...《རར་ they ftare me in the face. I am ready to question whether ever there were a faving change wrought in me. I think within myfelf, furely, none of God's children ever carried it towards him as I have done. Such a backflider in heart and life as I am, may juftly expect to be filled with his own ways. I fometimes even fear that I have finned beyond the reach of mercy; having been once enlightened, and after that fallen away, how is it poffible that I should be renewed again unto repentance? May I not look rather for fiery indignation, than for a gracious acceptance into favour? Or if my fins have not reached to that degree, I am certain they have been attended with awful aggravations. I have finned against light and love; I have been guilty of frequent and dreadful relapses; I have violated confcience, and grieved the Holy Spirit of God. These confiderations wound me to the very heart, and cover my face with fhame and blushing, fo that I am not able to look up. Had I provoked a fellow-creature as I have provoked the Moft High, what favour could I expect? But this thought relieves me, I have to do with God, and not man. I will ftudy, I will plead his gracious and merciful declarations. He hath faid, "My people are bent to backfliding from me; though they called them to the Most High, none at all would exalt ....4..4.. him. How fhall I give thee up, Ephraim? How fhall I deliver thee, Ifrael? How fhall I make thee as Admah? How fhall I fet thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fiercenefs of mine anger, I will not return to deftroy Ephraim; for I am God, and not man, the Holy One in the midst of thee. I will heal their back fliding, I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him." * : The backfliding christian stands in great need of the manifeftation of divine favour, in reftoring life and vigour to his languishing graces. "I have," fays he," by my wanderings from God, not only loft the fweet fenfe of his favour, but I have impoverished my own foul, and brought it into a lean and languishing condition. My leannefs, my lean Depth of mercy! can there be Jefus fpeaks, and pleads his blood! nefs, ness, woe is me! My faith staggers, my love is cold and feeble, my hope of heaven languishes, the fprings of godly forrow are dried-up, or run very faintly. My heart is fmitten and withered like grafs. A cold winter has benumbed all the active powers of my foul, and nothing but the flowers of grace, and the fhining of the Sun of righteouf Shews his wounds, and fpreads his hands! Jefus fays he loves me ftill. If I rightly read thy heart, Pity from thine eye let fall; Now the ftone to flesh convert; Help me, help me to repent, F 2 nefs nefs can revive me. In the fpring feafon, the Lord fends forth his Spirit, and renews the face of the earth; O that he would be graciously pleased to give me a happy spring season in my inner man; that he would renew and revive his work in my heart, and cause the fruits of righteousness to be produced in me, to his praife and glory! By my carelessnefs and floth, I have been cast into a deep fleep. By the idleness of my hands, my foul fuffers hunger, and is reduced to a starving condition. By the indulgence of fin, I have given wounds to my confcience, which nothing but his grace and favour can heal. Lord, return unto me, and have mercy upon me; heal my foul, for I have finned against thee. Deal with me according to thy word; O be mindful of the gracious promifes thou haft made to backfliding fouls. I will endeavour to recollect fome of them, and to plead them before thy throne of grace." "After two days will he revive us, in the third day he will raife us up, and we fhall live in his fight. I will heal their backfliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Ifrael: he fhall grow as the lily, and caft forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches fhall fpread, and his beauty fhall be as the olive-tree, and his finell as Lebanon. They that ..》《ར... that dwell under his fhadow fhall return, they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof fhall be as the wine of Lebanon.” Lord, remember these great and precious promises in my behalf, and give me to experience their full accomplishment, which will be to thy' poor fervant as life from the dead." The troubled backflider ftands in need of the manifeftation of divine favour, to reftore peace and comfort to his foul. Let us fuppofe him in his retired moments, expreffing the language of his heart in the following foliloquy. "I have, by my own folly and perverseness, loft that comfortable fenfe of God's favour which I once enjoyed. The Comforter that should relieve my foul, is withdrawn; O that I knew where I might find him! My foul is far off from peace; I forget profperity; yea, for peace I have great bitterness. I mourn like a dove, and afflict myself, but in vain. I remember God, and am troubled, when I think of the past experience I have had of his comforting presence. These happy seasons are now enjoyed no longer. I fay within myfelf, Will the Lord caft off for ever? Will he be favourable no more? Hath he in anger fhut up his tender mercies? It is long fince I was favoured with the cheering light of his bleffed countenance. There is a great and |