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 A ^PF^ L-IED IM/IGE he 
 
 ^r: 1653 East Main Street 
 
 ■^ Rochester. New York 14609 USA 
 
 SSZ (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone 
 
 =: (716) 288 - 5989 - Tax 
 
• » ' ,S*"f "^«:i-".'.'7ii^-; '^ii^^V'M^^* 
 
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*^.-'l!\tfF*1't 
 
 THE 
 
 ANXIOUS INQUIEEK 
 
 AFTER 
 
 SALVATION, 
 
 DIRECTED AND ENCOURAGED. 
 
 BY JOHN ANGELL JAMES, 
 
 AUTHOR OP ««THECHUnCH IN EARNEST," " THE YOUNO MAN PROM 
 HOME," "CHRISTIAN PROFESSOP,' "SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER'S 
 OCIDB, " AN EARNEST MINISTRY TUB WANT OP THE TIMES," &C. tc 
 
 "What must I do to be saved? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 and thou shalt be saved."— Acts xvi. 30, 31. 
 
 I 
 
 TORONTO : 
 
 BE-PBINTED VERBATIM FROM THE LONDON EDITION, 
 BY LOVELL AND GIBSON. 
 
 1850. 
 
m ■<:■?''■ i^---i^«t^^'^'- 
 
 I ' 
 
 »■) , ' 
 
 
 ^ 
 
PREFACE 
 
 An subjects must be taught by elementary 
 treatises : to this rule, religion forms no exeep- 
 twn J and as books for children, compose a very 
 useful, though humble department, in general 
 literature, so in the great science of salvation, he 
 aims at no unimportant object, who writes for 
 those who are anxious to be converted, and who 
 are willing, for that purpose, to become as little 
 children in the school of Christ. Such is my 
 design ; to accomplish which, I sought after the 
 greatest simplicity of style. Writing for babes 
 in Christ, I have given little more than the 
 alphabet of personal religion ; but the learning 
 of which is necessary to future progress. Almost 
 all teachers, whether of children or of adults, 
 commit the error of taking for granted, that their 
 pupils know more than they really do : it is far 
 
\v 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 better to err in the opposite extreme. If any are 
 disposed to think I have carried my endeavours 
 after simplicity too far, and are desirous of some- 
 thing more elaborate, I refer them to the excel- 
 lent work of Dr. Henry, of Charleston, entitled, 
 "Letters to a Friend," recommended by Dr. Pye 
 Smith, the object of which is precisely the same 
 as my own, but which is written in a more dif- 
 fuse style, and illustrated by a greater variety of 
 
 facts I 
 
 J. A. J. 
 
 Edgbaston, April, 1834. 
 
 H 
 
 .<jyil&. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 DIRECTIONS FOR THE PROFITABLE READING OF 
 THE FOLLOWING TREATISE. 
 
 It may seem strange to some persoog, that I 
 should give directions for the performance of an 
 act so well understood as the perusal of a book ; 
 and especially the perusal of a book' of so simple 
 and elementary a kind as this. But the fact is, 
 that multitudes either do not know or do not 
 remember at the time how to read to advantage : 
 and therefore profit but little by what they read. 
 Besides, simple and elementry as is this treatise, 
 it is on a subject of infinite and eternal impor- 
 tance, and is perused in the most critical season 
 of a man's everlasting history : when, in a very 
 peculiar sense, every means ( grace, and this 
 among the rest, will be either "a savour of death 
 -,..... ^v«»z, or vt life unto Hie,' to the reader. 
 Iremendous idea ! But . rictly true. 
 
 A* 
 
 isiis;- 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 m 
 
 Render, whosoever thou art, it is no pre- 
 sumptuous thought of the author, to believe that 
 thou wilt remember the contents of this small 
 treatise, either with pleasure and gratitude in 
 heaven, or with remorse and despair in hell. Can 
 it then be an impertinently officious act, to re- 
 mind thee how to read with advantage what I 
 liave written ? 
 
 1. Take it with you into your closet ; I mean 
 your place of retirement for prayer ; for, of course 
 you have such a place. Prayer is the very soul 
 of all religion, and privacy is the ver^ life of 
 prayer itself. This is a book to be read when 
 you are aloAe ; when none is near but God and 
 .your conscience ; wlien you are not hindered by 
 the presence of a fellow-creature from the ut- 
 most freedom of manner, thought, and feeling; 
 when, unobserved by any human eye, you could 
 lay down the book, and meditate, or weep, or 
 fall upon your knees to pray, or give vent to 
 your feelings in short and sudden petitions to 
 God. I charge you then to reserve the volume 
 for your private seasons of devotion and thought- 
 fulness : look not into it in company, except it 
 be the company of a poor trembling and anxious 
 Inquirer, like yourself. 
 
I :troduciion. 7 
 
 2. Read it with deep seriousness. Remember, 
 it speaks to you of God, of eternity, of salvation 
 of heaven, and of liell. Take it up n-ith some^ 
 thing of the awe « that warns you how you touch 
 « holy thing." It meets you in your solicitude 
 about yeur soul's welfare j it meets you fleeing 
 from destruction, escaping for your life, cryin^ 
 out, «* What shall I do to be saved ?" and prot! 
 fers its assistance to guide you for refuge to 
 *-the hope set before you in the gospel." It is 
 itself serious ; its authoi is serious ; it is on a 
 serious subject ; and demands to be read in a 
 most devout and serious mood. Take it not up 
 lightly, nor read it lightly. If your spirit be not 
 as solemn as usual, do not touch it ; and when 
 you do touch it, command away every other sub- 
 ject, and endeavour to realize the idea that God, 
 salvation, and eternity are before you j and that 
 you are actually collecting the ingredients of the 
 cup of salvation, or the wormwood and gall to 
 imbitter the cup of damnation. 
 
 3. Read it with earnest prayer. It can do 
 jou no good, without God's blessing : nothing 
 short of Divine grace can render it the means of 
 instructing your mind, or imnrpsaino- ,rr.»„ i,«««* 
 It will convey no experimental knowledge, relieve 
 
 I 
 
'mfM-J^&^MS 
 
 8 
 
 INTRODUOTIOK. 
 
 I'- 
 
 no anxiety, dissipate no dbiibts, afford neither 
 peace nor sanctification, if God do not give his 
 Holy Spirit : and if you would have the Spirit, 
 you must ask for his influence. If, therefore, 
 you wish it to benefit you, do not read another 
 page, till you have most fervently, as well as 
 sincerely, prayed to God for his blessing to ac- 
 company the perusal. I have earnestly prayed 
 to God to enable me to write it, and if you as 
 earnestly pray to him to enable you to read it, 
 there is thanksgiving in store for us both ; for 
 usually what is begun in prayer, ends in praise. 
 
 4. Do not read too much at a time. Books 
 that are intended to instruct and impress, should 
 be read slowly. Most persons read too much 
 at a time. Your object is not merely to read this 
 treatise through, but to read it so as to profit by 
 it. Food cannot be digested well, if too much be 
 «aten at a time ; so neither can knowledge. 
 
 5. Meditate on what you read- Meditation 
 bears the same office in the mental constitution, 
 as digestion does in our corporeal system. The 
 first mental exercise is attention, the next is re- 
 flection. If we would gain a correct notion of an 
 object, we must not only see it, but look at it ; 
 and so, also, if we would gain knowledge from 
 
INTBODUCTION. 
 
 9 
 
 books, we must not only see the matters treated 
 of, but look steadily at them. Nothing but medi- 
 tation can enable us to understand or feel. In 
 reading the scriptures and religious books, we 
 •re, or should be, reading for eternity. Salva- 
 tion depends on knowledge, and knowledge on 
 meditation. At almost every step of our progress 
 through a book which is intended to guide us to 
 salvation, we should pause and ask, " Do I un- 
 derstand this?" Our profiting depends not on 
 the quantity we read, but the quantity we un- 
 derstand. One verse in scripture, if understood 
 and meditated upon, will do us more good than a 
 chapter, or even a book, read throL^.i in haste, 
 and without reflection; 
 
 6. Bead regularly through in order. Do not 
 wander about from one part to another, and in 
 your eagerness to gain relief, pick and cull parti 
 cular portions, on account of their supposed suita- 
 bleness to your case. It is all suitable ; and 
 will be found most so by being taken together 
 and as a whole. " A rambling method of reading, 
 whether it be the scriptures or other books, is not 
 to edification : it often arises from levity of mind, 
 and sometimes from impatience ; both of which are 
 states very unfriendly to improvement. Bemem- 
 
'•^^mm^SM 
 
 10 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ber it is salvation you are in quest of ; an object 
 of such transcendent importance, as to be a check 
 upon volatility, and of such value, as to encour- 
 age the most exemplary patience. 
 
 7. Bead calmly. You are anxious to obtain 
 eternal life : you are eagerly asking, " What 
 shall I do to be saved ?" But still, you must not 
 allow your solicitude so far to agitate your mind, 
 as to prevent you from listening calmly and coolly 
 for the answer. In circumstances of great anx- 
 iety, men are sometimes so much under the 
 power of excited feelings, that the judgment is 
 bewildered, and thus they are not only prevented 
 from finding out what is best to be done, but 
 from seeing it when it is* laid down by another. 
 This anxious and hurried state of mind is very 
 common in those who are just awakened to a 
 concern about salvation ; they are restless and 
 •eager to gain relief, but are defeated in their 
 pbject by their very solicitude to obtain it. The 
 scriptures are read, sermons are heard, advice of 
 friends is received, in a confused state of mind. 
 Now you must guard against this, and endeavour 
 •so far to control your thoughts, and calm your 
 perturbation, as to attend to the counsels and 
 •cautions which are here suggested. 
 
 8. i 
 
 all the 
 
 I havi 
 
 Ihave 
 
 Hay 
 
 with t] 
 
 much ( 
 
 quoted, 
 
 or my ! 
 
 instead 
 
 injury, 
 
 injury, 
 
 babes,** 
 
 of the ^ 
 
 ii. 2. 
 
 fedfron 
 
 verts gi 
 
 to a spir 
 
 fore, I s 
 
 I do yo 
 
 suade y( 
 
 help you 
 
 the pre8< 
 
 to begin 
 
 to go thr 
 
 ed and r( 
 
INMOD0CT1OK. u 
 
 f-J^rs earnestly re, ^mmend the perusal of 
 all those passages ofscr, ere and ehapters tohiok 
 I have quoted, and whiek,for the sahe ofbrevilu 
 Ihnve only referred to, without quoHng the worL 
 
 lilfXu""^ •*"" *"• ^^ *his book 
 with the Bible at your elbow, and do not think 
 much of the trouble of turning to the passages 
 quoted Jf, unhappily, you should considerme 
 or my little Tolume, as a substitute for the Bible 
 instead of a guide to it. I shall have done you an' 
 injury, or rather you will have done yourself an 
 injury by thus employing it. « As new-born 
 babes, says the apostle, « desire the sincere milk 
 of the word, that ye may grow thereby." 1 Pet 
 u. 2. And as those infants thrive best who are 
 fed from the breast of their mother, so those con- 
 verts grow most in grace, who are most devot«| 
 to a spiritual perusal of the scriptures. If, there- 
 tore, I stand between you and the Word of God 
 I do you great disservice ; but if I should per- 
 suade you to read the scriptures, I shall greatly 
 help you in your religious course. Perhaps, in 
 the present state of your mind, it is not de^rlble 
 to begin and read regularly the Word of God, but 
 
 to go through those pa.s.sages which 
 ed and recommended. 
 
 iK I I _ -1 
 
,.g^i*,r% 
 
 12 
 
 INTRODDCnON. 
 
 And now may God, of his great goodness and 
 sovereign grace, deign to bless the perusal of 
 this book to many immortal souls, by making it, 
 however humble the production, the means of 
 conducting them into the path of life I 
 
 DEEP s 
 
 vr 
 
 Readb 
 
 mercy < 
 
 that mi 
 
 be savet 
 
 the won 
 
 this ma 
 
 solicitoi 
 
 of God ( 
 
 Every t 
 
 indiffere 
 
 ference 
 
 as a m( 
 
 enthusia 
 
 and unr 
 
 will app( 
 
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 for eterr 
 
 existence. 
 
 sands up( 
 
 and the 
 
 will not 
 
 eternity y\ 
 
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 everlastin 
 
,^'m>^'m 
 
 .'!.■ 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 DEEP SOLICITUDE ABODT SALVATION EEASONABLB 
 AND NECESSARY. 
 
 Reader you have lately been awakened, by the 
 mercy of God, to ask, with acme degree of anxiety 
 that momentous question, "fr/iat shall I do to 
 fe saved?" No wonder you should be anxious! 
 the wonder ,s, that you were not concerned about 
 th s matter before, that you are not more deeZ 
 solicitous now, and that all who possess the Word 
 
 Fvprv ^r"' 'y™?"*!^* with you in this anxiety. 
 Every thing justifies solicitude and condemns 
 indifference. Unconcern about the soul, indif- 
 ference to salvation, is a most irrational, as well 
 as a most guilty state of mind. The wildesL 
 enthusiasm about these matters is less surprising* 
 and unreasonable, than absolute carelessness, £ 
 will appear from the following considerations' 
 
 1. you are an immortal creattire, a being born 
 for eternay, a creature that will never go out of 
 
 sands upon the shore, and the drops of the ocean 
 and the leaves of all the forests^n the Sobe: 
 will not shorten the duration of your bf ng • 
 eterm<y, vast «<«•»»•<». inomnnr»J,.„<,ibu„ ..;5_' 
 
 l^Z' ^^"' ^""''^ ^'y ^"'^g^ y°" 'bearer to 
 everlasting torments or felicUj. You may die 
 
 B 
 

 ij 
 
 I 
 
 14 
 
 ANXIETY. 
 
 any moment ; and you are as near to heaven or 
 hell as you are to death. No wonder you are 
 asking, " What shall I do to be saved ?" 
 
 2. But the reasonableness of this anxiety 
 appears, if you add to this consideratioriy that you 
 are sinners. You have broken God's law ; you 
 have rebelled against his authority ; you have 
 acted as an enemy to him, and made him your ene- 
 my. If you had committed only one single act of 
 transgression, your situation would be alarming. 
 One sin would have subjected you to the sentence 
 of his law, and exposed you to his displeasure ^ 
 but you have committed sins more in number, 
 and. greater in magnitude, than you know, or can 
 conceive of. Your whole life has been one con- 
 tinued sin : you have, so far as God is considered, 
 done nothing but sin. Your transgressions have 
 sent up to heaven a cry for vengeance. You are 
 actually under the curse of the Almighty. 
 ^ 3. Consider what the loss of the soul includes. 
 The loss of the soul is the loss of everything dear 
 to man as an immortal creature : it is the lossr 
 of heaven, with all its honours, felicities^ and 
 glories ; it is the loss of God's favour, which is 
 the life of all rational creatures ; it is the loss 
 of everything that can contribute to our hap- 
 piness ; and it is the loss of hope, the last refuge 
 of the wretched. The loss of the soul includes 
 in it all that is contained in that dreadful word. 
 Hell ! — it is the eternal endurance of the wrath 
 of God ; it is the lighting down of the curse of 
 the Almighty upon the human spirit ; or rather, 
 
ANXIKTT. 
 
 15 
 
 I 
 
 11 ff'"So( the human spirit into that 
 curse, as into a lake that burneth <vi(h fire and 
 brimstone How true, as well as solemn, are the 
 , words of Christ. " mat shall it profit a man if 
 he g^nthe whole world and los! his oJ^Zuf, 
 or what shall a rnan give in exchange for ki's 
 soul.' All the tears that ever have be^n or 
 ever w.ll be shed on the face of the earth I aU 
 he groans that ever have been, or ever wil be 
 ^tterred ; all the anguish that ever has bren o, 
 ever w.ll be endured by all the inhabitants d 
 the world, through all the ages of time, do no 
 makeup an equal amount of misery to that which 
 js .nc uded in the loss of one human soul. Jus% 
 therefore do you say, who are exposed ta this 
 misery, " What shall I do to be saved r^ ' 
 
 ti : .1 ^o'lC'tude i* reasonable if you consider 
 that the eternal loss of the soul is not a rZ C 
 a very common occurrance. It is so tremendous 
 a catastrophe, that if it happened only Zein a 
 jear or once m a cei.tury, so as to render it 
 barely possible that it should happen lyou, 
 would be unpardonable carelessness not to feel 
 some solicitude about the matter: how njuch 
 more, then, when, alas! it is an every day cala- 
 mity So far from its being a rare thins for 
 ™en to go to hell, it is a much rarer thinf for 
 
 thrm °^ f '^° '"'^'?- ^"' ^o^'' '«"' "'.that 
 
 way to life ,s travelled by few. Hell on«n<, i*^ 
 
 Zr "w • ""1 '^''."'"'«" "P ""'•titudes Tn pe;! 
 ditiou. How alarming is the idea, aod how 
 
nsmm 
 
 m 
 
 i! 
 
 iiii 
 
 16 
 
 ANXIKTr. 
 
 probable the fact, that i/ou may be among this 
 number ! Some that read these pages will very 
 likely spend their eternity with lost souls ; it is 
 therefore your wisdom, as well as your duty, to 
 cherish the anxiety which says, " What shall I 
 do to be saved?" 
 
 5. Salvation is possible^ for if it were not, it 
 would be useless to be anxious about it. It 
 would be cruel to encourage an anxiety which 
 could never be relieved by the possession of the 
 the object which excites it. But ;^our case is 
 not hopeless ; you ma^ be saved ; you are invited 
 to be saved. Christ has died for your salvation, 
 and God waits to save you ; all the opportunities, 
 and advantages, and helps, and encouragements 
 to salvation are round you ; the blessing is within 
 your reach ; it is brought near to you ; and it 
 will be your own fault if you do not possess it. 
 Your solicitude is not therefore directed to an 
 unattainable object. 
 
 6. Salvation has been obtained by multitudes^ 
 and why may it not be obtained by you ? Millions 
 in heaven are already saved ; myriads more are 
 on the road to salvation. God is still as willing, 
 and Christ is still as able to save you as he was 
 them : why, then, should not you be saved ? 
 
 7. And then what a blessing is salvation ! A 
 blessing that includes all the riches of grace, and 
 all the greater riches of glory ; deliverance from 
 sin, death, and hell; the possession of pardon, 
 Deace. holiness, and heaven : a blessinfir. in short, 
 immense, infinite, everlasting: which occupied 
 
ANXIETY. 
 
 17 
 
 ot the lower matters of m^n'o ^« • "^ "Owning 
 with SALVATION RichTrankr'' T^""''^ 
 are but as the smalfdns ^f tt tT' ^""'r^^' 
 compared with the '^sattion which^ ^^^^^^^^^ 
 Jesus with eternal glory." Whafhll ^ . f 
 to the least regard t^I^s own ho ? P'^*^°^' 
 not say, " What shall T J! . \ ^^PP^^^^s would 
 js yy iiat sftall 1 do to be saved ?'* 
 
 fn.\hi ' -'"''T'^''''''' '"^ "^^'^oh you are vlaceR 
 
 and waning to save you; Christ tvitftl 
 
 have a corrupt heart, and are pW ^-^^S 
 where every thing seems to comSto dra^ off 
 
 cares of this bus/and ":;b,:„'r'l^5!'rr.".S 
 anxiety about the body !« =- i.-.ui:::"".'""'™ 
 anxiety about the soul, a 
 
 B< 
 
 tnings seen and tem- 
 
18 
 
 ANXIETT. 
 
 poral are likely to withdraw the attention from 
 things that are unseen and eternal. Oh, how 
 difficult it is to pay just enough regard to present 
 things, and yet not too much ! How difficult to 
 attend properly to the affiurs both of earth and 
 heaven ; to be busy for two worlds at once I 
 These circumstances may well excite your soli- 
 citude. 
 
 Anxiety, then, deep anxiety about salvation, 
 is the most reasonable thing in the world ; and 
 we feel almost ready to ask. Can that man have 
 a soul, or know that he has one, who is careless 
 about its eternal happiness? Is he a man or a 
 brute ? Is he in the exercise of his reason, or is 
 he a maniac ? Ever walking on the edge of the 
 precipice that hangs over the bottomless pit, and 
 not anxious about salvation ! Oh, fatal, awful, 
 destructive indifference I Cherish, then your 
 solicitude. You must be anxious, you ought to 
 be so, you cannot he saved tvithout it; for no 
 man ever was, or ever will be. The salvation of 
 ,a lost soul is such a stupendous deliverance, such 
 an infinitely momentous concern, that it is impos- 
 sible,- in the very nature of things, it should be 
 bestowed on any one who is not in earnest to 
 obtain it. This is the very end of your existence, 
 the purpose for which God created you. Apart 
 from this, you are an enigma in creation ; a mys- 
 tery in nature. Why has God given you facul- 
 ties which seems to point to eternity, and desires 
 \yhich 0*0 forward to ity if he has not destined 
 you for it ? Eternal salvation is the great 
 
ANXJBTr, 
 
 19 
 
 t .e m„,t magnificent achievements "„ i,",ature 
 fill the earth with the fame of your exp oi , and 
 «end do«.n your name with honour'o tl!^ ht"^^ 
 age., of time, still, if yo„ lost the alv^io^ of 
 your soul, you would have lived in vafn Whaf 
 [■ver you may gain, life will be a lo t "dve^ure" 
 f you do not gain salvation. The condit"on of 
 
 nd fl^e'throrhf •?.•'"' 7'' ^^^ obS': e -' 
 naiiile through tttith m Jesus Christ, although 
 
 he had but a mere glimmering of intellect 3 
 
 enough of understanding to aporehend the „» "re 
 
 of repentance ; althouifh he lived n,,. v.!- ! 
 
 S. 'a^itirr T'"' p--^ -" ^^ 
 
 scenes , although he was unknown even amon^ 
 
 n .rp'a'u:!'""'"''^"'' '^'T "« <^'«-^ -" "r f 
 hed hZJ, fTV"" ''^I"^ "» '^"^ ™« ever 
 
 the profoundest philosonher nr fh^ ""4"*^roi. 
 
 o^ stir ir\ ^'^^r^^:!^ 
 
 Tnfinite V L t / 'T'' ''''"=« *" l>««^en is 
 earth rl ^X'^^""^^ *° ""^ '"S''^'' P'ace on 
 
 att.„,!„„f„„ !,*?"*''• Let no one turn off your 
 
 T: "" ""'" '""* maiter. As long as you covet 
 
 th.s, your eye. and heart, and hopi, areTxed on 
 
1»1» 
 
 20 
 
 ANXIETY. 
 
 t&M jt^Hsiest object in the universe ; and when 
 ^lKMo«iS» but ignorfiflt friends would persuade 
 jou thai you are too anxiotis, point them to the 
 bottomless pit, and ask them if any one can be 
 too anxious to escape its torments ? Point them 
 to heaven, and u'sk them if any one can be too 
 ftfi*^^ious to obtain its g^^nes? Point them to 
 etern ty, and ask them il any one can be too 
 anxious to secure immortal life ? Point them to 
 the cross of Christ, and ask them if any one can 
 be too anxious to secure the object for which he 
 died? 
 
 VI 
 
CHAPTER IJ. 
 
 BBUmoCS IMrBBSSIONS, AND THE nx.... 
 
 POBTASCE OF BETAlNlNn aJ„ "^'^^KABLB IM- 
 "MAINIHa AND DBEPENINO THEM. 
 
 AwAKENtD nnd anxious sinner vn,,,. „ 
 s.t.,„t,on is a most moment™'. ^ Yo.f r'?' 
 the cr sis of vour r»i;.vi„ v- ' ''*'" "■■* "> 
 eternal des inv No t'T '"^""•7 ""d of your 
 
 ueacribe the im'porie?f«;:„;"; "" ''" 
 
 either rise up a.^drl''."' '^'"'t' """^ '^i" ""^ 
 you. or wil^soon sink h^ T' '•"';' '"' ''•^f"™ 
 likely to do who a« „ r»^ "§?'" ("« "'°»« «« 
 
 deeper sleep Than ve? The*^"'" "M^ ^"'" » 
 atrivine- with vn7 o^^^ -.u ^ ^P"'" o*^ Ctod i» 
 
 Ws sugSns^rnd SyotX pt'b^Y'.' k'° 
 J"8. gracious influenc!. orCu wUl?ril V**^ J^ 
 resistence and ne"Wj 3 f"^"* ^"" "'/ 
 
 God is drawing you' withT' ^.m to depart. 
 Christ is saving "R.iTi^T*''* """^^ "f '°ve, 
 and kn^k "^ '/L If-''?''*. ^ '"'.'"> «' 'he door 
 Yield to^hesesSenbanT," ^Wving with you! 
 Saviour ; grieve „„, T ' T" '" """ «'•«'=!«'"» 
 that Divnf Spirit 's^rT'' "?"' *''« """'»"' "f 
 heaven i^To^r.';. t^!"^ ■'^<"»« »«-. -"d 
 -y quench .he=Spirit:;'oroniy byZT/S 
 
22 
 
 IMPRESSIONS. 
 
 tance, but by careless neglect. Do not, I beseech 
 you, be insensible to your situation. A single 
 conviction ought not to be treated with indif- 
 ference, nor a single impression be overlooked. 
 You cannot long remain as you now are ; your 
 <;onvictions will soon end either in conversion 
 or in greater indiflference ; like the blossoms of 
 spring, they will soon set in fruit, or fall to the 
 ground. Should your present solicitude diminish, 
 it will soon subside altogether ; and if it subside, 
 it may probably never be revived. It is a most 
 dangerous thing to tamper or trifle with convic- 
 tions of sin, and religious impressions. If, then, 
 you would not lose your present feelings, take 
 the following advice : — 
 
 1. Admit the 'possibility of losing them. I)o 
 not presume that it is impossible for you to re- 
 lapse. Let there be no approach to the vain- 
 glorious, self-confident temper of the apostle 
 Peter, who said, "Although all should be offend- 
 ed, yet will not I." Nothing is more common 
 than mere transient devotions. The character 
 of Pliable, in the "Pilgrim's Progress," is one of 
 every day's occurrence. There are very few that 
 h^ar the gospel, who are not, at one time or other, 
 the subject of religious impressions. Multitudes, 
 who are lifting up their eyes in torment, are 
 looking back upon lost impressions. Do not 
 conclude that, because you are now so concerned 
 about salvation, you must be saved. Oh no. 
 Many that read these pages under deep solicitude, 
 will add to the number of backsliders. Self- 
 
walk the ways of God no more .if mt /'• . 
 bas hindered y!u V ^rJ^^t^Z M^.l"] , 
 
 to I covtTZn Krdtr.^\T;r 
 
 feehng that you would rather go forward j/^^ 
 pursuit of salvation, though vofwpr^ T^- t^ 
 
 notirg so drtd^uHn ^.f *"« '""'• *"-« » 
 
 prayer thai God wmld ZdTZr^. ^'"' 
 aione «„ seal th«», emotions7i^„";;„rheSn " 
 
 (I 
 
 andthathecanTeTxpSTdoTooll? 
 
 U), 
 
24 
 
 IMPRESSIONS. 
 
 answer to prayer. It is of infinite consequence 
 that you should, at this stage of your religious 
 history, deeply ponder the great truth, that all 
 true piety in the heart of man is the work of 
 God's Spirit. Do not read another line till you 
 have well weighed that sentiment, and have so 
 wrought it into your heart, as to make it become 
 a principle of action, a rule of conduct. Every 
 conviction will be extinguished, every impres- 
 sion will be effaced, unless God himself, by his 
 own sovereign and efficacious grace, render them 
 permanent. If God do not put forth his power, 
 you will as certainly lose every pious emotion as 
 you how possess any. You may as rationally 
 expect light without the sun, as piety without 
 God. Not a single really holy feeling will ever 
 come into the mind, or be kept there, but by God. 
 Hence, the object and the use of prayer are to 
 obtain this gracious influence. Prayer is the 
 first step in the divine life, prayer is the second, 
 prayer is the third, and indeed it is necessary 
 through the whole christain course. Awakened 
 sinner, you must pray. You must find oppor- 
 tunity to be alone ; yew must cry mightly unto 
 God ; you must implore his aid ; you must give 
 up a portion of your sleep, if you can command 
 no time in the day for prayer. In one sense, 
 you should pray always. The spirit of prayer 
 should dwell in you and never depart, and be 
 continually leading you to ejaculatory petitions 
 in the house and by the way, upon your bed and 
 in your occupations ; and this should be (^ sub- 
 
IMPRESSIONS. 
 
