dent of their good estate have relapsed into stupidity and sin, others who at first had but little light, but faint hopes, who scarcely dared to follow in the footsteps of the flock, have persevered in duty, made advancement in knowledge, risen in spiritual stature, their path shining more and more unto the perfect day. We can tell but little of Christian character from its first appearance. When the sympathies are excited, and the social feelings are enlisted, and the tide sets in strong in favor of religion, many profess attachment to Christ, who afterwards give but little evidence. On the other hand some, of whom we are ready to stand in doubt, who are encompassed with many infirmities, like feeble childhood, still make progress in the divine life, and rise to vigorous manhood.

III. Many who éxperience signal mercies at the hand of God evince great ingratitude. It is said that all those lepers were cleansed. Their petition was granted-Jesus had compassion on them and restored them to the enjoyment of life, which before was a burden. What a humbling view of human nature does it give to learn that one only of the whole number manifested a disposition suitably to acknowledge the benefits received. It has often been so. In the case of the nine, they were without the shadow of excuse for ingratitude. But this dark feature of depravity often cleaves to us even after we enter the visible church. Paul, whose great excellencies, whose untiring faithfulness, left no room for the charge of neglect, still had cause to complain of many he admitted to his fellowship. The great Head of the church, in establishing the means of grace, in appointing the ordinances of his house, and enacting the laws of his kingdom, doubtless had reference to a proper expression of attachment and confidence, as well as to the interests of his church. Hence we find that those whose hearts are softened by divine grace, who give evidence of religion, at the first are inclined to seek the Lord in the way of his appointment, even before they have specially consulted the law. The institutions of the gospel, prayer, the word, the sacraments, are the natural channels of Christian affection. Strict and conscientious observance of them, therefore, becomes a test of character, and shows the state of the heart. How should a redeemed sinner evince his gratitude to the Savior, if not by confession, by setting forth his most worthy praise, by waiting upon him in acts of worship, and striving to influence others to love and serve him? Our divine Benefactor, for our good, and because he would employ our service for the benefit of others, asserts a claim. He has appointed methods in which we are to express a sense of obligation. This appears so reasonable, that we voluntarily enter into covenant to observe his rules, engaging to walk in all the commandments of the Lord blameless; and gratitude for such favors as we have received could not do less. When therefore the professed people of God, forsake the

closet, neglect social prayer, family worship, or the observance of the Sabbath, the inquiry may be solemnly made, Do you thus requite the Lord? Brethren, does the charge of ingratitude lie against us? I speak to those who have recently lifted up their hands unto God. Have you neglected secret prayer? have you transferred your affections again to the world? You once professed to give up every idol. Have you ceased to speak of Christ? You once were warm in his praise, and were not ashamed of him-you could "tell to those around, what a Savior you had found." Do you neglect meetings for prayer? You once regarded them with interest, found them quickening and profitable. O, how mean and unworthy to suffer indolence, or worldly business to take stronger hold of your heart than the cause of God! Do you neglect the Bible? It was once your delight. How can you undervalue this precious communication, this epistle of love from the Friend of sinners? Do you forsake the sanctury? Once you were glad when the friends of Zion said, Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord. Do you forsake the sacrament of the holy supper, or attend upon it with coldness? Once with holy awe and ardent love you desired to meet the Savior at his table. These are solemn inquiries; too solemn to be passed over in haste. Ingratitude to Christ, as we have seen, involves the deepest guilt; it is a denial of infinite obligations—it is a violation of covenant engagements. Having once enlisted under the banner of the cross there is no release. The true Christian desires none. The unstable and double-minded cannot draw back, without falling into perdition.

IV. Jesus will make inquisition in regard to those who fail to give glory to God. But where are the nine?" He had not forgotten their obligation, though they neglected to acknowledge his goodness. In this implied censure he has taught us our accountability, a truth we are prone to forget. We are apt to make our feelings the standard. When the impression of God's mercy is fresh and lively, we are ready to say that we are bound to live to him, to magnify his grace and exalt his honor; but when selfishness prevails, and we seek our own things, when we neglect our duty, when the affections are languid, or are pervaded by worldliness, then we lose a sense of obligation, conscience slumbers, and in our folly we seem to imagine that God doth not regard. The infidelity of the heart returns with its carnality; and as we go back to former habits of thought and life, we contract the hardness, the sophistry, the impenitence and unbelief of the unrenewed nature. In this we see the blinding, deceitful influence of sin. This explains the unconcern that often appears in a church that has fallen into moral sleep. They reason from the logic of a deceitful heart, and not from the immutable truths of God's word, and are thus deceived, often fatally. They act under the monstrous delusion, that God is

