Spiritual Declension and Recovery

Hebrews vi.4 — 6,

It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

This is a remarkable sentence of Holy Writ, about which, on account of the all-important subject to which it refers, the minds of many have been greatly perplexed. Some will be curious to know how we understand these words of the inspired apostle; but they are mistaken, if they think we have selected them for the purpose of displaying our own wisdom. Far from us as ministers of Christ, be such attempts, which would bring upon ourselves the just rebuke of God. We desire not to furnish new matter for dry speculation; much less to add fuel to the fire of controversy. With refined speculation the church is already satiated; and the very life of religion is in many Christian communities forgotten for the sake of it. Christendom is ah-eady enough distracted by the war of opinions. Were we to turn aside to these, how could we be good ministers of Jesus Christ, or stand fast in the truth? For good and pleasant is it to dwell together in unity. But as the words before us, like all other words of God, are “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness;” and as they appear particularly suitable at the present time, when many, having evidently backslidden, are conscious that they have forgotten the covenant of their God, and would be glad to renew it, we therefore choose this Scripture for our consideration. May it appear hereafter, that the Lord himself brought it to our attention. I shall now consider three principal particulars.

I. The persons spoken of.

II. The apostacy of which they are capable.

III. The warning which is given them.

I. What persons has the apostle here
in view?

Are they children of God? This is an important inquiry, which has often heated the minds of some, and made others anxious. For there are those who maintain, that the regenerate cannot be the persons spoken of, but only those who are called temporary believers; that is, such as have occasionally had good impressions, and have formed good resolutions, but have never become truly decided; consequently are to be regarded as “those that are without.” This opinion originated in a fear lest one of the most vital and consoling doctrines of Scripture, namely, that of the indissolubleness of the covenant of free grace, should be impugned by any misapplication of these words. Whether there was reason for such fear or not, it can never be right and according to truth, to wrest the word of God into compliance with human systems; neither is this the way to show our reverence for it. God’s word must always dictate to us, and our systems must comply with it. We therefore assume, that the passage now to be considered refers to children of God. But it may be asked, Can these fall from grace? Let us not be pre-oceupied in our judgment, but attend to one thing at a time; and difficulties will melt away as we proceed. First then, let us see what proof there is, that the apostle here speaks of God’s own children.

He enumerates respecting them a variety of marks, which certainly belong to real Christians. And while we are examining these marks, let us examine likewise ourselves, whether we bear upon us the same seals of the true Israel. The first of these is, that they have been enlightened. As there are various kinds of enlightening in viS’ ible nature, as by the sun, by the moon, and by lamps, so are there various kinds of enlightening, relative to the human soul. There are many persons who certainly know what is the one thing needful, and what are the several stages on the road to heaven; but they know it only from human instruction, and have their light at second or third hand. Theirs is a moonlight, which neither warms nor fructifies; neither makes that which is dead, alive, nor that which is withered, green. Such enlightening we may have, and yet be as far from the kingdom of God, as the most unenlightened heathen. There are others, who show that they partake of a better enlightening, and even of a kind of warmth accompanying it. But they are excitable persons, who are easily moved at hearing of Christ, and the experiences of his saving grace, and become, perhaps, irresistibly convinced that such things are true. Thus they are found warmly disposed to honour the gospel, and many actually relish in some degree, those charming truths which seem to overflow in the minds of others. But this feeling lasts only for a little while; they lose all relish of that which is spiritual, as soon as other circumstances bring back other impressions. They have been shined upon, and enlightened by the lamps of the wise virgins. But should any of their lamps have burned down, or their oil have been spent, so as to yield a fainter light, or those who carry brighter lamps happen to have withdrawn, then are those persons as much in darkness again as ever; and this because they have not cherished the true light in themselves. Now, neither this, nor the former class of persons, does the Scripture call enlightened. It gives this name, not to those who receive their light at second or third hand, but only to those who cherish within them a light which is received immediately from Christ himself; to those of whom it is written, “Awake, thou that sleepest. and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” And this lightpervades the soul and spirit, “piercing even to the dividing asunder of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart;” that is, it is a light which discovers to the sinner his misery, and makes him feel it: as was the case with Saul on his way to Damascus. It is a light which conducts not only into doctrine and theory, but into practice, having first loosened the tongue to cry out, “What must I do to be saved?” It is a light which makes the Saviour not only discernible, but infinitely desirable and precious; so that men call upon him, saying, “Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.” If then we have experienced the power of this light, which turns the world within us upside down, producing both in our inward frame and outward conduct a radical change, so that we are no longer cold or lukewarm, but fervent inspirit, serving the Lord, and bring forth the peaceable iiuit of righteousness, love, and spiritual life,-^ then, and only then, are we, according to Scripture, enlightened. And if we have been thus enlightened, then doubtless we are children of God, and born of the Spirit.

