first return of a repenting sinner to his God : and we desire to pray to God that he would establish all which he has wrought in you, and confirm unto the end the blessed work he has begun.]
But with yet greater delight will we return thanks, II. For those who have made some progress in the Divine life- Over such persons we rejoice with very exalted
joy—
[Of those who begin a heavenly course, how many " run well only for a season ! " The stony-ground hearers are very numerous ; and their end most deeply to be bewailed. How many thousands are turned aside by the fear of man ; and " leave off to behave themselves wisely," because they cannot bear the cross which an adherence to Christ would bring upon them ! The cares of this life, also, arrest many in their course, and drag them down to the concerns of this perishing world. And not a few are ensnared by the lusts of the flesh, which they will not mortify ; or by the vanities of the world, which they cannot prevail upon themselves to renounce. Even in the apostolic age there were many, who, " after having known the way of righteousness, have forsaken it," and " turned back as a dog to his vomit, and as the sow that has been washed to her
wallowing in the mire" Shall we not bless God, then,
for those who have maintained a steadfastness in the ways of God, and have made their profiting to appear? Surely, if augmented growth in corporeal and intellectual strength in a child be a ground of joy and gratitude to his parent, much more must a progress in the divine life, amongst his hearers, be an occasion of praise and thanksgiving to him who " watches over them in the Lord" ]
We do then bless God, through Jesus Christ, for you—
[We well know to what temptations you are exposed, and what conflicts with sin and Satan you have had to main- tain ; and we therefore adore him who has graciously given you strength according to your day, and held you up in his ever- lasting arms. O ! when we think of the account which poor apostates have to give, and how fearful will be their condition in the eternal world ; and when, on the other hand, we con- template your future prospects ; we cannot but bless God for you. Yes, whilst for them we weep, and would have " our eyes as a fountain of tears to run down night and day;" for you we would adore and magnify our God, and implore him to " per- fect that which concerns you," that what he has begun in grace may be consummated in glory ]
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