1G8 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XXV;
forth to God, or it will look out to worldly things. If our love ceaseth, concupiscence ceaseth not ; and within a while the world will become superior in the heart, and mammon be placed in God's room and stead — be respected as our end and happiness — for man cannot live, but he must have some last end of his actions. Nor can he long cease from owning and respecting that end, but the soul will set up another in its stead ; therefore the more we desist from loving God, the more we entangle ourselves with other things, which get strength and secure their interest in our souls, as they are confirmed by multiplied acts. Therefore the love of God must still be kept a-foot, that no other thing be practically preferred before him, John iv. 14. It must always be springing up and flowing forth.
(4th.) Observe the first declinings, for these are the cause of all the rest : evil is best stoj^ped in the beginning. If when first we began to grow careless, we had taken heed, it would never have come to that sad issue it doth afterwards ; a heavy body running downwards gathers strength by running, and still moveth faster. Look then to your first breaking off from God, and remitting your watch and spiritual fervour. It is easier to crush the egg, than kill the serpent : he that keepeth a house in constant repair prevents the fall and ruin of it. When first the evil heart beginneth to draw us off from God, and to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, then we must, Heb. iii. 12, 13, humble our souls betime, that we may stick close to Christ.
(2.) By way of recovery, where there hath been a decay. Take the advice of the Holy Ghost : Eev. ii. 5, ' Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first works.'
(1st.) A serious consideration of our condition, in those words, ' Re- member from whence thou art flillen.' Recollect and sadly consider, what a difference there is between thee and thyself; thyself living and acting in the sense and power of the love of God, and thyself now under the power of some worldly and fleshly lust. Consider what an advantage thou hadst against temptations of the devil, the world, and the flesh, when love was in strength, and how much the case is altered with thee now ; how feeble and impotent in the resistance of any sin. Say, as Job, chap. xxix. 2, 3, ' Oh that it were as in the months past, in the day when God preserved me, when his candle shiued upon my head,* or as the church : Hos. ii. 7, ' It was better with me then than now.' In our returning we should have such thoughts as these ; I was wont to spend some time every day with God ; it was a delight to me to think of him, or speak of him, or to him ; now I have no heart to pray or meditate. It was the joy of my soul to wait upon his ordinances ; the returns of the Sabbath were welcome unto me : but now what a weariness is it ! Time was when my heart did rise up in arms against sin, when a vain thought was a grief to my soul ; why is it thus with me now ? Is sin grown less odious, or God less lovely ?
(2d.) The next advice is, Repent ; that is, humble yourselves before God for your defection. It is not enough to feel yourselves fallen ; many are convinced of their fallen and lapsed estate, but do not humble and judge themselves for it in God's presence, bewailing their case, smiting on the thigh, praying for pardon. It is a great sin to grow weary of God : Isa. xliii. 22, ' Thou hast not called upon me, 0 Jacob ; thou
VeR. 14.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 169
hast been weary of me, 0 Israel ;' and Micah. vi. 3, ' 0 my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.' His honour is concerned in it ; therefore you must the more feelingly bewail it.
(od.) Do thy first works. We must not spend the time in idle com- plaints. Many are sensible that do not repent ; many repent, i. <?., seem to bewail their case, but languish in idle compUiints for want of love, but do not recover this loss by serious endeavours. You must not rest till you recover your former seriousness, and mindfulness of God : it is one of the deceits of our hearts to complain of negligence, and not redress it. The Nazarite who had broken his vow, he was to begin all again. Num. vi. 12. So you that have broken with God, you must do what yon did at first conversion ; let your work be sin-abhorring every day, and engaging your heart anew to God ; and make no reservation, but so give up yourselves to the Lord, that his interests may prevail in your hearts again above all sinful and vile inclinations, or whatever hath been the cause of the withdrawing your hearts from God, and the decay of vour love to him.