 25 
 
 ject of your petitions, that your impressions may 
 not be permitted to die away, but go on to con- 
 version. You may read books, consult friends, 
 hear sermons, make resolutions; but books 
 triends, sermons, and resolutions, will all fail, if 
 Cxod do not give his Holy Spirit. It is very 
 common for beginners to trust too much to means, 
 and too little to God. If you will not, or even 
 It you suppose you cannot find time for private 
 prayer, you may as well stop at once, and give 
 
 Z.^ ''.rf . ""^ '^^"^*^°"' ^^^ y^» cannot be 
 saved without it. 
 
 4. If you would retain your impressions, and 
 persevere in the pur.uit of salvation, you must at 
 once deternu.-:^ to ghe up whatever you know to 
 be sinful,n your conduct, and you must also be 
 very watchful against sin. Thus runs the direc- 
 tion of the word of God ; " Seek ye the Lord 
 while he may be found, call ye upon him while 
 he IS near : let the wicked forsake his way, and 
 
 m„r?"°^"l"' T''}'^ "'°"S'"= ' ""-J l«t him 
 murn unto the Lord, and he will have mercy 
 
 upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly 
 
 pardon," Isaiah Iv. 6, 7. To the same effect is 
 
 the languRe of one of Job's friends : " If thou 
 
 prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands 
 
 toward him ; if iniquity be in thine hand, put i 
 
 far away » Job xi. 13. 14. It is right for you at 
 
 once to know that the salvation which is in 
 
 t^nrist IS a dehverance from sin. 
 
 oaii hjo name Jesus, for he shnll'gave 
 
 
 fi.««. *u • * ~ T. *. ; " ""**" ^*^® nis people 
 4rom their Bins," said the angel to Joseph when 
 
26 
 
 IMPBESSIONS. 
 
 mui li 
 
 he announced the approaching nativity of Christ. 
 ** Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem 
 us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a 
 peculiar people, zealous of good works," Titus ii. 
 14. It is of immense consequence that you 
 should at once have a distinct idea that the sal- 
 vation you are beginning to seek, is a holy calling. 
 Whatever is sinful in your temper, such as malice, 
 revenge, violent passions ; or whatever is sinful 
 in your words, in the way of falsehood, railing, 
 backbiting ; or whatever is sinful in your prac- 
 tice, in the way of sabbath-breaking, injustice, 
 unkindness,undutifulness to parents or masters ; — 
 musi; immediately be given up without hesitation, 
 reluctance, or reserve. The retaining of one 
 single sin, which you know to be such, will soon 
 stifle your convictions, and efface all your im- 
 pressions. If you are not willing to give up your 
 sinSf it is not salvation you are seeking. You 
 may suppose you wish to become a Christain, and 
 you read the Bible, and offer up prayers, and 
 regularly hear sermons, and wonder that you do 
 not get on in religion ; but perhaps the reason is, 
 you are not willing to give up your sins, your 
 worldly-mindedness,your carnal pleasures, or some 
 practice that you find to be gainful or agreeable, 
 although you know it to be sinful. Well, then, 
 you cannot get on in this state of mind. Do, do, 
 therefore, look carefully within ; examine faith- 
 fully your conduct, and see whether there be in 
 
 VOll ATlVfrnnCr DwVlir»ll irj-m lrnrn«r' f/x \\a ntfnnn lin* 
 
 which you are nevertheless unwilling to abandon ; 
 
IMPRESSIONS. 27 
 
 is g": :'t::t^ ''°"' *'>'' ««« w^g": 
 
 you m„,? desi"e aCUZ' ""''• '^ ^^^oOiotf ; 
 "ent of sin A^snSr* "/ '"''"nt abandon- 
 to pra, to" GotretU^trbrwhl ^ 
 reservation, "lord, not vet " R. 1"* this 
 
 "P their sins, tf" not y^t '• "Th"""°-« *° ^''^ 
 ture of feeling, a concera to h^'* V."''^' 
 lingering' love of J™? ™ ""f '*''*^' ''"* » 
 setfled by aTeso^Lfrf^*'" '.«"'! the matter is 
 
 wetiL^/^itK„rnt«,:i;«-- 
 
 and you must rt^nW v^« t j ^^^^» ■'^o^» 
 
 now ^e conStoJ^sttv-^y^n^ '^"""^ 
 
 very small indulgence of .fn ^ """"^ ' """^ * 
 your re,iglo„, fee=C 'Cn^ g?.!"-^//.,' 
 
 you sou, 'and T/" '"^P''''""« "-"Wef to 
 y ur soul, and hinder your pursuit of eternal 
 
 exhortatUvtt;:- fc^f ^f. !!!« 
 
 -u^vr^i^-siHi 
 
 t 
 
28 
 
 IMPRESSIONS. 
 
 throw up all in despair because you are occasionally 
 overcome by temptation. Instances of this kind 
 should make you more watchful, but not despon- 
 ding. I shall say more on this subject hereafter. 
 5. It is of great consequence for you to separate 
 yourselves from irreligious or wordly companions. 
 It will require some courage, and call fi^r some 
 painful self-denial, to retire from the society of 
 those with whom you have been in the habit of 
 associating ; but if they are ungodly persons, it 
 must be done. Read what God and good men 
 have said on this subject. Psalm cxix. 63 ; 
 Prov. i. 11—16; ii. 12—19; xxix. 6 ; xiii. 
 20 ; ,1 Cor. XV. 33 ; 2 Cor. vi. 14—18. Comply 
 with these admonitions, and quit the society of 
 all who think lightly of religion. Their company 
 and conversation will soon draw you aside from 
 the ways of piety. Their levity, their indiffer- 
 ence, their neglect of salvation, will be destructive 
 to all your religious feelings. Even Christians of 
 long standing, and of deeply-rooted piety, will 
 find such society very unfriendly to their religion, 
 and avoid it as much as possible : how much 
 more dangerous will it be to you, whose religion 
 is yet so feeble and incapable of much opposition ! 
 Even if such companions do not attempt to laugh 
 or reason you out of your concern for your soul, 
 which, however, they will be almost sure to do, 
 and never cease till they have succeeded, their 
 very conversation and general disposition will 
 wither your tender piety, as an east wind does 
 the blossoms of spring. You must then give ftp 
 
IMPRESSIONS. 
 
 eithei 
 
 29 
 
 your sinful 
 
 h'ation 
 
 ... - associates, or your 
 
 communion witirtheur.™^,"'^ P'°"' ^'*""S' ""^ 
 patible will, Tach ItLr^ t {f. *"'' """''^ '■"=°""- 
 
 on earth who::ti:ntLp?„l'pXr^^^^^^^ 
 and whose loss you dread' Lre' ht^ damnSn"^ 
 
 6 It ,8 transcendently important X, 
 «/'<)«« !«e all those scrinf,.J!.l ' , ^"^ 
 
 religion inZt mM 4V"P "P « <'«« *««««/• 
 be lost, no labour is to L ..^^ ^ ' ° *'""* "' *° 
 
 interest! "arfat stl?" H^euTs'to^^be" ^'^T' 
 heaven is to be sought ■ Satan uVA ^^'^^^ ' 
 salvation is to be obtained Y. ' «°°<l»«'-e'J 5 
 
 numerous and mjh ^f you^ 2^^'' "'"^ 
 immense, (houch not ;„/ difficulties are 
 
 energy must "biroused. rrex"el':- ^7? 
 made, every help called Sry 1^^™ » ' 
 employed Read the followinTpLtei of rT 
 Word, and see if reli-^ion be a liJl? ^ ^'^ 
 
 work. " Seek ve fiiJ" ,^ i • , ^"' ^""^ easy 
 ,. . , ^^ ye ii'st the Kintydom nf Pftj j 
 
 lis righteousness," Matt, vi 33" « ^f.• . ' *°^ 
 in at the strm> L^J^ ? i^trwQ to enter 
 
 ^"1. ^4, Labour for thaf m^n*. „.i.:.i- * . ^ 
 unto eternal life," John"vi."77; "T^ °°"'^'^ 
 
 good fight of fliith, lay hold 
 
 ight the 
 on eternal life " 1 
 
30 
 
 IMPRESSIONS. 
 
 Tim. vi. 12. "Whosoever will come after me, 
 let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and 
 follow me," Mark viii. 34. What metaphors ! 
 What languan^e ! We might almost feel prompt- 
 ed to ask, Who then can be saved, if such anxiety, 
 such effort be necessary ? Even the righteous 
 are scarcely saved. If you do not, like David, 
 seek the favour of God with your whole heart, 
 you will never have it. You may more rationally 
 think to reach the top of the highest mountain on 
 earth without labour, than to imagine you can 
 reach heaven without effort. If you suppose a 
 few wishes or a little exertion will do, you mistake ; 
 and the sooner you are undeceived the better. 
 But I will now specify the means you should use. 
 Immediately commence the devout and dH'ynt 
 perusal of the scriptures. '* As new-born babes, 
 desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may 
 grow thereby," 1 Peter ii. 2. The Bible is the 
 food of the soul, even as the mother's milk is for 
 the nourishment of the child ; and you may as 
 easily believe that the infant will grow without 
 food, as that you will grow in knowledge of grace 
 without the scriptures. Read both for instruc- 
 tion and for impression : read attentively, and 
 with meditation ; pause and ponder as you go 
 along. Neglect not the Book of God for the 
 books of men : the latter may be read as the 
 interpreters, but not as the substitutes of the 
 former. If you do not find the Bible so interest- 
 in<r +A vnn nt. firist as vnii ftxnected and wished, 
 still »go on ; it will grow upon acquaintance. 
 
1MPKESS10X3. 
 
 31 
 
 oer:,/ V ""^^ '"''■S«"« i" --eadin^ the Word 
 
 and instead of becinniW .k1 d-^ ^ "' ""'"■*«• 
 regularly throu^h^t take fh« "' ""? 8"'""S 
 pels and the ept/eVan ^t^ tt Tj 
 portion you study • ® ^"® "*st 
 
 luablehelpsto thr^! • ^«™°»s are inya- 
 
 therefore look ab^e thfm ^Uer to God 'V"'' 
 before you g., to hear BermonsTpray whil.^''^ 
 
 ii k wor^Mp r^d7ro?rr'; '° '"l^ P''"'^ of P- " 
 back again to nraver I'' r "[P^^ic worship 
 
 for yourself, hear as for alvatio^ 4 M "' 
 i'ght and careless way of at IndW ""'.^ 
 
32 
 
 IMPUESSIONS. 
 
 If you have the opportuniti/f avail yourselves 
 of the advantages of social prayer. The prayers 
 of good men are like gentle breezes to ii\n the 
 spark of piety in the young convert's heart, and 
 to surround him with the atmosphere of devotion. 
 In these meetings you will be prayed with and 
 prayed for : you will hear what more advanced 
 Christians feel and desire, and their prayers are 
 some of the best instructions you can receive ; 
 thus you will have your hearts knit together in 
 love with the people of God. 
 
 Yoii should seek the instructions and counsels 
 of some pious friend, with whom you should he 
 free and full in laying open the state of your mind. 
 Frequent the company of the righteous, and ni 
 once identify yourself with them. You must 
 not be ashamed to let your attachment to his 
 cause and your adherence to his people be openly 
 known. Many persons wish to come and make 
 secret peace with God, because fear, or pride, or 
 interest, remonstrates against an open udmission 
 of his claims. They keep their convictions to 
 themselves, and hence they sometimes soon die 
 away for want of support. 
 
 But it is especially desirable, that you should 
 make known your mind to your minister. Go, 
 without delay, to him. Perhaps he has meetings 
 for inquirers, and even if he has not, he will no 
 dcubt be glad to hear your account of yourselves, 
 and will tenderly sympathise with you under your 
 
 R'iJl "gather the lambs of the flock in his arms, 
 
lie 
 
 IMPHESSIONS. oo 
 
 ^:^12 Jl^rr. -0 sen.., ,e„d those 
 tini : if yon are ti .f ■. ." ""' *'^^'"'' to go to 
 
 elicit your sentiment/rn,l f ?• " """''' '''"^ly 
 
 '.«>w.our's c„,;:ra,ir„raZrurn"h -^"^ 
 
 of souls, will often Hn ,«., 1 phys'cian 
 
 first stage of your relTr V''''' ^o" '° this 
 
 reading ^f „a„7booksf„dl ?'"''^' *''"" ">« 
 sermons. ^ ' ^"^ "«* ^^""S of many 
 
 too m'uch n^gterglher '"fTV "''' "' <"" 
 have said coneprnln„ .. , "^^et not what I 
 
 God. He Ts vo„rH ""'"^ °^ "'" Spirit of 
 minister neil/prL^-P"" """'«'' ^"ends nor 
 the Bibi; itself U:ti."f,"°' """'""S' "o. "<>- 
 ^'ependenoe onrH ly 01^3? mZ!'-"' ?''" 
 ?eem to have no hope or eCeiat.^ •? '"'"'i'l*" 
 >n connexion with cerlafn m«! °? f ^°°^ '«'« 
 off from sermons even ^^^"' *./""">' *■"« ««« 
 precisely ,he sa^: r„mbeTarkt L" T "« 
 they have been accustomed fn.f "'''"""'««» 
 and desponding fretfuUn^ ' ""'^ *™ S'^^^r 
 do not onlv setnnTJf ? P««^'sh, and hence 
 
 ""belief aKd,"eS ^tr'"" '^™ "^ '"«- 
 God, and upon notbir; . rf T'l ''^P^"'* "PO" 
 
 hi« people inthe dark„ ^ ■> """^^ "**' 
 «he Bible could not be r/?^ ".dungeon, where 
 a wilderneJ 1""' ^_* ™^' °F '" the solitude of 
 iieard. """' "'"'"" "" S^'^"^ sermon could be 
 
34 
 
 1MPRK88ION8. 
 
 ft 
 
 It is of consequence that you should Ijere dis- 
 tincly understand, that the grace of Gotl in your 
 salvation is rich and free. Your exertions in 
 seeking salvation do not merit or deserve it ; and 
 if you receive it, you will not have it granted to 
 you as the reward of your own efforts to obtain 
 it. To imagine that you can claim the grace 
 that is necessary to your conversion, because you 
 profess to seek it, is to follow the wretched ex- 
 ample of those who, in ancient times, went "about 
 to establish their own righteousness, and did not 
 submit themselves unto the righteousness of 
 God." Your deep convictiops, impressions, and 
 solicitude; your many tears; your earnest prayers; 
 your diligent attendance upon sermons ; and your 
 partial reformations, can claim nothing in the 
 way of reward from Him; nor is he bound to 
 save you for that which has no reference to bis 
 glory : till you believe God*s promise, he is under 
 no obligation, even to himself, to save you. Not- 
 withstanding all your concern, you lie at his 
 mercy; and if you are saved, it is of pure favour. 
 
 Do not allow yourself to conclude, that your 
 present concern is sure to end in the conversion 
 of your soul to God. Nothing is more likely 
 to deaden, and even to destroy religious impres- 
 sion^, than to infer, that you are sure of being 
 converted, because you are anxious about it; 
 facts are against such an inference. I liave read 
 of a'gentleman, who felt, in a dangerous sickness, 
 great horror at the review of his past life, and 
 was advised to send for the minister of the parish, 
 
iMPttESSlOPfS. o, 
 
 God would be pllaid i ■*" '"" '"'» «'« 'f 
 death, hia life «..„^u"^';*; P'^^'^^ him from 
 
 been. He w. uldrelwi ™''"™ "''"'"" '"""1 
 ''ouldcateolM.se his Sl^/f f'*"'^ <='""•«''; he 
 worship God in h s fli","''' ^.^f" "-egularly 
 ^ould. in short, do cterl^;,'!"'' '" '"» e'o'et; he 
 should do. Hi; wisCC'T^ " «°°1 "''"■»"■'"> 
 was thankful for his delm! '"=<=TP'"''«'J ' he 
 get his promises. For mLn v "' ,""'' '"*' "« f"""- 
 ■" ftr as his conduct cllTr"""'," ''« """''""ed. 
 "'orld to perform h voJs Aft>""^ -"^ '"^ "'« 
 ever, he thought so m?>ch' , v ■" " *""'^- ''ow- 
 He first left W he d„ts1l'?h '?-«"o«- 
 family; public duties at\lW """. '='''^^' "d 
 wearisome, and he beclme , -""t '•■''«'^''»« '"^ 
 'hat he formerly was 7ft ^'"" *« '"""e man 
 again seized b/a dangerout^T" """' ">« ^»« 
 advised by his^ frie"df to ' /""P?""' ""<> ^os 
 m-mster, that he n.Vht afford f "f " '""' "■" 
 to h s wounded spirft ^m":t r'"'"*'"" 
 breaking all the promises tW t ""^ ''"* ""''•er 
 cannot expect merev fi„n! i ^"""^^ *" ^od, I 
 
 h-m to that world wherl the, """^' ""-^ «""ed 
 Tins story, with some vari,l"« "» 'hanges. 
 quence, may be told nfT • ,^ "'^ "° conse- 
 «fe made „^on the mindsT- '^ ^™P««^ions 
 attended with visib^ „^ '"""■'' «'Weh are 
 
 riRPt,.f. "', ."sible conseaoennea *i,.. ." 
 
 - — iuruuraoie i,nog, • , • , ---• "'oi give 
 
 -^-•nis.ers,b„t.a'bJi:Xr::t! 
 

 36 
 
 IMPRESSIONS. 
 
 \ 
 
 sions. " When the Lord slew the children of Is- 
 rael, then they sought him ; and they returned and 
 inquired early after God : and they remembered 
 that God had been their Rock, and the high God 
 their Redeemer ; nevertheless they flattered him 
 with their mouths, and lied unto him with their 
 tongues," Psalm Ixxviii. 34—36. They did not 
 intentionally lie. They seem frequently to have 
 been sincere at the time in their promises ; not, 
 indeed, with a godly sincerity : " yet their hearts 
 were not right with God, neither were they sted- 
 fast in his covenant," ver. 5 : and the reason why 
 they were not stedfast in his covenant was, 
 because, though they were impressed, their hearts 
 were not right with God. 
 
 Perhaps there is no minister of the gospel who 
 could not furnish some most affecting illustrations 
 of the sentiment, that impressions and convictions 
 do not always en^ in conversion. I began my 
 own religious course with three companions, one 
 of whom was materially serviceable, in some 
 particulars, to myself ^ but he soon proved that 
 his religion was nothing more than mere transient 
 devotion. A second returned to his sin, " like a 
 dog to his vomit, and a sow that is washed to her 
 wallowing in the mire.'* The third, who was for 
 some time my intimate friend, imbibed the prin- 
 ciples of infidelity; and so great was his zeal for 
 his new creed, that he sat up at night to copy 
 out Paine's " Age of Reason." After a while 
 he was seizeci witn a uaiigeious uiocuov. j uis wui*- 
 science awoke ; the convictions of his mind were , 
 
IMPBESSIONS. 37 
 
 pious friend who visited hi™ !, ''"'"■= "^ " 
 confessed with tea^ «!^ ? ' ""^ '° '^''<"° ^e 
 
 to relig^^/ ' "' ""^ '■'"« '"to "^ «ter disregard 
 These are awful instances, and Drove I,v «.„*= 
 which are unanswerable ar«a.nents7haH?i^?i 
 
 «:rrh*'''*"""^^«'' tots' h^^ 
 
 gate, but do not accomplish their obi^^t a i 
 
 out g^ing onT ttTcreTsioTTt'D "'""• 
 
 now ftelarrust:"i:*:avrt'^''"''' ^°" 
 X^uTn?!"'^ "iuTa^goc^*; rlZ *;?,! 
 
 What God"^'^""''"'. """"M "ra'th;;°,^rC 
 What God has promised, and what God i^ than 
 
IMPRESSIOiS'ft. 
 
 \ 
 
 from ■nha.t you feeK To regard your pre3«n5 
 atate of mind, therefore, with complacency ; to 
 conceiye of i* as preferring any claim upoft God 
 to convert you- ; to look upon it as affording a 
 eertafnty tha* you wHl be ullrimately converted^ 
 a krnd of pledge and earnest of salvation, instead 
 of coftsidering it orify q» struggle* after salvation;, 
 which may or may not be successful, according 
 as they ai'e^ continued in » right manner ;; is the 
 way to lose the impressions themselves, and to 
 turn back again to sin or the world* The true 
 light in which to consider your present solicitude,- 
 is that of a state of mind which, if it- terminate 
 in genuine faiths and which it is probable it 
 may, will end in your salvation : consequently,, 
 your object should be to cherish your anxiety y 
 and seek the grace of Jehovah to give you sin- 
 cere repentance towards Gody and true faith iu 
 oor Lord Jeaus Christ. 
 
 The sttbject of this chapter may be illustrated 
 and enforced, by an extract from that admirable 
 and most edifying book, "The Diary of Mr, 
 Joseph Williams of Kidderminster." "About 
 this time," he says, when speaking of his youth- 
 ful daySy "going with my father a few miles fronv 
 homey his talk with me was very profitable. He 
 exhorted me to serious religion now in my youthy 
 as the season when the mi»d is most fii to receive 
 good impressions. He cautioned me not to put 
 off the grand concern to an uncertain hereafter. 
 
 TI-» -v1 1-,J IxU --A -^1— -'^ - _t •_'_ '«' 
 
 iit; |/ICrMviCU 'tViiii Iliv, iK/B i^kiij liio UltHQl t&lkiij Oi 
 
 Kfe, but the improbability of my turning to God 
 
'mmmm-. 
 
 \ 
 
 IMPRESSIONS. ^g 
 
 Jn old age, after vicious habits were grown strong 
 by a long continuance in sin. To affect me ^h! 
 niore, he save mp tlm r^ii • "® ^^^ 
 
 t:rr^ -■•«-" oEt:.-: 
 
 from BevvZv "'"« """""■ ""'"'^ h^' oneeveni^", 
 
 and snenr] «ll fh^r company of such and such, 
 
 arp Tnnr« fl*. f« i. yo""g raen of hia own aee 
 are more fit for him to associate witf, » n ^ 
 
 abandon that iet^oTn/"" "''^' ^'°?'»"^ '"e ^^^ 
 tnn« ,. , ., *** companions. nnA moto *ki- 
 ^an your dailv associate. Mine 
 
 religion — rel 
 
 I- 
 

 40 
 
 IMPRESSIONS. 
 
 \ 
 
 i I 
 
 gion in your youth j and do not as I have done. 
 I have shghted many convictions, and now mv 
 hearty is hard and brawny.' I was in a manner 
 thunderstruck with the old gentleman's last words i 
 and though my father went on to relate more 
 that he there uttered, and the promise his son 
 tnade before he would stir a step further, yet my 
 thoughts were wholly swallowed up in deep 
 musing on these words. 'My heart is hard and 
 brawny. I had such an affecting sense of the 
 old gentleman's dreadful state, that it engaged 
 my mmd all the rest of the way , and even while 
 1 was transacting business, it was uppermost i 
 ^r his words were ever sounding in my ears. 
 Ihus I was kept long in a very serious frame i 
 and was possessed with a most alarming fear lest 
 1 should fall into such a state, which I considered 
 as the greatest plague that could be inflicted 
 upon me. In this temper of mind I returned 
 home, keeping my thoughts ali the way intent 
 upon the sad and solemn subject. While I was 
 musmg, the fire burned, my heart was hot within 
 me, and, using a low voice, I kept up a serious 
 soliloquy on the most important concerns of my 
 soul t and the impressions did not wear oflT for 
 a considerable time."* 
 
 • WilUam'a Diary, Mr. Hanbur;r's enlarged edit p. 8, 9. 
 
CHAPTER Iir. 
 
 scheme of salvation !„!. ""<'«7"""Ji''g of the 
 -ripture. rTZst'^^.Z^rtC °'}^^ 
 
 more than an ,V„" '2 -"^ P'°P'« " ""•ting 
 
 they h^v^^z:i:7iii°-^/ "-^'is'-o-^ 
 
 religion is. Others am « I-.S I '^^^ °^ ^l"" 
 than this. bn. stTha;: no "orion nf" •'"/°T'^ 
 «8 either a state of exciL fi.^1- °^ P'*'^' """t 
 outward observance? Nnl?"^'." " «°""e °f 
 you should peceiveThaf ^ "■ i' ," >"Portant that 
 of personal Sless resL on" 1°'" ^"P/^tructure 
 conversion f. emph.Sir H"°r'«<'g«- True 
 
 will be easily effaced ITaL ^""^ ""Pressions 
 
 subside, if you do L •^°" '=''"<'«™ "'"'soon 
 
 use the means to C ^"'^ ^"""'^^^ '!■"«• «nd 
 
 truth. ThZ isl^^Tj^r'"'"''^ ™!"' the 
 .» ^.11 ^"«'«.'s much to be learnt and l"—.- 
 
 She7f;r:r'„vtiX''T' -"""y"- «--* 
 
 or act aiight, unless you rfo learn. 
 
V|^^^^^^** 
 
 I 
 
 42 
 
 KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 The reason why so many turn back, and others 
 go on so slowly, is, because they do not study to 
 make themselves acquainted with divine truth. 
 Suppose a man were travelling through a strange 
 country, could he get on without consulting his 
 map ? Would it be of any service to wish he 
 could travel faster, and get on better, if he rsvtr 
 looked at his book of roads ? How can you get 
 on in the way to heaven, without studying the 
 Bible, which is the map of the road ? Or, chan- 
 ging the illustration, suppose you were in pecu- 
 •>iary difficulties, and some friend had told you 
 iiot only how to extricate yourself from your per- 
 plexities, but also how to acquire great wealth ; 
 and in order to guard you from error, had given 
 you long written directions. "What would you 
 do ? Sit down, and wish and long for success, 
 and immediately set out in a great bustle to 
 realize the promised advantages ? No. You 
 would say, "My success depends upon know- 
 ledge, upon my making myself accurately ac- 
 quainted with the particulars of my friend's writ- 
 ten directions. I will read them, therefore, with 
 the greatest care, till I have every one of his 
 ideas in my mind ; for it is quite useless to exert 
 myself, if I do not know how my exertions are 
 to be directed." This you confess is quite ra- 
 tional ; and is it not quite as necessary for vou 
 to be acquainted with the subject of religion, in 
 order to be truly pious ? Knowledge, knowledge, 
 
 mv frif>nr1fi. ia inHi.enanao'Klo 1?ck?:rrirkn Xa «.^..^^^ 
 
 tance towards God ; but can you repent if you 
 
"CTlj^S^W^M 
 
 range 
 
 get 
 
 «N0WLEBGE. j« 
 
 ^hgma as a «,ien«e to be town as w^l ». '^ 
 passion to be felt, or a ruleToT'obse^l^ U 
 " of gre« cons^nence that, at tWs sta'7^Vou* 
 progress, you shonld clearfy undersVand thfrj 
 "w"iStr„:r\" f *>•« '^"-n s t'bl^l? 
 XL K °0' feelmg of any kind -can be oro- 
 
 Tn^SlX^tf ■'"^•^ ^ passion r:ffS 
 
 5"s^h"fgXTTallt^^f 'T'^S« 
 affection. You i^ . J » u ^ *""'*« *'"»* 
 
 -ork upon rreSl^ttrVJTefr^^" 
 tnanifestly i«i«>sriMe. S tbin aJ^"*^ " 
 
 :t«e way t* have your fai* 'increaMrT^!: 
 
44 
 
 KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 lieved : and if you would be rooted and grounded 
 in love, you must first be rooted and grounded in 
 the knowledge of what you are to love. The 
 order of nature is, first to know, then to feel, then 
 to not ; and grace follows the order of nature. 
 I deduce, therefore, this inference, that in the 
 whole business of religion, the eye of the inquirer 
 must be much fixed on objects out of himself on 
 those that are presented in the word of God. If 
 you ask what are the subjects which you should 
 endeavour to understand, I place before you the 
 following : — 
 
 1. The moral character of God.^lhe know- 
 ledge of God is the basis of religion. God is a 
 Sp-nt, as to his nature j almighty, all-knowing, 
 and every where present ; searching the hearts 
 and trying the reins of the childi an of men. As 
 to his moral attributes, it is said, " God is love " 
 and " God is light ;*' by which we are to under- 
 stand, that he is both benevolent and holy. Yes ; 
 so holy, that the very heavens are unclean before' 
 hm. He is also so inflexibly just, as to be com- 
 pelled, by the infinite perfection of his nature, to 
 reveal his wrath against all ungodliness and 
 unrighteousness of men ; and, at the same time, 
 he IS a God that cannot lie, but who will fulfil 
 every word of promise or threatening. Oh, my 
 reader, dwell upon this view of the Divine cha- 
 racter ; an infinite hatred and opposition to sin ; 
 an infinite purity, an immutable justice, an invio- 
 lable truth. Pause and ponder ; but canst thou 
 Hit up thine eyes, and bear the sight ? while the 
 
KNOWIEDGE. 4- 
 
 chwi ,im veil their faces wiO, «i,.- • 
 st«n:l before the grrafwhiL ,h. '"^'5 '*' ''"'^ 
 one another. "Holy ho' h^l -""t' ""<' ^'^ »» 
 of hosts:" whil« fh. •",. °'^' " "'« Lord God 
 
 fulness of „arblt.ChTa';i"r ''"^" '"'- 
 wVZrco"l"r'' 'iw,I„ean the 
 
 life. God sees a' ^JV"" ^"Z "•« """'""^ of the 
 
 fore deoTndTArirf ct obp;."?' ""'"'h ""^ "'«™- 
 and forbids its evifJ °''.^^'e°<'e of the heart, 
 
 God, as int pre ;1 bvTh"'?'- ^^ *''« '"'' "f 
 is murder, aKchaste h ' T" *'"''''' ""««'• 
 The la^ demands tmet"ty'\ ''•'"''''^^• 
 less, perfect obedience fmI.?K r*." ^'"S «">■ 
 end of life, in thou"ht' fnS "'"/^S'""'"? to the 
 nothing of its dta-'at ATtes':l •;/■' """'^ 
 for human weakness, Matt ^ 17 7o"''T"<=«» 
 "• 10, U. The perfection of 'fir •' *'""'*« 
 mendous subject it i, »^ =!. r 1 • '"* " « 're- 
 creature tolwk nto V '^"' "»"or for a sinful 
 
 but togoTern us «L' ^ j ^"'*" *<"«"« "s, 
 
 shatsiiis:™dTori:trfr':u'i?-^ 
 
 J». 10. You 
 
 otWnglfrouio„otk„„;\er.-sW 
 
 D* 
 
46 
 
 KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 
 the transgression of the law," 1 John iii. 4 ; but 
 how can you know sin if you do not know the 
 law ? inquirer, how many, how great are 
 thy transgressions, if every departure from this 
 law, in feeling as well as in action, is a sin ! 
 Nor is this all ; for to fall short of the law is sin, 
 no less than to oppose it. Kead what our Lord 
 has said, Matt. xxii. 37, 39 ; <* Thou shalt love 
 the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with 
 all thy soul, and with all thy mind ; and thou 
 shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Alarming 
 representation ! Hast thou thus loved God, and 
 thy neighbour ? Confounding and overwhelming 
 question ! What a state of sin have you been 
 living in ! Your whole life has been sin, for 
 you have not loved God ; and not to love God, 
 IS all sins in one. Who can think of greater sin 
 than not loving God ? To loVe the world, to 
 love trifles, to love even sin, and not to love 
 God. 
 
