ward." The way to heaven will not admit of a retreat; you must still be pressing forward, whatever opposition may be in your way. Again; sometimes it is called a drawing back: Heb. x. 38: If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Moreover, it is called a sliding back; intimating, that the people who are not well buckled in religion stand upon slippery ground: Hos. xi. 7: "My people are bent to backsliding from me." Farthermore, it is called a falling back: Is. xxviii. 13: The word of the Lord was unto them, precept upon precept, and line upon line; that they might go and fall backward, and be broken, and snared and taken;" and you know a backward fall is exceedingly dangerous. Lastly, To mention no more, it is called a turning aside. It is said of Israel, that "they quickly turned aside like a deceitful bow ;" which frustrates the design of the archer, by shooting away, or beside the mark. They who "turn aside into crooked ways," whatever may be their pretences to religion, miss the mark of the same, even the "mark and prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus; and shall be led forth," and have their part "with the workers of iniquity."

Secondly, I come to treat of the kinds and degrees of defections from Christ. And, not to multiply distinctions, which are more ready to confound than edify hearers, I shall only mention these two or three:

1. Defection from Christ is sometimes more universal and general, of the body of a church and nation together. Thus, Ephesus, (Rev. ii.) is charged with falling from her first love. And the whole body of the Israelitish nation are engaged together in a defection, by going in to worship the idolatrous calves which Jeroboam erected at Dan and Bethel: and it was so universal, that the prophet Elijah thought he had been left alone; though, indeed, the Lord tells him, that he had seven thousand in Israel, which had not bowed the knee to Baal." And sometimes it is more special and particular, as when a single society, family, or particular person, enters upon a course of defection and backsliding from Christ and his ways; of which instances may be afterwards named.

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2. Sometimes it is more open and avowed, in contradistinction from the former, by abandoning and relinquishing the very profession of religion to which they once pretended, and become openly wicked and flagitious, giving themselves loose reins in a way of sin. Or, it is more hidden and secret, when, though there be still a profession of religion kept up; yet the power of godliness is quite forsaken, and the heart maintains a close correspondence with sin, and lives in a secret trade of wickedness, inconsistent with the rules of Christianity.

3. There is a total, as also a partial defection or falling off from Christ. A total or final, is that of the wicked and reprobate, who, when they fall, are like lead, or a stone falling into deep water, which never rises again; as it is said of Pharaoh and his host, "They sank like lead in the mighty waters:" they make an utter "shipwreck of faith and a good conscience." A partial defection is incident even to the godly themselves. I may call it temporary; for they may be left for a considerable time, to make many woful steps of defection from Christ and his ways; as is plain from the instances of David, Peter, Abraham, and many others. But when they fall, they are like wood or cork, falling into water, who, though they sink at first, yet they rise again by faith and repentance, which influence the reformation of their lives, and which, in pursuit of the divine purpose of grace for their salvation, are actu ated in them by the Holy Spirit, according to Psal. xxxvii. 24: "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." The defection here spoken of in the text, seems to have been of the first kinds of each division. It was general and public; for there was a great multitude of them, as we read in the beginning of the chapter: it was open and avowed; for they put a slight on Christ in the face of the sun and it was total and final; they walked no more with him, nor looked after Christ any more.

Thirdly, I come to notice some ingredients of this defection here spoken of. And there appears to have been these things in it :

1. A dissatisfaction with Christ, and a vilifying both him and his way; for they said, ver. 42, "Is not his father and his mother, and sisters with us? how then came he down from heaven?"

2. A murmuring and repining against the spirituality of his doctrine, out of a rooted enmity and prejudice against it: ver. 41: "They murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread of life which came down from heaven:" and again, "This is a hard saying, who can hear it?"

3. A formal disputing and arguing against his doctrine, as repugnant to reason. They set up their reason as the standard of revelation, and will receive nothing but what they were able to comprehend; for they strove, or disputed, "amongst themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

ver. 52.

4. A formal casting off with Christ, and turning back to their old way and trade of living, by which their latter end was worse than their beginning; for they went back and followed him no more, as in the text.

Fourthly, I come to mention some concomitants of defection from Christ:

1. It is commonly accompanied with a halting and wavering between sin and duty, as Israel did between God and Baal; "How long," says Elijah to them, "do ye halt between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then fol low him." When this wavering befalls people, they cannot stand long; for "a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways," says James. "Their heart is divided; therefore shall they be found faulty."

2. It is commonly attended with a mercenary kind of spirit. For, as secular and worldly interest is the spring of all their religion; so it is the spring of their apostacy and defection from it; as is plain from what our Lord tells his pretended disciples: "Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled." Where this mercenary spirit prevails, folk will stand by Christ and religion as long as it will stand with their selfish and secular designs, but no longer. Christ, conscience, religion, and every thing, must truckle to this at length.

