Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 9 · Sermon 79
SERMON LXXIX.
Of turning not onelyonly from ſin, but to God; And how many wayes men may do the former, and not the latter; Alſo, what it is to turn to God.
JOEL 2. 12, 13.
Therefore alſo now ſaith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with faſting, and with weeping and mourning: And rent your hearts, and not your garments, &c.
THe former part of the Chapter is very elegant and copious in deſcribing a day of darkneſs, of thick darkneſs; that is, a day of Gods judgements, and his fierce anger. The Prophet is very Rhetorical and Metaphorical, in ſetting this judgement before their eyes. Some underſtand theſe Verſes conjoyned together, of the Army of the Aſſyrians, or ſome other potent Enemy, that God would raiſe againſt the Iſraelites: But Piſcator from Verſe 25. doth probably gather, that this whole deſtruction in ſeveral Verſes, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. is not to be applied to any Army of men and horſes, but to that numerous company of Vermine, Locuſts, Caterpillars and Cankerworns, that God ſent among them to devour their fruit and corn; which the Prophet calls verſe 25. Gods great Army; and indeed the Prophets phraſe ſeemeth to conclude this; for ſaith he of this Army, verſe 4. The appearance of them, is as the appearance of horſemen, and like the noiſe of chariots upon the mountains ſhall they leap: Thus God many times uſeth the vileſt and moſt loathſom creatures, to puniſh the ſtouteſt and moſt lofty men; for as they ſay of Gods providence and wiſdom in making of the creatures, he is Maximus in minimis, the greateſt in the leaſt; ſo is he moſt dreadful and terrible, in the moſt contemptible inſtruments. It troubled Abimelech to be killed by a woman; & what a debaſement was it to Pharaoh and Herod to be overmaſtered by Frogs and Lice? Oh how greatly is God to be feared! who hath thouſands of inviſible Armies, that he can raiſe to deſtroy thoſe that oppoſe him. After the ſolemn and magnificent deſcription of this dreadful judgement, the Prophet adviſeth the Iſraelites, what is the duty God requireth of them, their caſe is not yet deſperate. Caterpillars and Locuſts are loathſom to them; let their ſins be ſo, which are indeed the true Cankerworms that deſtroy their mercies: This judgement would make the earth and heavens to tremble, verſe 10. let it work ſo upon their hearts. As God would puniſh them with the vileſt of creatures, ſo let them be more vile in their own eyes, then monſters and beaſts: If they would have God turn away his judgements, let them turn from their ſins.
This Text I have choſen, becauſe it containeth the term to which of our converſion: We have already handled the term from which, and that is Sin. Now the term to which is to be conſidered, and that is, God; ſo that in the words you have the preface to the duty, and the duty: The preface containeth the authority and divine command inforcing to it, Thus now ſaith the Lord; its the great God of heaven that requireth this, who by his word made heaven and earth, to whom the winds and ſeas obey; how much rather ſhould man? Oh apply this to your hearts; Who is it but God that bids me turn from ſin? its not the Miniſter ſo much, its not the Meſſenger or Ambaſſador ſo much that I refuſe, as God himſelf; Is not his wiſdom and his Soveraignty enough to command preſent obedience. 2. The duty; and there is 1. The duty it ſelf, Turn ye, which is diſpatched. 2. The term to which of this motion, Even unto God. 3. The maner, With your whole heart. 4. The effects, With faſting and mourning. 5. The form or nature of it, Rent your hearts and not your garments. 6. The motive to incourage, For God is gracious and merciful, &c.
We are in order to fix upon the term to which, and that is God. Turn ye even to God. Even to me, implieth, that a man may turn and turn, and yet not turn even to him; he falls ſhort of this center, he cometh not to his journeys end: From whence Obſerve,
That it is not enough to turn from our ſins, but we muſt turn even to Obſerv.God.
