ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more fhall your heavenly Father give the holy fpirit to them that afk him?-To the God of all grace and confolation be everlasting praifes. Amen. MIKROS.

Thoughts on the gospel means of awakening finners.

PR

REVIOUSLY to the converfion of finners, it is God's ordinary method to convince them of their deplorable ftate, and awaken their confciences. Conviction appears to be a pre-requifite to regeneration: and this pre-requifite is effected in the ufe of means. "By the law is the knowledge of fin." "And how "And how fhall they believe in him of whom they have not heard ?"

Now, it is an important enquiry, what doctrines and divine truths are the most directly calculated for the conviction and awakening of finners? Some fay, they ought to be encouraged in their own works, and by warmly exhorting them to duty, and fetting before them the beauty of holinefs they will hereby be the most likely to become convinced and awakened. Others advocate, that fimply holding up the terrors of hell, will be inoft likely to produce this needful effect. Even fome, who profefs to be Calviniftic in fentiment, tell us, that the doctrine of ftrict total depravity, and divine abfolute fovereignty are not profitable to awaken finners, but will have a more direct tendency to increase their ftupidity. Thofe alfo, who are difpofed to cavil at truth, and who choose to remain undisturbed in their fins, tell us, that if they are abfolutely dependent on divine grace,

they will reft contented, God will do with them as he pleases. But as we have no warrant to make the feelings of the depraved heart our guide, let this enquiry be now directly made;-what ideas are the moft fuitable to be impreffed on the mind of the thoughtless finner, in order for him to be alarmed in view of his ftate?

I anfwer. Let it be clearly brought into his view, that he is in a totally finful, ruined ftate; and that there is no other help but in the mere fovereign pleasure of God.

I will proceed to establish this anfwer by evidence. As a theme of illustration, recourse will be had to a circumftance recorded by St. Matthew, fourteenth chapter. An inftance is there ftated concerning the apoftle Peter, which bears a direct analogy to the queftion now before us.

At a time when our Lord walked on the fea of Tiberias, to meet his difciples, in confequence of Peter's request, the Saviour bade Peter come and meet him. But we read, "When he faw the wind boisterous he was afraid; and, beginning to fink, he cried, faying, Lord, fave me."

Here we may

remark, 1ft. That Peter faw he was finking. The wind was boifterous, and we are told, he began to fink. 2. He found that he could not deliver himself. He muft doubtlefs be convinced of this, when the billows of the pow erful elements began to overflow him, and all his exertions to no effect. 3. He faw that if he were faved, it must be Chrift alone that could fave him. Finding his own ftrength fail, and the Saviour near him, at this critical moment, the only alternative was, that perhaps the Lord might reach out

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fpecting temporal, bodily danger, would caufe alarm refpecting fpiritual, eternal danger. view the foul in imminent danger of fuffering the second death, is it not as alarming a confideration as to view the body imminently expofed to natural death? The fpiritual state of every one who is not born of God, will very well compare with the state of Peter, as it refpected his natural life. Are not finners, while they remain fuch, continually finking into eternal perdition? The Holy Ghoft tells us, they ftand "on flippery places." They are eve. ry moment fo fpecially exposed to fall into hell, that the prophet reprefents them as being on flippery places in the darknefs." Can finners deliver themselves from this imminent danger? It is fure they can no more deliver themfelves, than could Peter, from the watery grave into which he was plunging. Our Lord reprefents them as owing more than ten thousand talents, and having nothing to pay. They are alfo wholly opposed to the way of de

liverance; being under the dominion of a "carnal mind, which is enmity against God." Is there any poffible way of deliverance, except through the mere grace of the Saviour? Chrift plainly says, "Without me ye can do nothing." Our fallen ftate is fuch, that we are exprefsly told, "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that fhoweth mercy.' Now, can it be any other than the want of a conviction of being in this critical ftate, that can be the cause of finners remaining in stupidity? Or, can they view themselves finking down to eternal ruin, and remain wholly at eafe and quiet? If they can, then the finking difciple was alarmed without any rational ground.

By adding a few general remarks, it will appear ftill more clearly, that bringing into view their criminal, ruined ftate, and pointing out to them that there is no other help, but in the mere fovereign pleasure of God, is the moft fuccefsful method of awakening finners.

In the firft place, let it be noted, that a knowledge of danger is always neceffary in order for a perfon to fear danger. The mariner, calmly failing, feels no alarm from an unseen storm; though it may foon invade him, in a moft dreadful torrent. But when it comes to his view, and he finds himself about to perish, terror and alarm feize him! Indeed, whereever 'there are fenfible apprehenfions of danger, emotions of fear and concern will be excited, even if there be no hope of escape. It is not hope, which alarms people, but a knowledge of danger.

Again; none who have just ideas of God, will fear his difpleafure, unless they are fenfible they

have disobeyed him. Sinners, as well as faints, may apprehend, that God will not inflict upon them the punishment of eternal death, unless they have directly broken his holy law. Hence, to have that religious concern which arifes from proper ground, a perfon muft fee that he is really a criminal, as well as fee that he is in a dangerous fituation. It is needful, therefore, that the finner's true character be difcriminated, and held up to view.

It may, alfo, be further remarked, that even when a perfon is convinced that he is in danger of divine wrath, and alfo that he is truly deferving of it, his anxiety will not be great, fo long as he retains an idea that by his own] exertions he can be reinftated into the divine favor. Suppofe a perfon have ever so important a piece of work to perform, and at the fame time have laborers employed fufficient to do it,-in this cafe, would he not view things going on well? How needful it is, therefore, that finners be told they are fo dead in trefpaffes and fins that for them to be faved, they must be plucked as brands out of the fire!

Add the remarks that have now been made, to the fact which was adduced concerning Peter; and must not the anfwer that was given to the question ftated, ap. pear very plain?

A few thoughts which naturally rife from this illuftration are worthy of notice.

1. We fee, that the gospel, as it was preached by Chrift and his apoftles, is peculiarly calculated to be a mean of faving finners. God works with means. And he has ordinarily made conviction and awakening necellary, in order for the renewing of the heart. Accordingly, we fee that the gofpel VOL. III. No. 12.

points out every unfanctified foul, to be in a critical fituation as was Peter, when finking in the depth of the fea. Our Lord was exprefs in fhowing their condemned, loft ftate when he declared, “ He that believeth not the Son fhall not fee life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." In another place he observes, they are condemned already. And to fhow them that their only hope of deliverance is in his mere fovereign grace, he declares, "As the Father raifeth up the dead and quickeneth them; even fo, the Son quickeneth whom he will." Saint Paul adds, "He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth."

Thus, from the texts now quoted, as only a fpecimen of the general run of infpired preaching, we fee how admirably adapted are the diftinguifhing truths of the gofpel, to be a means of bringing loft men into the kingdom of God.

2. Another idea, which, arifes from the subject as now illuftrated, is, that the perfonal good of every one requires that he give an impartial, attentive hearing to the most pointed and plain preaching. Though there be no certain connection between conviction and converfion, yet we look upon a man's ftate more hopeful who has a true conviction of his condition, than one who is entirely thoughtlefs.--For, it is by "the foolishness of preaching that God faves them. who believe." Thofe, therefore, who are wife, will give an impartial hearing to the most humbling and unpalatable doctrines of the gofpel. Be attentive then, O finner, to hear the worst of your cafe, if you have any regard for your

own foul.

view themselves faints, feriously to attend to those truths which are fo much difrelished by the natural heart; that they may hereby know whether they have ever felt the truth concerning themfelvcs, and whether they are pleafed with that which is their only hope of falvation.

3. It appears that the doctrine of divine fovereignty, and man's abfolute dependance on fpecial grace, are very neceffary and profitable to be clearly brought into view. If there were any propriety in Peter's being alarmed when he faw that his life depended wholly on the gracious arm of Chrift; why ought it not to be a particular object with a preacher of the gofpel, to convince the ungodly multitude that they are thus fallen in fuch criminal oppofition to their maker, that nothing but his mere electing love can raife them from finking to hell? Why fhould truths fo important be palliated and kept back? If finners are difpofed to cavil, and find fault with thefe doctrines, it is no fign they are not profitable; but rather a mark that they are profitable. That which the depraved mind defires moft of all, is, to

remain fecure and undisturbed. And fince we are affured in God's word, that the carnal mind is enmity to truth, that which awakens it in any fenfe, must be calculated to have a falutary effect.

4. From what has been faid, does it not appear, that some object against having that brought into view, which is the most di. rect mean of their falvation; and which is their only hope? Point out the utter finfulness of all the doings of the unregenerate, and are not many inclined to manifeft their oppofition? Are not many difpofed to object against being

told, that their deliverance from ruin depends wholly on the eternal purpose of God? Then we fee, they oppose that which is calculated to fecure to them the greateft poffible good. They object against the ufe of the moft direct means for their good. And they object against the only encouragement there is to the use of those means. Take a view of our state by nature, and would not all perish had not God an eternal purpose of mercy concerning fome?

Refrain, therefore, O finner, from these unjuft replies, left thou be found fighting, not only againft God, but against thine own soul. Let thy heart no longer defpife reproof; but seriously hear, that thy foul may live. R. S.