiritual things, wherein their true good consists. 2. The wisdom of the flesh being enmity against God: as many as are of the flesh must needs hate Him, and therefore cannot submit unto Him. 3. The ways of attaining true good are by denial of one's self and all the lusts of the flesh, which is impossible for any man to do, remaining in his natural condition. X. THE TERRORS OF GOD SHALL FIRST OR LAST SHAKE THE HEARTS OF ALL THOSE THAT DO MOST SLIGHT HIS JUDGMENTS. Indeed, unless God should in this manner deal with the wicked of the world, He should — 1. Suffer His honour to be trampled under foot, and His authority and power despised. 2. Harden the hearts of wicked men in mischief (Ecclesiastes 8:11). 3. There is no fitter judgment, nor more proportionable to the sin, than to punish security and contempt with fear and terror. XI. A GUILTY CONSCIENCE IS FILLED WITH TERRORS UPON EVERY OCCASION. XII. WHATSOEVER WE TRULY FEAR WE CANNOT BUT ENDEAVOUR TO FLY FROM AND AVOID. XIII. THERE IS A WONDERFUL PRONENESS IN THE HEARTS OF MEN TO CONCEIVE OF GOD AS THEY DO OF A MORTAL MAN. (J. White, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. |
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