 3. But this leads me to remark, that it is 
 necessary you should understand the evil of sin. 
 Men think little of sin : but does God ? What 
 turned Adam and Eve out of Paradise ? Sin. 
 What drowned the old world in the flood ? Sin. 
 What destroyed God's own city, and scattered 
 his chosen people as vagrants over the face of 
 the earth ? Sin. What brought disease, acci- 
 dents, toil, care, war, pestilence, and famine into 
 the world ? Sin. What has converted the world 
 into on^ great burying-place of its inhabitants ? 
 Sin. What lighted the flames of hell? Sin. 
 
 I 
 t 
 
mrt eruclfiea the loM of Kfe and rfory ? S!,.. 
 
 the t^o;rr th^er.r;rrit\i^ 
 
 .«od does n^ tote much account of i,"" k t. 
 
 need aot g,ve yourself much <;oDce™ Ibli^l 
 
 ■JrrviS^'tT.h"?"'^ inWrrord^',^^ 
 
 f ^ «»d to emit you to it. unless it be JnW^! 
 
 tut sm enough, if it eouM be divid^ ,^ Zfi' 
 
 tuted to others, .0 doom mukitud mo^^^ioT 
 
 ^J" 5" •* « »«t enougli to know yo^r "S 
 
 S w"T '''*°J='«"'J »»derstJd y«„r?w. 
 
 rfbr out of tfJielieart ^oceed e%^. I.® '"^"» 
 
 mat A ^ — .. .. _ . ^?»q«"7. Men fiometfmea 
 
 «h«--^;7Ta.r^-.-ttt?i:„r^ 
 
4B 
 
 KNOWLEDOB. 
 
 li 
 
 however, is an awful mistake, for every man's 
 heart, not excepting the most wicked, is really 
 worse than his conduct. Why do not men seek, 
 serve, and love God ? Because the carnal mind 
 18 enmity against him. Why do sinners go on in 
 sin ? Because they love it in their hearts. This 
 was not the original condition of man, for God 
 created Adam in his own image ; that is, in 
 righteousness and true holiness; but, by disobey- 
 ing God in eating the forbidden fruit, our first 
 parent fell into a state of sin, and we, having 
 descended from him, since the fall, inherit his 
 corruption, Rom. v. 12—21. It is of vast con- 
 sequence for you to know, that you are thus 
 totally corrupt in your very nature, and through 
 all your faculties; for without this knowledge 
 you will be taken up with a mere outward refor- 
 mation, to the neglect of an entire, inward reno- 
 vation. If you saw a man who had a bad and 
 loathsome disease of the skin, merely applying 
 outward lotions and fomentations, you would 
 remind him, that the seat of disorder was in the 
 blood, and admonish him to purify that by medi- 
 cine. You must first make the tree good, said 
 our Lprd, for good fruit cannot be borne by a 
 bad tree, Luke vi. 43. So your heart ww,v# be 
 renewed, or you can never perform good works. 
 You not only need the pardon of actual sin, but 
 you need also the removal of original sin. You 
 must have a new ] rt, a right spirit, or you 
 cannot be saved. Read Psalm li.; liii.; John iii. 
 1^8; Gal. V. 19—25: EnhM iV T7_0/i 
 
KNOWLEDGE. ^g 
 
 for his Snn f« K ^. ^"^ ^^« ^^ necessary 
 
 oeem a light thine t. ,J ^ZL.V."}'^ " "?* 
 «<.t the iaw be de.troyed/and g";;! W.;" ' o;:!^^ 
 
50 
 
 KKOWLKDGE. 
 
 raent be set aside? Could any government, 
 human or Divine, exist with an indiscriminate 
 dispensation of pardon to all offenders upon their 
 repentance? But you say, perhaps, What is to 
 be done? Is not repentance all that the sinner 
 has to offer ? I reply, is repentance all that God 
 IS bound to require or accept ? Besides, it is not 
 all that the sinner has to give, for he can also 
 suffer the penalty. Convinced and anrious sin- 
 ner, I put it to your own conscience and feelings, 
 do you not begin to see the holiness of God and 
 the evil of sin ; and do you think you could ever 
 be at rest, if you had nothing but repentance to 
 offer? No, you have tried it. You have left 
 off many sins, and begun many neglected duties; 
 you have read, and prayed, and wept, and 
 watched, but are you at peace ? No, say you ; 
 as far from it as ever. Why? Because you know 
 that God is true, and holy, and just ; and yet you 
 eannot see how he can be holy, and true, and 
 jnst, if your sins are forgiven upon your mere 
 repentance and reformation. True; and your 
 conscience will ever be as the sword of the che- 
 rubim, frightening and driving you back from 
 God, as long as you have nothing but tears, and 
 prayers, and doings of your own to bring. Yes, 
 there is a testimony to God's holiness and justice 
 in your conscience. But now, "Behold the Lamb 
 of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,** 
 John i. 29. « Whom God has set forth to be a 
 propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare 
 his rigbteousuess for the remission of sins that 
 
KMOWIKDOE. 
 
 51 
 
 are past, through the forbearance of God : to 
 that'hp Ir* "* ""■* "■""' '"' "g'"eousnJ° 
 that believeth in Jesus," Rom iii. 25. Read 
 also other language of the same apostle. "He 
 hath made him [Christ] to be sin [a^in offerinS 
 for us, who kneiv no sin, that we might be made 
 t^e righteousness of God in him," 2 Cor. v 21 
 The prophet Isaiah tells us, "The Lord hath 
 AndT" '""',"' V"'1""y °f "' «"." rsa. liii & 
 for nl ^i P""!! ?''*■■ ?"?'• " "« <J!«d. the just 
 1 Peter m.l8 ■' ""•""*• *° """"S "' '° <^°<'>" 
 So far as God is concerned, then, this is the 
 precise design of Christ's death, nit to render 
 ^m merciful, for the gift of Christ is the fruU of 
 
 is a hovr '^''•' l^- •".'"'■«'" "PP^" "hat he 
 nlil- ^ ^-f "','"«'"? «•". a righteous Ged in 
 
 ,-ir ., "i f"«'""f 't- The death of Christ is 
 mended to be a display of hi. holy love j that U 
 he un,on of abhorrence to the sinf and compas- 
 «^n to the smner , the union of a just regard to 
 his own character, law, and government, and a 
 n^rcful regard to the sinful and miserable chiU 
 
 k>W "LT",- ^"•^^ "" "'•"'^tion : Zaleucu^ 
 Kmg of the Locr;an8, had promulgated a law to 
 
 «.ml -T/k' *^!:«'"«"ing ""7 one who should be 
 f^s Ivf ^."'"^^ of »'^"'«'-y. v'ith the loss of 
 ..I!,*^!?- .^'* OJ!:" son «^"s the first convicted 
 ,.';T "'°.'""'- ihe kingly and parental charac- 
 ter seemed to struggle for predominance : if the 
 
18 
 
 KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 prince be pardoned, what becomes of the law? 
 if he be punished, how great a calamity will the 
 father endure in the affliction of the son ! What 
 13 to be done ? The father determines that he 
 will lose one of his eyes, and the son one of his. It 
 was done. Here was punishment and pardon uni- 
 ted. Atonement was made to the offended law, as 
 effectually as if the son had been reduced to total 
 blindness The letter of the law was not com- 
 plied with, but the spirit of it was exceeded. 
 1 he case is not adduced as a perfect parallel 
 to the atonement of Christ, but simply as an 
 Illustration of its principles, as tending to show 
 that atonement may be as effectually made by sub- 
 stitution, as by the suffering of the real offender. 
 Anxious sinner, dwell upon the atonement of 
 Christ ; there is thy hope, thy joy, thy life. 
 Behold the Lamb of God bearing the sin of the 
 wprld, and thine among the rest. Think of the 
 dignity of the Sufferer, the extremity of his suf- 
 terings, and the consequences of his mediation. 
 L/Ould the law ever be more honoured than by 
 the obedience of such a Person ? Could justice 
 be more displayed even by the everlasting pun- 
 ishment of all the human race ? Tremble not to 
 approach to God through Christ. He has made 
 provision for the manifestation of his own glory 
 as well as for the salvation of thy soul. God is 
 upon a throne of grace : the blood of atonement 
 has been shed and sprinkled ; the hand of mercy 
 holds forth the blessing of salvation :— fix thine 
 eye upon Jesus the Mediator j rest all thy hope 
 
KJrOWLEDGE. 
 
 eW«n3 '°/"»' ^« •« -P' *° think o?:,.w 
 «i!!»K ®'^. '^'"" vengeance. But there i, 
 
 another enemy he has to fear besides hell and 
 that IS siir J and could he be delivered from Zf 
 
 nr«,7»Tr; 5*° "»» '"'8 «'-eated, be wa, 
 created ho y, ind consequently happy. He was 
 
 not only placed in a paradise tha? wis whhont 
 
 ffi; p^-T'Lr'''""''^**P''"''^-«i'•'^'■i- 
 «ls pf .,.t holiness was as much the Eden of 
 
 W«^diseK^^'-°r^ ■*7'"''" «•'« '"'^ar.I 
 paradise ot a holy mind that he walked in com- 
 
 heaven upon earth , his understanding becnmp 
 darkened, his heart corrupted, his wFll p^ervered 
 
 Not onlv'Cr '""■"'^^' '*"«"»'- «"d devilish: 
 ^ot only was his conscience laden with guilt 
 
 W.1' ftll onfrr^ "O^^equence, his imaginS 
 wh^J • ^ '"'' 'J'eadof that hofy God 
 whose voice and presence formerly imparted 
 nothing but transport to his soul. He «lasEd 
 
 he^^'A^lT*^VZ '■''"• ^'' whole soul 
 Dccame the seat of fleshly appetites and irregular 
 
 ^ 
 
 S 
 
54 
 
 KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 \ 
 
 passionfl. In his mnecence he loved God sn- 
 premel/, and his companion as himself. He was 
 united by a feeling of dependence and devoted- 
 aess, to God ; and to the creature, by a principle 
 of hallowed sympathy. But now, he was cut off 
 from both, and came under the domination of an 
 absorbing and engrossing selfishness. Such is 
 the character he has transmitted, by the channel 
 of ordinary genemtion, to all his posterity : they 
 are n«t only guilty, but depraved ? not only 
 under the wraih of God, but despoiled of his 
 image ; not only condemned by God, but alien- 
 ated from him. 
 
 Mencei then, the design of the death of Christ 
 is not only to deliver us from the penal, liut also 
 from the polluting consequences of sin. True it 
 is, that hell will be some place set apart for the 
 wicked, where the justice of God will consign 
 them to the misery which their sins have de- 
 served : but what is that misery ? An eternal 
 abandonment of them to themselves, with all their 
 crimes in full maturity : so that hell is not only 
 the wrath of God suffered, but tliat wrath 
 coupled with, as its effects, an eternal endurance 
 of all the tyranny of sin. Now the death of 
 Christ is intended as a deliverance from the 
 power of sin. « His name is Jesus, for he shall 
 save his people from their sins ;** not in thenu 
 ** Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem 
 us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a 
 ueeuliar neonle^ zealous of <»nn<^ <?nrlre '* TUns •• 
 4. " Christ loved the church, and gave himself 
 
." I 
 
 KNowtEoaie, 
 
 o5 
 
 ^.1, tL b^ """'" ''«"«"■'■/ '"d cleanse it 
 «itli the washing of water by the word ■ thl. 
 he might present it to himself a glorious churnh 
 no having sro,. ^r wrinkle, or any" nch tZf' 
 
 be under obligation to a coirm ^ totre'nd^ 
 mid designs of Christ's d.ath, Uom vj , 7 
 
 a e to looWnf -^"."^ "■* ^"^ 0^ Christ. You 
 
 tmn % „ • . '^ Pai-don J not only absolu- 
 
 from r P'""»''.">«»t ! not merely dilivemice 
 fiom the bottomless pit. These bless iirar 
 I admit, a part of it, but they are only a nar?. 
 salvation means the crucifixion of your Ish' with 
 
 ^nuTZ ""'' 'T ■• "■« ™or«ificarion of yo r 
 CO uupt nature. The salvMion which the eos- 
 
 C\l ! T' " ""* °"^y » '■«""c deliverance from 
 
 you to the fifflfa nf AA^ ; thpisfc died to raise 
 f« T 1 ® ^'^ ^^«°* before his fall that i« 
 
 pel. IS designed to chancre .h/J.^KL'." '^M"," 
 woriaiy, wicked heart of •'thefalkn'^^aturn'r^' 
 ««ow.n .ikeness;and thus by "mXShim 'a" 
 
 A 
 
 
66 
 
 KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 partaker of the Divine nature, to fit him for 
 Divine communion. 
 
 Now let every anxious inquirer consider this ; 
 let him ask what it is he wants, as a fallen, sin- 
 ful creature. Is it not the deliverance of his 
 soul from the power ns well as the punishment of 
 sin ? Is he not painfully conscious to himself, 
 not only ot wrath coming down upon him from 
 God for his sins ; but of a spring of misery with- 
 in himself in the existence of those very sins ? 
 And is it not for this he should look to Christ ? 
 Could he be saved at all, if not saved from his 
 body of flesh, his corrupt nature ? And can any 
 any one save him from this, but Christ ? Poor 
 troubled, tormented sinner, look to Christ; in 
 him is all you want : the Son of God will be 
 ** made unto you wisdom, and righteousness, and 
 sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30. 
 
 7. Connected with this is the momentous subject 
 of the justijication of a sinner in the sight of God, 
 You must soon be at the bar of God for judg- 
 ment, and if you are not now justified, you must 
 be then condemned. Yea, if you are not yet 
 justified, which it is to be presumed you are not, 
 you are now in a state of condemnation : "for he 
 that believeth not is condemned already; the 
 wrath of God abideth on him," John iii. 18. 36. 
 Every one who has not yet received Christ, is 
 under the curse of the law ; he is a dead man in 
 law, a sinner doomed to die ; condemned by God, 
 condemned to death eternal. Well may you 
 tremble at your situation ; and P.ke the man, who 
 
KNOWI.EDQE. 
 
 .57 
 
 .hen. it ia inflnl.et 'dtSTotod g™ ' 
 
 i'suCt":^ iit,:r -^""^^^^'^^ ^^ 
 
 and is therefore ft^ZnT"'"''!''* '° ""^ ''""er. 
 
 at great length [XStTet'r''^""'' "•'='««'' 
 Gaktiana. Attenfl to T! • * ^°'"*'"' and 
 
 is evident from A^Tltwi^l «<>«</««««*«,«, as 
 that, W(/tfrtA the wicked «niT P"'^««= "He 
 tlie just, even t'e^th T k t^'" <"'«''"«««M 
 
 I->rd^Prov xvii W«mV,^hl'r''"°° *« "•« 
 to the charge of God* ele« ? It ? 'r V.7 "".'"S 
 ftVfeM. Who ■« h^ .!,«. , " ^"^ that jW- 
 
 ttat justification Vtt Sl'o^ '" T ^ ""=••>• 
 for things are so>ne r47Sv .L'T '"""'•*'°f' 
 learnt by their contrariL Ti.» ? '.T*'*"'^'^ 
 an innocent person I»n!!' • J"«"fi<:at'on of 
 
 the ground orhrow?Zd:rf,.'j'T ^""' "» 
 
 tranegression,. be ju3r 1/ "'°"'".tr'"« 
 at once that theWm : «• ^<»^ yo« will see 
 
 ««le .JiffereL tdTgXSortw'? •'■'"'• I' " 
 
 .hrougitrtturerof cir- h'^-^ '^■■' 
 
 him. " Jn.t!fl °..:!- » _' °' Christ Imputed to 
 Catechism:«rara'ctTGodWr''^'^ '''^«'*' 
 
 ~„ in Which he tlt^'xz t::, 
 
 A 
 
KlCOWLRDOfi. 
 
 11 [ 
 
 occepteth and occounteth their persons righteous 
 in his sijiht, not for anything wrouglit in them, 
 or done by them, but only for the perfect obe* 
 dience and full sotisfaction of Christ, by God 
 Imputed to them, and received by faith alone.*' 
 In justification, God acts as a judge, in absolving 
 the sinner from punishment, and restoring him 
 to all the privileges of a citizen of the heavenly 
 community. I 
 
 Justification means not v^erely pardon, but 
 something more. Pardon would only restore the 
 sinner to the state of Adam llefore he fell, ivhen 
 he was not yet entitled to the ^ward of obedience, 
 and which, indeed, he nevaj obtained. Justifi'* 
 cation is pardon connected jKth a title to eternal 
 life. Justification takes j^ce but once ; pardon 
 may be frequently repealed : justification is that 
 great change which is made in the sinner's relation 
 to God, when he is delivered from tondemnation, 
 and is brought, from being an enemy, to be a 
 child. If a king were to save a condemned cri- 
 minal, and immediately adopt him as a child, this 
 would resemble our justification j and his frequent 
 forgiveness of his after offences, when standing 
 in the relation of a son, would resemble God*s 
 fatherly loxe in forgiving the sins of his children* 
 Justification, then, is God's act in taking off the 
 sentence of a sinner's condemnation by the law, 
 restoring him to his favour, and grau^ing him a 
 title to eternal life in heaven. 
 
 / t _ J -L 
 
 "O.,* I . i—ua _ 
 
 «ufc UUT7 siiiii u. rigiiiuus \jruu, wiiu uus respeci 
 
 for his holy law, justify a sinner? I answer, on 
 
 ««f> 
 
the ground of « i^^ . Just'fication proeeedg od 
 
 . «fre !»P«.edrigrel„er;VchHar.trr'-''^ 
 ner M accepted to the Divinl f ' ^' '"^ »"•- 
 
 to what drist did and r/''T°''.''*^ '••'»«''' 
 
 Thisjud,>«,lactofGod ,-„f "r ■"" ''** •"'"■"■• 
 takes place when and ai L-""'\'"» ""^ "'■'"'«••. 
 
 Chri8tTbec»n8eb/,b,t«»?f'k'!fK''t '^''■"''' '» 
 fate union with tbVslw I^ ^.'** ** '"■'"'S'" 
 «Be with him, so a> ?« ~ ^' ''. "^eowes legally 
 «>edi«torial undertaking"'"'"''' *'"' **»««« <>f W» 
 
 thetTurorjo^Jc'i';,!! ""^t ''*" *" ^i- 
 
 Messings are reUted fn . T "?'' "^^ *''«^« ''vo 
 tfon signifies our beil^ -tf °"''''; Sanctifica- 
 »Bd service of s"^ ani 1 ''?f' ^""^ «''« 'ove 
 service of God it ?, 'T'"'''' •" *''« '"^^ "n^ 
 a saint, or aJj^^A ''*'"* ""^^ '"'•r » and 
 Justification ia^'^f^,,<'7.".ea^ « hof/one! 
 
 wnctiflcation is the Hoiv s.^ •f''*°''^>'»'' 
 Conceive of a crim^'nol -^ • ^'"" "o* '» •>»• 
 death, and at the" ame t m ^^'"^T «'"'«"«« of 
 gerous disease , In orlrto wl't- "'"' " ^'"'- 
 fflust be both pardoned aJ^ . ^"^ '»^«'^' J"* 
 only pardoned, he tdU .^ r"*/ /?' '^ ''^ •>« 
 or if be be on y cured hT»-.f'* "^^^ ^'"'''^ ■ 
 S«cb is the l^l\}\^l\f°^ ^^ ^^^»t,^ 
 ;cto.l sin be is coLl„l^«rr/L«?»f ^ "/ 
 
 ^tific^M^e is i i^^?.'P'"*"«^ disease , 
 ^^.?^P^ >s pardoned , m sactification 
 
 •> 
 
 In 
 
60 
 
 KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 he is cured j and the two blessings, although dis- 
 tinct, are always united, and are both necessary 
 to salvation. Thus you see justification changes 
 our relation to Go^, but sanctification changes 
 our spiritual condition ; and regeneration, or the 
 new birth, means our first entrance upon a eanc* 
 tified state. 
 
 Reader, diligently attend to these things ; fix 
 your mind upon them ; labour to understand 
 them : a knowledge of these two blessings, jus- 
 tification and sanctification, is a key to the whole 
 Bible. O blessed, infinitely blessed state I to be 
 delivered from the condemnation of our sins, and 
 from their domineering and defiling power I this 
 is a present salvation, 
 
 8. You should also be well instructed in the 
 nature and necessity of the work of the Holy 
 Spirit in renewing and sanctifying the sinner*s 
 heart. It is an important lesson, and one that 
 should be learnt at the very beginning of your 
 religious course, that the work of the Holy Spirit 
 in the sinner is as necessary to his salvation as 
 the work of Christybr him. As we are all cor- 
 rupt by nature, in consequence of our descent 
 from Adam since his fail, we grow up and remain 
 without any true religion, till it is implanted in 
 the heart by Divine grace : true holiness is some- 
 thing foreign from our corrupt nature ; and the 
 whole business of religion, from first to last, is 
 carried on in the heart by the Spirit of God. 
 
 iX. s.s.'\jx\f X^ £lVi,^ OS A, X^w*^£ ^ JL vUiftA* SL\^%«« ~%4AA\A AA^ TV 
 
 repeat, a truly pious thought, feeling, purpose, 
 
KNOWLEDGE. gj 
 
 word, or action, but what is the result nf n; • 
 nfluence upon the human mind Onr L""^ 
 tion, or new birth in oL^k J ^^"fegenera- 
 hence it is said « pJ f ^^^ *° *^« «Pi"t : 
 and of t'e s'tit, feotTnt "'•'"".^^ ^^*- 
 dom of God,'' John y 5 'o?- V''^ *^' ^'"«- 
 
 the Spirit; see2ThJ,. .^7fp^f. -J>%o{ 
 levers are said to '• ]i ve in th^ «„■ ^ V, V, ^- ^e- 
 in the Spirit •» " f,> w.m! ^ ,P'"' • *° walk 
 after thf Spirit-" .Mo h^ff "j." ^''*''' "»"' 
 
 "tomor.if/thedeedso/theh /I *.' ?P'"''" 
 " to be sealed bv t J^ • ^»^ ''^ "" ^P'"* •' 
 
 Spirit bearing wU^e^wi^^Th/ •'? ^"^ *'"« 
 are the childrlTood » «t'" -P'"!""" "'«>' 
 of the Spirit :" and t„ <.'k " /""f^ '^^^ ^^^est 
 the Spirit/' Gal. V 22 ^'?"8j°'-«' the fruit, of 
 
 /d »an, ioie%hat:iitrbe''" '^e^« f^f ««»' 
 
 Ghost, CVhblrrtmentsTt"" "^f^^"'^ 
 economy of our redeTp"! '' The 1^."'' '•" *« 
 presented as oriBin ,(;„„. i: i ® Fat ler is re- 
 executing Tt^Ts"^^ ta^;^l\^^ ^^ f» 
 order that vonr minfi «,„ J^ "PP^J^ng it. But m 
 
 sometimes the case brXi-TS' ^^perpiexed, as is 
 case, bj this doctrme, " will make 
 
6$ 
 
 KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 one or two remarks on the subject of Divine in- 
 fluence. 
 
 The design of the Spirit's influence is not to 
 give new mental faculties, but a proper exercise of 
 those we already possess. This great work is in- 
 tended to create a new heart in the sinner, which 
 means a new and holy disposition. Man by nature 
 13 so depraved that he cannot love God i that is 
 he IS so desperately wicked, that he is not in a 
 mmd to love him, and never will be till God 
 changes his mind. 
 
 The work of the Holy Spirit upon the mind is 
 very rnystenous, and we ought not to spend time 
 in endeavouring to comprehend it, nor to indulge 
 in any speculations about it. Our Lord leclares 
 It to be a great mystery, where he says to Nico- 
 demus, « The wind bloweth where it listeth, and 
 thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell 
 whence it cometh, and whither it t'oeth : so is 
 every one that is born of the Spirit," John iii. 8. 
 We see the effects of the wind, but we cannot 
 account for the changes in the atmosphere : so it 
 Id m the conversion of a sinner. It would great- 
 ly arrest the progress of the inquirer to engage 
 in any speculations about this, or any other mys- 
 tery of Divine truth. ^ 
 
 The work of the Spirit is not intended to superb 
 sede the use of our faculties, hut to direct them 
 aright. He does not work without us, but by us ; 
 he does not change, and convert, and sanctify us, 
 by leavmg us idle spectators of the work, but by 
 -i.o»J5iji|j U5 m «, jience tiie admonition of the 
 
 Hii' 
 
KHOWtEDOB. 
 
 63 
 
 apostle to the Ph.lippians, -i. 12, 13 : " Work out 
 
 Tu rTA^'r*""? *'"' '■«" "»<! trembling, for 
 It .a God that worketh in ,ou both to will and to 
 
 do of h« good pleasure." The exhortation, you 
 perceive, does not say. Since it is God that ^ork- 
 eth, there is nothing for you to do. and you may 
 therefore s.t still. So: on the contrary, it is Do 
 !«,« work, for God works in you. God^ working 
 in us IS a motive for our Working. It is the 
 breeze that wafts the ships along, but then the 
 mariner must hoist his sail to cateh it: itTs the 
 rain and sunshme th"' cause the seed to germi- 
 Mte and grow, but ta« hu.^andman must plough 
 and sow, for though ho seed cannot grow without 
 the 'nfluence of the ■.;«v« ,, so nfither Tn it 
 grow withot the sowir._ oi the husbandman. 
 