3. It is attended with a stretching of Christian liberty to the uttermost pitch, and a dallying with the appearances of evil. "O," will the man say, "what needs all this needless nicety and preciseness? I may adventure thus far, and yet keep in both with God and a good conscience." Like Eve, who thought she might tamper with the temptation, without any hazard of a compliance; or Samson, who thought he might dally with Delilah, and yet keep in with God. O sirs, it is dangerous going too near God's marches; for, as one says, he that will go all the length he may, when occasion serves, will go farther than he ought.

4. It is attended with a snarling at reproofs. They can not abide to have their sores ripped up, and the evil of their ways discovered. Let ministers preach ever such sound doctrine, yet if they but point towards the quarter where their defections lie, presently they are like wild bulls in a net, full of fury and resentment. We find too much of this, even in good men, when engaged in a partial defection. Asa was so irritated by the reproof of the prophet, that he cast him into prison, for telling him that he was fallen from his former confidence in God, when the hosts of the Ethiopians came up against him. And the Galatians reckoned Paul their "enemy, because he told them the truth."

With a snatching at the reputation of those that stand their ground, or who give any testimony against their defections: and if they can perceive any such making but the least wrong step, they are sure to make it as open and public to the world

as possible, and to represent it in the blackest character imaginable. It is a very true observation, That backsliders are commonly backbiters. They cannot abide to see any outshine themselves in holiness and tenderness; and therefore they lie at the catch, to wound the reputation of those that cannot run the same length with themselves. This made David pray, "Deliver me, O Lord, from all my transgressions, and make me not the reproach of the foolish: for when my foot slippeth, mine enemies do magnify themselves against me."

6. Division is usually the concomitant and fruit of defection. If we should trace all divisions to their spring, by which the bowels of the church of God have been rent, since the first ages of Christianity, we should still find them taking their rise from the bitter fountain of defection. What was it but the defections of some in the church of Corinth, that gave birth to that division, of which the apostle complains, 1 Cor. i.? What was it but the defections of the church of Rome, that has made such a wide breach between Protestants and Papists? It is true, every party and set of men have preached up peace, and cried out against division; as the Papists to this very day, exclaim against us for making a rupture in the church of Christ: whereas it is not we, but they themselves, that make the rupture by their defections. We must not say, A confederacy with any in a way of sin, or purchase peace at the expense of truth and holiness. This was the sentiment of good old Jacob on his death-bed, Gen. xlix. 5: "Simeon and Levi are brethren in iniquity: instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret," &c. Many other things might be added as concomitants of defection; but I must not stand on them. I go on, therefore, to

II. The second thing in the text and method, which was, to inquire a little into the causes of defection. And,

1. The main cause, or rather occasion, of this defection here mentioned, was the unpleasantness of Christ's doctrine to the sensual and carnal inclinations of these pretended disciples mentioned in our text. His doctrine did not suit their humours, and answer their expectations; therefore they went back, and walked no more with him. Just like many among ourselves, who, if ministers do not preach according to their fancies, if they be free and faithful, and preach against the defection of which they are guilty, they either turn their backs on them, or cry out upon them as men of turbulent spirits, incendiaries, fire-brands, and what not?" But ministers need not be discouraged on this account, since the apostles of our Lord were characterized after the same manner: "These are they that have turned the world upside down." I fear there are many among us, who, if they would speak the language of

their hearts, would join issue with that people, Isa. xxx, 10: "Who said to their seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits. But, sirs, we need not wonder to see folk stumbling at the plain truths of the word, seeing Christ himself is "set for the fall," as well as for the "rising of many in Israel."

2. The love of worldly riches is another great cause of defection, as is plain from what the apostle says, 1 Tim. vi. 10: "The love of money is the root of all evil: which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Where the love of the world has the ascendant in the heart, the love of God cannot be strong; for, "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him:" and where the love of God is not, it is impossible for that man to stand his ground.

3. The love of worldly ease is another great cause of defection from Christ, especially in a time of persecution for the gospel's sake; for then it will be said, as Peter to Christ, when dissuading him from going up to Jerusalem, Master, spare thyself; it is best to sleep in a whole skin. But let us remember what Christ says in this case, Matth. xvi. 25: "Whosoever shall save his life, shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it."

4. The fear of man is another cause of defection: "The fear of man," says Solomon, "bringeth a snare;" especially the fear of offending and displeasing great men, upon whom we have any kind of dependence. But, as an antidote against this, let us compare the wrath of man with the wrath of the eternal God. Shall we adventure to run upon "the thick bosses of the Almighty's buckler," to avoid the displeasure of a worm like ourselves? Is. li. 12: "Who art thou, that shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man, who shall be made as grass? and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth?" To the same purpose is that caveat given us by our blessed Lord; "Fear not man, that can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul," &c.

5. Bad example has a fatal influence this way; and especially the bad example of men of influence and authority, such as ministers and magistrates. You have a word for this, Hos. v. 1: "Hear ye this, O priests, and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you; because ye have been a snare on Mizpeh, and a net spread upon Tabor." When we have conceived a great veneration for any man, we are very ready to run after his example. Thus, Gal. ii. 13: Barnabas, with many of the converted Jews at Antioch, were led away with Peter's dissimulation, who seemed to them a pillar;