XXVII. THE FALLEN PROFESSOR. 46 A deceived heart hath turned him aside." HIS is true of very many in the pre- were full of hope respecting them, but they are turned aside. Self-examination is always important, but especially so before we make a public profession of Christ. Let a man examine himself thoroughly, and so let him put on Christ by baptism, and be joined to his people. Some are for delaying a profession of religion too long, and some rush into it too hastily. Few things are more difficult for a pastor, than to know whom to encourage to come forward, and whom to keep back. We have a character in our eye, let us look at him; 66 a deceived heart hath turned him aside." This will apply to a professor, one who has numbered himself with God's people. He was sound in the truth. He embraced the doctrines of the gospel. He took the precepts for his guide. He professed to rely on the promises. The Bible was his book, and a sound gospel ministry his delight. He was regular in his attendance upon the means of grace. He came not only to the sermons, but to the prayermeetings. His attention, and apparent devotion, were pleasing and encouraging. His fixed eye, and serious behaviour, inspired us with confidence. There was nothing light, or restless, or indecorous; he was in behaviour as becometh godliness. He was useful in his station in life. He spoke for Christ to his fellows, he took a class in the Sunday school, he wrote religious letters, he distributed gospel tracts, he appeared desirous of benefiting all around him -he was his pastor's hope, the church's joy, and a lesson to the world. We wished there were many like him, for his talents were respectable, his education was good, his manners were pleasing, and everything seemed to indicate that he would be a useful character. But a change has taken place. A blight has settled upon the flower. A cloud has obscured the prospect. The pastor's heart is grieved. The weak of the flock are stumbled. The church mourns. The enemy triumphs. What is done? He is turned aside. turned from God. prays no more. He has The closet is forsaken. He The truth is given up, and lax, if not infidel, principles are embraced, propagated, and defended. Duty is disregarded; he feels like Pharaoh, if he does not speak like him, when he said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey him?" The church is despised and forsaken. The prayer-meeting was first neglected, then he only attended the public services once on the Lord's day. Then he only came occasionally. At last he gave up altogether. He was warned, but he despised the warning. He was exhorted, but he rejected the exhortation. The world flattered him, pride took possession of him, and Satan gained the complete mastery over him. He withdrew from his old associates, and from the field of labour; as he did not enjoy religion, he could not, he would not, labour to bring others to seek it. The Bible was left unopened, the voice of conscience was stifled, the company of the godly was shunned, and he turned aside to folly. What he once despised, he now values. The company he once avoided, he now seeks. Vanity is his characteristic, and vanity will be his recompense. He is turned aside after Satan, who now rules in his heart, leads captive his affec tions, bewilders his judgment, stupifies his conscience, and powerfully works upon his imagination. Men, worldly men, gather him into their company. He is courted, flattered, and captivated; completely led away by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. He cannot bear reflection, he avoids being much alone, he has become the friend of the world, and is completely turned aside. But what did it? A deceived and a deceitful heart hath turned him aside. Error was presented in a fascinating dress. Pride of intellect was fostered. Satan laid his snares, adapted his temptations to his age, temperament, disposition, and circumstances: he took the bait, and was caught by the hook. His natural lusts were pampered, and the reins were thrown upon their neck. He became giddy, bewildered, and was deceived. But how was he brought to this state? He walked on the very margin of Christian liberty, instead of getting and keeping as near to the Saviour as he could. He yielded to temptation, first secretly, and in reference to little things, which paved the way for greater; for if Satan can get us to yield to a small temptation to-day, he will try us with a greater to-morrow. He tampered with sin, lowering the standard making allowance for the weakness of nature, the force of circumstances, and the custom of the times. He listened to false teachers, whose business is always to lead us to think lightly of sin, meanly of the Saviour, highly of self, and unscripturally of God. He read improper books, such as feed vanity, excite lust, pamper pride, produce levity, lead from God, unfit for prayer, and secretly undermine religion. He became deluded, laughed at his former fears, ridiculed his conscientious scruples, questioned the truth of revelation, and affected to pity those fanatics who talk of experimental religion, degrade human nature, and incessantly dwell upon exploded doctrines and old-fashioned practices. Thus the Holy Spirit was grieved and vexed, so that he was given up to his own heart's lusts, and he walked in his own counsels. Lively Christians were forsaken and treated with contempt. The cultivation or preservation of the heart was entirely neglected. The eye was left at liberty to rove and pry into improper objects and subjects. The ear became the entrance to what was polluting, misleading, and degrading; and the carnal desire to know practically what the lowest degrees of sin can be is indulged, and so the text is fulfilled, "A deceived heart hath turned him aside." |