(2.) And the soul is not only cooled and refreshed, but it is also sweetened
HoSEA XrV. 5, 6.] THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER. 833
and made fruitful with comfort to the soul. If we were to see a man in tbc pangs of conscience, stung with fieiy temptations, as with so many fierv' sei^pents and poisoned darts, which drink up the spirits, and presents God a consuming fire ; and hell beneath, full of insupportable torments, set on by the insupportable wrath of God : then we should know what it were to have grace in this efficacious manner, cooling and refreshing the soul, that hath these fiery darts stuck into it of violent strong temptations, which to the present sense are the flashes and beginnings of hell. Oh, it is an excellent thing to have the grace of God in such a case to assuage and cool the maladies of a distressed soul, which for the present seems to bum in a flame of wrath ! As it cools, so also it makes the heart fruitful, our hearts of themselves being as the barren wilderness and wild desert. Now God by his grace turns ' the wilderness into water- springs,' as it appeareth in many places of the prophets. Saith God, ' For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground ; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed,' &c., Isa. xliv. 3 ; xlv. 8. So grace, it turns the barren wilderness, the heart, dry of itself, and makes it fruitful. We know what Paul said of Onesimus, a fruitless servant, nay, a fugitive thief. He is unfruitful no longer, saith he, now that he is become a convert, another, a new man, now he will do good service, Phil. xvi. A man is no sooner altered by the dew of gmce, but howsoever fonnerly he were a naughty, hurtful person, of whom every man was afraid because of his wicked- ness, yet now he is a fruitful person, and strives to bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life. Mat. iii. 8.
Fifthhj, And we may add one more, in the next place, in regard of the unresiatihleness thereof ; for as nothing can hinder the dew from falling from the sweet influence of heaven unto us, or hinder the working of those superior bodies upon the inferior, or hinder the wind from blowing ; so who can hinder God's grace ? Job xxx-vaii. 37. They may, out of malice, hinder the means of it, and hinder the gracious working of the Spirit, by discouragements in others ; which is a sign of a devilish spirit, when yet God hath a hand in that too after a sort. For it raineth in one city, and not in another, by God's appointment ; but nothing can hinder, where God will have the dew and water, and shine of the influence of gi'ace, work. Nothing in the world can stop it. So it is said in that excellent prophecy of Chiist and his kingdom, ' He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth,' which as they cool and fructify, so come they unresistibly, Ps. Ixxii. 6.
Use. Let none, therefore, be discouraged with the deadness, dryness, and barrenness of their own hearts ; but let them know that God doth graciously promise, if they will take the com'se fornlerly set down, to bo ' as the dew unto them.' Therefore let them come unto the ordinances of God, with ■wondrous hope, confidence, and fjaith, that he will be as dew unto them ; that, seeing he hath appointed variety of ordinances, the word and sacra- ments, he will bless those means of his own ordaining and appointing, for his own ends. He that hath graciously appointed such means of grace, will he not bless them ? especially having promised, ' I will be as the dew unto Israel.' Therefore let us attend upon the ordinances, and not keep away, though our hearts be barren, diy, and unfruitful. God is above the heart, and able to turn the wilderness into a fruitful place. He can make the heart a fit habitation for himself to dwell in. Let us by faith attend upon the ordinances. If we find not comfort in one ordinance, let us go \mto another, and another. Comfort and help shall come, especially if, with
334 THE KETUPvNING BACKSLIDER. [SeRMON VII.
the church, we ' go a little further,' Cant. iii. 4 ; for the promise is, ' I will be as the clew unto Israel.'
But mark the order wherein he makes this promise.
First, He gives grace to pray to him. ' Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously ; ' ' Do good to us.'
Then, second, he gives a spirit of reformation, promising amendment ; whereupon this foUoweth, 'that he will forgive their sins, love them freely,' &c., and be ' as the dew unto Israel.' He will be as the dew unto Israel ; but he will give them grace first to be humbled, confess sin, and pray to God for grace and forgiveness. There is an order of working in the soul. God giveth justification before sanctification ; and before he freeth from the guilt of sin, he gives grace to confess sin. ' If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from them,' saith St John, 1 John i. 9. Where these go before, grace will follow ; and where they do not, there will be no sanctification. Therefore let us con- sider the order ; for wheresoever God 'takes away iniquity,' and heals their souls, in regard of the guilt of their sins, unto those he will be as dew. Therefore, if we have still barren souls, without desires or strength to goodness, certainly our sins are still upon the file ;* for justification is never without holiness of life. ' Whosoever is in Christ, he is a new creature,' 2 Cor. v. 17. When this is done, God will be ' as the dew ; ' because he doth pardon our sins for this cause, that he may thereby fit us to be entertained in the covenant ; and are we fit to be in covenant with him, untd our natures be altered ? Therefore, whensoever he enters into covenant with any, he changeth their natures, that they may be friends, and have communion with him. Then the same soul which crieth, ' Take away all iniquity,' desireth also the dew of grace to make it better. This order is not only necessary on God's part, but in regard of the soul also. For was there ever any soul, fi-om the beginning of the world, that truly desired forgiveness of sins, which did not also therewith desire grace ? Such a soul were but a hypocritical soul. For if it be rightly touched with sorrow, it desires as well abiUty to subdue sin, as forgiveness of sin ; holiness and righteousness, with forgiveness, Luke i. 75.