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opened my mouth and given up myself, and I cannot, I dare not go back. Lord, I will follow thee through pains and changes, through honour and dishonour. I can gladly say amen, may it

be so.

Witness ye angels, and second the solemn vow. But remember when you put your hand to the plough you must not stand still, nor so much as look back, but persevere to the end. If like Peter's, your resolution rests on your own strength, like his it will assuredly fail when the trial comes. Oh look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, that you may be strengthened with all might by his Spirit in the inner man, and so run the heavenly race as to obtain the immortal prize.

3. Observe that if you have some evidences of repentance, you ought not to be always doubting and complaining.

Some sincere Christians are so much engrossed! with their fears that they gain little advantage from their hopes. Such persons resemble seamen, so intent in watching the coming storm, as to lose their sheet anchor which should secure them in a hurricane. You may cry out, O that I had but the proofs of having undergone a thorough change, and I should be happy! Would to God I could speak with the same well-grounded confidence which many can. Do not always

look on the dark side of the cloud. “A repining life," said one, " is but a lingering death." Do not always hang your harp upon the willows, or tune it to melancholy strains. "Unreasonable fears are the sins of our hearts as well as thorns in our sides: they grieve the Spirit and provoke him to withdraw his comforting influences."

If you have not so bright evidence of an inward change as some have, be not always poring upon your own state, and labouring to spell out the reality of your personal religion, by the tenure of your frames and feelings. It is useless to cry, Oh that I had assurance in the same way as Elijah, or Hezekiah, Paul, or John. Having the ordinary means of grace, it is wrong to expect miracles. If the enemy can draw you into doubts and despondencies, so as to entangle the soul, he will triumph in your distress. Let nothing keep you back from the throne of grace. If you doubt whether the work is yet begun, pray that it may be begun. If you cannot go to God with a broken heart, go to him for a broken heart. He waiteth to be gracious, and is exalted to shew mercy. He never said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain.

CHAP. VI.

On the Encouragements given to the Penitent.

THE Saviour was sent to bind up the brokenhearted, and set at liberty them that were bound. Every word in the gospel speaks encouragement to the humble. But perhaps you may say, I have no doubt that God is gracious to hear the prayer of the penitent, but I fear this is not my character. Some persons can tell the time of their awakening, and even the means which God used for that purpose, but I cannot. They can mention the books, the sermons, or the very texts which touched their hearts, and drew forth the earnest cry, What shall we do? but though I am sensible of my lost condition, it is impossible for me to trace back my concern to any particular season, or instrumental cause. Suppose a man deeply in debt thus to tell his tale to a neighbour, I have long feared that my business and my hooks were in a bad state, but now I am sure it is so. I cannot say exactly when, or by what means I first began to perceive this. Sometimes I suspected it, and soon after forgot my fears; then the alarm returned afresh, as my creditors brought new demands which I could not answer. This neighbour replies, of what consequence is it for you to know when you first found out your deficiency? I am acquainted with a rich friend who will be bound for you. All you have to do is, to go without delay to this surety, and commit your affairs into his hands. Would not such advice be the best? You too are deeply in debt. You have no means of paying the long arrears. Now if you are fully convinced of this, I recommend to you the Lord Jesus Christ, the friend of sinners. He is ready to become your security, and answer every demand. Or suppose a man to say, I have long felt myself unwell, my health is gone; but really I cannot tell when I first percieved the symptoms of my disorder. Some persons can declare the place where, and the manner how they were first struck with pain, or seized with sickness; but alas! it is not so with me. I should say to such an one, the question is not when you began to know your disorder, do you now know it? If so, all you have to do, is to go without delay to the best Physician. Thus whenever there is a due sense of sin, I would say, hasten to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is of little

consequence whether you were awakened suddenly or gradually, your chief concern now lies in the means of obtaining redress.

While I proceed to give encouragement to the penitent, I feel somewhat at a loss, not for want of matter, but to know how to select from the abundance which offers, that which may be most suitable. We can scarcely look into the Bible, but we find something to animate the contrite and humble. I have gathered a few things, and you may go to the same rich treasury, and gather the rest for yourself. After I have said a few words, I must own with the queen of Sheba, that the half cannot be told. Are you sensible of your guilt and condemnation, your want and misery, your pollution and helplessness, then I would direct you to those promises which hold out pardon, adoption, and the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit.

1. The scriptures promise pardon to the penitent.

Forgiveness is a blessing so suitable to fallen man, so sweet and precious to the humble soul, that it cannot be too earnestly sought, or too highly valued. The angels who sinned are confined under chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day. The call to repentance, or the sound of salvation, was never heard in

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