Its not enough to go out of Egypt, but we muſt enter into Canaan; its not 1.enough to hate evil, but we muſt cleave to that which is good. Turn to me, even to me; let nothing elſe be the center, the end of your motion. This point is of great conſequence; for hereby I ſhall diſcover the counterfeit converſions of many, And ſo ſet the true and counterfeit together; and not as in other Texts, handle the counterfeits ſeparately by themſelves. That it is not enough to turn from ſin, unleſs we turn even to God, appeareth by that complaint, Hoſea, 7. 16. They return, but not to the moſt high; they are like a deceitful bow. How do they return, but not to the moſt high? becauſe they were diligent in faſting, humiliation, and the outward exerciſes of repentance, but ſtill they were hypocrites in heart; and therefore proverbially compared to the broken bow, that ſeemeth, as it were, to ſend forth its arrow directly upon the mark, but the ſtring breaking, it either falls on the ground, or flieth back on the face of the Archer; ſo they ſeemed by all their external duties, to aim at God, and eye him, but all fell upon themſelves; they looked no further then to their own advantages. For opening of this, conſider, how many ways men may turn from ſin, and yet not to God. 2. What it is to turn even to God. And
Firſt; Men turn from ſin, but not to God, when they commit them no more, becauſe 1. How many ways men may turn from ſin, and yet not to God.the temptations and occaſions are taken away: So that if they would, yet they cannot have an opportunity to ſatisfie or accompliſh their luſts: There is nothing more ordinary then this, men conclude they are converted, becauſe they do not ſin as they have done; whereas the true cauſe is; the temptations and opportunities are removed; ſo that there is not the work of Gods grace changing thy heart, but the work of his providence removing the objects thereof. Snakes and Adders they lie in their holes, and are alive as well in winter as in ſummer, yet becauſe in winter they want the warm reviving beams of the Sun, therefore they appear not out of their holes: Thus ſin, it may be, is as lively and powerful in thee as ever, but there are not the kindely and warm temptations to draw it forth: So then, this is no turning to God, becauſe thy heart is ſtill the ſame. The Lyon is a Lyon, though his claws be pared off, and he tied up in a dungeon: That King who ſtretched out his hand to lay hold on the Prophet, and his arm withered, was never the more innocent, becauſe he did not actually commit his deſigned miſchief; and certainly if the hearts of godly men have deceived them, that they have thought it not poſſible for them to commit ſuch ſins, as they have been warned about; as we ſee in Peter about his Apoſtacy, no wonder if wicked men do ſo greatly delude their own ſouls: It may be then thou canſt not be unclean, as thou haſt been, thy body is an old painful decripit body; thou canſt not be ſuch a Prodigal as thou haſt been, for thou haſt not wherewith to do it: Alas! thou art not converted from ſin, thou art onelyonly deprived of the inſtruments of ſin; therefore ſtand thou by, for here is no glad tidings for thee.
Secondly, They turn from ſin, but not to God, that forſake their groſs wicked 5.ways, but then either go no further then meer civility, or elſe divert to ſome ſuperſtitious way of worſhip: This is much to be regarded, for here men ſwallow down poyſon, while they think it is honey: And
Firſt, thoſe that turn to civility onelyonly, dye in the wilderneſs, and never come to Canaan; yet this is a great converſion and change in the worlds account: If they ſee a Prodigal turned a good husband; if a diſſolute debauched man, a ſober temperate man, they cry out, Behold a true convert! but this is to turn half way onelyonly to God: They leave the ſin, and ſet upon the contrary duty, but from falſe and infirm principles: They turn not to God, to cloſe with him, to receive him as their Lord and King, onelyonly they have ſome inferior reaſons, which make them thus change their lives: Fear of poverty and hardſhip makes them better husbands; ſo the indangering of their bodily health by groſs intemperance, makes them more ſober: Now in all this a man, though he turneth from his ſin, yet becauſe his motions are onelyonly humane, ſuch as wiſe Heathens have propounded to themſelves, therefore they turn not unto God: Theſe that from prophane men, turn to be meer civil men onelyonly, and not godly, are, as it was with Jonah, who had got a goard to defend him from the heat of the Sun, and he thought now he had a ſure defence, but a worm ariſeth preſently to devour it: So thou who art turned more civil and ingenious then once thou wert, beginneſt to bleſs thy ſelf, and admire thy condition, not conſidering that for thy black coals and dirt thou didſt wallow in, thou haſt not found gold, but copper. We may indeed, as our Saviour did, look upon ſuch who have this change, and love them, and yet ſay, Thou art not far from the Kingdom of Heaven. The Prophets and the Apoſtles preſs a far other converſion, then the moſt exact Moraliſts among the Heathens; when therefore thou beginneſt to turn and change, be ſure thou goeſt to the proper end of ſuch a motion; ſtay not in any thing but God; do not take up thy lodging any where, till thy ſoul reſt on him.
