[It once appeared folly to serve God : but now this sen- timent is reversed. Even in the days of their unregeneracy they had a secret thought, that the godly, whom they de- spised, were happier than themselves. But, when divinely instructed, they see that they have been " feeding upon ashes, and that a deceived heart has turned them aside c. If ever they have " tasted that the Lord is gracious," they cannot fail of looking back with grief on the blessedness they have lostd. They confess that " once it was better with them than now;" that, in departing from God, they " forsook the foun- tain of living waters ; " and that, in seeking happiness in the creature, they " hewed out to themselves broken cisterns that could hold no watere."]
3. A determination of heart to return to him —
[They no longer say, " We will follow after other lovers f; " but, " We will return to our first husband." They view God as their rightful Lord, to whom they are bound by every tie; and, with indignation against themselves for their past con- duct, they say, " Other lords besides thee have had dominion over us ; but by thee only will we make mention of thy nameg."]
The whole of this effect is strongly exemplified in the prodigal son —
[The prodigal departed from his father, and spent his substance in riotous living. God, intending to reclaim him, sent a famine into the country where he had taken up his residence. (However casual this might appear, it was ordained of God for his good.) He would not regard this " hedge," or return to his father while he could get any other support. He therefore hired himself to a citizen of that place to feed his swine ; and when almost famished, preferred the husks which the swine ate of, to the bread he might obtain by returning home. God seeing this obstinate reluctance in him, so ordered it, that, notwithstanding he had spent all his fortune there, no man should have pity enough to relieve his wants. At last, constrained by necessity, and stopped as by " a wall," the pro- digal is induced to return to his father's house, where he finds a reception beyond all expectation kind and gracious. Thus misfortune upon misfortune, or conviction upon convic- tion, are sent to us, till, distressed on every side, and dis- appointed in every attempt to extricate ourselves, we are " made willing " to return to God.]
We may learn from this subject,
c Isai. xliv. 20. d Gal. iv. 15. e jer. ji. 13.
f ver. 5. e Isai. xxvi. 13.
1143.1 god's dealings with penitents. 5
1. The depravity of man —
[We never seek God, till we are constrained by his provi- dence and grace to do so : and, to the latest hour of our lives, we need hedges and walls to keep us in the way of duty. What an astonishing proof is this of our utter alienation from God, yea, of our enmity against him ! Let us blush, and be confounded before him.]
2. The end of trials —
[They " spring not from the dust," but are sent for our good. They are like the angel that met Balaam11: and our obstinacy in breaking through these obstructions would have repeatedly subjected us to the sword of vengeance, if our God had not still exercised mercy and forbearance towards us. Let us then "hear the rod, and him that hath appointed it1."]
3. The happiness of a religious life —
[No one ever gave himself up truly to God without find- ing that " his ways were ways of pleasantness and peace." No one ever declined from him, that did not suffer loss in respect of present happiness, as well as of his future reward. Let all professors then " be sober and watch unto prayer ;" that instead of saying, " It was once better with me than now," they may " make their profiting to appear unto all," and be enabled to say on every succeeding day, " It never was so well with me as at this present time."]