The apostle further says, they “have tasted of the heavenly gift;” which is another exclusive characteristic of true Israelites. This heavenly gift is no other than that spoken of by our Saviour, to the woman of Samaria; “If thou knewest the gift of God;” and by St. Paul, in the last verse of the 9th chapter of his 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable GIFT.” The gift then is Christ himself; and to have tasted this gift, as the bread winch cometh down from heaven, to have received Christ into the heart by faith, and to have been comforted by it with the delight of a pardoned sinner, — this is a thing which no unconverted person can have done. I will not deny that we may taste and relish something relating to Christ; we may receive some precious saying of his with a certain degree of pleasure; some excellent doing of his may have cheeringly affected us; the graciousnessof his Divine character may have excited our admiration and emotions of delight, without our having been converted, and become as little children. But to have tasted the heavenly gift, even Christ himself, as being what he really is, the Reconciler and Friend of penitent sinners; to have tasted that the Lord is gracious, as our remedy against sin and death, and as the nurture of our spiritual and everlasting life, — this none of us are capable of, except we are born of God; for it presupposes a sense of our poverty and necessity, a hunger and thirst after righteousness, and much more besides, which can belong only to a participation of” the Divine nature,” 2 Pet. i. 4.

Another mark attributed to them is, that they have been “made partakers of the Holy Ghost;” and this surely will not allow us to remain uncertain what sort of persons the apostle has in view. He does not say, that the Spirit has occasionally knocked at the door of their hearts, or that they have once upon a time been stirred by the breath of God; but that they have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of the Lord within them has admonished, judged, rebuked, instructed, and comforted them; has made intercession in their groans; has attuned their songs of praise; has led the battle in them against the flesh; has led them to repentance after every fall; has glorified Christ and his merit in their hearts. Thus have they been made to drink of the new and spiritual life. Who then can doubt that they are children of God?

And that we might know that they have received the Spirit of God as an earnest of their salvation, it is added, that they” have tasted the good word of GodP This sweet expression clearly intimates, that they hare experienced the word of God in themselves as a good word; as a word which takes the most kind and sympathetic part in whatever happens to us, or oppresses us; as a word that has upon all occasions, counsel and deliverance for us, and stands by us in the most gracious manner with its light and healing balm. Such experience as this of the word of God, can belong only to those who have come into actual communion with the Holy Ghost the Comforter, who dictated and inspired the word itself; who expounds and seals its truth to his disciples; who knows how to educe from it what is best suited to them at all seasons, and how to apply the least saying, or historical matter of it to our edification, joy, consolation, warning, or encouragement. Blessed then are those who have tasted the good word of God, for they surely must belong to his family.

And now for the last mark: they “have tasted the powers of the world to comeP Understand by this expression whatever you can: think of it as implying those outpourings of grace which enable us to overcome the world and death; or, as implying a lively foretaste of eternal joy, a transporting anticipation of perfect bliss in heaven, a delightful hold which our faith has already upon things to come, a confidently joyful presentiment of the majestic return of the King of glory, a powerful assurance of the final consummation, and of our being “ever with the Lord;” or, as signifying our present triumphant elevation upon the wings of faith above time, above all afliictions and crosses, above death, judgment, sin, and hell; or, understand whatever as believers you please by these words, — this you must allow, that St. Paul could have had only children of God in his eye, when he declares of them, that they “have tasted the powers of the world to come.” Would to God, brethren, that all of you who profess and call yourselves Christians, were able to discern these marks in yourselves! Then we could rejoice over you, and say of you, with Balaam of old, “How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river side, as the trees of lign-aloes, which Jehovah hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters;” and with Moses, “Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord 1”

II. The spiritual declension of which

THE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE CAPABLE.