But the ſecond miſcarriage in turning from ſin, may be into ſome ſuperſtitious and ſeemingly zealous worſhip of God; and this is more dangerous poiſon then the former. It hath been the caſe of divers, when afflicted in conſcience for ſin, and feeling the load and burthen of it, preſently to fall upon ſome auſtere ſuperſtitious exerciſe of Religion, which God never commanded, and by this means they think to make God amends, and to give ſatisfaction; but this is not ſo much converſion as ſubverſion. Suppoſe the Phariſees had gained ſeveral publicans and groſs ſinners to become their Proſelytes, to leave their former foul ſins, and to be very diligent and ſtrict in outward ſuperſtitions; yet our Saviour ſaith, That ſuch were made the children of wrath; they were not turned to God, but in ſome reſpects more from him: Take heed therefore of turning from a publican, to become a Phariſee; this is deſtruction ſtill: And yet this kinde of converſion is for the moſt part onelyonly acknowledged in Popery; for they ſpeak much of their converts and converſion, but what is that which they ſo eminently commend? viz. When men living in the world, and guilty of groſs ſins, do begin to feel the terror and burthen of them, and thereupon enter into ſome Monaſtery, joyn themſelves to ſome Religious order, as they call it, and this i… conv… eaſie and ſutable to fleſh and blood. As we ſee the Jews very forward for any … Sacrifices, though they were ten thouſand Rams, and thouſand Rivers of Oy…, when yet they would not turn from one ſin; and thus it is here: To bow to Altars, to go on pilgrimage, to keep a ſtrict Lent, theſe are far more eaſie to fleſh and blood, then to mortifie ſin, Habes quod in to occidas, ſaid Austin. Though we have not Rams or Sheep to kill for Sacrifice, yet we have ſeveral luſts to mortifie, and this is a greater pain: So then, beware of this deluſion of Satan; for if he cannot keep men in prophane ſecurity about their ſins, but their conſciences will tremble and cry out; then he leads them into dark ſuperſtitious ways, and ſo they damn themſelves in a narrow way, that leads to hell; for there is a broad way to hell, and there is alſo a narrow ſtraight way, which the troubled conſcience of a man findes out, wanting the guide of the Scripture: And the Devil makes ſuch take up their croſs and follow him.
Thirdly, Then we turn not to God from ſin, when we onelyonly change the practice 3.of ſin, groſs foul bodily ſins, to more ſpiritual ſoul-filthineſs: As when we with indignation caſt away our prophaneneſs and ſcandalous ways, but this filleth us with pride and ſelf-confidence, and a carnal truſt in our Righteouſneſs: Oh this is not turning to God, but further from him then ever; I come not to call the Righteous, but the ſinners to repentance, ſaith Chriſt, Mat. 9 13. ſuch as are already conceited with a ſelf righteouſneſs, becauſe with the Phariſee, they can ſay, They are no Theives, no Adulterers, nor like other men, theſe are in a direct oppoſition to converſion. This was the great ſin of the Jews, they went about to eſtabliſh their own Righteouſneſs, Rom. 10. 1, 2. to ſet up their own Dagon; but alas, that could not ſtand before God. Take heed then, that when thou haſt caſt out ſome black Devils, there come not white ones in the room; the Devil transforming himſelf into an Angel of light: Oh its a great matter, when theſe unclean ſpirits are caſt out of the ſoul, what comes in the room thereof. Alas! the Parable tells us, that a mans heart may be garniſhed and furniſhed to prepare for thoſe Devils that are ſeven times worſe, Luke 11. 25. and as this holds for ſelf-righteouſneſs and pride, ſo for vain diſputations, and affecting new opinions in Religion; for if thou haſt given over all thy prophaneneſs, and on a ſudden all thy ſtrength runs out in diſputations about Religion: Thou doſt not minde mortification of ſin, and cloſe communion with God, but thou art of this opinion, and that, and runneſt roving up and down in Religion, this is an argument thou art, it may be, unſettled from ſin, but yet not ſettled upon God; Thou art too much a ſeeker, for it may be thou haſt not yet found God. Do not thou think converſion is an exchange of one ſin from another; no, its a well adviſed renouncing of all, and taking God in the room of them.
Fourthly, Though we leave ſin, yet we do not turn to God, when afflictions and 4.calamities are the onelyonly motive to make us keep off: So that we are beaten from our ſins, as the dog from ſheep, our hearts are not turned to hate thoſe luſts we once loved: This was that which made the Prophet ſay, They returned not to the moſt high; becauſe though they were conſtant in prayer, and humiliation, and faſting; yet it was meerly to divert judgement, and out of love to temporal mercies: And thus alſo Zachary the Prophet expoſtulateth with the Iſraelites, In thoſe moneths, did ye faſt to me, even to me? was it not for your ſelves? Zach. 7. 5. If therefore theſe temporal calamities be the great wheel to ſet all agoing, you return not yet to God.
