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of a good, or evil kind, being more generally felt, such will have to give a most dreadful account, if they should by their misconduct turn any out of the way.

CHAP. III.

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

The Evil of Backsliding-The Fallen encouraged to return.

EVIL OF BACKSLIDING.

As a departure from God, for a shorter or longer time, or in a greater or less degree, is contrary to his holy will, all who admit that will to be regulated by infinite wisdom and righteousness, must own that any departure from it, or opposi tion to it, is evil. Nor can it be said that he is the author or cause of this departure, as that would be to will and not to will at the same instant and in the same case. Should any say, 'Could he not prevent their backsliding, if he pleased?' He might but what then does he do all he can, or does his righteous government require that he should? That he provides the means by which they may be enabled to stand their ground, is fully acknowledged; but that he will miraculously support those who refuse to use those means, is denied, as being unlikely in itself. If this is a state of trial, and man a probationer below, this cannot be expected. If it could, it might have been expected that such men as Noah, David, and Peter, would have been preserved from falling into sin: but as they were not, neither can we expect to be upheld, unless we live in the exercise of faith, and all other christian graces. Some may say, 'The Lord may leave us to ourselves for a time, to see how we shall stand.' This is a strange, unscriptural notion. He never withdraws his presence from any, till they suffer themselves to be drawn

away by irregular desires, and enticed to evil. It was probably a sentiment of this kind which made St. James say, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed." It is then that sin is commit. ted, and himself dishonoured. But as he cannot do any thing to his own dishonour, so neither will he do any thing destructive to our peace and salvation. To suppose otherwise, is to compare his conduct towards us with that of a nurse who would place her helpless infant on its feet, and then quit her charge to see how it will stand! It is unworthy of a christian to entertain such views of the Father of lights and the God of love. The declension therefore of any man lies with himself, and the blame, properly speaking, is all his own. The evil arising from a departure from religion respects themselves, others, and their offended God.

1. As it respects themselves.

They forfeit the esteem of such as continue steadfast.-They may excite the pity of such, and have the opportunity of receiving their reproof and advice; but the pleasure they took in their persons and company has ceased. The dishonouring of Christ and his cause is too great an evil in itself to admit of this. Besides, all who walk uprightly with God, are scripturally enjoined to withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not according to the apostolic injunctions, 2 Thess. iii. 6. Such as depart from God may think lightly of this; but to lose the approbation of pious men is surely a loss. Is not their example edifying? Is not their sincere friendship valuable? Is it not a privilege to be interested in their fervent effectual prayers, and to have the advantage of their experience, conversation, and instruction? If, by forsaking the flock of Christ, they should gain the favour of worldly men, what real advantage can they derive from this? Can this, or any other worldly good, be compared to the benefits resulting from christian communion?

This promotes the mutual interchange of kind offices; stimulates to deeper piety; promotes fervent charity, and the temporal and eternal happiness of all that imbibe its spirit. What is the hand, or foot, severed from the body? The body may smart for it, and feel its loss, but is incapable of affording it assistance, or receiving any from it; and such, in a restricted sense, is a truly christian society with its excluded immoral members. So deeply sensible was the excommunicated Corinthian of this loss, and the censure of his brethren, that the apostle saw it needful to exhort them to comfort him, lest he should be swallowed up of overmuch sorrow. It would be well if many who have wandered from God, had the same feelings.

They lose the pleasure of religious exercises.—All persons, when they become religious, and partake of spiritual joys, always express their disapprobation of their past misconduct, and their sorrow for continuing so long in the paths of sin and misery, declaring in the most unqualified manner, that the ways of wisdom are pleasant ways, and that all her paths are peace; and have perhaps adopted the confidential language of the prophet, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, &c. yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

They once derived great pleasure in hearing others declare the great goodness of God, in his gracious and provi dential dispensations towards them; in reading and medi tating on his holy word; and hearing the joyful sound of redeeming love from the lips of his ministers. How often has their cup been made to overflow while approaching his table, and commemorating the passion and death of their crucified Lord! With what inward delight and satisfaction have they frequently experienced that God is not a wilder ness to his people, and rejoiced with joy unspeakable to find themselves interested in his gracious covenant! They have found all ordinances wells of salvation, the Spirit of God has been in their souls as a fountain of water springing up in joy, praise, and gratitude.

Such is the state of those on whose heads "the candle of the Lord" is made to shine; and by whose light they walk through darkness. But when they begin, from any cause, to draw back, how soon does the scene change! They lose that simplicity and love which rendered them acceptable to God, and then is fulfilled that word of the prophet, "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee-it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God," Jer. ii. 19. They throw off the easy yoke of Christ, to put upon them again the galling yoke of sin. Conscience again accuses them, and upbraids them for their follies. Sensual indulgencies cannot supply the loss of peace, nor sinful associates the place of the upright. Their minds are again filled with anxiety and distracting cares. They feel no longer that consolation in their trials which bore them up against all difficulties. They can no longer look at death with confidence, nor can the world present them with a cure for an aching heart, any more than the pursuit of their own shadow can make them wise. Were we to hear them express their present feelings, would it not be in such language as the following? We have sinned against the Lord; we have wickedly departed from his ways; we have forsaken the guide of our youth; and left the strait path of holiness to walk again in the broad way of destruction; our joy is fled; in the fulness of our sufficiency we are in straits; a fire not blown consumes us; our fine gold is become dim; the crown is fallen from our head; woe unto us, in that we have sinned!'

From hence we learn the sad consequences of backsliding from the service of righteousness, and entering again into the service of sin, and suffering our former tyrannical lords to gain their first dominion, which perhaps is not only once more established, but enlarged, Matt. xii. 45.

Their former religious endeavours become vain.-In order to receive the rewards of righteousness, we must persevere in well-doing to the end, or our expectations will be cut off. This made the beloved apostle say, "Look to yourselves,

that we lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward." Backsliders do not obey this precept. They have left their work, and denied their Master. By suffering themselves to be hindered from running the race set before them, they have missed the prize, and lost their labour. Nothing could be more commendable than their choosing spiritual good, and nothing moré reprehensible than their relinquishing of it. Hereby they have given up the best of services to engage in the worst. By this procedure all their works, labour, patience, abhorrence of evil, and love of the truth; all their sufferings and courage for the sake of the Lord Jesus; all their praying, watching, and visiting the sick, &c. are, by their shameful fall, all Jost, and disregarded, for "the righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; if he trust to his own righteousness and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered, neither shall he live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that hë hath sinned, in them shall he die." Like the prodigal, they may be said to spend their all. Their lamps are gone out. Their glory is turned into shame, and nothing can supply their wants, rekindle the flame, or bring back their glory, but their full return, through their offended Lord, to the paths of holiness and virtue. How truly is that scripture fulfilled in these persons, "They have sown wheat, and shall teap thorns!" And what else can be expected? Their time wasted; their mercies abused; their talents misimproved and misapplied; their sinful desires running after vanity, and themselves vain. Their characters are injured, they lose their usefulness, and get no good, but much sorrow, in all their proceedings.

Backsliding is followed by chastisement.-When men depart from God, he does not immediately give them up to their own heart's lusts, and let them follow their own inventions; he permits them to be exercised by a variety of troubles,

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