St. Paul then, speaking of children of God, and even of such as have gone on for a considerable time in the way of salvation, and have attained maturity of growth and decision of character, says, ‘’Tjf they shall fall away Fall away! Yes, brethren, this is his own expression. Yet who can forbear shuddering at it? Who should not here be afraid? For behold an abyss which seemingly threatens to swallow up the most precious truths of our faith, that of free un-SPIRITUAL DECLENSION

merited ^rrace, and those which relate to our everlasting preservation in God’s hands. Where then is our most blessed and cheering comfort, where is our Divine peace and confidence? For the mere thought of being our own preservers, is enough to destroy all these. But does the apostle speak of an actual falling away? Will not the word bear a different meanino? Certainly not! neither does it help us to say, that instead of asserting the possibility of falling away, he merely supposes the case, saying, “If they fall away.” Many, indeed, think that he considered real falling away as a thing impossible: but such an opinion appears groundless; for he here says, that a falling away is possible, even to the children of God! It cannot easily happen; but it may happen.

In strict language, every fall is a falling away; for it is a temporary forgetfulness and turning aside from Him who hath said, “Abide in me.” But the Scripture evidently makes a distinction between falling and falling away. Thus the apostle here does not refer to that falling or stumbling through weakness, of which it is written, “The just man falleth seven times a day, and riseth again.” Such falls are often made useful to us; and let no man judge or condemn them who thus fall; for they are already judged enough by the Holy Spirit. To their own Lord and Master they stand or fall: yea, they shall be hoiden up; for God is able to make them to AND RECOVERY. 147

Stand, Rom. xiv. 4. The apostle then speaks not here o(such falling, but of falling mvai,; and what this is we are more particularly to consider. In the 4th verse of the 5th chapter of his epistle to the Galatians, we meet with persons who had fallen away. Let us endeavour to understand their case. The apostle describes them as having been actually awakened and converted; and declares to them, “Christ is become of no effect unto you; ye are fallen from grace.” In what consisted the falling aioay of these Galatians? In this, my brethren: that they had got 4 out of an evangelical stELte into a legal one; out of a receiving condition into an earning condition; out of a recognition of themselves as poor, lost, helpless sinners, into a vain, self-working, self-helping course. They had lost the lively sense of their unworthiness and inability; and, instead of abiding implicitly at the foot of the cross, so as to live upon grace and foregiveness alone, they had become bewildered with the un- “happy notion of being their own saviours and intercessors. And whereas they ought to have judged and condemned themselves for their sins, and then, in continual humiliation before the mercy-seat, to have washed their robes, and made A them white in the blood of the Lamb, they had “’ become minded to heal their own backslidino*s, to establish their own righteousness by works of .. the law, and to form to themselves a personal, self-acquired worthiness; so that St. Paul was obliged to cry unto them,” Ye did run well; who hath hindered you that ye should no longer obey the truth?” This was a falling away; a departure from grace; it was an erring from the way of God’s children into the way of self righteous, natural men; a virtual renunciation of Christ; a tacit declaration that they no longer needed him, and could do without him. It was a depreciation of his precious blood; a contempt of his sacrifice, and a rejection of his person: so that St. Paul could utter that reproach with the utmost propriety and justice, Christ is again “crucified among you.” Indeed, he might with good reason have exclaimed to them in the words of our text, Ye have ‘-’crucified the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” Such then, it clearly appears, may be the falling away of real Christians; and alas! it is not uncommon in the kingdom of God upon earth.

But there is a falling away which is more fearful still. Not only a falling away from grace into legal bondage, but a falling away into lawlessness, or into a course without law altogether; a falling away from God to idols; from the kingdom of heaven to the world; from the way of light into the way of the flesh and of darkness. This would seem hardly credible, did not sad experience show it to be true. Look at David at one period of his life. But no: on David’s crime, dreadful as it was, we will not insist; it was rather an awful fall than afallitig aicay.

