it was all " vanity," but also " vexation of spirit." Yet think not, that in dissuading you from these lying vanities, we would deprive you of all happiness : we wish only that you should exchange that which is empty and delusive, for that which will afford you present and eternal satisfaction p. Even your past experience may suffice to shew you, that " in the fulness of your sufficiency you have been in straits i;" try now what the service and enjoyment of God can do for you ; and you shall find that religion's " ways are indeed ways of pleasantness and peace."]
2. Those who profess godliness —
[In avoiding carnal mirth, you must be careful not to give occasion to the world to represent religion as sour and morose. There is a cheerfulness which recommends religion, and which it is both your duty and privilege to maintain. Yet, on the other hand, beware of levity. Live nigh to God, and you will easily find the proper medium. " God has certainly given you all things richly to enjoy ""i" yet it is in himself alone, and in the light of his countenance, that you must seek your happiness. There you are sure to find it^ ; and while you find it in him, you will shine as lights in a dark world, and recommend the Gospel to all around you.]
P Isai. Iv. 2. q Job xx. 22. r 1 Tim. vi. 17. ^ Ps. iv. 6, 7.
Prov. xiv. 14. The backslider m heart shall he filled with his own ways : and a good man shall he satisfied from, himself.
THOUGH God does not select those as objects of his mercy, who are most diligent in external duties, yet he increases his favom's to those whom he has chosen, in proportion as they themselves are earnest in improving what he has already bestowed upon them. In the dispensations of his providence it is generally found, that " the diligent hand maketh rich :" but in the dispensations of his grace, this seems to be an unalterable rule of his procedure : " his ways with respect to these things are equal ; " " whatsoever a man sows, that he may assuredly expect to reap;" " to him that hath, shall be given, and he shall have abundance." To this effect are the declarations be- fore us ; in which we may observe.
786.1 THE DANGER OF BACKSLIDING. 1 io
I. The danger of backsliding —
Open apostasy is confessedly a certain road to destruction : but we may also perish by indidging the more specious and equally dangerous habit of secret declension. Not that every variation in our frame constitutes us backsliders in heart; (for who then could be saved ?) but.
We come under this description,
1 . When we are habitually remiss in secret duties —
[It is possible we may once have run well, and enjoyed much blessedness in the service of our God; and yet have been so hindered in our course, as to have relapsed into a state of coldness and formality ^ The word, which was once precious, may have lost its savour ; and prayer, which was once delight- ful, may have become an irksome task. Both public and pri- vate ordinances may have degenerated into an empty form, in which God is not enjoyed, nor is any blessing received. Where this is the case the person must surely be denominated a " backslider in heart."]
2. When we habitually mdulge any secret lusts — [Whatever attainments a man may have made in religion,
if his heart be not whole with God, he will sooner or later decline ; and that which was his besetting sin in his state of ignorance, will regain its ascendency, and (as far at least as relates to its inward workings) recover its dominion over him. He may still, for his profession sake, restrain sin, in a measure, as to its outward exercise, while yet its inward power is un- subdued. Was he naturally addicted to pride, envy, malice, covetousness, lewdness, or any other sin? It' he alloiv it to return upon him after he has been once purged from it^, if he be averse to have the evil of it pointed out to him, if he justify it, or cover his fault with excuses, instead of endeavouring earnestly to amend it, he certainly is a backslider in heart — ]