SECTION VI. 67 them, and to do more in the world for God than others? For God, who is the spring and fountain of all these blessings, and has entrusted you with them for the honour of his own name ? VIII. You who have been favouredwith inward workings of heart toward God in your early years, you whose tender consciences have been awakened betimes to a sense of sin, and have been convinced of your guilt and danger by the blessed Spirit of God, you who have enjoyed many a holy motion of this blessed Spirit upon your souls, who have been brought often Upon your knees to the throne of grace to seek pardon of sin, peace with God and eternal life in your days of childhood, what eminent advances in religion should you have made before this time ? What have you done more than others ? You who have been trained up ahiìost from the beginning of life under the in- structions of God as well as the instructions of men, what pro- gress have you made answerable to these double and divine advantages? You who have lasted betimes that the Lord is gra- cious, have you learned to live upon his grace ? Or have you lost this savour of religion, and are grown careless of securing the love of God to your souls? Shall T address you in the lan- guage of the apostle ; Gal. iii. 3. having begun in the Spirit will ye endat last in the flesh ? You who have learned the first lessons of christianity long ago, and begun to practise them under the early influence of inward awakenings, what high degrees have you acquired in the school of Christ above others ? Have you learned to obey the Spirit of God in all his motions better than others? Are your corruptions more entirely under restraint ? Are your native sins more effectually subdued ? Are your youthful passions and appetites better governed ? Is your delight in the things of re- ligion risen higher than theirs ? Is your patience under suffer- ings from the hand of God more stedfast and exemplary, and your meekness under provocation from men more conspicuous ? Have you learned more of the practice of compassion, love and tenderness to your fellow-creatures, and especially to those who love God ? What can you say concerning your improvement in these instances ? Where are all thehopeful appearances of virtue and godliness which rejoiced the hearts of your pious and tender parents, and gave pleasure to all your religious acquaintance? Is your goodness like that of Ephraim, like the early dew, and a morning cloud than vanishes away ? Hós. vi. 4. Is there no reason for God to upbraid you as he did his people Israel of old Jer., ü. 1. I remember the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine' espousals, when thou followedst me in the wilderness? May not Christ send his apostle to reprove you, 0 backsliders, in the langua 2e of St. Paul to the Galatians, v. 7. Ye did run Well, who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth? a 2
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