Think then of Solomon, that precious man of God, that Jedidiah from his cradle: observe him in his career; and how can you help shuddering? Oh, behold, behold! The fervent singer of the Song of Songs, the master of assemblies for his wisdom of proverbs, the man full of faith and zeal, whither has he fallen away? He has “seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines;” and his wives have “turned away his heart,” 1 Kings xi. 3. By all these is he encompassed, and they hold him in their snares and bands. His heart is bound to strange gods, and he walks after Ashtaroth, the abomination of the Sidonians, and after Chemosh, the abomination of the Moabites, and after Milcom, the abomination of the children of Ammon, 2 Kings xxiii. 13. He doeth “that which is evil in the sight of the Lord f he builds on the high places idol temples and altars to these abominations, and assists his idolatrous wives at their incense and offerings. Twice does the Lord appear to him, and give him a commandment not to walk after other gods, I Kings iii. 14; 2 Chron. vii. 12 — 22; but he obeys it not; he continues in his departure from Jehovah the God of Israel; so that the Lord is obliged at length, to come against him with the thunder and lightning of his judg — ments. And, oh! how many of the children of God have brought upon themselves, in like manner, his rebukes and visitations! How many, to whom the world had been already crucified, have gone back again to the world! How many, who have been perhaps for some considerable time serving the Lord, have turned aside into the wilderness of sin, from which they were clean escaped; and there, have been fain to feed again upon the husks which the swine did eat! Alas! are there not even now in the midst of us some such unhappy persons, who once walked with God; but, behold, they have broken the covenant, and defiled it; who once stood at the foot of the cross, but are now with their own hands crucifying the Son of God afresh, putting him to an open shame, and treading under foot his precious blood; who once were ready to number themselves with repenting Peter, or with the thief upon the cross, or with the woman that was a sinner, but now not a tear is dropped by them over their sins, because their heart is become as iron and brass; who once joined in singing the song of Moses and of the Lamb, but are now strangers to the blood of the Lamb, and sing the song of the world and of BeUal; who once were pleasant plants to the glorifying of God, but are now as common trees “choked” up in the forest, withered and dry, ^^ithout bloom, leaves, or fruit, without sap in bough or branch; whom neither transplanting nor watering can benefit any more? Alas! we fear that our own church can show some such; that we have no need to look after them at a distance, because we live near them. Is it not so? And if it be, have we not before us living instances of the possibility of “ItilUng away” from grace?

III. The warning given.

Let me then address, lastly, those who have fallen away. Hearken to that awful thunder of the Divine oracle, which declares that “it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” How terribly does this sound! almost like -’Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” And, indeed, it is evident at once how difficult must be the restoration of those, who, having taken root in a life of holiness, and having been blessed with sweet experiences of Divine love, could after all, have fallen away! Whoever is conscious that he is guilty of this, may well tremble. The word “impossible” in our text is enough to fill him with horrible dread. And if so, “let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall I” Let all of us watch and pray; let our abiding station be ever at the foot of the cross. There let us He down and take our rest; there let us arise in the morning; there perform every duty of our daily life; there let us be formed, and fixed, and live; there wait for the Bridegroom; there breathe our last: — so are we safe.

But your expectation, my brethren, is now on the stretch, and we may well suppose that many a heart has secret misgivings and sad forebodings; yes, that some among you, who have fallen, are feeling the weight of that word” impossible,^^ as the weight of a mountain upon your souls. We mourn over you; but yet we ask. Have you indeed fallen away? You are ready to reply in the affirmative, and are in great fear on that account. But do you not sigh and groan in spirit, and would you not gladly return unto God? Do not your hearts long for this? only you imagine there is no hope of it, supposing yourselves lost, because you have been unfaithful, regarding yourselves as vile sinners, who have crucified the Son of God afresh, doubting how he can ever receive you again, and concluding this to be impossible. Are not such the thoughts and feelings of your souls? If so, these very thoughts and feelings tell us enough about you to warrant our saying. Rejoice, and be of good courage; for your despondency is without cause. Certainly the words of our text bring you nothing but consolation. Yes, my brethren, consolation. Only understand the apostle’s