altogether such an one as themselves. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily-because judgment slumbers, they think but little blame attaches to neglect of duty. But moral obligation does not depend upon feeling; it is connected with permanent relations; it remains amidst all our fluctuations of joy and sorrow, hope and fear; it is imposed by divine goodness, and cannot be thrown off while we share in God's bounty, have a place in his church, or are the subjects of his government. "The Lord knoweth them that are his." The number of those spiritually healed is registered, as well in the book of his remembrance, as on the records of the church; and if any are deficient in duty, or fail to fulfill their vows, he will make inquisition. He is too much interested in them, as well as his cause, to suffer them to pursue a course injurious to both, without calling them to account. As he is in all places, and knows the secrets of all hearts, the history of all lives, it is not imaginary to suppose him present in the place of prayer, and looking round upon every vacant seat, noting every absent disciple, to enquire of those who have come to worship in his name, Where are the nine? And on the Sabbath, he stands upon the sacred heights of the sanctuary; marks those who, from any cause which he cannot approve, are not in his house, rendering praise to God; and asks, Where are the nine? We know that he is at the feast of the gospel passover, to refresh his people, to communicate his grace; and that he has commanded all his followers to be there to show forth his death; we may suppose that he will cast his searching eye over the assembly, and grieving to find any absent, will turn to the faithful and demand, Where are the nine? If the under shepherd or the office-bearers overlook any, and fail to be faithful or kind, that does not diminish your obligation to Christ, or render your vows less binding, and Christ himself will not overlook you. Some, like the woman who hid herself in the crowd, unwilling to acknowledge her cure, imagine that they are not known, and may therefore neglect to honor God without detection; but he who inquired, Who touched me ?-he who knew that virtue, or healing power, had gone out of him, will complain; he will, sooner or later, make inquisition. When Peter, following his Master afar off, and ashamed to be known as his disciple, took his place with the servants, he imagined that he was unknown; he felt secure in his obscurity; but there was one there who knew him, who brought him out. And though you may be on a journey, among strangers, or in retirement, if you are shrinking from duty, and thus denying Christ, the providence of God will reveal your sin -you may be sure it will find you out. He is a just God, as well as Savior, and will therefore search, as with rays of light, every lurking place. He knows where you are, when absent from your sphere of duty.

V. Jesus will not only inquire after those who are guilty of neglect towards him, but he will take account of the effects of such ingratitude. Their own souls sustain deep and lasting injury. Such base treatment of the Son of God diminishes self-respect, destroys confidence in their good estate, induces darkness of mind. As obedience not only carries with it its own reward, but invigorates the moral powers in various ways, so does neglect of duty prove its own punishment, and give a shock to the moral sensibilities.

Such ingratitude as we have described injures the church. They rejoiced in the acquisition of numbers, and magnified the grace of God so largely bestowed upon men. Their expectations in regard to Zion were raised by seeing so many coming to her solemn feasts. They hoped that a larger cloud of incense would go up to heaven, and more efficient efforts be made for the conversion of sinners. They looked for great results. Alas, how does it try the faith, and increase the anxiety of the church, to see numbers virtually turn away from Christ, and walk no more with him. It is a great drawback to spiritual enjoyment for the established believer, to go to the circle of prayer, the place of accustomed meeting, and find many absent who were seated with him at the communion table, and who there renewed their solemn vows—he is ready to ask, Where are those who so recently gave themselves to the Lord and promised to be his forever? His mind is distracted. He mourns over disappointed hopes.

Great injury is also thus done to the world. The word is rendered ineffectual. Sinners will reject the gospel, so long as they see its professed friends indifferent to its truths. The natural heart is full of unbelief; this is strengthened greatly by the instability of nominal Christians. This one objection, where are the nine? where is the fruit of all those blossoms? where is the redemption of all those vows? will blunt the edge of truth, and throw a shield around the impenitent heart. O, brethren, by what arithmetic can you compute the amount of evil resulting from unfaithfulness to Christ? You will not consider me your enemy because I tell you the truth. God is witness, how greatly I desire your salvation and usefulness. Is it said, "there is too much distance in the church?" It is true, but does that excuse distance from Christ? Is it said, "the members are neglected?" It is true. I plead guilty. I have asked forgiveness of God; but will that afford you any comfort under the consciousness that you neglect your duty. Remember it is Christ you grieve by your ingratitude. If you blush to meet him in his house, how can you meet him on his throne? If you deny him here, will he not deny you there? What is to be done? O Lord, revive thy work. Spare thy people, and give not thine heritage to reproach.

BY CORNELIUS C. CUYLER, D. D.
PHILADELPHIA,

CAUSES OF THE DECLINE OF REVIVALS,

HOSEA vi. 4-0 Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

The dealings of God with the children of Israel were eminently calculated to impress them deeply and influence them powerfully. Who could have witnessed the plagues of Egypt, the passage of the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud and of fire, the healing of the waters at Marah, the gift of the quails and the manna, the promulgation of the law at Sinai, the blossoming of Aaron's rod, the flood of waters from the smitten rock, the destruction of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and of Nadab and Abihu, the scene connected with the plague of the fiery serpents, the death of an entire generation in the wilderness, including Moses and Aaron, the passage of Jordan, the taking of Jericho, the conquest of Canaan, the settlement of the children of Israel in the land of promise, their subsequent history under the judges and kings, the many and peculiarly striking dispensations of Providence of which they were the subjects, connected with the ordinances of religion, and the instructions and warnings of prophets who came to them with divinely attested commissions,-who could have witnessed these, I say, and not be convinced of Jehovah's presence? That they were frequently and powerfully impressed, admits of no doubt. Humble acknowledgments were often made, and hopeful appearances were induced.

But who does not know how soon these impressions were erased from their minds, and how transient the reformations they produced?-how often like the morning cloud and the early dew? Take for an illustration the solemnities which occurred at Sinai. The declared object of their coming thither is to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They are sanctified to hold a solemn interview with Him. They are daily feeding on the manna, and slaking their thirst with water which flowed from the smitten rock. The dreadful thunderings and lightnings which had appalled their souls, had however scarcely subsided; the awful voice, which they besought the Lord that they might hear no more, had scarcely ceased to sound in their ears; when they openly denied the God of Israel, and constrained Aaron to make them a golden calf as an object of worship. Other occasions occurred, when seemingly deep and solemn impressions were made on their minds; impressions which we should suppose could never be erased; which however soon vanished away, and left no trace behind. Facts of this description gave rise to the complaint in our text.

It is not improbable, that while reading of such occurrences, the thought has passed through the mind, that the children of Israel were a