earth. Let me inquire what benevolent and religious institutions already exist, that I may forward them to the best of my ability. Can I not suggest others that may easily be established, and thus live to the glory of God, and the good of my fellow-creatures? Let me countenance the ministers of Christ, and assist them by my prayers and example, to stem the torrent of abounding iniquity, and as far as I can, to check the subtle operation of a worldly temper in a situation so full of danger. O! if our professedly religious visitors, and our residents of the same description, were influenced by such a spirit, what an awful glory would beam from the sanctuary! What a stream of holy light would shed its influence around, carrying irresistible evidence of the truth of religion, illustrating its unrivalled excellence, and proclaiming its infinite importance! A strong line of distinction would thus be drawn between the world and the church. The inconsistencies of Christians would no longer be the jest of the libertine, the scoff of the vain, and the text of the infidel. Ministers, surrounded with a numerous audience, would not have to mourn the inefficiency of their labours, nor to weep in secret that all their efforts are frustrated, by the captivations and the follies of a world that passeth away. That all this may be prevented, let those who name the name of Christ,' both visitors and stated inhabitants, ponder well the peculiar temptations and snares, which it is their duty, and will be their happiness, to avoid. If they are disposed to think of them lightly, to imagine that they offer only innocent gratifications, and that to view them as dangerous, and to condemn them as sinful, is neither justified by reason, nor required by Scripture; such persons have yet to imbibe the spirit of Christianity, have yet to learn the nature of holiness. It is evi

dent, that however they may be versed in the doctrines and precepts of the sacred volume, there is one important passage which describes the essence and pronounces the eulogy of vital religion, to which they are utter strangers, and which they have not at present the moral capacity to understand, namely, 'Blessed is the man that feareth always.'

CHAPTER XVII.

THE BACKSLIDING PROFESSOR.

THERE are three stages of departure from Godspiritual declension-actual backsliding-and final apostacy. They are intimately connected, and lead on, unless stopped by divine grace, from one to the other. There have been many persons in these states in every age of the church: there are some now. Our most solemn attention is required for such a subject. Professors are continually falling away from Christ, some only in heart, others openly in conduct; some partially and for a season, others totally and for ever. The hopes of pastors and churches are continually receiving the bitterest disappointment from the relapses of those who "did run well." Like the blossoms in the spring, for a time they excited the most pleasing anticipations, but a blight succeeded, the blossom went up as dust, and the root appeared to be rottenness. The present chapter will include a consideration of the two first stages only.

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DECLENSION IN RELIGION, means a diminution of its vigour at the heart; a loss of the power of godliness, or, to use a scriptural phrase, a leaving of our first love." We have a very expressive description of such a state of soul in our Lord's address to the church of Sardis, "Strengthen the things that

remain, that are ready to die." Religion was not all gone, but it was nearly so; only a little remained, and that was ready to expire. This is a very common case now. There is no immorality; no open sin; but an utter decay of religious affection. The whole amount of piety that is left, is cold, heartless, dead formality. The fundamental doctrines and precious truths of the Gospel, though not renounced, are not relished and fed upon with that eager appetite, keen relish, and exquisite zest which they once were, and they can be very well spared from sermons, if their loss is supplied by displays of eloquence and the flowers of rhetoric-the means of grace, though not neglected, are mere forms, imparting no quickening power, and yielding no spiritual enjoyment-religious affections of peace, joy, love, delight in God, and hope of heaven, are almost extinguished—the vigour of watchfulness, spirituality of mind, and the severity of mortification are relaxed, under the idea that so much strictness in religion is not necessary-the company of the righteous is forsaken, and their conversation insipid-the tenderness of the conscience is blunted, and little sins of temper, of trade, of the heart and the tongue, are committed with far less repugnance than formerlybesetting sins, once nigh well subdued, acquire fresh life and power-and, in short, religion has lost its hold upon the mind, the heart, and conscience, as an elevating, sanctifying, and satisfying reality. Delight in God, the love of Christ, the joyful hope of heaven, have well nigh ceased.

Still, as I would not distress the humble and timid disciple, I would observe, that we are not to conclude that religion is declining, merely because our feelings are not so violent and flashy as they once were. If there be a growth in humility and meekness, in ten

derness of conscience and self-denial, in a sense of the value of Christ, and in dependance upon the Spirit, there is no declension in piety, although there may be less of vivid emotion than there once was; just as there is no decay of strength in the human frame, where the sprightliness and efflorescence of youth are gone, if the grave robustness of manhood remains. Nor should the aged believer, mistake the decay of nature for the decline of grace. He hears, he prays, he reads, he remembers, and enjoys with less ability than he once did; but this is the effect of old age, and not of backsliding. The plant of righteousness seems to droop, but it is because the prop that sustained it has given way. The gracious Redeemer will make the same excuse in this case, as he once did for his slumbering disciples, that "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Unhappily, for many, a state of declension exists in their souls without their being aware of it. "Strangers have devoured his strength," said God, when speaking of Israel, "and he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth it not."-Hos. vii. 9. So it is with professors, they are in a state of decay, and yet are not sufficiently aware of the awful fact. It may be worth while to inquire into the causes of this selfignorance.

1. The natural consequence of decay whether of body or mind is a proportionate insensibility. The old man is not so sensible of his accumulating infirmities as those around him are. He scarcely remembers what he was, and is but imperfectly aware of what he is. So it is with the declining Christian, his heart is hardening, his conscience becoming more dull, and his spiritual perception more dim. A totally unregenerate state is death, a state