 IVe cannot dually distinguish b, 'ween the in- 
 fluence of the Spirit, and operations of our own 
 J^"Um,nor is it necessary we should. We 
 cinnot teU where man ends, and God begins, nor 
 ought we to trouble or perplex ourselvi abSu 
 the matter. Hence, instead of waiting for any 
 sensible or ascertainable impulse of the Spirit 
 either before we begin to attend to religion at all, 
 or before we engage in any particular exercise of 
 in7!A? """'«^'««'y to engage all our faculties. 
 ZLf^ ^T^ '"""' ™S"e« "'«■» in a spirit of 
 
 attention, to deliberate, to purpose, to resolve, to 
 fJrf^r'.^^r.^'r''! in worldly matte™; but 
 .'rij '"' .'u "" "" '""'* "'"' » feeling of reliance, 
 and m the very spirit of prayer. It is our obi 
 
64 
 
 KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 \ 
 
 V10U8 duty to repent and to believe, and alio to 
 do this at once, and not only merely to desire to 
 do it, or attempt to do it : but such is the depra- 
 vity of our nature, that we never shall do it till 
 God influences us. What we have to do, there- 
 fore, is immediately to obey the command to 
 repent and believe ; and to obey in the very lan- 
 guage and feeling of that prayer, «* Lord, help 
 mine unbelief." We must obey, not only believ- 
 ing that it is our duty to obey, but believing also 
 that we shall be assisted. Hence the very es- 
 sence of religion seems to be a spirit of vigorous 
 exertion, blended with a spirit of unlimited 
 dependence and earnest prayer. An illustration 
 may be borrowed, as recorded, Matthew xii. 10— 
 IS, from the case of the man with the withered 
 arm. Our Lord commanded him to stretch forth 
 his hand, and he did not say, Lord, I cannot, it is 
 dead; but, relying on His power who gave the 
 injunction, and believing that the command im- 
 plied a promise of help, if he were willing to 
 receive it, he stretched it forth ; that is, fie willed 
 to do it, and he was able. So it must be with 
 the sinner; he is commanded to repent and be- 
 lieve, and he is not to say, I cannot, for I am 
 dead in sin; but he is to believe in the promised 
 aid of grace, and to obey in a dependence upon 
 Him, who worketh in men to will and to do. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ON REPENTANCE. 
 
 « Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." 
 
 Such was the awful and tremendous deVuncia- 
 
 tion of our Lord, to those Jews who were at that 
 
 time listening to his discourse. And except you 
 
 repent, my reader, you will perish ; perish body 
 
 Zt "^1 '"^^^ bottomless pit, and perish eve/- 
 
 lastingly. There is a world of misery in that 
 
 word, peruh ; it is deep as hell, broad as infinity, 
 
 and long as eternity. None can comprehend its 
 
 meaning but lost souls ; and they are ever disco- 
 
 vering in it some new mystery of torment. This 
 
 misery will be yours unless you repent. Trem- 
 
 exalted "to give repentance" as well as « remis- 
 sion of 8ina," that he would confer this gi»ce 
 upon you. But what is it to repent? iris 
 more, much more than mere sorrow for sin : this 
 IS evident from what the apostle has remarked ;. 
 Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvatioa 
 not to be repented of," 2 Cor. vii. 10. True 
 «>rrow for sin is fi pari of repentance, and only 
 a part j for the scripture just quoted, evidentlv 
 «ia.ves a aistmction between them. If sorrow 
 comprised the whole of repentance, Cain, Ahab,.. 
 
ee 
 
 RfiPJEMTANOE. 
 
 :i ! i 
 
 and Judas repented ; and hell itself is full of 
 penitents, for there is weeping and wailing and 
 gnashing of teeth for ever. Many, very many, 
 grieve for their sins, who never repent of them. 
 Men may grieve for the consequences of their 
 wns, without mourning for the sins themselves. 
 Ihe meaning of the word repent, generally used 
 in the Crreek scriptures, is a change of mind. 
 Kepentance, therefore, signifies an entire change 
 of men s mews, disposiHon, and conduct, with res- 
 pect to sin. It is equivalent in meaning to 
 regeneration. The new birth means a chano^e 
 ot hear^, and repentance is that same change 
 viewed m reference to sin. The author of 
 repentance is the Holy Ghost ; it is the effect of 
 1^1 vine grace working in the heart of man. The 
 iollowing things are included in true repentance. 
 ^ 1. Conviction of sin. « When he [the Spirit! 
 IS come," said Christ, « he shall reprove fthat is. 
 convince] the worid of sin," John xvi. 8. The 
 ^ue penitent has a clear view of his state before 
 God as a guilty and depraved creature. All 
 men say they are sinners, the penitent knows it • 
 they talk of it, he feels it ; they have heard it 
 from others, and taken it up as an opinion : he 
 has learnt it by the teaching of God, who has 
 shown him the purity of the law, and the wicked- 
 ness of his own conduct and heart, as opposed to 
 |he law. He has looked into the bright and 
 faithful mirror, and has seen his exceeding sinful- 
 ness. He Dt eives thnt h^ l»ftp 1"'^'»'» -,:*i— ... 
 
 served, 
 
•• mmw^^m^uMn 
 
 ^ 
 
 BEPBKTANCE. g-^ 
 
 gate, but Z has iivetwTLTr r "'T P™^'" 
 he had been openly vTc"ou..W°-' IS*^ '""" '^ 
 'ice, hi, want of Lr to G«? 'i^ " P"*"' 
 
 JII hi, worMIy-n,ind:dne :. fo.t and ^iS """' 
 has spron? from n ,t«r,™ ',' "'V' a"" wickedness, 
 nated fro^ G^ * ?2'™"«'' "l^'^ '• a heart alie- 
 
 notgnite^sreo^ghHorbufn^".^'* ""^ •''« 
 that he has been altoUf h. ^ ??"" ''® Perceives 
 
 be ; formerirhe kn£ t»,7 '* •" ""S*" "»' '° 
 right,butheno*,ee8Thr " n*""" "<" l-''^ 
 he^ wa, of op"„tn he had IT "" ^""« ' f-*" 
 upon God's iustiL or „ "0 ^ery strong claim 
 
 -er that ^t^ZeX^^lTt W ''" 
 h.m ,„to hell This i, now ht eontsion 1'"' 
 "IS ""'''™ «"eeanoe seize my breath 
 
 And f C'"^'* *^" j°'' '■" death, • 
 *?, '• ?/ "»"' "«■« sent to hell 
 1 hj nghteoiM Uw approre. it win » 
 
 J-anUrra^ltX^ntr/^ ?° 
 does not clearly see that HaI^o^ T ®'°*"'/^ »«» who 
 
 into ...he iakeXt It e^h't^rfc'' "• ""^ -' ' 
 anS *X-7»^*'"»«'»« U implied in true repenf- 
 
 «ns, yet to .^we them.Z;l\,'?\^,^'-^"'^ "" 
 i'e is not indeed convinced orsir'^T^f"*"*' 
 excuse, for sin. and to take re^ fromThe t": 
 
^ 
 
 KEPENTANCE. 
 
 \ 
 
 of accusation and the stings of conscience, in 
 arcumstauces of palliation is the besetting iifi" 
 mity of human nature, which first showed itself 
 in our fallen parents when the man threw the 
 blame upon the woman, and the woman upon the 
 
 n all their descendants. We very commonly 
 hear those who have been recently led tTse^ 
 their sins, mitigating their guilt , one by pleading 
 
 he pecuhanty of his situation , another his col 
 
 a fo. rih '•* *'"."' l"^" '""'"S"' °f '^'^ '«»Ptation , 
 
 sin, and endeavours, on this ground, to lessen his 
 
 S Iff"- ^1 •"•"? r "" t^»-ep~e 
 while this frame of mind lasts. No, never till 
 the smner has cast aside all excuses, rsjectod all 
 pleas of extenuation, and abandoned all desire of 
 self-justification , never till he is brought to take 
 the whole blame upon himself; never till he pro- 
 nounces his own sen-tence of condemnation j 
 never ,s he truly penitent till his mouth is stop- 
 ped as to excuse, and he is brought unfeignediv 
 and contritely to exclaim, Guilty: guilty ^'S 
 such as this is now his sincere iinfessbn :-To 
 thou injured Sovereign, thou all holy God, and aM 
 nghteous Judge, lean attempt to excuse myself 
 no longer. I stand before thee a conWcted 
 self-condemned sinner. What has mylife t«n 
 but a course of reWIion against thi It Is 
 not this or that action alone I have to lament 
 My whole soul has been disordered andlit"!!,- 
 All my fionghts, my affections, my de^Ss, my 
 
 
ence, in 
 ng infir- 
 ed Itself 
 rew the 
 ipon the 
 )w itself 
 mmonly 
 I to see 
 [)leading 
 lis con- 
 >tation ; 
 original 
 ssen his 
 entance 
 ver till 
 Jted all 
 ssire of 
 to take 
 he pro- 
 aation ; 
 8 stop- 
 ignedly 
 
 Some 
 :— " 
 and all 
 myself 
 victed, 
 i been 
 
 It is 
 iment. 
 
 ea. 
 
 »niy 
 
 BBPENTANCB. gg 
 
 pursuits, have been alienated from th^ t .. 
 not loved thee, thou God of holy "ve Oh w 
 
 We sinX^o„rd■^fc'^,it? '^^^^^^^ 
 
 CHttr:?-tz?rnd"i--^^-^' 
 
 si/; whtilXo^\°^%:°f»-<' state of 
 motive J for it was nT-jT °°°«/''°°' "o good 
 lore to thee anTwrfh "* ""'."'^ obedience or 
 
 sin, as I thoutrht nf *\^4. '""p"'^ »s little of my 
 
 Gci agai^stThllt't^^^^^ "^,^*-- 
 
 when the knowledge of dn i? . .*°*^ ^^^^^ 
 the dark hoSn of L " fe^^^^ ^'^ 
 
 Tersely did I resist Z^lhf ^ i^"""^* ^°^ P^^" 
 and wfptp^it y *^e light, and how deceitfully 
 
 to s.."nf„^'fn j ulszrr^ 'V ""^S 
 
 seIf.eon6dence E ™» *' """^ '" P™"^ 
 
 what lying excuses an7wT ?"'"• ^ "'^^ 
 
70 
 
 REPENTANCE. 
 
 crV.Zr'"'?'""'..^"'"^' guilty; and urging 
 <i f that one plea, Mercy, mercy." ^ 
 
 a. Repentance includes sorrow for sin. Tf i 
 man does not mourn for sin, he cannot r.^.„t of 
 t. Tlie apostle speaks of "godly sor, ,w and 
 «ie psalmist exen.plifies it in the fifty-fl. .t p^Mm 
 
 Clous effusion of David's contrition? Read it 
 often J read it upon .hy fcne.s ,a thy closet , read 
 
 non^, / °7 f^y*"" ' ""^"^ '» *"' % t oart res- 
 pond, a sigh to every groan wit), ^hich «acJ, 
 
 strai...', of a broken heart sounding in thy ears 
 review ;,„ M,t<„y ,f ^^y nfe, „„a°the darktnd 
 ^ nd.„g «ew.. of thy rebellion agmnst God! 
 Pa«M .na ::.oa<ter as thou tracest balk thy step, 
 patiTnr. '"T "^ ^"^ f-ansgression. .nlo^ 
 ttn T^' i.^r" "P°" ^''^ '^"g"' °f ti'v term of 
 an, and all the aggravations of that sii derived 
 
 renr-vlt^T '^'"""'g*'' Pi°»s friends, and a ' 
 repi.)ving conscience. A«sail thy hard heart 
 
 Tiew 7'rV *°"'""°"' f«'«''«d from every 
 view of God'l mercy and thy own insratitudo • 
 
 nor cease to smite 'the rock till the ^ers of 
 penitence gush forth. Nor let thy sorrow be 
 
 £i r "/l"""™ ^'" '^y »»' «« <^omM 
 TT<,^'^i *•""• "S""'' ^^^'f- Turn again 
 to the fifty.first psalm, and sm how David felt" 
 "Against THEK, <Ae* only, have 1 sinned, and 
 done this evilm thu ^i_r,h* » Tir-^j-_/. i .___' . 
 
 What views of si^ w^re' thenT wrSH^i 
 
 r- 
 
 i 
 
HEPENTANCE. y| 
 
 Will nff to forfrivA r»^ "ow aunij. xhou art 
 
 n>ere/b{acSmy"Sn>e and l''""'"''* °'' *^ 
 abhorrence." 7?^ ?» w, ^ ^*^P*"* "7 self- 
 «n n. .fr. J " *"^'^ sorrow J a srief for 
 
 gracions a God, and not merely a imVf fi. .i 
 ttwchief we have done to ourSres cJl ^ 
 row grieves for thtose s^Twhlch & T 
 
 hhment '"' "" "' ''""'' ""'^ % ^^ of pnn° 
 
 tng te, a«d a determination not to reject {t5' 
 man can trnlv rpnonf „f .'"'"' ">/^peat it. No 
 
 of dislike ™L7?r.ll".«':'-"''''°.''.' « fee«»K 
 ed, yea, they aw thVia'Te'thinr'' Rpf ''P*?*'* 
 produced by penitence is^Snce^t~ 
 
72 
 
 BEPEKTANCB. 
 
 ! ^, 
 
 that has been stung by a serpent, will not caress 
 the reptile while he bathes the wounds he has 
 inflicted with the tears of sorrow : no, he will 
 destroy the Tiper, or flee from him, and will ever 
 after bef inspired with fresh terror and dislike of 
 the whole serpent race. The penitent regards 
 sin as the viper that has stung him, and will ever 
 after hate it, dread it, and watch against it. 
 Practices that before were delighted in, will be 
 abhorred and shunned ; and instead of trying 
 how near he may come to them without commit- 
 ting them, or how many things he may do that 
 are like them, without doing the very things, he 
 will try how far he can retire from them, and how 
 entirely he may avoid the very appearance of 
 evil. Will the serpent-bitten man try how near 
 he can approach the rattle-snake without being 
 stung again, or will he fondle reptiles as like the 
 species as they can be, though they are without 
 venom ? No. Observe how repentance wrought 
 in the members of the Corinthian church : « For 
 behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after 
 a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, 
 yea, what clearing of yourselves j yea, what in- 
 dignation J yea, what fear ; yea, what vehement 
 desire : yea, what zeal ; yea, what revcLge," 2 
 Cor. vii. 11. • 
 
 Such is repentance. ^ 
 
 But it is important to guard the ^tjirer 
 against some perplexities with which many are 
 .very apt to trouble themselves on this subjects 
 You ftre not to si^p^o^ thaj^ou AgMQtrej^ni, 
 
REPENTANCE. 73 
 
 the first sla'eronl-^"*'"* ^"«^- ^e^ns in 
 times oa«t -lo^n «nd]!r'""'';T'"" »••« ^o^e- 
 not feel .ho^a agoni i raTterrT -"'^ '''^^ ''<> 
 tions, that some, whora^hPv h„ W>""? """^'o* 
 or. have experienced OH^ ' ® •'"'"■'' <»• '•«»d 
 troubled becausethey do?,o an'/"''"' """^ ^'"""'^ 
 and utter groans, un&l?e ^in""' '^"^ ''"' 
 If they could either be wrought ■'.'" '°"^''°- 
 melted into weenin,, ,1 ^""^^M up to terror, or 
 
 comfort. »nVh::'e s^XftZu/'" ""^? '"■"« 
 were genuine. Now if j"P '^»' tlieir convictions 
 
 Readel have hesel ^r'aX^r h""'"'"' ^'»'- 
 some mistakes as to hrg?„u„7„ft';""« """''^ 
 
 If you posfessedTKeli?"' " """"* "«'«''«• 
 foned, and have hope voi^?h-T "'°"" ''« <=<"»- 
 by looking.to yourrnSn i' ' •>'''' *"'' *'"'« 
 a saviour of your exneln"'-'^"'" '=•""'■<"•'' ""ke 
 «s I fear many do. 'foT"'"' "'^"^«'' "f Christ, 
 do not say it, they feel it "P IT"' O' '■'" '''«/ 
 deep convict on, „„^ ' u"""' ^ ''^"e had such 
 
 thin'k I m";'hop;;"l tno"tt^=" '''^'''''' ^ 
 feelings in the p'lace of h work rf^Ch""^"'t 
 you could endure for a wh!l»?i, ^''"" • If 
 
 in your conscience and shtd an t'T"" "^ ''«" 
 the penitents in the world /* ^* **■■" "^ »« 
 you J and <o t«l."m-?' '*f ^ ^»«ld "ot save 
 things, will be "restTnri' "'"" ""?'' '''•«■" these 
 «Hperhaps.yo\rk1hrdeV:5,4-^^^^^^^ 
 
74 
 
 REPENTANCE, 
 
 f , 
 
 be a stronger ground of confidence to go to Chnst. 
 Is not his own word, then, a suiBcient warrant ? 
 Do you want ani/ other warrant, or can you have 
 any other ? Sn not his invitation and promise 
 enough? Katf'fjn your feelings add to this? 
 In some. <'asee, uk re is pride at the bottom of tin's 
 longinf; niter terror and distress : the person whw 
 covets .t, wishes to be distinguish' daraong Christ- 
 ians for his deep experience and great attain- 
 ments ; o: he may wi«i- f V - something of his 
 own to dwell upon with pleasure, a something 
 that shall embolden him in his approach to God ; 
 it is, in fact, a subtile species of self-righteous- 
 iiess, a looking to inward feelings, if not to good 
 yorks, as something to depend upon, and to glory 
 in before God. 
 
 This anxiety may ari^e ahofrom a partial avd 
 incorrect view of the iiattire of real religion. IV ue 
 religion is not a matter o{ mere feeling and strong 
 emotion, but a matter of judgment, anc' con- 
 science, and practicjil principle. You must re- 
 collec that the minds of men are varioir^ly con- 
 stituted us regards susceptibility of emotion. 
 Some persons are possessed of far In-elier feelings 
 than others, and arc far more easily moved ; we 
 see this in the common subjects ..f life as well as in 
 religion. One m^n feel as trul*/ the affection of 
 love for hi wife and cinidren ad another whose 
 love is more vehement, though be may not fondle, 
 caress, and iu k of ther so muci : he may not 
 even suffer taose paroxysms of alarm v ^en anv 
 thing ails them, nor of fV;.^^tir» gyjgf ^j^g,, ^^^ 
 
REfKA !^CE. 
 
 are taken from him , but he. loves them 
 prefer them^ to nil other., to labou 
 
 75 
 
 «o ns to 
 
 mak 
 
 grieve wljen they 
 giief ai 
 
 f for them, to 
 
 ";::e^.;r„!^i: --r'. «- .-% 
 
 are removed. His 1 
 
 to 
 
 nve and 
 
 Hit! not boisterous, passionateand ,.oi«- IH^ n, ? 
 
 no't'so^Irdrt'T' " "V'™"«> '^ h;jp,ly^,": 
 
 you feel, or th^leture^oV ti.tr;. ."„'' IrT 
 you n,.e wrought up, .here m^ybe Id. If ^H 
 this where thf-re i^ nnt ♦«..« "«ucn or all 
 
 clearly in,.ructed in the knowldL nf ( • ^' /?" 
 nature and perfect law, so Xlt^f ^':S,;:^^>y 
 and rea ly to feel anri f^^ 11 v ^" P*^ » i-tii ^ e, 
 
 nun,berlefs "sinfo/lt '^'d" ZtitH? 
 vnn n^ ^ ®'"® "'^^e brought unon 
 
 tCwho": Jinr^fToZtnr -« ■? 
 
 l>o you really mourn fbr^ur sins'^ah/"'"i!"^ ' 
 
 «swellaswi.hore;c;,,f?*''i^i'i'."":'..;.:*' 
 you feel a repugnance to sin, a watchfulness 
 
76 
 
 II I 
 
 nPrENTANCM. 
 
 ajynfnst it, p, drend of it in the len.M ofTencps ? Are 
 you nossessed of a new and jirowinir tiMiderness 
 of conscienco with respect to sin? Thon you 
 are partakers of true repentance, although you 
 way not be the subjects of those violent emotions, 
 either of terror or grief which some have experi- 
 enced. 
 
 I do not Tor a moment mean to throw suapicion 
 over the experience of those who have been callcid 
 to pass through a state of conviction, which, on 
 occount of its terrific alarms and unutterable aiv 
 pui.Jj, may be called the valley of the shadow of 
 death. By no means. God has led some of his 
 people, not only hard by the clouds, and black* 
 ness, and thunders, and earthcpiakes, and trumpet, 
 and awful words A' Sinai, but almost by the very 
 brink ol the burning pit, within sight of its flames, 
 and within sound of its wailings: but let no man 
 covet such a road to glory; let no man think he 
 has miotaken the road, because he has not wit- 
 aessed these -dreadful S( nes in his way. All 
 must pass by both mount Sinai and mount Cal- 
 vary in the way to heaven, but the view is neither 
 BO clear nor so impressive, of either of them, to 
 some as to others. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 ON FAITH. 
 
 SUFPOSR anumbc-ofthesubi 
 
 ffOOd kuinr vvHi« ,„.M X 
 
 Wei ( 
 
 without any just 
 
 ects of a wise and 
 
 «g'nnst l.irn, and tak. up arm I ."r '^ ^^ 
 
 :-ywouidbytiutactfw;;:"wh^^^^^ 
 
 th 
 
 e sovereign, in his g, ^^, 
 to pardon ihem, and ior th 
 
 fbriVit their 1 
 
 ives. Still 
 
 prool 
 
 ^'Ht clemency, is disposed 
 
 a fixed tim 
 
 'nation, deel 
 
 nt 
 
 an 
 
 »g that ail th 
 
 purpose, sends out a 
 
 «, would couie to h 
 
 aj-nis, confi-ss tljeir off; 
 
 ose who, before 
 '", lay down thei 
 
 «I.o.adb spared ,, ,7''?' "!"' '"" ^"^ ™"«y 
 
 'at all found under 
 
 nvj. 
 irms- 
 
 
 and act required in tl 
 
 ^'ase,is the state of mind 
 
 Fath T ^'^'"'""'^ who would bes.;: ? 
 nave been issued bv th 
 
 T'-ally fulfil h 
 
 proclamation to 
 
 IS Word; 
 
 tl T . > they I1J1 
 
 t"e H.ct ,ts.lf, but lliey ,„„,( 
 
 e monarch, and that he will 
 
 WQfc/// this is faith 2/, ^' 
 
 must not only bel 
 confide in th 
 
 leve 
 e mo" 
 
 ov eneourasem';n;';:,"r':: ,*^"f iyheirwa,T„„t 
 aesircs ot ilicr own. Ix'aayonaof 
 
78 
 
 ON FAITH. 
 
 \ 
 
 the rebels were desiroim of returnin<y, he would 
 not say, " I am gn^atly encouraged and truly 
 warranted to go and expect forgiveness, because 
 I am very anxious to be forgiven;" for his desire 
 of pardon of itself, is no warrant to expect it; 
 but he would say, " My sovereign has bade me 
 return, and promised me pardon: I have his word, 
 and I can trust him: I will go, therefore, and 
 confidently expect mercy." He goes, and although 
 he knows that he has forfeited his life and deserved 
 death, and brought himself under condemnation; 
 yet he is assured he shall be spared, bt-cause the 
 king has promised it, and he trusts in his veracity. 
 This is faith. Does his faith merit forgiveness? 
 No, but it insures it. Can the man boast that his 
 woiks have saved him? No: he is saved by 
 grace, through fuith. But suppose when he heard 
 the proclamation of mercy, he was merely con- 
 vinced of his sin, and in some measure sorry for 
 it, and desired forgiveness, but did not go to his 
 sovereign; suppose he were to say to himself, 
 "I am afraid to go; the prince is powerful, being 
 surrounded by his guards who could destroy me in 
 a moment, and 1 have been such a ringleader in the 
 rebellion that I cannot hope for mercy, although 
 I long for it, and would do any thing to obtain it." 
 The time of mercy expires; the man is token 
 with arms in his hand; and he is put to death. 
 Does he deserve to die? Yes, twice over, first 
 for his rebellion, and secondly for his unbelief. 
 Kts want of faith, not his r/beliion, was the actual 
 cause of his death. His sin would have been 
 
»"* 
 
 OS FAITH. 
 
 79 
 
 , command. " *"'^' '"''• •^'^obeying his 
 
 «3iii». ^oa SO loved the worlfl th^^ u^ i. 
 
 on^ begotten Son. .hat Vhltt^'b^, .f ^ ''- 
 
 1.1 »I! J '*' *''P^'" salvation." Many do 
 knowfhpt'*^ •'^"■'*"' *^''» """^^c^io™,- they 
 
 but they do""K.-ettcr:tlrdot; 
 retuin to God hv fmih :„ i,- o ' ■'^ "" ""' 
 
 confident hXe7fo'''ve:se''.'Ve?;. '"'"/«'"/ " 
 ffo anvinrr ♦»;, • /""B'^eness. tliey are afraid to 
 
 or'theyafecoltenr,'r"'"«^^"'" ^^ f-given! 
 Vic ioT or ?''"'*"'*^? *° "-email m a state of con- 
 
 Ind evA ' '^?''* "'•'y '"'^« '™««ed in Christ 
 
 intotlie worw"""^?' '"''' S^^uaiiy go back again 
 
 you have felh' wT *'■'' ''^^''" «*'«• reader, till 
 you ha.e faul,. Wliatever may l,ave been ;„ur 
 
80 . 
 
 ON FAITH. 
 
 \ 
 
 tears, your convictions, prayers, or exercises of 
 
 mind, you are under the sentence of the law, and 
 
 exposed to the wrath of God till you believe. If 
 
 death come upon you before you have faith, you 
 
 will as certainly and as deservedly perish, as the 
 
 reb^I, who, though he had expressed his sorrow 
 
 lor his treason, had not come in and cast down 
 
 his arms, and accepted the royal mercy. You are 
 
 within the flood-mark of Divine vengeance till 
 
 you have confided your soul to Christ. Can we 
 
 be saved if we are not justified? No. But we 
 
 are "justified byjaith, and have peace with God," 
 
 iiom. V. I. Can we be saved unless we are the 
 
 children of God? No. But we are «all the 
 
 children of God by Jaith in Christ Jesus," Gal. 
 
 at" rri, ^® ^® ®^^®^ without sanctificati.,n? 
 ^0. Then '« our hearts ara purified by faith:* 
 Jiut the jailer at Philippi asked, with fear and 
 trembling, the question, « What shall I do to be 
 saved? Paul replied, « Believe on the Lord 
 Jesus Chnst, and thou shalt be saved," Acts xvi. 
 30. 31. When" our Lord sent out his disciples! 
 he said unto them, " Go ye into all the world, 
 and preach the gospel to every creature: he that 
 BEijEVETH and is baptized shall be saved, but he 
 that believeth not shall be damned;' Mark xvi. J .5, 
 16. It is also said in another place, « He that 
 BELIEVETH on him is not condemned; but he that 
 believeth not is condemned already, because he hath 
 not'believed on the name of the only begotten Son 
 or Crod. He that believeth on thftSnn hsn.. r.^.-- 
 lasting life; he that believeth not the Son^ Vh'S 
 
ON FAITH. 
 
