thee deepest, provided he brings thee to Christ for a cure and when the arrows of the word fly abroad, drop the shield of unbelief, make bare thy breast, welcome the blessed shaft, and remember, that the only way of conquering sin, is to fall wounded and helpless at the Redeemer's feet.

Nevertheless, the impressions of the word will soon wear off, if thou dost not importunately intreat the Searcher of hearts, to light the candle of his grace in thy soul, that thou mayest clearly see whether thy inward parts are holiness to the Lord as thou fondly sup posedst; or very wickedness, as the scripture testifies. It is only in God's light, that we can clearly discover our blindness.

This light, it is true, shineth in darkness, but frequently the darkness comprehendeth it not. That this be not thy dreadful case, do not grieve and quench the convincing Spirit, by persisting in the wilful omission of any duty, or deliberate commission of any sin: Nothing but obstinate unbelief darkens the mind, and hardens the heart, more than this. Therefore instead of burying thy one talent with the slothful servant, earnestly pray the Lord to make thee faithful to thy convictions, and to deepen them daily till they end in a sound conversion.

In order to this, do not slightly heal the wound in thy conscience: It is better to keep it open than to skin it over by improper means: Many, through a natural forwardness and impatience, have recourse to them; and ruin is the consequence of their mistake.. That thou mayest avoid it, serious reader, I entreat thee to pay a due regard to the following

CAUTIONS,

Proper for a penitent, who desires to make his calling and election sure.

III. When thou hast affecting views of thy lost estate, beware of resting like Felix in some pangs of ·

fear, fits of trembling, and resolutions of turning to God by and by, when thou shalt have a convenient season. Neither give place to desponding thoughts, as if there was no appeal from the tribunal of Justice to the throne of grace.

Run not for ease to vain company, bodily indulgence, entangling affections, immoderate sleep, excessive drinking or hurry of business. Cain built a city to divert his trouble of mind; and multitudes like him, by the cares of this world, the deceitfulness or riches, or the desire of other things, daily choak the good seed, the precious word of conviction. Mark iv. 19.

Be not satisfied with faint desires of living the life of the righteous, or idle wishes of dying their death. Remember that the desire of the slothful kills him; and thou hast experienced some drawings of grace, meltings of heart, or breathings after God; sit not down at last, as the Laodiceans, in a careless state, neither hot nor cold. It is far better to go on thy way weeping, and seeking the pearl of great price till thou really find it, than to rest contented with an hasty conceit that thou art possessed of it, when thou art not.

Stop not in an outward reformation, and a form of godliness, like many, who mistake the means or doctrine of grace, for grace itself; and because they say their heartless prayers both in public and private, or gó far and often to hear the gospel preached in its purity, fondly hope, that they are the favourites of God, and in the highway to heaven.

Under pretence of increasing thy convictions, do not bury them in heaps of religious books. Some read till their heads are confused, or their hearts past feeling. Thus, though ever learning, they are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Hear then, as well as read the word of life; but think not thyself converted when thou hast received it with joy: The stony-ground hearers went as far as this: Herod himself heard John gladly, honoured him, did many

things, but left the most important undone; for he ne ver dismissed the incestuous woman he lived with; and at last sacrificed to her revenge, the honest preacher he once admired.

Do not confound the covenant of works made with innocent Adam before the fall, and the covenant of grace made with sinful Adam after the fall. Gen. ii. 17. and iii. 15. and Rom. v. 11....21. They are excellent in their place, but when they are mixed together, they destroy each other's efficacy. The dreadful thunders, heard in paradise lost; and the melodious songs. uttered in paradise regained, do not strike at once the spiritual ear. The galling yoke of the law. of works, and the heavy load of its condemnation are dropt, when we take upon us Christ's easy yoke, and submit to his light burden. In a word, the first Adam gives place to the second when we find rest unto our souls. Let then the curse of the law of innocence, be swallowed by the blessing of the gospel: or rather, let it make way for the grace of Christ in thy soul, as an emetic makes way for a cordial in a disordered stomach. If thou takest them together, their respective use is prevented. The first covenant loses its humbling efficacy, and the second its restorative power. Therefore, if thou hast really received the sentence of death in thyself; leave the curse of the first covenant in the grave of Christ, crucified for thy sins; and welcome the pardoning, renovating grace of Christ; risen again for thy justification.

