intent on their worldly business, and have their hearts so engaged in it, as scarcely to have any zeal left for better things. Some are occupied with this or that favourite study, in com- parison of which the Bible, and prayer, and communion with God, have no charms for them. Some are inflamed by politics, and are never happy but when they are declaiming upon the affairs of state. Some are so intent upon the circumstantials of religion, such as Baptism or Church-government, that they seem to think an agreement with them in their opinions on those subjects as essential to salvation as even piety itself. Some again are heated by controversy about certain doctrines, while, alas ! they pay but little attention to their duties, especially the duties of humility and love. What wonder if the soul languish, when its eternal interests are thus postponed to matters of inferior importance ? If we would adorn our holy profession, we must be penetrated throughout with a fervent regard to God ; and all other things must be subordinated to the one thing needful.]
Having traced the causes of spiritual decay, let us notice,
II. The symptoms —
Agreeably to what has been observed in relation to the Israelites, we shall mention three marks, which, in the progressive stages of decay, will shew themselves in a declining soul :
1. Inward weakness —
[The exercises of religion require our utmost efforts : without a fixedness of purpose, an intenseness of thought, an ardour of desire, and a resoluteness of conduct, we cannot get forward in our Christian course. But when we have declined from God, all these are proportionably relaxed. The bow is unstrung, and cannot send the arrow to the markf. We take up the Bible ; but it is a sealed book : we address ourselves to prayer ; but our mouths are shut, and we cannot utter a word before God. The duties which once were easy, are become arduous and irksome. The temptations which once had lost all their force, now obstruct our way, and entangle our feet. The cross, which was once an object of holy glorying, and served only to animate us to fresh exertions, now becomes an object of terror ; and instead of taking it up with cheerfulness, we study as much as possible to avoid it.
Let us look and see, whether " strangers have not devoured our strength," and whether " the things which remain in us be not ready to dieC]
f Hos. vii. 16. s Rev. iii. 2.