 81 
 
 of God hath the wi Hr"'' "i""-''*^"'"" tlie Son 
 
 1 John V. 10. Z^t'^'l-^"''""^'"'-^"'''' 
 the hin"f. on w ; I N f'""' '" ^lirist. It is 
 witho, t'-vvh'h kir 7'°" ""™' ■■' - "■^' 
 
 *ortofheave„ a C "i!- '^"'"'V^'l' '-ave us 
 mind, th-refore tha p.,.r„ " '^"'^P'>' ■» >""'■• 
 or. in other wo; I't. . , ™' '"'"'"' ""^c.; 
 which saUatrn 'n !!' """' '''' ""'"'^ «"h 
 
 thi. .s,ate.;ou vo^ dbr'»'''i ^'''^ b-'ou.ht into 
 next hou •, an,UWthr^^ k , "'""«'' ^O" ''i«'l <l'e 
 
 deepest concm, ^ " ^"'' ^'-^"''^ ""der the 
 
 -•;>d.- and I ahan e: f r'L'tT'r'''"' """^ "^ 
 1 Wtt.... '"«^inoie, bet before von 
 
 ■*• " HAT you are to belipvo n- -.l •'^ ' 
 
 means a beliefof»^l,o .,"''''' '""*'»''™I. 
 
 word; h»t]„;thi„rl 1 ^^'"' ''•"' •'■'"!««<; i" '"•; 
 the scrip.u.C^f ,t ,?;;: ;."r;,;."« ''«'--f of what 
 i.r.d work. Vou ,,, , ,' ,■ *'" ^""■'*»n, offices. 
 Son of God" ."rVr '?;* '^'"' ''«'« "'h« 
 God-n,an-M,.di,,„?."f, ..r"'^^"' '" ""^ «-''^" 
 he your .Saviour? i„ f' r" '^'"' " «""•««■«.< "re 
 
 -m;r;^:^u:roS:ire!Si;i 
 
82 
 
 ON FAITH. 
 
 -; II 
 
 ii 
 
 the foundation of hope.^^ou are required to 
 belipve in the doctrine dJRonement; that Christ 
 satisfied Divine justice fflr human guilt, hiving 
 been mad*? a propitiation for our sins; and that 
 now his sacriiice and righteousness are the only 
 ground or foundation on which a sinner can be 
 accepted and acquitted before God. You are to 
 believe, that all, however previously guilty and 
 unworthy, are welcome to God for salvation, with- 
 out any exception, or any difficuhy whatever. 
 You are to believe that Gt>d really loves the 
 world, and is truly willing and waiting to save 
 the chief of sinners, and that he therefore is bene- 
 volent Xoyou : and thus, instead of dwelling in the 
 idea of a mere general or universal love, you are 
 to bring the matter home to yourself, and to be- 
 lieve that God has good-will towards you, has 
 given Christ to d'lejfort/ou; you are a part of 
 the world which God loved, and for which Christ 
 died, and you are not to lose yourself in the crowd. 
 You are not to consider the scheme of redemption 
 for f>ny body, or for every body, but yourself; but 
 you are to give the whole an individual bearing 
 upon yourself. You are to say, ''God is well 
 disposed towards me; Christ is given for ?/ie; 
 died tor me as well as for others; /am invited; 
 /shall be saved if I trust in Christ; and / am as 
 welcome as any one to Christ." Faith is not a 
 belief in your own personal religion, this is the 
 assurance of hope; but it is a belief that God 
 loves sinners, and that Christ died for sinners^ 
 and for you amongst the rest, it is not a belief 
 
Oy PAITH. 
 
 83 
 
 that term/ It fsth"hlr%r""' '""'"'''"1 '" 
 yourself h„AVit ? •^'^ "'^ something out of 
 S Ti,M- " °i '"""^'hing concernin' your- 
 
 A bel ef thatthf . ^ "T"' ^°^' ^^'*^ '»««"? 
 fulfil his ;ord RK u '^'''" -*""*« ■' "»>' !>« "'ill 
 
iMifmiKSs^'X'''-'ni'jimmtmmamiimm 
 
 '^ 
 
 84 
 
 ON FAITH. 
 
 II 
 
 I 
 
 tion. Yes, it is, if we mf.y substitute another 
 word as explanatory of faith, trust in Christ. 
 Faith, and confidence in Christ, are the name 
 thinjT. "I know whom I have believed," says 
 the apostle, *' and am persuaded he is able to keep 
 that which I have committed to him," 2 Tim. i. 
 12. Believing, being persuaded, and the act of 
 committing, are the same act; they all mean faith. 
 It is to rest upon the word and work of Christ for 
 salvation; to depend upon his atonement and 
 righteousness, and upon upon nothing else, for 
 acceptance with God; and realfr/ to expect salva- 
 tion, because he has promised it. If there be no 
 expectation, there is no faith; for faith in a man's 
 promise, necessarily imnM^ expectation of its 
 fulfilment. This, then, flBith; looking for, or 
 expecting salvation for tflWake of Christ's work 
 alone, and because God has promised it. If you 
 want another illustration, take the case of the ser- 
 pent».bitten Israelites, Num. xxi. 4—9; John iii. 
 14, 15. The people who wci*e stung were cm- 
 manded to look on the brazen serpent. Those 
 who really believed the promise that such an act 
 would be followed with healing, went out and 
 looked at the appointed means of relief: their 
 looking was their believing; and what did that look 
 imply? Expectation. Those who did not look did 
 not expect healing, andthose who did lookexpected 
 relief. If, therefore, you are not brought to ex- 
 pect salvation, you do not believe; for as soon as 
 you really believed you would indulge the expec- 
 laiiuu Ox saiVttiion. "raiiii is the substance (or 
 
 ^ 
 
 8 
 
 r 
 f 
 h 
 1 
 
 ■:m: 
 
ON PAITH. 
 
 85 
 
 "lone, and beolu' l,Ph """■" ^•"' Cl.rist's sake 
 
 ffith may be :r be ZakT::' "' '"'"^ ''"""> 
 tion as our exn«.,.t„f,v!, • *'"*"S '» proper- 
 
 and n.e fro^Xbt' 'a^nVfe^r °'" '^^^ """«''-'• 
 
 answer, becausp i» io * • ^ ^^ necessary to 
 
 ... u ^® " ^'^ sometimes asIcpH c 
 
 ", when you njomiapr] oi V Suppose, 
 
 beggar, or for4ve^P.\1 ' *^ ' P^"^* «^«''vi"ff 
 you, e.lher oftliese n^v^Ll "la'I'ad injured 
 
 «"> I to believe vourn "''of" "'''• " ^h^^n 
 
 feIso.esurpXXe'qr;tf Th" ^°" ""' 
 ture of the ease su"2estr,hl . ^ ** """"y "='■ 
 cessity of immedfatf fa h V™'""'^ •""'' ""• 
 great at that momentas fever will r'^TJ* '' 
 fore demands instant eolfide„ce V"^ ""*?• 
 bepjgar were to siv ,, ""7"'-"'-^- OHppose the 
 feel my povertv S^Li- ""' >''*' sufficiently 
 
 a» mo^eKS wifc^riTiii tal' ^^"^"^ 
 your word and come " w,.'J ' '"''*' ?"" at 
 -edingly prepo:tro;s? ^TH M T "■ T 
 ^ery conduct of mnn,/ ^ ' ""^ '« « le 
 
 Christ, and to faith i7l ^"T"^ '" '"^'''-''-'^^''''^ •« 
 know Ihat tru^t n h "m abne i,"'^"''™- '^''"^^ 
 vation; that they muscat leLfhT'''"? '° ^'"- 
 seem to re<rard it r,7p. °"^ ""'"^' ^ut ihey 
 
 find, to :.ii t v::'z%VT"r' ='"'" «' 
 
 future time, and by aom. 1 •""""S'" «' «<">ie 
 how. th„„ .:„ „"..Z .'°."^ '"<^an« they know not 
 
 Their inward "feelfn^ "' '"'"'^"'''^'y performed. 
 '•""S 's. a hope that they shall 
 
M £mm'i&''^'''mmpmm!mgmmm 
 
 86 
 
 ON FAITH. 
 
 \ 
 
 have faith some time or other, without ever once 
 imaj^iiiing that they are required at oncej and 
 without delay, to commit their soul to Christ. 
 
 Header, reflect upon this matter, this necessity 
 of instantly believing. Are you now a sinner? 
 You know you are. Can you do any thing now 
 or hereafter to save yourself? You know you 
 cannot. Is Christ now a Sayiour, able and willing 
 to save you notu ? You know he is. Will he be 
 more r/hle or willing to save you a month or a 
 year hence, than he is at this moment? Certainly 
 not. Does he say, "Come unto me, not now, 
 but at some future time; believe me, but not yet; 
 trust inline after a while?" You know he does 
 not. Every invitation, every promise, every 
 encouragement, relates to the present moment. 
 The words of scripture are, "To-day if ye will 
 hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Now 
 is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. 
 Come, for all things are ready. He is waiting to 
 be gracious," Heb. iii. 7, 8; 2 Cor. vi. 2; Luke 
 xiv. 17; Isa. xxx. 18. What prevents, why 
 should not you now, as you read this, believe in 
 Christ? What hinders you, except your own 
 unwillingness, from this moment trusting in the 
 Lord Jesus for salvation? What now? you say, 
 still startled at the idea of instantly taking to your 
 anxious bosom the sweet and soothing hope of 
 salvation. " W/i?/ not now f" I ask. " Would 
 God," you are ready to say, " I could, for I have 
 no peace of mind! I feel that I am a sinner, and 
 yet am distressed, at times, that I do not feel this 
 
ON FAITH. 
 
 87 
 
 n^^^L .o Zp:^:r^, "l^ Pr'''--^.>- 1 have 
 
 contrary, I am uf.-,id of him !,;'''■•'. r" "'" 
 to die. I should i... meet him in i '..'* ^ ^"^ 
 
 faith oLe, ve vh^ T' " '^"'f ■^'^ >''"" "f 
 whom, though „:„' ' e h^' :/'"^ *;'l = " '" 
 
 oht£^rrp:~j:s:t:t::5? 
 
 more entTrX^t -'•'.""'• ""'' ^°^^"' ^'^ 
 a-e not intossfssL^ IXT'S;::',''' V"" 
 
 r daH ;.t^lrr?"d^' '^'^'^ 5:^ 
 
 sometimes you ;ereadvr^ '""^'''"^ = '" '^at 
 
 gather, and'tu™ 'bXt. ^ fr.L^'l'f ' 7 ^"°- 
 seem to be as fm- fr^rv, ^ *^^ ' ^^^ Jou 
 
 .nd ask thir„'estt„ .Tn'f "^ *"•• '^"' ''"P 
 
 -She way? Va;^l' et J^rt^f/r '" "'« 
 
 entirely believed in Christ/ Hav^T.^' "'""' 
 *»:«•. 1 . '-'•ntni, navel fruit/ /trM« 
 
, ■^mt^f^^mm'w^r^- 
 
 88 
 
 OJ^ FAITH. 
 
 you would not havo benn in yonr pi<'sf»nt atnte of 
 agitation What i.-* to give peace to a sinner feel- 
 ing the burden of guilt upon hi> conscience ? 
 What is to relieve biui from his distrej^j? No- 
 thing but faith in Chrht; not the fV\ith itself, but 
 the object which faith looks at, which is Christ. 
 Many are saying, '* If I did but knoio that 1 had 
 faith; or if I could feel my faith stronger,,! could 
 then rejoice." But this is seeking peace in faith 
 itself, instead of seeking it by faith in Christ. 
 Faith is not our Saviour, but only the ey«' that 
 looks to him, the fool that goes to him,, the hand 
 that receives him. Take an illustration:— -Ima- 
 gine that you were afflicted with some dangerous 
 disease,' and anxious for recovery ; in tlie midst 
 of your solicitude, and after trying all kinds of 
 remedies without effect, a physician corner in, and 
 says, "I have brought you un infallible cure for 
 your complaint ; it has cured thousands and will 
 most certainly cure you." What would be the 
 effect r this communication upon you ? Just 
 according to the state of your mind in reference 
 to tl ' ,port which the physician gives of his 
 medicine. If your anxiety about recovery, and 
 your fear of not obtaining a cure, were greater 
 than your faith, you would gain no peace ; the 
 want of confidence in the medicine would keep 
 you in deep solicitude. But suppose you weVe to 
 believe the statement of your medical friend, and 
 had full confidence in the remedy, what then would 
 be the effect of the report ? You would imme' 
 diatehj rejoice; you would not wait till you had 
 
ON FAITH. 
 
 89 
 
 remedy j„u «,„uM say, "Joyful newt' T f 
 be healed a„d restored to Walth" Nn "i '^ 
 
 friend, or Hth t . tor''".?'^"' "'" ^°"^ 
 Th .good news <.fVrombSe,i:t:d''K ■""'*• 
 jn.kes you glad. I, i, „S,'"^7 n' „f wf ^°''' 
 that you rejoice in, but (he "nt, ^^ «*'"g 
 
 You would immediifcly take he .''«''«ved. 
 
 then when you experieLed its 1 , .n^^fl ' ""'' 
 you would rejoice still „,ore Your^i"v rtr' 
 case won d be of two kind.: the first ?f//V'" 
 
 tf/:l.d^•l'2:;r:t•'«^^--^^^^^^ 
 
 you an. cured ^•^ "^ '^/'m.,,^., i„ finding that 
 
 r.in^itf,";r;^':.::ritiF'"- 
 
 good, but a sense of „parTo'„dsin''"ia°,''' 
 
 s:U;:^t?; :rrthe''::::;:'r„f7^'-«'- f 
 
 and sa^ ..M, blood ell^eTfro^' '^n: 
 my bpirit can renew and sanctiifv th» i7 i . V 
 ?>ost polluted heart : look o nf^ am ,„' r',*^ 
 be saved." What is the du.v o?.h.'"l'!l°r^,:" 
 
 once, as the evidence and necessary fruit of his 
 
MICROCOPY KESOLUTiOiN TEST CHART 
 
 (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 
 
 
 Emm 
 
 Urn 
 
 190 
 
 3.2 
 3.6 
 
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 2.5 
 
 12.2 
 
 2.0 
 1.8 
 
 ^ /APPLIED IM^GE I 
 
 nc 
 
 1653 East Main Street 
 
 Rochester, New York 14609 USA 
 
 (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone 
 
 (716) 288- 5989 -Fax 
 
90 
 
 ON FAITH. 
 
 i I > 
 
 Viiils '111' 
 
 faith, to rejoice. If he really does believe, he will 
 rejoice ; and if he do not rejoice, it is because he 
 does not believe. He is not to wait till he is 
 saved, b.^fore he takes comfort; but he is to take 
 comfort, in the first place, in believing that there 
 Ks a Saviour, and that he may be saved. He is 
 not to wait for his conjfort till he feels that he is 
 justified, renewed, and sanctified; for how can he 
 coine to this state unless he believes ? His first 
 comfort must be the joy of faith; and this he must 
 take to himself at once; the joy of experience 
 comes afterward. He must first rejoice in the 
 promise o{ spiritual healing, and then afterwards 
 he will rejoice in the seme of healing. When the 
 Jews, who were pricked to the heart by Peter's 
 sermon, cried out in agony, " What shall we do?" 
 he replied, "Hepent, and be baptized every one 
 of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the re- 
 mission of sins: then they that sladly received the 
 word were baptized," Acts ii." 37— 41. They 
 [/l^'d/f/ received the word, that is, they believed 
 the promise, and were made glad. Here was im- 
 mediate faith producing instant joy: they did not 
 wait till they felt they were saved, but rejoiced 
 at once. Now ob.serve another case:— Paul, in 
 one of his epistles, says, "Our rejoicing is this, 
 tiiat in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with 
 fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have 
 have had our conversation in the world," 2 Cor. 
 1. 12. Here is the joy of experience. It is the 
 peace of believing, that the inquirer has to do 
 with; and is it not cause enough of delight that 
 
 
ON FAIIII. 
 
 91 
 
 God lias loved tli 
 
 the wnrl.l c -''^«■";■'.''. and ynu, as a pa,t of 
 
 tli.it y,m ai'o inviied; timt Christ i,s abh. an<l will 
 .ns to save ,.« ? B,It s.ill you cli„. to le 
 
 o,^f:i",'l r''' ■^"'■V'".' ,"'■''"•"<•' y- --'d "e 
 t..ive peace Then it would be these evidences 
 CMsr" ™"'^'"'' ^°"' "'"^ "^■' "^« -»k of 
 
 und'ej'stnn 1 ",l '■'!'l""''»"^«' "'^>' 7°" should clearly 
 •imle, stand, that you are never in a state of faitl^ 
 
 "tjou still feel the load ofpuilt upon your con- 
 science, and all its tormen.inr. f.ars'in yoCUnS- 
 
 air. Id of God, if you st.ll are without any hope 
 of „rg,veness, you do not believe; lor Genuine 
 
 hey believe and yet have no comfort: and then 
 they are ask.nfr, "Why am I not at peace'" «" 
 cause yon really do not believe in'chri t ; you 
 
 you want, you have not yet really trusted i„ 
 C irist; you have not believid the glad tidi el f 
 salvation; for can any man believe glad till „ s 
 
 1 ~ ■■■ r.^ laxiu, btiieve truiy, believe nnw 
 
 and enter into peace. ' * 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 MISTAKES INTO WHICH INQUIRERS ARE APT TO 
 , FALL. 
 
 Ix an affair of such tremendous consequence as 
 the salvation of the soul, it is important that 
 every error of any moment into which inqu'rera 
 are in danger of falling, should be clearly pointed 
 out to them. Satan is died the father of lies, 
 and wlu'.i his delusive influence is added to the 
 natural deceitfulnes.s of the human heait, the 
 danger of mistake is great indeed. Our caution 
 against errors should, of course, be in proportion 
 to the importance of the consequences they draw 
 after them. Oh, how awful is the idea of* com- 
 mitting a fundamental error in religious mat^ 
 ters and persevering in that error til! death ! we 
 shall then have eternity to deplore it, but never 
 a moment to correct it. Oh, how dr.adful to die, 
 and find^ ourselves mistaken as to our character 
 and destiny! But ^ven where the error is not of 
 so serious a nature, it may still be the source of 
 much dis(]uietude. 
 
 1. The first error, and it is both a very com- 
 ..lu.i <inu a r^.j urcuuiui one, v^diich luquiicrs are 
 m danger of committing, is, to mistake knowledge, 
 
MISTAKES. 
 
 dd 
 
 E APT TO 
 
 iyremo«, a,,dp„rl!a/ reformatmn, fhr nannn^ 
 
 p.-each,ng, and r.ligiou. inst,.«c.ionfwl,e,-e^I: 
 i-' no pera-cuion to tvy men's since, i(y, and .ven 
 rn,.cl. cred.t attaching ,o a ,,rofe..iun o ' re XT 
 .here la ,nost h.uninent .lunger of .elCdHuto" 
 . r he p „chi„g .,, , he present day is „f „„ ,^,.iting 
 nr.d ,m,.ress,ve character, which, n.l.icd to the 
 endeneyof a religious education to give h,o^' 
 edge, ,s very lil^ely ,o p.oduce a state <.f feel g 
 lliat may be mistaken for oo.,version. tghoia u 
 
 .^htit. "'";""'• >"'"""' ""'• ^-' -i>''"---i 
 m„ .te s, ,vho are too eager lo swell the nun.her 
 
 01 the.i communicants, upon perceivinc a little 
 Impressm. „f „n-ud, and a li.tle'alterati.^. ^f c,"l: 
 ,, "'/"""S people, or !n others, may exorea, -i 
 uvourable opinion of their conlersion? to 
 hern in o„ belief that they are safe, enga;.e t era 
 too hastily ,o make a public profes im. „*f relilio™ 
 
 time, perhaps, (Ac great change has never been 
 
 sealed up m delusion to eternal perdition. No- 
 thing ean now awaken them; for although their 
 imp essrons die away, and they become ahuos a 
 careless as worldly, as sinful,'„, ever, y 1 "^ 
 
 repress every rising fear, and stifle every inci- 
 pient alarm. Fatal case! „„,1 i. to .l.,./;! p 
 multitude.!. " '• "''"^ '^''"' "f 
 
 1 
 
mmmttmmMfm 
 
 94 
 
 MISTAKES. 
 
 It mny be worth while to set before you how 
 Jar persons may go, and not be really converted. 
 Ihey may have many and deep impressions, many 
 and strong convictions; they may liave much 
 knowledge of their sinful state, and a heavy and 
 burdensome sense of their guilt; they may look 
 back upon their past lives and conduct with much 
 remoi-.^e; they may be sorry for their sins, and 
 may desire to be saved from the consequences of 
 them, being much alarmed at t'le prospect of the 
 torments of hell. Was not Julias convinced of 
 sin, and did not he weep bitterly and confess his 
 sin, and was not he filled witif remorse? Was 
 not Cain convinced of sin? I have known many 
 persons, who at one time appeared to be more 
 deeply imjiressed with a sense of sin, and to have 
 stronger convictions and remorse, than those who 
 were truly converted, and yet they Went back 
 again to the world and sin. Nor is a detestation 
 ot sin always a true sign of conversion. Hasael 
 before he Was king of Syria, detested those very 
 crimes which he afterwards perpetrated in the 
 fulness of his pride and power. Unconverted 
 persons may even wish to be delivered from the 
 fetters of those corrupt lusts which have loner 
 held them fast; for there are few notorious sin*^ 
 tiers who do not frequently hate their sins, and 
 wish and purpose to reform. Yea, persons may 
 sometimes desire* to be delivered from all sin; at 
 least they may desire it in a certain way, because 
 they think that it is necessary in order to be saved 
 from hell. And as conviction of sin may exist 
 
MISTAKES. 
 
 96 
 
 •e you how 
 converted, 
 ions, many 
 ave much 
 heavy and 
 ^ may look 
 with much 
 sins, and 
 qnences of 
 )ect of the 
 ivinced of 
 confess his 
 se? Was 
 own many 
 > be more 
 id to have 
 those who 
 t'cnt back 
 letestation 
 Hasael, 
 hose very 
 i^d in the 
 converted 
 
 I from the 
 lave long 
 rious sin- 
 sins, and 
 
 "sons may 
 
 II sin; ut 
 Vi because 
 3 be saved 
 may exist 
 
 without conversion, so may relighvs joy. The 
 stony ground hearers "heard the wordf and with 
 joy received U " and yet they ''had no root in lu^n 
 20 ll «":^f'^-f^.«"'y for a whih," Matt, xiii, 
 
 to no hing, Gal. iv. 15. Multitudes rejeicd in 
 Chnst when he made his entrance into Jerusalem 
 who alterwards became his enemies. A p rs n 
 niay adm.re the people of God, and covet to he of 
 their number, as Balaam di.l, and yet not ^^Z 
 be ong to them. Many take great plea. ,e ^^ 
 heanng .ern.ons. and going to^prayer-meetin^^ 
 and .s,nc„„g hymns, and frequenting missionaTv' 
 and otlH.. public meetings, wl!o are nm truly I of. 
 
 sinful actions and g,ve up many wicked practices 
 and seem to be quite altered L a time,^vho t 
 by their subsequent history show that they a e 
 jot converted. There may be considerable^zenl 
 for the outward concerns of religion, as we eHn 
 J.hu, without any right state of n.ind tow rd" 
 
 reality of their conversion; they have had dream, 
 ^mpressions, and an inward witness, as they up.' 
 pose who too plainly proved by their after en- 
 
 It would be almost endless to point out the va 
 nous ways in which men deceive themlelve, ', 
 to their state. Millions who have been ^.mewh.t 
 ,. ., v^?.,vuinfca ijuuui reiioion. hs 
 
 been born again of the Spirit. Perh 
 
 i^Jon, have nev 
 
 er 
 
 ips as many 
 
96 
 
 MISTAKES. 
 
 nre lost by self-deception, as by any other means. 
 1 ell resounds with the groans and lamentations 
 ot souls that perished through the power of a de- 
 ceived heart. 
 
 , Do, do examine yourselves. Exercise godly 
 jealousy over your own state. Never forget that 
 notliing short of the new birth will save you. 
 " EXi-ept a man be born of water and of tiie Spirit 
 he cannot enter into the kingdom of God," John 
 ill. 5. <'If any man be in Christ, he is a new 
 creature ; old things arepcmed away j behold, all 
 things are become veto.'" 2 Cor. V. 17. The very 
 nature must be changed, entirely changed. We 
 must be renewed in the spirit of our mind. There 
 must be a superhuman, a Divine, a total altera- 
 tion of disposition. Our views and tastes; our 
 pains ami pleasures; hopes and fears; desires and 
 pursuits, must be changed. We must be brou^rht 
 to love God supremely, for his holiness and jus- 
 tice, as well as for his mercy and love in Christ; 
 to delight in him for his transcendant glory, as 
 well as lor his rich grace: we must have a per- 
 ception of the beauties of holiness, and love Divine 
 things for their own excellence: we must mourn 
 tor sin, and hate it for its own evil nature, as well 
 as its dreadful punishment: Ve must feel delight 
 jn the salvation of Christ, not only because it de- 
 livers us from hell, but makes us like God, and all 
 this in a way that honours and glorifies Jehovah: 
 we must be made partakers of true humility, and 
 universal love, and feel ourselvps brnp^hf t^ K« ^f 
 
 one mind with God, in willing and delighting 
 
 m 
 
MISTAKES. 
 
 97 
 
 *cei an Klentitv of hearf wii). Hr^v * 
 
 against little sii+s, Secret Aiiilt^ «».! • "^''"^"^a 
 
 pleading exerci«,s ofrLlt ,;! TllJT, "] "" 
 igain; and it is no mere tra^l„/;l ' • ""' '"'™ 
 the ima"ination ,, " ;, ."'"'»'«""'"Pfession upon 
 
 not be violently agitated h ,t i/^ ? ' '""^ 
 on the ^de : W hoH^el ''r"''^"'^™^^"^'' 
 
 ~tL'„'':rt;:rV'^*''^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 «lor.o„3 mediatorial C.araeterani s' eh l' 11'^^ 
 
 for 
 
 m 
 
 H 
 
98 
 
 MISTAKES, 
 
 I ' 
 
 temper, and conduct, throws the world as it were 
 into the back ground, and raakes glory hereafter, 
 and holiness now, the supreme concern,— is reli- 
 gion. 
 
 2. Inquirers are often in error on the si/bject 
 of their immediate obligation to believe, and go to 
 Christ; and are waiting, as they say, for a day of 
 power at the pool of ordinances.* They aVe seek- 
 ing and praying, but they have no idea that it is 
 their present duty, without waiting another hour 
 to give themselves to Christ. They are expecting 
 some sensible impression or impulse upon their 
 mind, to make known to them when it is their 
 duty to believe, and also enable them to believe. 
 Ihey suppose it will be made clear to them, as it 
 was to the cripples by the troubling of the waters, 
 that they are no longer to wait, but then to descend 
 into the pool of salvation. 
 
 Now this is a most grievous and injurious error, 
 and keeps many minds for a long period in great 
 distress, and actually prevents some from coming 
 to Christ at all. I must first tell you, that it is 
 an utter perversion of scripture, to consider the 
 pool of Bethesda as an emblem of the healing of 
 sinners by the work of Christ; and the situation 
 of the diseased persons waiting for the healing 
 visit of the angel, as descriptive of the duty of 
 sinners to wait lor some impulse or power from 
 
 ♦There is in this chapter a repetition of some of the 
 Ideas, and even the expressions, contained in a former sec- 
 .— , —"•' '" ^'" « =uujci;t Oi su iiiucfl unportauce, that I 
 do not chOQge to suppress them. 
 
