First, ' The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways ; ' that is, such as suit with his own carnal heart.
1. Naturally a man is addicted to carnal things more than spiritual, and to worldly vanity rather than heavenly enjoyments, to the creature rather than to God, Why ?
[1.] Because they are in part necessary for our uses, and so the natural appetite desireth them, as well as the inordinate appetite, which is corrupted by sin. Prosperity, plenty, wealth, honour, ease, pleasure, are good for us, if subordinated to grace and better things : ' Wisdom with an inheritance is good,' Eccles. vii. 11 ; and again, Eccles. V. 18, ' It is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labours that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life; for it is his portion.' But alas! Men are apt to exceed their bounds, and become enchanted with the false happiness, so that they neglect the true and sit down contented with their worldly portion, and God and eternity are little thought of or cared for.
[2.] They are comfortable to our senses. The sweetness of wealth, honour and pleasure, is known by feeling, and therefore known easily, and known by all. Now whilst the soul dwelleth in the flesh, and looketh out by the senses, we soon receive the taint which ariseth from sensible objects : ' All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world,' 1 John ii. 16.
[3.] They are suitable to our fancies and appetites : ' For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit,' Eom. viii. 5. Every one's gust and taste is according to his constitution.
[4.] These things are near us, present with us, and ready to be enjoyed ; whereas spiritual and heavenly things are unseen and afar off : ' But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins,' 2 Peter i. 9.
2. What is the issue of all this ? They love a worldly, a sensual, and ungodly life ; and (1.) Eeligion is slighted and neglected. They live in an oblivion of God : ' The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God : God is not in all his thoughts,' Ps. X. 4. The offers of grace and eternal life are not regarded : ' All things are ready ; come unto the marriage : but they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise,' Mat. xxiii, 45. (2.) Yea religion and godliness is cast off and tram- pled upon : ' For Demas hath forsaken us, having loved this present world,' 2. Tim. iv. 10. (3.) Or else opposed and persecuted, and by none more than by those that once had some sense and taste of it : Apostatce sunt maximi osores sui ordinis. 'The revolters are pro- found to make slaughters,' Hosea v. 2. By plausible pretences it is palliated, and counsels are laid deep to extirpate the godly. Apostates are most cruelly oppressive. (4.) Or if it be kept up, it is only to hide and feed their lusts, making a market of religion, and denying the power under the form of godliness : ' Having a form of godliness, but
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denying the power thereof,' 2 Tim. iii. 5. And the apostle speaketh of some that ' supposed again to be godliness,' 1 Tim. vi. 5 ; that is, made religion an advantageous trade : ' When thou dost thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men,' Mat. vi. 2. They did it to be seen of men. And Luke xvi. 15, ' And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts ; for what is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.' (5.) They lead a life of pomp and ease, wallowing in all manner of sin and sensuaUty ; as the carnal rich men are described, James v. 1-5, to be such as lived in all voluptuousness, uncleanness, and oppression. These are the ways from whence do they suck all their pleasure and contentment, and therewith glut and fill themselves more and morCj some in a more gross, others in a more cleanly manner.
Secondly, It is implied that the good man seeketh God's direction, for he is opposed to him that despiseth God's counsels. Now God giveth this counsel by his word and Spirit.
1. In the word. In the scripture God hath showed us true happi- ness, and the way to it, which was a secret and a riddle to the world before. True happiness is but one thing, but the world seeketh it in many things. Two hundred and eighty-eight opinions were reckoned up, and none lighted upon the truth , and therefore we run about and weary ourselves in a maze of uncertainty : ' How long wilt thou go about, 0 back.sliding daughter ! ' Jer. xxxi. 22. Experience will tell us that nothing in the creature will make us completely blessed. It is but labour in vain to seek it there : ' Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread ? and your labour for that which satisfieth not ? ' Isa. Iv. 2. And the many religions in the world prove not the remedy of mankind, but the disease. Only in Christ's religion is the true rest and ease and repose of souls : Jer. vi. 16, ' Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way ? and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls ; ' Mat. xi. 28, 29, ' Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.' Now in the scriptures pardon of sin is revealed, which was a great secret to nature, for they were at a great loss about the way to obtain it : Micah vi. 6, 7, ' Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God ? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old ? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil ? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ? ' And ' life and immortality are brought to light through the gospel,' 2 Tim i. 10. Now the good man is wholly busied about observing God's direction, how the sore that hath 80 long run upon him may be cured, and a proper happiness which man gropeth after may be obtained : Acts xvii. 27, ' That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him.' We are fallen from God, and cannot be happy but in returning to him again, nor completely happy till we attain to the full enjoyment of hira.