He teaches indeed that it is impossible to renew again unto repentance those who have fallen away; but you, as it appears, have already begun to experience that renewal. Your fear and dread, your heartfelt sorrow, your judging and condemning of yourselves before the Lord, what is it else than that brokenness and contrition of spirit which God will not despise? Is not your sorrow that godly sorrow which worketh repentance unto salvation? Therefore you have no need to reckon yourselves as those who are fallen away. Be convinced of this truth, and be of good courage. Let your anxious souls be so comforted by it as to return at once to God decidedly and fully, instead of yielding any longer to desponding thoughts, which will only drive you farther and farther from Him.

Yet we fear that some are comfortless and desponding in another way. A parent is perhaps thinking of a son who has fallen away; or a brother is dejected on account of a backsliding brother; or a friend is anxious about an apostate friend; and that word “impossible” is like a weight of lead to such anxious persons, so that they feel as if they saw the gates of hell opened; and a brother, a son, or a friend exposed beyond recovery to everlasting fire. Wherewith then shall we comfort such dear brethren, whom perhaps we have deprived of the agreeable feeling and consciousness of their own safety also, or at least have shaken and disturbed it? We say to such among you as it regards yourselves, Be the more diligent to watch and pray. And’as it regards those for whom you are anxious, we would say, If they have ever proved themselves children of God, they will surely recover and return. Though our own eyes may never see them do it, and though they may hardly be conscious of it themselves, yet the Spirit of God has not utterly forsaken them; for concerning Him we have the promise, “He abideth with you.” The word of God can never be at variance with itself, but the general tenor of Scripture will bear the closest comparison with any of its parts. What Christ says in the Gospel of St John, “My sheep shall never perish, and no man shall pluck them out of my hand; my Father who gave them me is greater than all, and no mau is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand;” and what he said at Capernaum, “All that the Father giveth me, will come unto me; and this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all that he hath given unto me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day:” these words of the Lord abide immovable. And what the Holy Ghost saith in our text, militates not against these sayings of Christ. This we must now briefly evince to you.

By closely attending to the text, it appears to me to assert no abstract impossibility of renewal to those who fall away; but only that “it is impossible to renew them,” Now, a physician may say of a person dangerously ill, it is impossible to do any thing for him; by which he only means, that medical skill is here at an end. Should he say it is absolutely impossible for such a person to recover, he would say too much; for Divine omnipotence can heal beyond all human expectation. The apostle then appears to me to mean that those ordinary remedies, to which the Lord has given such mighty efficacy, those admonitions of love, private warnings, and preaching of the word, whereby other children of God are easily re-awakened and invigorated, have no effect in the case of these lapsed persons; that serious appeals and sharp rebukes, promises and threatenings, kind remonstrances and friendly entreaties, are to such souls as dew fallen on a beaten path, or rain on the rocks. Observe, then, that this word “impossible refers only to the ordinary means of grace committed to God’s ministers, but has no reference to God himself; and has the same meaning as our Saviour’s word in the 10th chapter of St Mark, where he saith,” It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.’’ For when the disciples, astonished at this, inquired, “Who then can be saved?” he explained himself by replying, “With man it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” But why did not St. Paul add a similar explanation? I answer, that as he intended to warn men against false security and apostacy, he saw it necessary to speak more strongly; but to prevent it from giving needless disquietude to any true Christian, there are several notices in this chapter itself, by which we may be reminded that it is not impossible for God lo renew again his lapsed children unto repentance.