MISTAKES. QQ 
 
 mtl f^ro "'X'"'""'^- ?« <•-« -a' related 
 
 said, "Believe h,.* „ / "'-"tier Wliere is it 
 wait for some ^ow'rT """'•■, ^"P^' *"" "<" """i 
 
 believe?" O?th?.o„ "''"*"'"''"'''''« y«" «» 
 <lay if ve w^ h„ ««" rary ,s it „ot said, ■' To- 
 
 of salvation?" I. nTftlf '•','?''' "»*^ " ^''^ ''ay 
 this moment, Chri" tinl/n "^'" P'""''°° ^o" 
 
 you tlis mom"; Tefiot^auThT ■"" ""'='""^ 
 «""', ail the blessin<r7nP."f .• ^ P^o^'ses true 
 
 ing for your arpTnel « m-^j; f fh' ''""- 
 
 own hearts make it m' °'' *"^ '"P'''^'^ '" yo'"' 
 God makes iTttV^?-'; ':*"*'"""'» "'« '"^d of 
 
 Look steadi,y':ttis'plr ' C^': "7 '°'" 
 all yo that labour, and^aHeavy laden a-^ir "!; 
 
 .^-y any thin, ablTwal^^y.-i,^- , ^^ 
 
 wait for anj ,1 reTse^'b t° th" ''''/•'/ '^ y"" 
 you will sp^nd ail your til ! "^"^ °^ ^''""' 
 deceived at last Trl *,*"'"«■ *»«' <'le 
 
 of ,h« «„"..'• A™*' yo" "eed the influ«nep 
 
 fluei^t'liw^vf '"* ^? '° ''^"«^''' but that in-' 
 uenee is alwaj-s as readj. as the wort of Christ 
 
 pi 
 
lOO 
 
 airSTAKES, 
 
 Hirt, say otTiers, 'fFe are tvailivf; to be more 
 deep,), convinced of sinP Are you convinced 
 tlinr you nre under the condemnation of tlie h\v; 
 sucli fk s/nner as to be totally depraved in your 
 naturt;, as wcU as p^uilty of innumerable actual 
 sins, and deserving; of hell? Is this clear to your 
 judgment, and really felt by your conscienee? 
 1 hen what are you waiting for? If you say, For 
 niore sorrow of heart, more pungent convietrons, 
 I would ask again. How deep do you suppose your 
 convietions must be, before you believe in Christ, 
 and hope for mercy? Can you fix on any .stand- 
 ard on this subject? Besides, do you suppose 
 that if your convietions were X^n times as deep 
 as tlR:y now are, these feelings of yours would be 
 your warrant to go to Christ, or render you more 
 welcome to him, or be irt any measure your ground 
 of ho[>e? Are you not wishing for deep convic- 
 turns, to take comfort in them, instead of Christ? 
 Has Christ any where said, he will not receive 
 you till your convictions have attained to a cer- 
 tain depth? The question is, Are you rectUy con- 
 vinced? not, Hovy deeply are you convinced ? 
 And then, ais to godly sorrow, this will be pro- 
 moted by faith. "They shall look upon me whom 
 they have pierced, and mourn," Zech. xii. 10, 
 says tlie Lord Jesus, concerning the Jews. The 
 belief of God*s love to us in Christ, and the sweet 
 hope of his mercy, will melt the heart to tender- 
 ness. I wish you to dwell upon this. It is the 
 hope, the sense of God's love, that warms and 
 iaaws the cold and frozen heart oi' mada. As you 
 
HISTAKICS, 
 
 101 
 
 R.V.0 upon a crucified ncdeemei- by faith; as you 
 hear G,„ 6ay, "I, even I, am he Umt blotteth ou" 
 jhy s,„s by the bl,K,d of ,„y Son, I will n live 
 .ee all, notwithstaMdinst ,hy rebellion, and X 
 00 great lukewarmne,,;" your houI wi 1 dissolve 
 n .ngenuous grief and love. lu keeping back 
 f <m. Christ, iu waiting f.r deeper en,ilio^ns, be- 
 fore you come to him, yon are d deatingyour own 
 purpose. The more and soon .r you hope in Chr It 
 the more and sooner will you ,. .urn for sin. I "ry 
 fre«hv,ewy„u take of his cross, when you are 
 indulging an expectation of mercy, will deepen 
 your emotions of sorrow, and your^convicttrof 
 1 1 evil of sin A 1 the sensibilities of your bear 
 
 r" t 1 ^^ "" "■"="'"« ■''"^'••""='«= ""J that 
 
 very scene which conveys to your soul the sense 
 
 of pardon, will convey a«so a sense of the bitter- 
 ness of transgression. Wait no longer, then ; be- 
 .eve believe now; commit your soul'at once^o 
 the Saviour, and rejoice in hope of salvation. 
 
 Others are tcailmg for more holiness, for some 
 preparatory process before they rest upon Chris 
 or eternal hfe. A preparatory process, indeed 
 there IS, and must be, carried on in the he.r. be- 
 fo.c the sinner will go to Christ. But what is thit 
 process? Nothing which is to prevent his soul 
 tor a moment, when he is anxious about salvation' 
 from depeiuling upon Christ. It is the work "f 
 
 and a desire to flee from the wrath to come B.^ 
 in the case of those whom I am addressing I mean 
 those who are anxious ahout salvation, this S aU 
 
 G* 
 
 
\ 
 
 10^ 
 
 BISTASESw 
 
 ^l 'if 
 lis f 
 
 IB I 'I 
 
 I 
 
 ( f 
 
 1^ 
 
 ready done; they are convinced ofsfn, and desfi^ 
 0113 to flee from impending judgment. Wiiat naore 
 is necessary to prepare them to believe in Christ? 
 But what is meant by those who- talk thus, is^ 
 that there most be a long coarse of conviction; 
 a pi'oductioa and growth of early affections ; a 
 series of holy actions; an expa»sioti of religious 
 knowledge; and that then, and not till thenrsin- 
 ners are encouraged to trust in Christ, and hope 
 for salvation. Now, it is vejy true, that e\erj 
 sinner, in coming to Christ by faith, must be pre- 
 pared and ready to give up every sin; he must 
 be willing to sacrifice sins that may be as pleasant 
 as a right eye, and as useful as a right hand; he 
 must be willing to take op his cross, and follow* 
 Christ to bonds, imprisonment and death ; he 
 roust consider himself as " called unto holiness:"" 
 and this is his state of mind, as soon as he is 
 roally convinced of sin; what more in the way of 
 preparation for ptirdon doe^ he need? Is not a 
 man prepared for forgiveness as soon as he is 
 convinced of bis transgression? If a father pro- 
 mise pardon to an offending child as soon as he 
 shall confess his fault, has that child any need to 
 say, " I will prepare myself for pardon by a long 
 cooi^e of future good conduct?" His father is 
 ready to forgive him, and he of course is ready 
 to be forgiven, upon the very first moment of true 
 
 pftnitpnoA. If CitM\ Kail ca{A Vio nr/s,,i^ «.-*. j__ 
 
 I ^ — ,^ — , .ri-., ^^tti-i iivi nruUiu ijui uuruuii 
 
 us till months or years of good conduct had taken 
 place, it would have been only mocking us; for 
 what good conduct can we perform till he has re- 
 
MISTAKES. 
 
 103 
 
 ge work of the SiMnlTv n^ hr,;t7™,P 
 
 fd almost t!;itiL\xt:rrs 
 
 and entertained a hope of mercy ^'""•'' 
 
 vertd on the'T'"".."^ '^' ""•«« »'«"''''»d eon- 
 verteo on the day of Pentoj-o-* *r-- --• •' 
 
 the time when they had ■he~a;:d VeZri\.''^' '" 
 they were the murderers of Christ bv.CT"' 
 
 ay they were rejo.cing in the assurance of par- 
 
I ilf 
 
 il" ir 
 
 m 
 
 1*! 
 
 104 
 
 MISTAKES. 
 
 don. Now what preparatory process was carried 
 on in their hearts, beyond the work of the Spirit 
 in convincing them of sin? 
 
 Consider the conversion of the apostle Paul, 
 Acts ix., who was a bloody persecutor; and a day 
 or two after, not only a pardoned sinner, a bap- 
 tized believer, a rejoicing christian, but a conse- 
 crated npostle. What preparatory process in the 
 way of long cherished convictions, or holy actions, 
 was there in him? 
 
 Consult the narrative of the Philippian jailer. 
 Acts xvi. 25 — 34. In the same night he was 
 '•onvinced of sin, he believed in Christ, he was 
 filled with peace, and was baptized. When, in 
 agony of soul, he cried out, *'What must I do to 
 be saved?" his heaven-inspired teacher replied, 
 " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou 
 shalt be saved." The apostle did not speak to 
 him of any preparatory process, any long course 
 of prescribed duties, any training for his recep- 
 tion by Christ, but simply said, " Believe;" and 
 he meant, of course, believe flow; and so the 
 trembling penitent understood him, for he be- 
 lieved at once, and entered into peace. 
 
 I bring forward these instances, and almost all 
 the other cases of conversion spoken of in the 
 New Testament are of a similar nature, not to 
 prove that all conversions are equally gudden and 
 I'enmrkabie, but to prove this one point — That no 
 other preparation in the sinner's mind is necessary, 
 in order that he should believe and be justified, 
 but a real conviction of sin. As soon as a man 
 
MISTAKE. *e 
 
 105 
 
 IS carried 
 he Spirit 
 
 tie Paul, 
 md a day 
 jr, a bap- 
 ; a conse- 
 ess in the 
 y actions, 
 
 an jailer, 
 t he was 
 t, he was 
 iVhen, in 
 St I do to 
 [• replied, 
 and thou 
 speak to 
 ng course 
 lis recep- 
 eve;" and 
 d so the 
 )r he be- 
 
 almoBt all 
 of in the 
 re, not to 
 idden and 
 —That no 
 necessary, 
 justified, 
 as a man 
 
 knows he is a lost sinner, that is, is truly con- 
 Tinced of his stale of condemnation, he is re 
 
 IZ'ZV'^'' '■" ^''•-•' -" «° "ope fo p : 
 
 don. then he is m a state, ay?* state to receive it- 
 Ire fit bvwnV "r" ""' ''^'^^^ «»"''' ""'be' 
 ZJJ ?y.^«'""g ««n years in the most agoniz- 
 ing convictions, or the most Ripr»H ^..e » ^ 
 of diifi, Ti, • '"".'""''' sacred performance 
 M duty. The sinner is condemned, and is anv 
 nioment after conviction in a stat; ,o be le^ 
 pr ev<M; and he can never begin to perform the 
 acts of a good citizen till he is justified F,,;^ 
 Inv on7 *' "'"."'■ Evangelical obedience; w 'eh 
 ot all others. We never can be holy till we h^ 
 l.eve in Christ; and, therefore, all ideas ofnre 
 paration for coming to Christ are er oneou, W 
 from mistaken views of the way of a stiner's ac 
 ceptanoe with God, and are generali; o be , aced 
 to a principle of self-righteousness.^ This, ner 
 
 paX^'^ht^rt^oV' ™"^ "''•'-"' -'^■'^- 
 
 pa es, they want to be more prepared either bv 
 convictions, or by holiness, for^oming ,o CVis^ 
 that ,9, they want something of their own t' 
 which to glorv someil,in,y t„ ■ i " '" 
 
 and<.nnfljl ^- somelliing to give them eouraee 
 
 and conBdence in approaching the Saviour- some 
 hmg ,0 render them less" dependent o„Tee 
 sovereign grace; something to entitle them ;f I 
 to sa v.i,ion, at least tothe righre"o":tst7'c ."t 
 
 -if-righ,eousn;:;'^-;7o;v"s::,t;''=:u"'arr',;!r;et 
 
 acquainted with the decei.fuln^sjof tl?e h^a^' 
 
106 
 
 MISTAKES. 
 
 \ 
 
 ii I 
 
 ! ilS 
 
 I 
 
 I . 
 
 heart; you are ignorant of the artifices of Satan, 
 
 or you would detect in those longings after some 
 
 preparatory process, a scheme of the enemy of 
 
 souls to keep you from Christ; yes, it is a veil to 
 
 hide from your view the glory of his cross, and a 
 
 stumbling-block to hinder you from approaching 
 
 the fountain of life. Wait no longer: 
 
 " If you tarry till you're better, 
 You will never come at all." 
 
 It is of infinite consequuence for you to remember, 
 that you are received, not as worthy, but as un- 
 worthy; not as favourites, but as those who have 
 been enemies; not as deserving life by your con- 
 victions, but as sentenced to death for your trans- 
 gressions. " To him that workcth not, but be- 
 lieveth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his 
 faith is counted for righteousness," Rom. iv. 5. 
 Mark that expression, there is a vast comprehen- 
 sion of subject in it; it is the key to a correct 
 knowledge of justification; " believeth in him 
 that Justifieth the ungodly." We are justified, so 
 far as we are concerned, under the character of 
 " ungodly " If, then, we seek to make ourselves 
 godly before we come to Christ, and wish to come 
 under that character, we are shutting ourselves 
 out from the blessing of justification; for this is 
 granted only to them, who consider themselves 
 ungodly. 
 
 3. Another mistake into which inquirers fall in 
 the commencement of a religious course, is, to in- 
 dulge a misplaced solitAtude about the evidences q^ 
 personal religion, I know that the sacred writers 
 
of Satan, 
 ifter some 
 enemy of 
 5 a veil to 
 uss, and a 
 preaching 
 
 emember, 
 ut as un- 
 who have 
 your con- 
 )ur trans- 
 :, but be- 
 
 ODLY, his 
 >m. iv. 5, 
 mprehen= 
 a correct 
 I in him 
 i8tified,so 
 aracter of 
 ourselves 
 h to come 
 ourselves 
 or this is 
 lemselves 
 
 ers fall in 
 , is, to iri' 
 Idences o^ 
 id writers 
 
 MIST4KE8. 
 
 107 
 
 ' 
 
 speak much and often on the subject of evidences 
 of personal religion. But a person must have 
 religion, before he can possess the evidence of it: 
 and at present your solicitude should be rather to 
 , be Christians, than to know you are such. It is, 
 however, a very common case for persons, as soon 
 as they begin to be anxious about religion, to 
 begin also to be anxious to find out the mark of 
 salvation in themselves. Hence they are ever 
 inicroscopically analyzing all their feelings, watch- 
 ng their motives, reviewing their conduct; some- 
 times hoping when they see, or think they see," 
 a good mark; but more generally desponding, as 
 the result of seeing so much that it is positively 
 wrong, or really defective in the state of their 
 hearts. I wish you to attend to this remark- 
 J/iat inquirers after salvation should be much 
 more occupied in looking to Chnst, than in looking 
 into their own hearts: and that when they do look 
 into themselves it should be for conviction, and 
 not for consolation. 
 
 hv^trfi "" *^' ""'" "^^ '^^ Israelites, when bitten 
 by the fiery serpents m the wilderness. Moses 
 you know was ordered to make a brazen serpent! 
 Z^fTt "' "P^2 ^ P^^^' ^°^ whosoever looked 
 
 Look and hve," was the mandate and promise 
 Kow cannot you fancy you see the poor poisoned 
 
 upon the object, anoointed for th«,v k.«i,v„o n 
 you think they spent all their time, or much of 
 their time, or «»yof it, in examining the wounds. 
 
108 
 
 MISTAKES. 
 
 \ 
 
 •to see if they were healing? "Were they so fool. 
 ish as to look off from the means of cure, to as- 
 certain their progress in recovery? No, they 
 would not have taken their eye from the brazen 
 serpent to look at a second sun, if it had been at 
 that time kindled in the firmament. Their eye 
 was fixed; and as they looked, they felt their pain 
 assuaged; their fever cooled; their health return- 
 ing: if they looked ofi^, they felt in danger of re- 
 lapse; and in this way they recovered. 
 
 Thus should it be with the sinner; he should 
 look to Jesus: healing w there; and is obtained, 
 not by looking to see if it is come, or is coming. 
 The more the mind is fixed on Christ, the more 
 clear its views are of his mediatorial work, the 
 more steady and fixed the eye of faith is on the 
 cross of him who was lifted up, " that whosoever 
 believeth in him should not perish, but have 
 eternal life," the firmer will be the consciousness 
 of the soul, that it does believe, and the more 
 abundant will be all the fruits and evidences of 
 faith. The Israelite had no doubt of his healing 
 as long as he looked to the brazen serpent, for he 
 felt it going on; nor will the soul doubt of its ac- 
 ceptance with God, so long as it looks to Christ. 
 " He that believeth on the Son of God hath the 
 witness in himself," I John v. 10, not only of the 
 truth of Chistianity, but of his own personal reli- 
 gion. The way to have evidences increased, ia 
 to have faith increasd; and the way to have faith 
 
 
MISTAKES. 
 
 109 
 
 are the subjects of faith, but out of ourselves to 
 C/irise who is the object of faith. 
 
 grace*, our joj, our love, our hope, will all be in 
 
 llTtllZh T^"'^ -1 our'fiith La nev r 
 be strengthened by an anxious and constant 
 
 ponng over the fedings of our hearts. No ca^ 
 our fa.th be strengthened merely by deter Jnin^ 
 to be strong in faith, but by an iLll 'ent and 
 increasingly clear view af thi r.^J T . « 
 Chri«,f trrr , ^,, ^\ *"« person and work of 
 
 thy salvation," ver. 5. The first evidence of 
 faith IS the peace of mind that it brinas to th« 
 soul or the relief which it affords from iTe burden 
 of sm, the next is holiness; but there %«„ be 
 neither peace nor holiness till there is faith 
 Many people. I apprehend, are grea ; deceived 
 
 oave slo7r-^t"!f ^'"^'"S ^^ mark: of 
 conversion! it is not evidences of faith thev nro 
 
 ttt ' tLvT "" '""""-,'" '■'""" »ot eWdTn : 
 Ohri,t Z, •? '■""""'"' "•« "ghteousness of 
 Christ, but evidences out of which they may make 
 a iighteousness of their own Th» . 1 
 
 they have found, or think they have fouj a 
 
 TV ' 
 
 H^ 
 
w 
 
 
 'A^ 
 
 I 
 
 11 
 
 I 
 
 !i*'i 
 
 mmm 
 
 no 
 
 MlSTAKli:! 
 
 good mark in themselvea, they rejofce in it, a» 
 thor»e that have found great spoil. 
 
 Doubting, dejeeted, and anxious sinner, thou 
 hast been reading, thinking, hearing, praying, 
 striving, examining, consulting books of evi- 
 dences, and lists of niaiks of salvation, inquiring: 
 of others how they feel, and what they conclude 
 to be evidence of a work of grace, and yet thou 
 art as far from any satisfactory conclusion, as to 
 thy state, as ever; like the beast in the mire, all 
 thy striving seems but to sink thee deeper anil 
 deeper. Now then take another plan, since thine 
 own has failed, and instead of troul>ling thyself 
 about evidences, look to Christ j keep thine eye 
 fixed on him; meditaie upon the divinity of hi» 
 person; the suificiency of liis atonement; the per- 
 fection of his righteousness; the riches of his 
 grace; the universality of his invitations. Look 
 at the object of faith, the (/rounds of faith ; the wa/' 
 raw^of taith; the more thou dost this, the stronger 
 thy faith will become; and the stronger thy faith is, 
 the greater thy peace will be. Instead of labouring 
 to love Christ, and becoming dejected that thou dost 
 not love him more, take another course, and dwell 
 upon the love of Christ to thee. Meditate on his 
 amazing grace, his most wonderful compassion, 
 not only to the world in general, but to tbee, as 
 part of the world; labour and prey to be '*able 
 to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth 
 and length and depth and height, and to know 
 the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,'' 
 £ph. iii. 18, 19. This, this i» the way to grow 
 
V. 
 
 MISTAKES. 
 
 in 
 
 I in It, as 
 
 mer, thou 
 
 « of evi- 
 inquiring 
 ' conclude 
 I yet thou 
 lion, as to 
 } mire, all 
 eeper Hnd 
 ince thine 
 ig thy.^elf 
 thine eye 
 ity of hi» 
 ; theper- 
 ifcs of his 
 19. Look 
 J thewrtr- 
 j strongHf 
 ly faith is, 
 labouring 
 ^thou dost 
 imd dwell 
 atief on hia 
 mpassion, 
 o thee, as 
 be »* able 
 le breadth 
 to know 
 aw ledge/ '^ 
 r to grow" 
 
 ,;"• f "'>.l''t'v., re ,j,i„n, <„• in other w„'.l,, reli- 
 pumin us, ,s p„„lue«l ,„„1 «u.tai„,.,l by Hxina 
 •"• m,„d .,,„ olyeetive religion. „,. ,(,., ,,^,, , ^'^ 
 l'>«tr,m., o. , he wor.l „C(i,„l. Neither e,id n"^ 
 ...reon.r,,,, .h,„.l,l besought diree.ly, „r o ,he 
 
 rc«u t ,,( fu, h. „ke this „» „„ iu,(,„rt,„,t senti- 
 n.eu,. ,h,„ ,h,. subject of evi,lene,., bclonjfs ,„„re 
 I- .el>ever,h„n .o the iucuirer, to th;Ch,ist- 
 .. , «l,o |,rof,...«6..» to be «he„dy in the way, and 
 not to the aiiXMMis seeker after the way. 
 
 ^. Hut ther.. „ another nn.iuke which inqui- 
 
 t,> wl'a^ Tl •" "'"'"''»'"<=''- "'""J^h neaHy allied 
 
 mt to just, y « separate consideration, and that 
 
 Muh a cordial belief that Chri,., died for .inner" 
 «s l.-«d., t,> a d,.pend,.„ce upon him for .ai "forf: 
 H^uranee, a, ,h« word is usually utuh-r-to d „ 
 
 reliK-ous <l.seourse, means a pers.msio, „ I do 
 
 m beheve, and an, in a Mate of salvation- f'dth 
 mear,s a belief that Christ is willing. , " ve 
 
 nie; assurance means ..on.icii hat he /„« re- 
 
 ce.ved me; t n,t in short I a,t, a Christian Now 
 llij rna„,f..st that .h,.,e two are different from 
 ™ch other; one of theu,, ,ha, is, fa.th, siKuifyin* 
 the perfohnance of an action, or .,n,„i.,.: i-.^, f 
 certain ,,,„„., „„d the other the .c,n«:i„usoe;::th«? 
 / //«»« con.e u.to that state. Jt is also e(|nally 
 
 
 \ 
 
Tm 
 
 112 
 
 Mistakes. 
 
 
 n 
 
 '^ 
 
 m ' "^1 
 
 evident that faith must pr.^ccdc as^urnncr. We 
 must first believe tl.nt C'hri,^ died for sinners, 
 before we can knovv that we Imvc' believer]. The 
 first simple act of faith is a belief that Chri.t died 
 for an sinner.., for the whole world; the next, as 
 ur.s.ng out of it, if it be not indeed incl.ided in it, 
 js that he died for us as part of the world. - I 
 believe, ,ays the sinner, who U comin^r with con- 
 hdence to Christ, -that 'God so loved the world, 
 that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoso- 
 ever beheveth in him should not perish, but have 
 everlasting hfe, John iii. 16: then, a. I'am a par! 
 of the world I believe he loved me, and is willin- 
 o save me:" this is faith. The soul then feefs 
 joy and peaee in believing, love to God, grati- 
 tude to Christ hatred of sin, subjugation of the 
 worhi, fellowship with the riirhteous. "Now" 
 says the person, "I know I believe; I am con- 
 scious both of the act of believing, and also of its 
 gracious .effects:" this is assurance. 
 
 I may illustrate the subject by referring again 
 to the rebellious subjects and their gracious sove- 
 reign. The ringleader of a revolt can scarcely per- 
 suade himself that he can be included in the'act of 
 amnesty; he reads the proclamation again, which 
 runs thus:--The king, pitying his d?lud;d sub- 
 jeets, and filled with clemency, will grant a era- 
 Clous pardon to whomsoever will lay down his 
 arms by such a day. Having examined the proofs 
 of the anthent,euy of the act, and being safisfied ' 
 
 on that r\r\■t^■^^■ f-.^. tt-r. • ,. "^ 
 
 ...„ oi». he 3u^s, ■■11 IS really true, and I 
 believe that the king is willing to pardon a// that 
 
mistakks. 
 
 CO, We 
 sinners, 
 ed. The 
 w'lAt di«d 
 next, as 
 led in it, 
 rid. «' I 
 villi con- 
 le world, 
 t whoso- 
 but have 
 m a part 
 s wilh'nij 
 len fVeb 
 1, grati- 
 n of the 
 "Now," 
 am con- 
 so of its 
 
 »g again 
 js sove- 
 ely per- 
 le net of 
 1, which 
 ed sub- 
 t a gra- 
 ow^n his 
 e proofis . 
 satisfied 
 , and I 
 «/^that 
 
 iJ3 
 
 St 
 
 rns 
 
 ""'• " Thus ;">!;''"■'' "'"« """•« i' 'nerej. ("* 
 
 reaches the ...e >':,!" ', "'"' ''"" befo.i he 
 
 .'""■nrds i,, his ,i ;,f, '";;''".". o'- '"kes a step 
 
 «.»«"•. «s soon „s i! " r? '^•' P'oc'lamation 
 
 gives him comfort hi I. ■'"'°'' ""'' '^'^'''ved, 
 
 «ec.pte<I. He « e's „„ T, "" f""^' "'" '"^ ''«''"S 
 
 now l,e is „,«„;,2", : ^ ':^,!' ''7': '- arms. „„! 
 
 'las done what tlie n.l , ' ''? " '-•""•"eious he 
 
 ''e h„s what , ," ; "!'"fr '■'''""■*"^' ""'' '"- f^-^^I^ 
 
 "'"«'' solicitude about I '"' '"""''' ""' l-e 
 oomph-ance with th? '"'»;""<'^- Failh, an.l 
 
 «'l «hat he wo M eon ::rhim: frr"' ^""^'^ "« 
 "nee would follow u"„fT" "''""•• ^»«"'- 
 ^hould it be with .nv*^ •""' ""'• ""''O"- So 
 '!oni their bu its, i To' bT''"'-^ "<■'- «''^»- 
 they are Christian ? No ^''•"\\^i''^t?~tU>,t 
 » Christian, is notV.,i,h i .''" '^''"•'■""'« lam 
 
 t-!"-- •!.« gospe"' w L*^ is^'c: T"'""",' "" '» 
 of mercy and par, „,, n l,i- , ■' f''"='""'alion 
 
 »'■« to feel persuaded ,, at r . h"' ?''-'^'"^= ""'/ 
 eommon ,vfth <,„" , ' "' <^'"'. •"'« 'ov<.d them in 
 
 promised to rec, e T ' i'""^'' '*"".• !'«" 
 of this reyZion yt?' ""*' !"'"= the con,fort 
 Pacitying eff ., of ,1™ '-'= ""'! ""^''. f'om the 
 ""<' ""- PuHfyin. eff,crofT '^"' <=on.snenee, 
 to be assured fheC Z% "l " "P"" "■eir hearts 
 '•■•on, death unto-h-,;""=, ""r^''"""! '""« P"««..d 
 ""w, but tlie cause of i( ' ""• '* "°« "^sur- 
 
 •iSitlStei' 
 
114 
 
 MISTAKK0« 
 
 I'- 
 
 Kov/, in<|nin'r, nr« you not awnre tlmt you 
 lirive t'onrxmdcil those ^wo; nnd liavo be«n <-on- 
 sequrnfly wilkirifr in jr:eut p«'rpl«-xifyf* You !ir« 
 df'jecii-d, him! t'aiiiiot be conifortJMl Why? *'()h." 
 you say, "my .'aith is so weak; iii<i«'«'(i, I uin al'iai«l 
 I have, no faitli." Now, what <h) you mean by 
 havinjx no faith? "I am afVai<l I am not a Christ- 
 ian. I ffar I do not believe. I am full of un- 
 belief." And let me tell you, that you never (an 
 be delivered from distress in this way; for you 
 are wanting to know you are a Ciiristiaii b« tore 
 you are one; you are striving to know you are a 
 believer before you believe; you wish to be as- 
 sured you are aecepted of Christ, in ordrr that 
 you may ;j;o to him f«ir acceptance. Faith is not be- 
 lievinu that you are a Christian, but b«'lievin<» that 
 Clirist died for sinners; and unbelief is not duuht- 
 ingthat you are a Christian, but doubiinjLi; CiiriNt's 
 willinjrness to save you. My advice to you then 
 18, to leave assurance as a first matter out of con- 
 sideration; to talk nothinjj;. and think nothing 
 about it. Your business, at presnnt, is witli faith: 
 you are to believe; you are to commit your >io\\\ 
 to the atonement of Christ; you are to be per- 
 suadeti t?iat he died for sitniers, died (or yon^ and 
 is willing to save i/nu. This is the assurance you 
 are to seek; and this is what tlie apostle means 
 by the full assurance of faith; an unhesitating 
 confidence that the Lord Jesus is able and willin<r 
 to save to the uttermost; and, therefore, able and 
 willing to nnve you. Get your mind full of con ' 
 viction of ."e truth of this; let your soul be 
 
 a 
 
MISTAKB8. 
 
 115 
 
 lint you 
 en v.oi\' 
 
 > "Oil," 
 II aiViii<] 
 it*an by 
 Christ- 
 
 of uri- 
 vcr (an 
 for you 
 
 b«'torH 
 )U iire a 
 
 > h^^ Mfi- 
 !rr that 
 
 not be- 
 \n<^ that 
 (l;iul»t- 
 Gll^i^t's 
 L>u tlieu 
 of con - 
 tiotliing 
 li tairh: 
 ur >iin\\ 
 t)« per- 
 9W, and 
 ice you 
 m<'ans 
 sitating 
 willing 
 ble and 
 of con - 
 soul be 
 
 
 ^ZTri, ■"'' T"'« "P-"' «« -"'■nit thi. de. 
 