Laſtly, Let a man turn never ſo far from the committing of any groſs ſin, yet if 5.ſtill he do not turn from himſelf, his ſelf aims, ſelf-ends, ſelf principles, ſelf intereſts, he is not yet turned to God; For converſion is the unhinging of the ſoul, hanging it upon another hinge, or ſetting it upon another bottom then it had before: Therefore the whole requiſite to a Diſciple of Chriſt, is compriſed in this, To Deny himſelf: If a man deny his luſts, his ſins, all his outward wickedneſs; yet if ſtill he hath not denied himſelf, he hath not killed the Serpent in his head, and therefore he will revive again; for therefore were ſins committed, becauſe they were ſelf-pleaſure, ſelf-eaſe, or ſelf-profit: This was the blood that ran in every vein; therefore till a man be no longer himſelf, till he be converted and turned from himſelf, what a change ſoever may be in his life, yet he is not turned to God. Thus you ſee, that ſeveral ways men may turn from their ſins, and yet not cloſe with God; they are removed from their former life, as the dove was ſent out of the Ark, but they have not found any place to reſt their ſouls upon. Oh how much doth this concern you, who have made ſome motion from ſin! you will not, you cannot, you dare not live as you have done: Oh! but upon what terms is all this? Thou mayeſt turn from ſin, and yet go round and round about, till thou haſt fallen into the ſame ſins or worſe again: As ſome wandring traveller, that hath loſt his way, goeth directly to that place at night from whence he came in the morning: Oh take heed of being a broken Bow, to have all thy ſeeming turnings to God prove fruſtrated.
In the next place, let us conſider, What it is to turn to God, even to him: And
Firſt, it is, Becauſe he is diſpleaſed and offended by ſin: This is the very quinteſſence 1. What it is to turn to God.and differential mark of converſion. David bewailed this conſideration in his ſin; and the Prodigal, when he became a convert, this wounded his heart, Father, I have ſinned againſt heaven, and againſt thee, and am no more worthy to be called a ſon: All is but forced and counterfeit in converſion, till this be the great motive to ſet all on work: This will hold for all ſin, and at all times, whether in proſperity or adverſity, life and death.
Secondly, To turn even unto God, is to be unquiet and reſtleſs in ſoul, till we do 2.enjoy his favor, and the light of his countenance: So that if all judgements for ſin be removed, if all outward comforts and abundance overflow, yet all is nothing, till God be reconciled: Thus it was with David, Reſtore joy (ſaith he) and heal the broken bones, Pſal. 51. This is a ſure Touch-ſtone of grace, when honors, riches, and all outward accommodations are nothing, unleſs God ſpeak peace: As Human ſaid, when he ſpake of all the honor and greatneſs he had, yet all availed him nothing, as long as Mordecai lived: Oh ſay thou much rather, All health, friends, children, comfort me nothing, till God cauſe his face to ſhine upon me! Oh deſire to bathe thy ſoul in this meditation! this will manifeſt the uprightneſs and ſincerity of thy converſion: O Lord, in thy light is life, comfort, happineſs, and all things elſe.
Thirdly, To turn to him, even unto him, is when the ſoul being weary of ſinful delights, and earthly pleaſures, doth wholly repoſe it ſelf, and reſt on God as its true and 3.proper center: It was the ſpeech of a true Convert, Lord, whom have I in heaven but thee, and whom in the earth but thee? it was the ſpeech of the converted Church, I will leave all my lovers, and go to my firſt husband, for then was it better with me then now: Thus in true converſion, the ſoul forſaketh all, and cleaveth to him onelyonly, Jer. 3. 14. Return, O Iſrael, for I am married to you: No converſion, as long as God is not the onelyonly center of thy ſoul; if thou haſt other objects, beſides him, if other lovers beſides him, thou art not turned even to him.
Laſtly, To turn to God, is obedientially to reſign up our ſelves unto him as a Lord, & our Soveraign, whoſe commands we wil faithfully obey, whoſe Laws we 4.will readily ſubmit unto: Thus Paul, when converted, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? and the Church cryeth, when converted, Come, let us return unto the Lord; as if ſhe would ſay, Behold, here I am, do what thou pleaſeſt: So that to turn to him, is to be like wax before the fire, melted into what form God would have it.
Uſe of Examination, Haſt thou forſaken thy ſins? art thou no more the beaſt, the Devil thou waſt once? Oh Conſider, and again conſider, upon what Uſe.terms thou and ſin did part: How haſt thou cloſed with God? is he thy center, thy fulneſs? doeſt not thou take a picture for the true perſon? doeſt not thou lodge in ſome thing on this ſide God? Oh what ſad ſhipwrack is that which is near the very haven! To turn ſo far and yet at laſt to be turned into hell! To get ſo far out of Egypt, and yet to have Pharaoh recover thee again: Fear imperfect and inſincere converſion, as much as prophaneneſs.