Look first into ver. 3, where, having had occasion to apprehend concerning some of the persons to whom he is writing, that they were fallen away, he clearly intimates his concern lest his preaching the great mysteries of godliness to some of them should after all prove without effect, like seed upon hard and unsusceptible soil. He expresses, however, his determination to persevere in preaching those great mysteries to them. “This we will do,” saith he, “if God permit,” or render it possible. What does he mean by God’s permitting or making it possible? Did he not know that some of them were hardened in heart against it? Had he not said just before, ch. v. 11, 12, that the persons whom he had in view were dull of hearing, and were become such as have need of milk, requring to be taught again the first principles of the oracles of God? This is true; but he means, that though it was out of his power, it was not out of the power of God, to restore such backslidden souls; but that, however they were shut up against him, he could break up the hard ground, so as to soften and render it productive. He, therefore, expresses his belief upon this point plainlyenough, yet somewhat covertly, saying, “If God permit.”

But it may be asked, whether he does not in the 8th verse manifestly imply that those who have once fallen away, are irrecoverably lost. For he there compares them to a soil which, notwithstanding the blessing that has been rained upon it, bears only thorns and briers; and says of ground like this, that “it is rejected,’” (or bad ground, useless for cultivation,) ‘’ and nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned.” We reply, these, indeed, are strong and fearful expressions; but to be nigh unto cursing, is not the same thing as to be actually cursed, any more than to be nigh u7ito death, means actually dead. The words, “whose end is to be burned,” are truly awful words; but they are not words of desperation, though such they may seem at first sight. Had those who have fallen away been compared to dry wood, which at length is used only for “fuel of fire,” the case would have been very different. But they are compared only to untractable soil, whose end is to be burned. Now, it was the custom in the east to set barren lands on fire; but for what purpose? Was it to render them useless, and to convert them into a desert? No; it was to cleanse, renovate, and restore them to fruitfulness. Here then the apostle means, that as men treat their lands, so will God finally deal with his children who have fallen away.

SPIRITUAL DECLENSION

They shall be renewed again unto repentance, but it must be as by fire; with the burning torch of severe judgments and fearful visitations; by such flames of wrath and pains of hell as were felt by David and Solomon. Be of good cheer, then, ye truly penitent and believing, but still anxious and desponding brethren. If it be still doubtful to you, whether the covenant on God’s part be concluded and established for ever, remaining immovable and indissoluble under all circumstances, read only the whole chapter which contains the passage we have been considering. Here the apostle preaches to us of the Divine faithfulness in such a manner, as may well cause every penitent sinner’s heart to sing for joy. Here it appears as if those whom the inspired writer had smitten to the ground with the thunder of his awful warnings, he would now raise up again to heaven with his own hands. Observe how strongly in this very chapter, he insists on that obvious truth, that it is impossible for God to lie, or revoke his word! If he have, once for all, ratified as by an oath his favour towards us by the voice of his Spirit; if he have, once for all, not only left for us poor sinners a promise of entering into his rest, but sealed that promise to our souls, then we have a strong consolation. These two things, his oath and his word of promise, once given, can never waver: in having these, we have, for all occasions, a sure and steadfast anchor, which entereth into that within the veil. Behold, such are the thoughts of the apostle upon these great subjects!

And now, for whose benefit has our address been delivered ‘/ First, for those who are at ease in Zion, living in false security; and secondly, for those who are desponding, and of little faith. To the former, it has been intended as a warning, that they may learn to watch and pray, to abide simply and entirely at the foot of the cross, and not be seduced unawares into error and confusion. For it is most dreadful and painful to be at last set on fire, like a barren and thorny field, in order to be renewed again unto repentance. To the latter it has been intended as a word of strength and consolation. For the covenant of Jehovah stands fast for ever; “the foundation of God remaineth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.” Yes. he knoweth you. Come unto Him, all ye who are invited to sit down at the table of his marriage-feast, like the prodigal son, tattered and worn-out as you may be; come only just as you are, covered with the dust of your wanderings in the desert of this world: for no sooner does He behold you returning to the tables of his covenant, than he immediately remembers that covenant with you, though you may have forgotten it for years; and he will paternally welcome you, and speak comfortably to your hearts, saying, “Fear not, for I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Oh! is He not then a faithful God, a Father of mercies, and a God of all comfort? Let his faithfulness and tender mercies even now break your hearts; and come unto Him with your hearts thus broken! He will embrace you, revive you, and give you peace.