 Ill r "'""'"' *'"" Christ h miolify to savci 
 <i«li«h.ed to save, w.mi..jr to save «tt-youUo„!r 
 th« rest: you ».h willingly as any of the r"s" and 
 . «n h,s tru.h will give you 8,1^01, peace Ti "e^^ 
 ert such a power over your heart as to prove to 
 you theexisleuceaud reali.y of your (a?th Tie 
 assu-anc. whicK ;he Scrip,;,. Jspeako" is ,1 e 
 a ««r«nc« of Go,i;s love to you in ChrLt and 
 
 h^. lf'"-Y' " ""'""'/assurance which you 
 auc to do with at present. ^ 
 
 CHAPTEK VII. 
 
 PKRPLKXITIES WHICH ARE OFTEN PEl.T ur 
 INQD1KER8. 
 
 I. Many are exceedinRly perplexed and di,- 
 
 I have nothing to do now with those carele« 
 or profane persons, who make this awful doctrine 
 an e<e»se,or rather prof.ss to make it an excuse 
 
 I w,':ked"l':«r'"' "' "-f ^'""^ «"" -"» wTh 
 
 l^'l.jlTl'^r''::'?'' '""^'"i"'. "If I an, elected 
 
 . ,„, , „,„„ Qg ^^^j,j ^,,1^ concern 
 
 Of mine; but if I an. „„t dect, ,1, no eff"r^ 7Zl 
 
 *A 
 
 h 1,1 
 
~jj 
 
 116 
 
 PERPLEXITIES. 
 
 will or can save me." The fact is, that such per- 
 sons do not believe in the doctrine of election at 
 all; nor, indeed, care any thing about salvation, 
 but are utterly ignorant and careless, and refer 
 to this solemn truth, either to quiet their own 
 conscience, or to silence and turn away the voice 
 of faithful admonition. But there are others who 
 do feel, especially in the early stages of religious 
 inquiry, no small degree of perplexity on this 
 subject. Now, here let me at once inform you, 
 that ^ou, who are inquiring after salvation, have 
 nothing to do with the doctrine of election; nor 
 indeed, has any one aught to do with the secret 
 purposes of God, as a rule of condvct The 
 sublime truth of God's sovereignty in the salva- 
 tion of his people, is introduced in Scripture, not 
 to discourage the approach of the sinner to 
 Christ for salvation, but to remind those who 
 have come to him, that their salvation is all of 
 grace ; to take away from them all ground 
 of boasting; to confirm their f\iith in the 
 accomplishment of the Divine promises; to 
 promote their .comfort; to inculcate the necessity 
 of personal holiness; and to encourage Christians 
 amidst the afflictions of life, Rom. viii. 9; Ephes. 
 i. 4, 5, 9, 11; 1 Peter, i. 2. But it was never 
 designed to be a source of discouragement to 
 penitents. The rule bf your conduct is the 
 invitation and promise of Christ, not the secret 
 purposes of God:— "The secret things belong 
 
 
 •/•Ul. II1U~ 
 
 oc 
 
 l!iiIJH& WiliCii 
 
 are revealed belong unto us and to our children 
 
PEKPJ.F.X1TIE8. 
 
 1J7 
 
 for 
 
 l..w> n "•'"'"y ''" "" "^« »■">■''•' of tins 
 
 «'•.,"■ """"• -^- '^he mercy of God is 
 
 nhn,te; ,l,e merit of Christ's atonement is infi" 
 
 <«i.the power of the Spirit is infinite- 1\,L 
 
 inv.tat.ons of ,he Gospel „re univer al "Come 
 
 w.it. XI. 28. And thus saith the Urd, " 1 hivp 
 no pleasure in ,he dea.h of tl,e wieked." V^-k 
 xxxu,. II. .. The Lord is long-suiferimr ,„ l,-' 
 «^rd no, willing that any should peri h"bnt tha 
 
 Hm, that eometh to me. I will i„ no wise cast 
 out, John^vi. 37. " Whosoever will, let hini 
 
 ther^re L'r "" "7'^ "*' *^"''P'"'«' «'"' '""'I 
 connuct. You ean understand this but v,.,. 
 know „o,hing about the secret purfol "Ti'J::. 
 mTt' '^y''"}"^''^'' were elected, you would 
 
 nvfl '""" ^'"" '"^"«^«' "' Chri.t, who ■ 
 
 invites men, not as elected to life, but as lost si„ 
 n^..rs condemned to death. If yo'u had b ^ P - 
 mitted to read the decrees ot Heaven and hid 
 
 «ould not be one whit moie welcome to Christ 
 
 ine ma ter. 1 ,,„ are tniUtd, and if you nejilect 
 
 is hi 
 
 ree which you do not know, t\Jh\ 
 g will lieatj'our ownd 
 
 s-fuisxif; ui 
 
 per- 
 
 at last that you were lost, not in cons.nn.nn« J 
 
 H' 
 
 consequence of 
 
 I f'l 
 
\ 
 
 118 
 
 PERPLEXITIES. 
 
 ;^ ! 
 
 hi 
 
 \ 
 
 ¥ 
 
 any purpose of God determining you to be lost, 
 but in consequence of your own unbelief. 
 
 Why should the purpose of God, in reference 
 to salvation, be that only view of the Divine de- 
 cree that perplexes you? Do you not believe 
 there is also a purpo^ie which refers to the events 
 of your natural life and death? But do you, on 
 this accotfnt, hesitate in sickness to take the 
 medicine prescribed for you by a skilful physi- 
 cian, lest you should not be ordained to life? 
 , No. You say, and with reason, " 1 know nothing 
 about the Divine purpose; my business is with 
 plain rules of duty, and with institi^ted means; 
 for if I am to live, I can expect recovery only by 
 these means." Act thus in reference to your 
 souls; leave the decrees out of consideration, for 
 you know nothing about them, and have nothing 
 to do with them. You are invited to use the 
 means of life; if you are decreed to be saved, you 
 must be saved by these ; and if you use them 
 aright, you certainly will be saved. If any use 
 at all is to bo made, by an inquirer, of the doc- 
 trine of election, it is a use in his own favour. 
 You know not that you are not elected, and tbe 
 very solicitude of your mind about salvation, is a 
 presumption that you are, since that solicitude is 
 the way in which God carries his decree into 
 execution. Besides, if you get away from the 
 invitation, and, instead of making that the rule of 
 your conduct, trouble your head with other views 
 s, you will find as much perplexity in 
 btowledi/e^ as you do in his decree. 
 
 1 -.-u: 
 
 mu BUlMi 
 
 !.l 
 
\ 
 
 PERPLEXITIES. 
 
 be lost, 
 
 ■ 
 
 •eference 
 vine de- 
 ; believe 
 le events 
 you, on 
 ake the 
 1 physi- 
 to life? 
 nothinj^ 
 is with 
 
 means; 
 
 only by 
 to your 
 :ion, for 
 nothing 
 use the 
 ed, you 
 se them 
 any use 
 :he doc- 
 favour, 
 and the 
 ion, is a 
 itude is 
 •ee into 
 rom the 
 i rule of 
 ir views 
 ixity in 
 decree. 
 
 119 
 
 Even those who deny the purposes of God, have 
 just as much reason to perplex themselves with 
 IJivine prescience, and say, - Whatsoev.^r God 
 foresees, and nothing but what he foresees, will, 
 take place; now he foresees either that I shall be 
 saved or lost: and as I do not know that he fore! 
 8ees that I ,W/ be saved, I am greatly di^c!:::; 
 aged. Abandon at once, therefore, all .olici- 
 tude and indeed all thoughts about the decree, 
 and lix your attention on the irwifatlon. Christ 
 bids you come to him for salvation; and everv bar 
 and obstacle which lies in the way of your comint 
 18 placed there l,y^yr>,,, and not by him. He does 
 no. say, Come when you have a.scertained your 
 e.ecaon; but, come and ascertain it. fie does 
 not say You are welcome if you have read the 
 decree; but. You are welcome if you believe the 
 prom.se. He does not .ay, Con Junder tie pre! 
 sumption that you are predestinated; but. Come 
 with the assurance that you are bidden. Your 
 business is to make your catlmg sure, and then 
 you will no longer dot,bt oi your election, 
 
 a Lf)Tf^I T'"' ""^ P'^'-Plexity with some, is, 
 a ear that they have comndttea the unpardonable 
 blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. 
 
 This is by no means an uncommon ground of 
 painful solicitude; and even when it does no 
 amount to a deep and terrifying, conviction, yet 
 the subject haunts the imagination with many 
 
 distressinir fears tpflr.o ♦» • « ** 
 
 ««^ 4. rL \ " ■ K^ ^"^ peace unsetnea, and 
 prevenu that calm and .ranquilizing reliai^s to 
 wtich the penitent is invited. Now, I wishVu 
 
 P 
 
120 
 
 PERPLEXITIES. 
 
 to know, that in whatever awful and terrific ob- 
 scurity this subject is enveloped, no one that is 
 really anxious about his salvation, need to be 
 under the least fear that he has passed the line of 
 hope, and entered the region where mercy never 
 dispenses pardon; the very fear of having com- 
 mitted this sin, when such fear is connected with 
 concern about religion, is a proof that it has not 
 been committed. It may be taken for granted, 
 that in every case where this mysterious crime 
 has been committed, the transgressor is given up 
 either to a deadly stupor or to a raging phrenzy 
 of the conscience. But perhaps, the best way of 
 removing the apprehension is to explain the sub- 
 ject which occasions it. What is the nature of 
 this sin? Read the account of it: "Wherefore I 
 say unto you. All manner of sin and blasphemy 
 shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy 
 against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto 
 men. And whosoever speaketh a word against 
 th'j Son of man, it shall be forgiven him"; but 
 whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it 
 ghall not be forgiven him, neither in this world 
 neither in the world to come," Matt. xii. 31, 32. 
 The occasion of these awful word^, was the con- 
 duet of the Pharisees, in ascribing the miracles 
 of Christ, the reality of which they could not deny 
 or doubt, to the power of the devil. Still, though 
 this was the occasion of the words, it was not a 
 description of the sin, for this was speaking 
 agamst the Son of man, and not against th^ 
 
\ 
 
 PERPLliXITlKS. 
 
 121 
 
 rific ob- 
 tbat is 
 d to be 
 i line of 
 y never 
 g corn- 
 ed with 
 has not 
 granted, 
 I crime 
 iven up 
 >lirenzy 
 way of 
 he sub- 
 ture of 
 refore I 
 sphemy 
 Bpheray 
 Bn unto 
 against 
 id; but 
 bost, it 
 J world 
 31, 32. 
 le con- 
 liraeles 
 3t deny 
 though 
 not a 
 eaking 
 tst th^ 
 
 Holy Ghost, which was not yet poured out * The 
 
 thJdisr5nL?'"'''/7P'o^ ^^P^"*^'"- ccnunenred 
 
 lift, Tf ^^" ""^ '^'' ^P''"^^^ ^^'^^" "i-^ ^^iviue 
 gitts, conferred upon the Apo^.th^s, complet^.d the 
 
 guage of Chnst, therefore, seemed to direct the 
 
 tlolh^;!. '^!i' '''"*' '-'"^ *^ ''^'"'"^ them, 
 though they under too.1 him not, that the mali^ 
 
 TertZ%TrT T"" ^'' "'^'^^^-'l^Mf repeated 
 a er the ffofy o/wst should be poured out, would 
 
 fn unh r 7"'l "^ '^''' ^"'^"'^^•^^' «^«' th.m up 
 mercv Th '"^ ^'u' '^''"^ ^^^^"^ ^^e reach of 
 
 fulleL^r?!-'"''''?."^^^^^^'^*' »'^« '««t «"d the 
 o!ii!;- ^ ''^'^''^^ ^^th mah'ce of heart. If in 
 
 ofak re t *lT„^^««P^«'"y» which signifies to 
 
 vou winr^'^^^^'^'.'PP''"*^''""^^'^' ^' i-npiousiy, 
 you will then have the nature of this crime before 
 you. It IS knowledge in the mind that miracles 
 were wrought; malice i„ the heart against CW 
 n attestation of whom they were o Wen con 
 
 r/uafe If' ""^ ^'^^*' ''^'^^ au^hor^a^dX 
 language of spite upon the tongue, reviling the 
 
 ^nJ^2^ P'-oper to remark here, thnl very njanv wise and 
 
 t^ruWt7t"hr' ^^r"^*^"' '^'^' this awful criTeTe brred us 
 truly to the miracles wn.ught bv Christ d..rin„ hj. f!.!!"! 
 jujnisiry. as to those which were wrouKht'bv ihe'RoTJ 
 
 ¥ ' 
 
 -n 
 
 ' ' '■I'l', 
 
 u 
 
 ^t 
 
n 
 
 [l! 1 
 
 122 
 
 PERPLEXITIES. 
 
 miracles themselves, by ascribing them to the 
 agency of devils. It is not simple unbelief under 
 the dispensation of the Spirit, persevered in till 
 death; it is not mere infidelity, even under very 
 aggravated circumstances; but it is the union of 
 conviction, malice, and impiety. It is therefore 
 evident, that?/ this sin is now ever committed, 
 no inquirer after salvation needs for a moment 
 ente' t in any apprehension that it has been com- 
 mitt.u by him. He has not passed the boundary 
 .f^^rcy ; nor is there any sin he has ever been 
 guilty ot, however enormous in magnitude, or 
 however painful in remembrance, but the blood 
 ot Jesus Christ can cleanse it away. 
 
 3. But this leads to another perplexity, which 
 IS felt by others; who, though they do not fear 
 that they have been guilty of this unpardonable 
 crime, are distressed by the apprehension, that 
 their sins are too great, too numerous, or too pe- 
 culiar to be forgiven. Sometimes convinced sin- 
 ners are enabled by Divine grace to indulge the 
 hope of pardon, almost as soon as they receive 
 the conviction of sin. Yea, some are led to see 
 the evil of sm at first, more by the mercy of the 
 gospel, than the stern justice which appears iii 
 the law; but others are long and sorely harassed 
 by fears of rejection, before they are brought to 
 a comfortable expectation of forgiveness. This 
 is more commonly the case with those who have 
 gone to great lengths in sin, and have resisted the 
 clearest and loudest warnings of conscience- it is 
 not unusual for such persons^when truly awakened 
 
n to the 
 ief under 
 id in till 
 der very 
 union of 
 here fore 
 tnmitted, 
 moment 
 en com- 
 oundary 
 er been 
 tude, or 
 lie blood 
 
 % which 
 lot fear 
 donable 
 Wf that 
 
 too pe- 
 3ed sin- 
 Ige the 
 receive 
 i to see 
 
 of the 
 ears in 
 arassed 
 Jght to 
 This 
 o have 
 ted the 
 
 >• if- la 
 
 ikened 
 
 PERPLEXITIES. J 23 
 
 tt'vTdii'/o/r"'^ 1"""-'' "> p'-s« ■•"to 
 
 fur a loltCey^fJ.ZT'^'''''^' ""<> *" '""'»''' 
 """ "™e w itliout hope oi- peace. 
 
 I .&^""V Pieij. 11)13 however, is a frrZt A^ 
 lusion, since true ffodlv sorrow i« V !. ^ *" 
 
 fedings of penitenre T r ^''^'^^ "'' ^^^ 
 
 feel fiomo I"; "'''•' """^ '^''^ «'"»"• believVor 
 
 If you are so selfish as to°be anxious f!^! n'^Xfl' 
 bu. your own safety, without caring for hol'in'es? 
 BO wonderyou are left by God to s'uch dark detl 
 
 h 'K 
 
 k 
 
124 
 
 PERPLEXITIES. 
 
 podenry You do not yet understand tlie desiV,, 
 ot Christ 8 work, whic'i is not merely to deliver 
 from hell, but also from sin. Chun-e, then, or 
 rather enlarge the object of your hope, so as to 
 include sanctification as well as justification, and 
 mail probability your unbelief and distress will 
 soon give way; for it will be found easier, per- 
 haps, to some to believe that God is willin to 
 make them holy, than to forgive them. Despond- 
 ing sinner, think of this; the salvation of Christ 
 IS designed to make you a new creature, and to 
 restore the image of God to your soul; and do you 
 not believe that God must be infinitely wiilin^ to 
 do thh? "^ ° 
 
 • 
 
 After all, however, there are some, who, even 
 with this view of the design of Christ's death, 
 cannot be induced to hope that their sins can be 
 forgiven: none have sinned, they think, like them; 
 there are aggravations in their sins, not to be 
 tound in the conduct of any other. Now I refer 
 such burdened and desponding minds, 
 
 To the promhes of GoiTs word. Read atten- 
 tively such declarations as are found in the fol- 
 lowing passages; Isaiah xliv. 22; Isaiah, Iv. 6,7; 
 Micah vii. 18, 19; Matthew xii. 31, 32. Dwell 
 especially upon this last passage, because it most 
 explicitly declares that the blasphemy against the 
 Holy Ghost is the only sin excepted from forgive- 
 ness. If, then, you are led to see that you *have 
 not committed the only sin for which there is no 
 forgiveness, it must, I think, annegr njain to "oa 
 that your transgressions are not unpardonable. 
 
PERPLEXITIES. 
 
 125 
 
 i design 
 • deliver 
 hen, or 
 so as to 
 on, and 
 iss will 
 er, per- 
 iling to 
 espond- 
 i" Christ 
 and to 
 I do you 
 iling to 
 
 • 
 
 0, even 
 death, 
 
 can be 
 
 3 them; 
 to be 
 
 I refer 
 
 atten- 
 ;he fol- 
 V. 6,7; 
 
 Dwell 
 it most 
 nst the 
 )rgive- 
 u have 
 
 e IS no 
 ible. 
 
 
 Dwell much upon the perfection of Christ's 
 work in making atonement for sin. The apostle 
 declares that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth 
 from all sin, 1 John i. 7. It would seem as if 
 this declaration were written on purpose to meet 
 such cases as yours. This Scripture says posi- 
 tively, the blood of Christ cleanseth horn all sin. 
 iVo, you say, in flat and perverse contradiction. 
 It cannot cleanse from mine." Did Christ die 
 to save sinners, and yet are there some sinners to 
 be tound according to your view, whom he cannot 
 saver* Then his work of salvation is unfinished, 
 and his character as a Saviour is incomplete. 
 Has he not already saved millions by the merit 
 of his death? Well, suppose all the sins of those 
 millions had been in you alone, -ould he not as 
 easily have saved you in that case, as he has saved 
 them? Certainly he could. Can you really make 
 up your mind to go and say to Christ, "Lord, thou 
 canst not, iviltnoU save me; there is neither love 
 enough in thy heart, nor power enough in thy 
 ►Spirit, nor merit enough in thy great sacrifice, to 
 save me. Look upon me, and behold a sinner 
 whom even thou canst not save: behold in me 
 a sinner whom thy utmost ability cannot reach." 
 JNo, you cannot say this; and yet you may say it. 
 and innocently say it, if what you affirm is true, 
 that your sins are too great to be forgiven. Let 
 It be admitted, for the sake of argument, that 
 you are the chief sinners, still Christ can saveyou • 
 Trpf. ^7««^» «ie_apostie thought, when he said 
 
 A ,<^ 
 
 "4 
 
 m 
 
 ''M 
 
 
 « 
 
 IS is a faithful saying, and worthy of all 
 
 ac< 
 
\ 
 
 
 126 
 
 PERPIEXITI'S. 
 
 ceptatiov, that Christ Jems came into the world 
 to save sinners, of whom I am chi kf." And now 
 read what follows: «' Howbeit for this cause I 
 oUtained merciy, that in me first [or, as it siffni- 
 iies, in me the chief sinner] Jesus Christ mi-ht 
 show forth ail long-sufF.ri, g, for a pattern to 
 them which should hereafter believe on him to 
 life everlasting." 1 Tim. i. 15, 16. Think what 
 &aul ot Tarsus was; a bloody persecutor, and 
 even murderer of the Disciples of Christ; yet 
 Uirist not only pardoned him, but raised him to 
 the dignity of the chief of the Apostles. For 
 what purpose? To be a pattern of God's mercy 
 to the end of time. Yes, there he stands, upon 
 the pedestal of his own immortal writin.rs. a 
 monument of the riches, power, and soverefgnty 
 ot Divme grace, bearing this inscription: "I, 
 
 WHO WAS A BLASPHKMKR, A PERSKCUTOK, AND IN • 
 
 JURious, OBTAmEi> MERcr. Let no man ever 
 despair; for if there arise a greater sinner than 
 ^ wo*, /e^ htm look on me, and hope for pardon 
 through the blood of Christ. I was forgiven, to 
 encourage the wickedest of men to repent, to be- 
 lieve m Jesus, and expect salvation:' 
 
 Consider well the ether instances recorded in 
 the word of God, of pardon granted to some of 
 the greatest sinners. The re is scarcely one class 
 ot sinners, or one kind of crime, which is not 
 specifically mentioned in scripture as havino' been 
 pardoned. Think of Manasseh, an apostate, an 
 idolater, a wholesale murderer, a m.an whosft evam= 
 pie and authority as a king were employed to fifl'a 
 
\ 
 
 PKRrLKXlTIKS. 
 
 J 27 
 
 nnt.on w,(h ,nu,u.ty: of David, who was puilty 
 o Hi. umM crimes of adultery and murder: of 
 
 cross; (t thnjevvswiio were converted on the day 
 <'t f.e itecost, and who. thou-li they had been the 
 '"urderers of (Nu-ist, were forgiven: of the once 
 pollute* rnernhers of th. Corinthian church, 1 Cor. 
 \i. J—11. What proofs are tiiese that no sins 
 w.ll keep a man from salvation, that do not keep 
 :•;•; fn.m ( hr..t The fact is. that greatness and 
 itthMiess few and many, have nothing to do with 
 this matter, m the way of making it more dilfi- 
 <-ult or niore easy to obtain mercy. No man is 
 pardor.ed because his sins are fewer than others: 
 a.Hl none ,s rejected because his sins are more. 
 .T Tu''o V'"" "' «'«'corne as little ones; for 
 as the skdl of the p!rvsicia.i is the more displayed 
 in <iangerous and difficult cases, than in slight 
 ones, so .s the grace of Christ the more illusfri- 
 ouHly manifested in the pardon and sanctification 
 oi notoiious sinners, than in the salvation of those 
 w ho ha ye not gone so far a.^tray. If God's mercy 
 be iMhuite. It must be as easy to him to pardon a 
 million of sins as one. Desponding sinner, dry 
 up your tears, and doubt no longer. The great- 
 est sm you can commit, is to disbelieve God's* 
 promise to forgive your other sins. Unbelief is 
 the most iPtnous of all sins. *• He that believeth 
 riot (,od hath made him a liar,'' \ John v. 10.— 
 ,„ "'"^''^'^o ^^^ Hie iie to his face, as 
 ojteft as you say your sins are too great to be for- 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 given. Do you not tremble at this? Is thei 
 
 e not 
 
128 
 
 PKRPLEXITIKS. 
 
 abominable pride in unbelief? Who, and what 
 are you, that you sUould suppose God lias any ob- 
 ject or interest in deceiving you by a false pro- 
 "i" , , ;^^?y«" so considerable a person, that ho 
 should think it worth his while to falsify his word, 
 in order to draw you into false confidence? Be- 
 leve, then, from this hour, that God is more wil- 
 ling to forgive you the greatest of your sins, than 
 you imngine he is to blot out the least of them. 
 4. borne are perplexed with the notion, that as 
 the sacnfice of the wicked k an abomination to 
 t,o(i, and as "^oue of the tcorks of unrcgcrierate 
 persons are acceptable to God, it is not right for 
 them to praj/, since they are not yet btlievers in 
 Lhrist With regard to the expression above 
 alluded to, which speaks of the sacrifice of the 
 wicked It means the hypocritical religious ser- 
 vices of men, who are still living in the commis- 
 sion of known sin. and impiously desi^rninc^ to 
 make some atonement for their iniquities^by tTieir 
 eacnfices. This is evident from the passage itself, 
 %vhere it is also said, '^ The way of the wicked is 
 abomination," Prov. xv. 9; that is, his conduct; 
 and because his conduct is abominable, therefore 
 his prayer is also abominable. This passage is 
 Ijest expounded by a reference to Isaiah i. 10— 
 18 It applies to a totally different case from 
 yours. I acknowledge that your prayers no not 
 merit the Divine blessing which you are anxious 
 to obtain, however frequently or fervently thjiy 
 
 , ".. * " ^'"o"i Jiui. Lv pray WITQ 
 
 tne Idea, that there is any worth in your prayers 
 
1(1 wimt 
 nny oh- 
 ilse pro- 
 , tliut ho 
 is word, 
 s? Be- 
 ore wiU 
 n.s than 
 them. 
 , t/iaf as 
 at ion to 
 lerierote 
 ght for 
 evers in 
 above 
 of the 
 us spr- 
 om mis- 
 ling to 
 )j their 
 e itself, 
 eked is 
 induct; 
 eref'ore 
 stige is 
 i. JO— 
 3 from 
 no not 
 nxious 
 
 y wiTn 
 irayers 
 
 X'KnpiKxiriKs. 
 
 to make nny ntoncme 
 
 f. 
 
 your sins; nor 
 conifurt from 
 
 you to look for ncM,,, and 
 
 r> 1 . -^ nuth, your pray 
 
 129 
 
 ought 
 your 
 
 such as God I 
 bel 
 
 >*i>i f^ngaged to answ 
 
 nil 
 
 levethat Godiswininirand 
 ^•pint.ial blessing, for h« 1 
 
 ei-3 are not 
 t-r. Yon shouhl 
 waiting to bestow 
 
 'iV) dotibt at th 
 
 n<a promised to do 
 
 ,. ' ' 1" """i^tjo lo do so. 
 
 whether it is your d,,t, t!, .^ T "' '" '^""^'^ 
 
 ot tills |,j wickedness, ami prnv Gn.l ie\! ' 
 
 '"ps the t .,„.ght of thine hea,/Z b f„ /^iP"- 
 
 thee; for I perceive that thou ,„•, i^ t.eTl nf 
 
 bme,„ess and i„ „,« b„„,, ,f i,i^„^/l^fl^ 
 
 henra ■™r::i;i':r;e'r„'oT\r:H^ ";:"■« 
 
 ^uly converted to Go,l, as f! 'examr 'Ahr? 
 K.nss XX,. 29; Jelioalmr, 2 Ki"Z' xiif 4 '-! 
 
 nre sineere; he really de 
 
 I would remind you, that as lo 
 
 sires it. Still, how 
 
 ation 
 ever, 
 
 k 
 
 ng as you pray in 
 
««v.*C*': 
 
 N; 
 
 130 
 
 1*ER1*l£XiT1kS. 
 
 r: ) 
 
 fin unconverted state, your prayers nvc. only tln^ 
 operations of self love, vvhicli, tli <ug\\ not sinful, 
 nre not truly holy; they are but tiie criert of iniaery 
 ofter relief, the deuie of I lie soul after Imppinertsj 
 nnd, lioweVei- lre(|uently oi* fervently re|»eate(l, 
 prefer no claim on Gixl Jor hi.i bl(\x»ing. The sin 
 lies not in prayingj fur, if sincere, there is no sin 
 in crying to God for heipi but in not believing, 
 Instead, th»-ref()re, of leaving olF pra\er, or lun*- 
 nssing your minds with doubts about the propriety 
 of carrying it on, continue in.-tant in prayer, be- 
 lieving at the same time the pjornise <if nnrcy in 
 Christ ♦Jesus. You are to add ',o your prayer, 
 fiiith; and it ia doubtless your duty at onee to 
 believe: but shouhi it n«tt be tiiat your soul loses 
 immediately its guilty fears, still y«)u are to go on 
 praying for mercy, and for I'aith to recive it. 
 It cannot be wrong for a soul to cry for mercy. 
 With such light as you have, alihonjih it may nut 
 be such aw is necessary to salvation; lift up yuur 
 desire to God. Pray lor more knowledge, stron^^er 
 faith, and Hrmer hope. Prayer is your duty, ami 
 it is your privilege; and let no specuhitive diffi- 
 culties have a moment's influence to induce y<Mj to 
 pusp'-nd it. If you cannot yet pray a> a l)eliever, 
 cry for mercy as a sitnier. But do not remain in 
 unbelief, supposing that prayer can be a s(d)sti» 
 lute fur faith; for, as 1 said before, so 1 repeat, 
 God does not bind himself to answer any prayers 
 but those of faiih. 
 
m 
 
 only t\w 
 ot sinful, 
 of misery 
 (ippincrtsj 
 re|M'nte(l, 
 The sin 
 is no sin 
 )(,^lieviii<r, 
 
 ', or har- 
 propriety 
 iiy.T, bo 
 int-rcy in 
 r prnyer, ' 
 f onet' to 
 soul losen 
 i to go on 
 'C'ivf it. 
 ir mercy. 
 I tuny not 
 
 up your 
 , stron:;( 1' 
 duty, arifl 
 tivt' tlitH- 
 ce you to 
 
 belifver, 
 leniain in 
 ii .siil)."»ti» 
 
 1 repeat, 
 y piayt-i 9 
 
 CHAPTER Vlll 
 
 Ti^THvZT^''^' """^^^ -''^''■''^ THEMSELVK5 
 Al THE COAIMEACEMENT OF A KELIGIOUS COUiiSE. 
 
