who are here present have just begun to taste the joys of religion : you have peace with God in your consciences ; and can scarcely think of any thing but the goodness of God to your souls. I would to God this might always remain; or rather, that it might increase more and more ; and that you might so learn divine lessons in prosperity, as not to need to learn them in a more humiliating way ! But this is very rarely the case: the deep things of God are scarcely ever learned in this way: in general, God, after a season, leaves the soul to discern its own depravity, and to feel its utter helplessness : and, in order to humble it in the dust, he suffers the latent corruptions of the heart to spring up, and thus to harass and defile the soul. Not that God acts thus from any pleasure which he takes in mortifying the soul: I am per- suaded he would rather overcome us by love, because " he delights in the prosperity of his people : " but this is the way in which he punishes our past sins, and our present neglects ; he suffers those very sins, which most dishonoured and pro- voked him in our unregenerate state, most to grieve and perplex us after our conversion : and every secret backsliding he punishes, by withdrawing in a measure his restraining grace ; so that, as the prophet says, " Our own wickedness corrects us, and our backslidings reprove us." You must not wonder, therefore, if this should be your own experience : and this I say, not to damp your joy, so much as to keep you from abusing it. Strange as it may appear, our hearts will sometimes take occasion, even from religious joys, to puff us up with pride, or to lull us into security: and wherever pride or security is, no doubt there will ere long be a fall. Re- member then, that these comforts which God vouchsafes you, are to be an occasion of gratitude, but not of pride; " a door of hope," but not of presumption. When once you begin to presume upon your attainments, and to think that less dili- gence, less watchfulness, and less fervour will suffice, be assured, that the blessings you so abuse will be withdrawn: you will find, that your gifts, your graces, and your comforts, will decline. Be on your guard then against " leaving your first love :" be sober, and watch unto prayer: and, if you find but the first beginnings of decay, O ! flee to the Saviour ; flee to him as for your lives : if you feel yourselves sinking, cry to him, " Save, Lord, or I perish!" and endeavour, " as ye have received the Lord Jesus Christ, so to walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."]
2. Those who have " left their first love "
[Perhaps you will ask, " Who are they? and how shall I know whether I be of the number?" Beloved, this is no
1143.J god's dealings with penitents. 13
hard thing to know. It is true, there may have been some abatement with respect to rapturous or ecstatic feelings, while yet your love remains as firm as ever : but yet all who are really walking nigh to God, find the text realized in their own experience. God allures them by the consolations of his Spirit; he seals his promises on their hearts : he enriches them with gifts and graces ; and he opens glorious prospects to their view. If therefore, instead of being thus allured, your spirit is become dull ; if, instead of finding the promises precious to your soul, they scarcely ever dwell upon your mind, or admi- nister any solid comfort; if your gifts or graces, instead of increasing, decline ; and if, instead of looking for, and longing after, and hasting to, your heavenly inheritance, you are be- coming more forgetful of it, and ready, as it were, to take up your rest in earthly things, Thou art the man : whoever thou art, " I have somewhat against thee;" " Thou hast left thy first love." O! " turn and repent, and do thy first works." See what has caused this declension in thy soul: see what there is that troubles the camp : and O ! put away the accursed thing: if thou hast given way to a worldly spirit, watch and pray against it : if pride have defiled thy soul, humble thyself for it before God, and beg for grace, that thou may est " be clothed with humility : " if passion be thy besetting sin, pray that thou mayest " put on meekness as the elect of God," and be adorned with that " meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price." If sloth be the enemy that hath cut thy locks, and shorn thy strength, up, up, and be doing : in short, whatever it be that has caused thy declension, sacri- fice it, though it be " precious as a right eye, and necessary as a right hand." " Cease to do evil, and learn to do well : put away the evil of your doings." I know indeed, that you cannot put it away of yourselves ; but I know at the same time, that, till after it be put away, God will not shed abroad his love in your heart, nor can you look up with comfort and confidence to him. " Turn ye then unto your God, from whom you have deeply revolted;" and know, that he is a God ready to pardon : " he will heal your backslidings, and love you freely : " he will give you the earnest of his Spirit in your hearts, and fill you with joy in expectation of the full inheritance. O beloved ! say with the Church of old, " I will go and return unto my first Husband; for then it was better with me than now : " and you will find, that, as " he hateth putting away," so " he will cast out none that come unto him."]