Reason 1. Because ' The natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for they ai'e foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned ; but he that is spiritual judgeth all things,' &c., 1 Cor. ii. 14.
Secondly, ' Because they who do evil hate the light,' John iii. 19, and therefore, cannot love what they hate. ' This,' Christ saith, ' is the con- demnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness better than light, because their deeds were evil.'
Thirdly, Because they are blinded, 2 Cor. iv. 4 ; therefore they are led away by the god of this world, Satan, so that they cannot perceive anything that is spiritual, for God hath not given them a heart to perceive, &c., Deut. xxix. 4.
Fourthly, Because they want faith, which is called ' the faith of God's elect,' Tit. i. 1 ; and we know, ' without faith it is impossible to please God,' Heb. xi. 6 ; for it is said that ' the word profited not those unbe- lieving Jews, because it was not mingled with faith in those who heard it,' Heb. iv. 2.
Fifthly, Because the word is like the sun, which causeth plants to smell sweet, and a dunghill to smell stinking. So it works grace in some, and extracts the sin and foul vapours out of others.
Use 1. The use is, fij'st, reproof unto them who stumble at the whole- some doctrines of the uorcl; of election, reprobation, predestination, and the like. Such indeed stumble at Christ himself. He is a stumblingblock unto them, as Peter speaketh, 1 Pet. ii. 8. They stumble at Chi'ist who stumble at his word.
Use 2. Secondly, not to Jove the word tlie iwrse, because evil men be made the worse by it ; which shews rather the mighty power of the word which discovereth them, and will not let them be hid, unmasking h;vi30crites to themselves and others. As we must not like the sun the worse, because it makes carrion smell; nor the fan, because it winnoweth away the chaff; so must we not fall out with the word, because it hath these eflects upon wicked men.
Use 3. Lastly, it is for consolation unto them that, when their sin is reproved, fall not out with the word, but with their sin. \Yheu they are excited to duty, they hate their corruption, and do endeavour to walk honestly without reproof. This shews the word is not the savour of death unto death to them, but the savour of life unto life ; which St Paul makes a sign of election, * When they receive the word of God, as the word of • God, with thanksgiving,' 1 Thes. ii. 13. This indeed is a matter of praise,
432 THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER. [SeRMON XVI.
to give God thanks for his good word, which saves our souls, and comforts us here in the way of all our pilgrimage, till we arrive at heavenly glory.
For conclusion of all, what then remaineth on our part to be done ? Surely, to hearken no more to flesh and blood, to the world or the devil ; but to hear what God saith in his most holy word, Ps. xxxii. 10, and to frame our hearts with a strong resolution to this ' returning,'' here exhorted to. Oh, if we knew the many miseries and soi'rows which attendeth wretched and miserable sinners, and sinful courses here and hereafter, it would be our first work to follow God's counsel to his people ; to return from our sinful wa^'s ; to meet so gracious and mei'ciful a God ; that he may, as his promise is, ' heal our backslidings,' and be ' as the dew unto us,' to make us fruitful and abundant in every good and perfect work.
What can be said more for our encom-agement than that which hath been delivered in this chapter ? God, the party offended, who is Jehovah, God all-sufficient, exhorts us to return unto him, who is able and willing to help. And he also, out of his rich goodness, forewarneth us of the dangerous estate a sinner is in ; who, being ' fallen by his iniquity,' ought therefore to pity himself. Return and not run on in a further course of disobedience and backsliding. And words are put in our mouths, dictated by God him- self, which needs must be very prevailing with him. What an encourage- ment is this ! Yea further, as we have heard, these petitions are all answered graciously and abundantly, above all they did ask ; wherein God surmounteth oar desires and thoughts, as we heard at large. Whereby we also may be confident to have our petitions and suits in like sort granted ; if we go unto God with his own words and form prescribed. If we ' take with us words' of prayer, we shall be sure to vanquish all our spiritual enemies ; for faithful prayer works wonders in heaven and earth, James v. 17. And that God doth not bid us be religious to our loss, he sheweth that we shall lose nothing by following his counsel, and walking in a religious course of life ; having abominated our idols, ' He will observe us, and see us,' and be a shelter imto us, having a derivation of fruitfulness from his fulness. * Ih me is thy fruit found.'