On the other hand, rest not contented with speculative knowledge, and unaffecting, though clear ideas of the gospel-way of salvation. Light in an unrenewed understanding, mistaken for the mystery of faith in a pure heart, like an ignis-fatuus, or false light, leads thousands through the bogs of sin, into the pit of destruction. Acts viii. 13.

Pacify not thy conscience by activity in outward services, and a warmth in God's cause; Party spirit or natural steadiness in carrying on a favourite scheme,

yea, or seeking thy own glory, may be the springs that set thee on work. Jehu, faithfully destroyed Baal and Jezebel, but his zeal for the Lord covered the secret desire of a crown. Take care also, not to mistake gifts for graces; fluency of speech for converting power; the warmth of natural affection for divine love; or an impulse of God's Spirit, on some particular occasion, for an evidence of spiritual regeneration. Balaam spoke and prophesied like a child of God, and many will one day say to Christ, Lord, have we not prophesied, spoke all mysteries, cast out devils, and done many wonderful works in thy name; to whom he will answer, Depart from me, I know you not.

Avoid the self-conceit of many, who feed on the corrupted manna of their past experiences, and confidently appeal to the wasted streams of those consolations, which once refreshed their hearts; when alas ! it is evident, they have now forsaken the fountain of living water, and hewn to themselves broken cisterns that hold no water; unless the mire of evil tempers, selfish views, and heartless professions of faith, may pass for the streams which gladden the city of God.

Neither do thou heal thyself by touches of sorrow, by tears, good desires, or outward marks of humiliation for sin, as king Ahab. Nor by excessive fasting, retiring from business, or hard usage of the body, as many Roman catholics: Nor yet by misapplying the doctrine of predestination, and setting down notions of election for evidences of salvation, as many protestants: No, nor by doting about questions, strifes of words, and perverse disputings, which eat as a canker, as some in St. Paul's days, and too many in ours. Tim. vi. 4.

To conclude, think not thou art absolutely made whole when the power of outward sin is weakened or suspended, when thou hast learned the language of Canaan, canst speak or write well on spiritual subjects, art intimately acquainted with the best ministers of Christ, and hast cast thy lot among the despised chil

dren of God, taken their part, shared in their reproach, and secured their esteem and prayers. Judas did so for years: Saul was once also among the prophets Ananias and Sapphira were supposed to be good believers for a time, the foolish virgins joined in society with the wise, and were perhaps unsuspected, to the last; and Peter himself stood in need of conversion, long after he had outwardly left all to follow Christ. Luke xxii. 32. So important is that charge of our Lord!" Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many will seek to enter in and shall not be able."

To these cautions against the various ways, by which the generality of penitents skin over the wound of sin in their conscience, permit me to add an

EVANGELICAL EXHORTATION,

Pointing out the divine method of a sound cure, which, though least regarded, and last tried, by most sinners, is not only effectual in some, but infallible in ALL cases.

IV. Wouldst thou, serious reader, be made whole in an evangelical manner? To thy convictions of original and actual sin must be added, a conviction of unbelief. Feel then, that thou hast neglected Christ's great salvation: Own thou didst never ask, or never persevere in asking the unfeigned, saving, powerful faith by which the atonement is received and enjoyed, Rom. 5. 11. Acknowledge, that the faith thou hast hitherto rested in was not that gift of God, that grace of his own operation, wrought in thee according to the working of his mighty power, and mentioned Eph. ii. 8. Col. ii. 12. Eph. i. 19. And confess, it was not the right christian faith; because it chiefly grew from the seed of prejudice and education, as the faith of Jews and Turks; and not from the seed of divine grace and power, as the faith of St. Paul, Gal i. 15. and because it never yielded the heavenly fruits which gospel-faith infallibly produces: Such as....a vital union with Christ,

R