man therefore," says Christ," that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." "I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." The song of the ransomed Church is, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain."

Here was an evidence, which arose from the sincerity of their confession. Now, with respect to the carnal professor, there is a lie; and though he may have right notions, there is no simplicity; something is concealed, as the love of gold and mammon. "Spare me this!" he cries. But instead of such hypocrisy, in the case before us, "many that believed came and confessed, and showed their deeds."

Again, they were willing to make a sacrifice: "Many of them also which used curious arts, brought their books together, and burned them before all men; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver," or about 1500l. of our money. "So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." When the leaven of the Gospel begins to work, there will be no need of a train of arguments to prove how inexpedient, how utterly unworthy it is for a Christian to turn aside after the vain amusements and trifling books used by the world: "Ephraim shall say, What have I any more to do with idols?" What have I to do with black arts, or dealing with a lie? Those who first trusted in Christ were willing to forsake all and follow him. The grace of the Gospel produces a new taste-it alters every thing about us;-our friends, our pursuits, our books, &c.

Let us inquire how the matter stands with us. If you ask, How shall I know whether the word of God is growing and prevailing in my heart? I would not recommend you to take the opinion of any individual upon earth but take the word of God: look at the text.

What do you see here? Here are evidences of the reality of its growth. It is too evident that men may sit under the means of the Gospel without experiencing the grace of the Gospel.

It is desirable to exercise gifts, and talents, and knowledge; but these are no evidence of things that accompany salvation; which consist in the magnifying of Christ; in breaking off besetting sins; in a sincere departing from evil, and a choosing of that which is right. The reason why there are so many unmeaning professors is, because the word of God does not grow and prevail in their hearts.

If any ask, What are those sacrifices which are like bringing the books and burning them? I answer, It is the renouncing whatever calls off the mind from the care of the soul; whatever leads us to rest short of God in Christ; whatever tends to flatter our vanity; whatever tends to lessen our sense of sin, as an infinite evil; and whatever tends to aggrandize the world, the flesh, and the devil, in our minds. If the word of God grows and prevails, you will resolve, with St. Paul, not to confer with flesh and blood. Aim, like these people, to magnify the name of the Lord Jesus. Do not despair because of the untoward soil. The world always was the same, and the grace of God is the same; there is the same promise of the Spirit, the same hope as to the end. Do not expect the world to understand your principles.

Have no recourse to arts: there are strange things apt to creep in, even into religious houses: bring out the books, and burn them! See 2 Chron. xxiii. 17. We must not use the arts of the world, because many talk of the greater good that may result from certain compliances with its manners, habits, and customs. See the account of Ahaz, 2 Chron. xxviii. 23. Do not ask

what the value of books is: ask, What is required by my profession of the Gospel? One sure Friend is enough a Friend that has said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be added unto you."

THE BACKSLIDER INSTRUCTED AND ADMON

ISHED.

When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.—HOSEA xiii. 1.

[1806.]

If we were to examine the symptoms of consumption as they appeared three or four hundred years ago, we should find them much the same as at the present time; and the disease treated much in the same way. There is in this disease at all times a feverish excitement, leading to death. So in the Church, if we see a member of it become high-minded, and exalted; if he lifts up himself and becomes self-confident, we have reason to fear a spiritual death is working under these symptoms. "He that exalteth himself shall be abased." There is a necessity not only for calling the world to account, but even the Church itself, when it begins to be in a declining state. The vanity of a mere profession is set forth all through this prophecy; and the man of a tender and sensitive conscience will find the prophet Hosea speaking as much to his case as if he had lived in the present day. I propose,

I. TO EXPLAIN THE WORDS OF THE TEXT;

II. TO APPLY THEM.

I. Ephraim is but another name for Israel, i. e. the

Church of God,-which was, at this time, become proud and idolatrous; following their own vanities, and taking into their council flesh and blood. The prophet calls upon this Church to consider the difference of its present tone, and voice, from that which it had in better days: "When Ephraim spake trembling he exalted himself in Israel."

When a Christian is said to "speak trembling," it does not imply that he is a man of a dastardly spirit: one thing is often taken for another because there is some resemblance, though they are essentially different. This state of mind is not to exhibit the cowardice of the spies, who trembled to execute their commission, and brought up an evil report of the good land; it is not to belong to the "fearful and unbelieving," who dread the cross in religion, and dare not do their duty. Nor is it to speak like Eli, who could only say, "Nay, my sons," when he ought to have spoken with authority: nor is it to speak as Moses, when he said, "Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people?" Num. xi. 13; he spake trembling, but he did not exalt himself. Neither are we to consider it as the language of one overwhelmed, as Isaiah, "Woe is me, for I am undone!" To speak" trembling" is not the effect of a mere constitutional timidity, which is often mistaken for meekness and humility: much less does it mean that sort of affected humility which leads a man to speak of himself in very abasing terms, while if another speak in the same way of him, his pride is offended, and he exhibits displeasure and resentment. We must look for something more than all this when we consider the text as indicating the loss of a contrite spirit in Ephraim; it was a decrease in grace: he had ceased to speak with holy fear.

What, then, are we to understand by these words

"When Ephraim spake trembling?" They seem to refer to the state and feelings of a young, tender, simplehearted, and prayerful believer, when, under a strong sense of his weakness, and of the evils of his own heart, he says, I need special direction; I cannot trust myself; "God be merciful to me a sinner!" "Turn thou me, and so shall I be turned." Such a one is not for making a bargain to be saved upon his own terms, but says, "Lord, save me in any way! If I have not grace to pluck out a right eye, pull it out for me: if I cannot part with a right hand, cut it off for me: let me be saved, whatever it may cost: let me be taught of God: and if I must have every proud opinion torn up by the roots, so let it be: the Lord grant that I may be cured: that I may be willing to suffer reproach, not only from the world, but from the Church if it be necessary to my healing: the Lord help me to suspect every thing that looks like mischief, and to watch on every side!

When a man is taught to speak in this way, God has already begun to exalt him. This is that language of a humble and contrite heart, which, under the Holy Spirit's teaching, has obtained a sense of its natural depravity. Abraham spoke thus trembling, when he said, "Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes." It was the spirit of Peter,-not when he was self-confident and said, "Though all men should deny thee, yet will not I," but when he said, "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee:" I dare not be confident, I can only appeal to thine all-searching eye! See the change wrought in Saul, the proud Pharisee, when he termed himself "the chief of sinners!" So Job, "Behold, I am vile." So Jacob, when about to meet Esau, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast