resolution in the strength of his grace, and fixing your dependence on him, for your acceptance with God, even while you are purposing to do your very best, and when you have actually done the best you ever will do in consequence of that purpose."

The first and most important advice that I can give you in your present circumstances, is, that you look to Christ, and apply yourself to him. And here, "say not in your heart, who shall ascend into heaven, to bring him down to me? (Rom. x. 6.) or who shall raise me up thither, to present me before him? The blessed Jesus, "by whom all things consist," (Col. i. 17.) by whom the whole system of them is supported, forgotten as he is by most that hear his name, is not far from any of us:" (Acts xvii. 27.) Nor could he have promised to be "wherever two or three are met together in his name," (Matt. xvii. 20.) but in consequence of those truly divine perfections by which ne is every where present. Would you therefore, O sinner, desire to be saved? go to the Saviour. Would you desire to be delivered? look to that great deliverer: and though you should be so overwhelmed with guilt, and shame, and fear, and horror, that you should be incapable of speaking to him, fall down in this speechless cor.fusion at his feet; and "behold him as the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.” (John i. 29.)

Behold him therefore with an attentive eye, and say whether the sight does not touch, and even melt thy very heart! Dost thou not feel, what a foolish and what a wretched creature thou hast been; that for the sake of such low and sordid gratifications and interests, as those which thou hast been pursuing, thou shouldst thus "kill the Prince of life?" (Acts iii. 15) Behold the deep wounds which he bore for thee! "look on him whom thou hast pierced," and surely thou must mourn, (Zech. xii. 10.) unless thy heart be hardened into stone. Which of thy past sins canst thou reflect upon, and say, "For that, it was worth my while thus to have injured my Saviour, and to have exposed the Son of God to such sufferings?" And what future temptations can arise so considerable, that thou shouldst say "For the sake of this, I will crucify my

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Lord again?" (Heb. vi. 6.) Sinner, thou must repent of every sin; and must forsake it; but if thou doest it to any purpose, I well know it must be at the foot of the cross. Thou must sacrifice every lust, even the dearest; though it should be like a "right hand, or a right eye :" (Matt. v. 29, 30.) and therefore, that thou mayest, if possible, be animated to it, I have led thee to that altar, on which Christ himself was sacrificed for thee, an offering of a sweet-smelling savour." (Eph. v. 2.) Thou must "yield up thyself to GOD, as one alive from the dead." (Rom. vi. 13.) And therefore I have shewed thee at what a price he purchased thee; for thou wast not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Son of GOD, that Lamb without blemish and without spot." (1 Pet. i. 18, 19.) And now I would ask thee, as before the Lord, What does thine own heart say to it? Art thou grieved for thy former offences? Art thou willing to forsake thy sins? Art thou willing to become the cheerful, thankful servant of him who hath purchased thee with his own blood.

I will suppose such a purpose as this rising in thine heart. How determinate it is, and how effectual it may be, I know not; what different views may arise hereafter, or how soon the present sense may wear off; but this I assuredly know, that thou wilt never see reason to change these views for however thou mayest alter, the Lord "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." (Heb. xiii. 8.) And the reasons that now recommend repentance and faith as fit and as necessary, will continue invariable, as long as the perfections of the blessed GoD are the same, and as long as his Son continues the same.

But while you have these views and these purposes, I must remind you, that this is not all which is necessary to your salvation. You must not only purpose, but, as GOD gives opportunity, you must act, as those who are convinced of the evil of sin, and of the necessity and excelence of holiness. And that you may be enabled to do so nother instances, you must in the first place, and as the irst great work of GOD, (as our Lord himself calls it,) "believe in him whom. God hath sent :" (John vi. 29.)

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You must confide in him; must commit your soul into the hands of Christ, to be saved by him in his own appointed method of salvation. This is the great act of saving faith, and I pray God that you may experi. mentally know what it means, so as to be able to say with the apostle Paul, in the near views of death itself, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him until that day;" (2 Tim. i. 12.) that great decisive day, which, if we are Christians, we have always in view. To this I would urge you; and O that I could be so happy as to engage you to it, while I am illustrating it in this, and the following addresses. Be assured you must not apply yourselves immediately to God absolutely, or in himself considered, in the neglect of a Mediator. It will neither be acceptable to him, nor safe for you, to rush into his presence, without any regard to his own Son, whom he has appointed to introduce sinners to him. And if you come otherwise, you come as one that is not a sinner. The very manner of presenting the address will be interpreted as a denial of that guilt with which he knows you are chargeable; and therefore he will not admit you, nor so much as look upon you. And accordingly, our Lord, knowing how much every man living was concerned in this, says in the most universal terms, "No man cometh unto the Father but by me." (John xiv. 6.)

Apply therefore to this glorious Redeemer, amiable (as he will appear to every believing eye,) in the blood which he shed upon the cross, and in the wounds which he received there. Go to him, O sinner, this day, this moment, with all thy sins about thee. Go just as thou art; for if thou wilt never apply to him, till thou art first righteous and holy, thou wilt never be righteous and holy at all; nor canst thou be so on this supposition, unless there were some way of being so without him; and then there would be no occasion for applying to him for righteousness and holiness. It were indeed as if it should be said, that a sick man should defer his application to a physician, till his health is recovered. Let me therefore repeat it without offence, Go to him just as thou art, and

say, (O that thou mayest this moment be enabled to say it from thy very soul!) "Blessed Jesus, I am surely one of the most sinful, and one of the most miserable creatures, that ever fell prostrate before thee: nevertheless I come, because I have heard that thou didst once say, "Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Mat. xii. 28.) I come, because I have heard that thou didst graciously say, "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.' (John vi. 37.) O thou Prince of peace, O thou King of glory, I am a condemned miserable sinner, I have ruined my own soul, and am condemned for ever, if thou dost not help me and save me. I have broken thy Father's law, and thine, for thou art "one with him." (John x. 30.) I have deserved condemnation and wrath; and I am, even at this very moment, under a sentence of everlasting destruction; a destruction, which will be aggravated by all the contempt which I have cast upon thee, O thou bleeding Lamb of God: for I cannot and will not dissemble it before thee, that I have wronged thee, most basely and ungratefully wronged thee, under the character of a Saviour, as well as of a Lord. But now I am willing to submit to thee; and I have brought my poor trembling soul, to lodge it in thine hands, if thou wilt condescend to receive it; and if thou dost not, it must perish. O Lord, I lie at thy feet: stretch out "thy golden sceptre, that I may live." (Esth. iv. 11.) Yea, "if it please the King, let the life of my soul be given me at my petition!" (Esth. vii. 3.) I have no treasure, wherewith to purchase it: I have no equivalent to give thee for it; but if that compassionate heart of thine can find a pleasure in saving one of the most distressed creatures under heaven, that pleasure thou mayest here find. O Lord, I have foolishly attempted to be mine own Saviour; but it will not do. I am sensible, the attempt is vain; and therefore I give it over, and look unto thee. On thee, blessed Jesus! who art sure and steadfast, do I desire to fix my anchor. On thee, as the only sure foundation, would I build my eternal hopes. To thy teaching, O thou unerring Prophet of the Lord,

would I submit: be thy doctrines ever so mysterious, it is enough for me that thou thyself hast said it. To thine atonement, obedience, and intercession, O thou holy and ever acceptable High Priest, would I trust. And to thy government, O thou exalted Sovereign, would I yield a willing, delightful subjection. In token of reverence and love, I "kiss the Son;" (Psal. ii. 12.) I kiss the ground before his feet. I admit thee, O my Saviour, and welcome thee with unutterable joy, to the throne in my heart. Ascend it, and reign there for ever. Subdue mine enemies, O Lord, for they are thine; and make me thy faithful and zealous servant; faithful to death, and zealous to eternity."

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Such as this, must be the language of your very heart before the Lord. But then remember, that in consequence thereof, it must be the language of your life too. unmeaning words of the lips would be a vain mockery. The most affectionate transport of the passions, should it be transient and ineffectual, would be but like a blaze of straw, presented instead of incense at his altar. With such humility, with such love, with such cordial selfdedication and submission of soul, must thou often prostrate thyself in the presence of Christ; and then thou must go away, and keep him in thy view; must go away, and live unto God through him, "denying ungodliness and worldly lusts," and behaving thyself "soberly, righteously, and godly, in this" vain insnaring "world." (Tit. ii. 12.) You must make it your care, to shew your love by obedience; by forming yourself as much as possible, according to the temper and manner of Jesus, in whom you believe. You must make it the great point of your ambition, (and a nobler view you cannot entertain,) to be a living image of Christ; that so far as circumstances will allow, even those who have heard and read but little of him, may, by observing you, in some measure see and know what kind of a life that of the blessed Jesus was. And this must be your constant care, your prevailing character, as long as you live. You must follow him, whithersoever he leads you; must follow with a cross on your shoulder,