they ftare me in the face. I am ready to queftion 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 fhould 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, so that I am not able to look up. Had I provoked a fellow-creature as I have provoked the Most 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 shall 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 fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God, and not man, the Holy One in the midst of thee. I will heal their backfliding, 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 sweet sense of his favour, but I have impoverished my own foul, and brought it into a lean and languishing condition. My leanness, my lean

*Depth of mercy! can there be
Mercy ftill referv'd for me?
'Can my God his wrath forbear?
Me, the chief of finners, spare?

Jefus fpeaks, and pleads his blood!
He difarms the wrath of God;
Now my Father's bowels move:
Juftice lingers into love.

nefs,

Kind

nefs, 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

Kindled his relentings are,
Me he now delights to spare;
Cries, "How fhall I give thee up?"

Lets the lifted thunder drop.

There for me the Saviour ftands;

Shews his wounds, and spreads his hands!

God is love! I know, I feel!

Jefus fays he loves me still.

If I rightly read thy heart,
If thou all compassion art,
Bow thine
ear, in
mercy bow!

Pardon, and accept me now.

Pity from thine eye let fall;
By a look my foul recal:
Now the ftone to flesh convert;
Caft a look, and melt my heart.

Help me, help me to repent,
Let me now my fall relent ;
Now my foul revolt deplore,

Weep, believe, and fin no more!"

nefs

*》*。,《****

nefs can revive me. In the spring season, 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, this praise and glory! By my carelessnefs and floth, I have been caft 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 promises thou haft made to backfliding fouls. I will endeavour to recollect fome of them, and to plead them before thy throne of grace."

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After two days will he revive us, in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall 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 shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his fiell as Lebanon. They

that

that dwell under his fhadow fhall return, they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the fcent thereof fhall be as the wine of Lebanon."

"Lord, remember thefe 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 perverfeness, loft that comfortable fenfe of God's favour which I once enjoyed. The Comforter that fhould relieve my foul, is withdrawn; O that I knew where I might find him! My foul is far off from peace; I forget prosperity; 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 prefence. Thefe happy feasons are now enjoyed no longer. I fay within myself, 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