 The word of God teaches us to expect these. 
 
 to Heaven, when he placed the slough of derond 
 
 swnmn If '""^ ^Tr^ ^y""'^ 'hi' dismal 
 fin^v n. "'■'■"\'"" ^'""■"'■'''* difficulties, and 
 
 tliem Prepare then for di.seouraj!enient, for you 
 and mUifuVt^n r* "'"' "' """'« '^ ""'h *- 
 to you it, T" "''""»'' "■'"« '«>» happened 
 
 A dour f »■»"*'• P""*'""'" "« objection. 
 
 . - •. = .^, TTuuju ue larai to your hones But 
 
 "well on th,8 thought, it is a blissful one, pondef 
 
 •ft' I 
 
 
132 
 
 DISCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 here, before you go another step; arm your- 
 selves to meet every discouragement, come from 
 what quarter it may, with this conviction, that 
 God waits to be gracious; yes, like the father 
 in the parable of the prodigal son. He is out, 
 looking for you; His infinite mercy is in motion 
 towards you; He runs towards you faster than 
 you go to Him. What, then, is your discour- 
 agement? 
 
 1. The cold indifferencey the reptdsive sht/ness, 
 of professing Christians. You thought that the 
 very look of anxiety, the A^ery countenance that 
 seemed to say to their eyes, if not to their ears, 
 "What shall J do to be saved?" would draw the 
 sympathies of many upon you; instead of which, 
 you are left without a frien 1 to commiserate, to 
 guide, to soothe you, and are compelled, in the 
 agony of your soul, to say, even to the multitude 
 that go up to Zion, " Is it nothing to you, all ^e 
 that pass by; come, see, if there be any sorrow 
 like unto mine. Will no man care for my eoul?" 
 Ah, my friend, let me tell you in the beginning 
 of your career, that pou cannot expect too little 
 from man^ nor too much from God. It is the 
 scandal of the Church of Christ, and in some 
 measure also, of its ministers, that serious inqui- 
 rers after salvation are shamefully neglected. But 
 shall this discourage you ? What, whA all 
 Heaven is interested on your behalf? When 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are concerned for 
 you? When the blessed angels are rejoicing over 
 you, and flying on wings of love to minister to 
 
DISCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 133 
 
 [•m your- 
 ome from 
 tion, that 
 he father 
 le is out, 
 in motion 
 ster than 
 • discour- 
 
 e shf/ness, 
 t that the 
 lance that 
 heir ears, 
 draw the 
 of which, 
 iserate, to 
 id, in the 
 multitude 
 ou, all ^e 
 \y sorrow 
 my soul?" 
 beginning 
 
 too little 
 It is the 
 
 in some 
 Its inqui- 
 cted. But 
 whA all 
 » When 
 erned for 
 cing over 
 iinister to 
 
 you, as an heir of salvation? Cast away your 
 gloom look t., i-.od; and if the neglect of Chris- 
 tians shou d lead you to a more simple dependence 
 upon Chnst, you will be a gainer in the end! 
 loo many rnemU, and too much attention, might 
 do you injury, by leading you to depend too mSch 
 upon an arm of flrsh. 
 
 2 Many are discouraged by witnessing the low 
 ^tateof religion among professors. They see no 
 counterpart to their own anxiety among those 
 who have long borne the Christian name. While 
 they themselves are crying *' What shall we do 
 m.n Ar""^? they hear little from the lips of 
 many Christian professors, but, - What shall we 
 ^a or drink; wherewithal shall we be clothed; 
 
 ottiader' fhey see so much worldly-minded- 
 ness, so much imperfection of temper, so many 
 th.ngs unworthy of the Christian character, that 
 ^^y can scarcely believe there is a reality in re- 
 i'gion, and are sometimes ready to .rive up all as 
 a mere name. N.ay, from some of these ve.y 
 professors, they receive plain hints that they are 
 too anxious too precise, too earnest and ur-ent 
 
 fm. hi Y'^^^P^^^-^^^r^J ye child. murderers! 
 io by what solter name can I call you, in thus 
 
 b tlT^y^Kl" ''T"^"" '^'' ^'"''^''«" «^ ^od in the 
 Onth." I beseech you to consider the mischief 
 
 you are doing, and abandon this effort to extin- 
 guish the SrWiniHiJ^ «P.^..I. u„_--. . " ."" 
 
 energies of spiritual life. Andfye inquire -sifter 
 sal»at.„B, do not be discouraged. If ,he,e men 
 
 
 m 
 
 S-'* 
 
V 
 
 I 
 
 134 
 
 DISCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 are living below their profession, this it their bu- 
 siness, not yours. Salvation is necessary for 
 you, whether they are sincere and earnest in 
 seeking it or not. It will be no compensation 
 for the loss of your soul, to think that they lost 
 theirs. If there were not yet one real Christian 
 in all the world, this would be no excuse for 
 your neglecting to become one. Look into the 
 Bible, rather than to professors. Instead of giv- 
 ing up the matter, you should gather this infer- 
 ence from what you see, that it is no easy thing 
 to be a Christian. Should the bad tempers, the 
 unworthy conduct of professors induce you to re- 
 linquish the pursuit of salvation, it will be poor 
 consolation in the bottomless pit, to look back 
 Upon the cause of your ruin. 
 
 3. You are, perhv^ps, discouraged by the pros- 
 pect of opposition from your nearest friends. 
 You see them all worldly, and plainly perceive 
 that your real conversion to God will place you 
 in direct opposition to them; that your becoming 
 a Christian, and acting as such, will bring into 
 your house the scene described by our Lord, 
 Matt. X. 34—38. " Oh," say you, " how fearful 
 is the prospect before me! my piety will sound a 
 note of discord in a family where all has been 
 peace till now, although a peace founded on a 
 common disregard of religion; and will introduce 
 confusion and strife v, here all has been union and 
 harmony." *« I must brave the* anger of my hus- 
 band," says the wife, « and perhaps alienate that 
 heart, on which my spirit has hitherto reposed 
 
their bii- 
 ssary for 
 arnest in 
 pensation 
 they lost 
 Christian 
 tcuae for 
 into the 
 id of gir- 
 lis infer- 
 asy thing 
 pers, the 
 ou to re- 
 1 be poor 
 3ok back 
 
 the pros- 
 friends. 
 perceive 
 >lace you 
 )ecoriiing 
 ring into 
 ur Lord, 
 vv ft^arful 
 i sound a 
 has been 
 led on a 
 ntroduce 
 nion and 
 my hus- 
 nate that 
 reposed 
 
 DISCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 135 
 
 With such df>Ii(rhf " r\ 
 
 Been, ,o be di^obedienPl'; 7' "" "''"'^> "^ ">"« 
 hitherto found U to bim , •""'''"•' ^'""° ^ ''ave 
 Oh. can I do U, r"^,<'"'^''"'l">lisstoobey. 
 
 Heaven? are therp „/ •i'^''*' "" ""'«■• """T to 
 to the .uZZZt ant'""' '^-"■■'•"■-bn.i.^on 
 «"«■•. I do not concea th„» •.•""*' """'' ^hat- 
 native. I sho.iM T. j • " " "" awful alter- 
 
 «y friend! if I dfd „„t t'.'V""' "' ^" ^y">"«hr, 
 not withd aw he cro.' l/"' ^T '^"t I «lare 
 
 withyour,,ifIs ec"?ullv!r""' T"'^ P""'^ 
 you that, in y<,«r circums ilf ""P*''' «" P"''"™''* 
 the love of God and «l .^ ',: repentance, fai.h, 
 tues included in decided •""'"'; ^^''^^ «"'' vir- 
 be dispensed w?,|,"'go, ?•;;"""' ''^'^"''' «<"'« 
 
 wife, parent and ch Id hi , .Husband and 
 
 repu,atio„,and the. .nin? ';""'' '*"''«' ^"'^"i^y 
 place to H« '^'^ "PPlau^e of men, must all give 
 
 o'-ificefor Him He'v„ T^« /<"•«" J'O" sa- 
 nitely more vT. „.,w!,h ™u''" "'« '•''•own i„fi. 
 
 profession; you „ust=a o M a 1 u '„?"'" ''""' 
 position to the wishes of 1 """^'^''ssary op- 
 you should, if possible hf, "T""""^'^ relatives; 
 
 ">ore devo^edri %we;tV' k":,"'''-" ''^^'"'"'"- 
 waiters; you sI,»nM .J "^ ^'"''' ^n a^' other 
 
 should ei;.ibit"i: "™K,fr'b'"T *^"' ^o- 
 
 you should trv. f. ,."!1_'"!:!".""-''«'I meekness: 
 
 but you ,n„se ;,„, ■^;rx.:";':;;'iit^, p---''^^. 
 
 
 convictions; you rau.t be will 
 
 up your 
 »g to die of a bro- 
 
 kiJL 
 
V 
 
 136 
 
 DISCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 ken heart, and by the wrongs of perseculion^ 
 rather than give up your pursuit of salvation. — 
 Trust in God, Hk will support you. If he call 
 you to be a martyr in this way^ he will first give 
 you a martyr's fnith, and then a martyr's crown. 
 Let the following impressive fact be read by 
 you with solemn awe. " An accomplished and 
 
 amiable young woman, in the town of > 
 
 had been deeply affected by a sense of her spiri- 
 tual da..ger. She was the only child of a fond 
 and affectionate parent. The deep impressions 
 which accompanied her discovery of guilt and de- 
 pravity, awakened all the jealousies of the father. 
 He dreaded the loss of that sprightliness and vi- 
 vacity which constituted the life of his domestic 
 circle. He was startled by the answers which his 
 questions elicited; while he foresaw, or thought he 
 foresaw, an encroachment on the hitherto unbro- 
 ken tranquillity of a deceived heart. Efforts 
 were made to remove the cause of her disquie- 
 tude; but they were such efforts as unsanctified 
 wisdom directed. The Bible at last — O how lit- 
 tle may a parent know the far reaching of the 
 deed, when he snatches the word oi' life from the 
 hand of a child I — the Bible, and other books of 
 religion, were removed from her possession, and 
 their place was supplied by works of fiction. An 
 excursion of pleasure was proposed»and declined; 
 an offer of gayer amusement shared the same 
 fate; promises, remonstrances, and threatening* 
 followed. But the i\uhers infatuated perst^ve- 
 ranc^ at last brought compliance* Alas, how littlfe 
 
eculion, 
 ntion. — 
 he call 
 rst give 
 i crown, 
 read by 
 lied and 
 
 er spin- 
 a fond 
 iressiona 
 ; and de- 
 e father, 
 and vi- 
 [Jomestic 
 .'hioh his 
 ought he 
 unbro- 
 Efforts 
 disquie- 
 anctified 
 how lit- 
 ^ of the 
 from the 
 books of 
 iion, and 
 on. An 
 ieclined; 
 he same 
 lateninga 
 perse ve- 
 low little 
 
 1 
 
 I>ISC0URAGEMEN1S. I37 
 
 then. ,0 the sacifice. like a fol ;^^;,.:^ 'fS 
 
 to-other B, "" "■'" ,"■'"' '"'"'■''' ^""i-'hed 
 
 and <rj,v L -_ \i. *_ ■ ^"^ 'ii'Ciniiting 
 
 fevei- thn, h.,.l , T~ "'"■'' l""sH'i"«<l by a 
 
 appn-ach of death wa. uueguivoc 1 1 !, ^''^ 
 
 te«ance of eve,y attendant fell 'as f t'T^ 
 »i«ard the flight of his ariwr '^ey had 
 
 «'>"t look di-lcted ,0 t; ZheJT; Z\r' 
 "•artyr of folly. The glaring e'yXa^dfi'"^ 
 ;o.»e ..sness; and yet tfere se^nte^d a „„,tX„s 
 
 e ntss, and tenor, in the sa,„e „i^„^ ^" 
 « -Ty7a;he;.r^^"! "-';'«•■ '-"' -P-'ctl1 
 
 with Ihis striking fact .lad Tef II " ""'""""»" 
 of «en>ture.- Man:"'" ol^ .Ilil'S?''? 
 
 "• 20-22; Rev. vii. 9_I7. "'' ^ ^ «"•'■• 
 fwL UM ,l''*-'""'''f«"^«"s of others lie. nearer 
 
 _. ' "' — '" ""-/ JiijiKo no 
 
 * " Letters to a Friend." 
 
 
 m 
 
 m\ 
 
 m 
 
138 
 
 riSC^lJJlAGEMEIfTS, 
 
 progress; their views gain nothinn^ in clearness, 
 their convictions in depth, nor their hearts in 
 peace. They are neitlier more convinced, nor 
 more comtorted; neither more spiritual, nor more 
 decided than they were; and they are sometimes 
 seiatHl with ftts of hopek^ss depondency, and are 
 ready to give up the whole matter. Such a 
 state of mind is very common, and a very peri- 
 lous one, and •affords ground for real alarm. 
 Your duty and safety lie in considering that the 
 fiiuh is in yourself, and not in God; you^you are 
 to blam»n y ou are perhaps halting between two- 
 opinions; you are still probably endeavouring to 
 compromise between religion- and the wo:'ld; you 
 are not giving that tixe<1, devoted attention to the 
 subject. which it demands. You must, therefore^ 
 go afresh to the work.* You must feel just 
 like a man who has been swimming in a tide 
 that is bearing htm further from tli« shore, and 
 who feels thsit it is necessary to make more vigor- 
 ous efforts, or he is inevitably lost. Gme up ! f 
 No, any thing bwt that. To perish now, would 
 be to perish terribly. While you are carrying 
 on the heartless efforts, you may die,, and in what 
 a stat**t 
 
 Hut» peyhap,% your coriip!aii»ts are the result of 
 that deep anxiety, which makes you think there" 
 is no advance till yov are really established in the 
 full kHOwltdgty fiiith, and hope of the GospeL 
 To this established state you ought to come, and 
 to come without delay; and nothing h 
 from comin*' to it» but an evil heart o 
 
 lore Trrtii 
 
\ 
 
 Mi-CODRAGEMEKTS. Jgg 
 
 and to this point I press you to come. But should 
 your Ifnowledge not grow as rapidly, nor vo'r 
 
 sTed". 'Z:7 "' ff'' "' y- -p^'ct^d 0-- d - 
 s red, hould you feel yourself slo«r of growth in 
 all that appertains to Christian and happy ex 
 
 asTf „! ^k" ff,''«^P»n'''"g pursuit of salvation. 
 t,i„ w? •'*°' """ y»" 'ei-e never likely to oh. 
 *!'"• ^''" /»" should do is immediately to re- 
 
 lerence, than to the place of refuffe Tii«f «» 
 
 rus'fe'eirn"' "" -- knowledgtn:- mo'r el ! 
 upl sav r^'- "°™'='"''*'«-t. yet believe. Look 
 
 ble to^hl ^"'"'/J -"f ""''' •' « distinctly visi- 
 ble to the eye of f\,i(h, from .every point of tL 
 
 road along which you are journey^in^? anl'^' 
 
 that wl TZ-^r^"? ^^ •>''» "l'" '^i" 'ook 
 th^f J7' " "'* *'"''' of 'hat dear Object 
 
 that will present every other in a ri"ht lielu Vnd 
 
 .nv^orate every frace that belongs to trt'rtu' 
 
 But may it not be, that your obstructions m « 
 n.o,e rap,d growth, arise fro^m some sDec "CI. «? 
 
 ished'T.h'" *"'""g«<>. son.e corruption cber: 
 ished? Is there not some sacrifice which you ara 
 
 ■ill 
 
 I 
 
t 
 
 140 
 
 DISC0UR4GEMENTS. 
 
 unwilling to make, something which you are un- 
 willing to surrender, although your judgment tells 
 you the surrender ought to be made, and your 
 conscience demands it? You must give up the 
 forbidden thing, or your growth in grace is im- 
 possible: that one sin will, like a concealed worm 
 at the root of a flower, eat out the very life of 
 your religion, and cause it to droop, wither, and 
 die. Is it a companion, from whom you are un- 
 willing to separate, but whose society is hinder- 
 ing your progress? And will you sacrifice your 
 sours salvation, heaven, and eternal glory, all that 
 is dear to you as an immortal creature, and de- 
 liberately choose everlasting perdition, for that 
 sin, or that friend? Take your choice between 
 heaven and sacrifice, hell and present gratification. 
 Immortal man! Pause, and ponder: canst thou 
 hesitate? There is both awful guilt and imminent 
 peril in every moments delay. What if God 
 should, as he justly may, send forth the command, 
 **He is joined to idols; let him alone," Hosea iv. 
 17. Decide, then; decide at once. The moment 
 in which thou readest this page may decide it: 
 for if thou art unwilling to give up thy sinful 
 practice, or sinful companion, God may, from this 
 moment, give up thee. 
 
 But, perhaps, the slowness ff your growth in 
 
 knowledge and in grace may arise from another 
 
 cause, I mean ^our neglect of the promised in- 
 
 Jiuence and help of the Holy Spirit. You have 
 
 been it\{\ Rplf.f»nnflf1pnf anA nra r>/^«r faoM-nn ♦!»/» 
 
 consequence of it. At one time, perhaps, your 
 
DlSCOURAaKMENTS. 
 
 141 
 
 your 
 
 impressions were deep, your convictions stronn^ 
 your frame lively, and your feelings much excited • 
 bu you have suffered yourself to be seduced by 
 featan, who took advantage of these things, into a 
 spirit of self confidence and self-dependence. You 
 have forgotten that in you there is no good thin^r. 
 and have forsaken the fountain of living waterl 
 lou have never doubted the necessity of the 
 ^pint s influence, but you have neglected it. You 
 hav« grieved the Holy Ghost, and he has sus- 
 pended that gracious aid which you so little valued. 
 You have striven, but it has been in your own 
 strength: and now you find that strength to be 
 weakness itself. Now, then, profit by your er- 
 ror; and commit your soul, not only into the 
 hands of Christ for pardon, but into the hands of 
 the Spirit for sanctification. Now, lean upon that 
 JJiyine power which worketh in us both to will 
 and to do Live in the Spirit; walk in the Spirit; 
 pray in the Spirit; strive in the Spirit. Open 
 your heart to his gracious influence; and let it be 
 a feehng as well as a conviction, that your spiri- 
 tual ife has no existence separate from his in- 
 dwelling and inworking within you. 
 
 It may be, however, that this discouragement 
 and complaint of a slow growth in religion, are 
 altogether unfounded, and are the result of disap- 
 pointment, operating upon a humble or a sanguine 
 mind You may have expected at once to emerge 
 from the thick darkness of an unconverted state. 
 inio tne very noontide brightness of a full estab-' 
 hshment in faith, hope, and love. You expected. 
 
 m 
 
142 
 
 DISCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 probably, by one stride, or rather bound, to reach 
 the position of experienced Christians. But re- 
 mernber, that both in nature and in grace, the 
 works of God come gradually to maturity. There 
 
 "^ 1?' .'fr.^''^^' *^^" ^^'^ y«""g »"«nj tl»en the 
 adult. What a feeble, glimmering spark of life 
 13 there sometimes in a new-born child; it is dif- 
 ficult to determine whether it is alive or dead; 
 and even when unequivocal signs of life appear, 
 what vigilant care is necessary to preserve the 
 spark from being extinguished. Such has been 
 the unpromising condition in which many a 
 strong and long-lived man has commenced his 
 existence. How analogous to this is the work of 
 t.od in the soul. So, again, with the growth of 
 corn, there is first the blade; then the stalk; then 
 the ear: and as it is in the field of nature, so is 
 the grow th of religion in the heart of man. We 
 must not despise the "day of small things," 
 either in ourselves or others, for God does not. 
 it IS said of our Divine Redeemer, " He shall 
 teed his flock like a shepherd;" and in his flock 
 there are lambs which can neither travel fast nor 
 lur; and what will he do with them? " He shall 
 gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in 
 Ills bosom;' not on his shoulder, the emblem of 
 strength, but in his bosom, the image of tender 
 love; ''and .hall gently lead those that are with 
 young Isa. xl. 11; those that are burdened with 
 many fears, and painful apprehensions. How 
 iiindly did he forbear with the dulness. nn^ infJr. 
 unties, and mistakes of his disciples; how gently 
 
not. 
 
 DISCOUIUOEMENTS. 
 
 143 
 
 to E,n„,„,„, , ,:,'t°; 'j '^'"d nnd gloomy walk 
 ipaik of hope, iu, wlul ?► " '"" Kl"'""e.inff 
 in tl.e.> bosom /roTv!rn-"''? ':''''"'^ '"''"I"'- 
 
 ,"'« good he coul.I fin „„ ' ''" ''« '"-"tion all 
 looking even th" i ,," ' ""'""^ .*'"•"'' ""» over- 
 
 jn. "f Of PhiMei! tJ'^L ■ h'""VT-' V'^^J 
 this, di,«h,.nrtened inquil, ^i-, "•/• ^'""k of 
 
 ledge shall shine briber and h^M"" °'''"'"'^- 
 Perlcctclayj (|,y inf.rn |! ? ''"g''!-i- unto the 
 
 •"only po/e'r; tV",' r bl Z";:' •"" ^"''^ »" 
 come the full corn in the ear T, '""'^ ■''""" ^• 
 to a Saviour who "win n I , ,"" "'' '""king 
 
 IS real grace, and is in connexl^' •.,'''' «'""« 
 «o"'-ce in his fulne,, wh nT/L ^'^'"'■■'•n inHnite ' 
 and who givethm"Vr'° ;"%«"." <"" ",'' S>--e, 
 humble, and to think mef ,,1. *• " '^''" «° f-e 
 b"t remember, trees are ?, /"'."''"""■"'"'^'"fs! 
 -« not at one; lade" ^^i h r i'"" '^^""^^ "-^ 
 things to paralyze vo,„ . .•' ' '">' "»' ""ese 
 attainment^, fo/he wh",sT.U ^^T '■'?' «'■«'"- 
 ''e has, has in reilitv ,■,"'' "'"' "i« grace 
 pondency. and m-evei^ Tt'.^t' *° '^''eck'^des. 
 "f 'leficiincy. Xeh b!n K '^' ''«»««"''"? sense 
 extinguishing iT'.pe '"''' "'•"'^ ^-^""^"n. by 
 
 bytthe'ri''i!!!".'"''/?^!?«nt has been exnerien.ed 
 
 into actuaUimr"" '^ ''^'"'"'' ""'' '"'hidings 
 
 I' 18, I admit, a grievous 
 
 aggravation of sin, to 
 
I 
 
 144 
 
 DISCOURAGttM ENTS. 
 
 fall into it after men have been awakened and 
 convinced: and as there is much danger of this, 
 the word of God contains many awful warnings 
 against it, which have been already referred to 
 We ought, therefore, to use the greatest watch- 
 fulness, and to present the most fervent prayer 
 to be kept from these sins; and our vigilance sluiuld 
 be doubled, in regard to those temptations to which 
 we are most exposed from the peculiarity of our 
 constitution, situation, or any other circuuistnnces. 
 Yet sometimes even they who have sincerely and 
 earnestly engaged in the pursuit of salvation, have 
 been, through a want of watchfulness, betrayed 
 again into those sins from which they h'ul be«m 
 delivered. In such cases, the backslider, under 
 the united influence of remore and fiespoiidency, 
 is apt to give up all for lost, and, under the idea 
 that he shall never obtain salv ation, renounce the 
 further pursuit of it. Now I would say to you, 
 that while you cannot be too deeply humbled for 
 such relapses, you ought not to think that your case 
 is desperate. If such sins could not be pardoned, 
 and such sinners could not be restored, who then 
 could be saved? But it is not so much a doubt of 
 pardon for the past, you say, that discourages you, 
 as a fear of preservation for the future. You Hud 
 your heart so treacherous, your purposes Si» frail, 
 your corruptions so strong, and your tempations 
 vso great; you have been so often victorious, and 
 then again so often conquered, that you quite 
 despair of success. What mean those desponding 
 expressions? They seem to say, either that there 
 
led find 
 of this, 
 i)rning3 
 rred to 
 watch- 
 
 [)rayer 
 e.sliduid 
 o which 
 
 of our 
 stances, 
 elv and 
 )n, have 
 let rayed 
 Mcl be«;n 
 , under 
 tideiicy, 
 he id«^a 
 ince the 
 
 to you, 
 bl«^d for 
 Dur (Hse 
 ,rdon«d, 
 ho then 
 doubt of 
 'res you, 
 fou Hud 
 s«» frail, 
 ipationa 
 >U8, and 
 u quite 
 ponding 
 lat there 
 
 DISCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 145 
 
 IS 
 
 . '^^ ^f^P fo*" you but in yourselves or thaf r^A 
 IS not able to delivery... ^th are Sse T^ 
 
 help t %:^ V* '"^ ^^-« - all.suffie en 
 God k F^ ' K.^^"'?.^'» '^""«^» t^ke coura-P 
 
 lean nLn K- • t^'^ P^''' ^^^^ ^^^n ^ise up and 
 Jean upon his mighty arm for the future Th^ 
 
 L . ?"'^* «^ past sin, and the grace of the Ho v 
 S Tn.^TlT.^"^ '^« co.,ni's:io^n?f 
 
 SCV^^^^^^^^ con,ue?or, af C 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 CAUTIONS. 
 
 1. Do not aeek to relieve your solicitude^ or settle 
 
 '/ 
 
 your religious peace, hy making a profession o, 
 
 religion, and receiving the Sacrament. 
 
 This is done by many persons, who, after having 
 
 remained for a long time in unrelieved solicitude, 
 
 and after having tried all methods, but the right 
 
 one, for gaining peace, determine to enter into 
 
 church fellowship, and to receive the Lord's Supper, 
 
 with the hope of obtaining that comfort which 
 
 they have hitherto sought in vain. But does not 
 
 this look like a self-righteous dependence upon 
 
 duties? In what way can the sacrament give relief 
 
 to a burdened conscience? Is there any thing 
 
 more meritorious in that ordinance than in any 
 
 other? Perhaps you say, that the emblems of the 
 
 body and blood of our Lord will more deeply and 
 
 powerfully impress the mind through the medium 
 
 of the senses. So they will ; but then the mind 
 
 must be in a state of knowledge and faith to receive 
 
 the impression : but I am now supposing that you 
 
 are not yet in that state, that you have never yet 
 lii.- J 1 i„i- iV_ 1 j» „i»ni-_:_i. e — L 
 
 full and free salvation ; and in such a state of mind. 
 
 :/-.t^''^ 
 
CACTIONS. 
 
 147 
 
 to go to the sacrament or the el,„r,.l. f 
 to expect that M«,oan do tZff "^ ''^'"=^' ■'» 
 
 "■O'k of Christ cannot V^'^l^"' ^°". 'vhich the 
 Christ able to take a ,:^,turi"?' ^ "'-<' "^ 
 necessary ,o be added to^he riXL '"^ """« 
 , &av,our for your h'stiReaLTwlT' "^ ""' 
 sacrament do /or you ift.l^ : I*"" ""n "'e 
 yo" ? The sinnef tha, iek, »!, '^ "A'^''^"' '» ^^ve 
 pi't any where, whX Htt ?n .t „" '""'^''" °^ 
 'ng. <* at the sacramental fin I'"'.P™y«'-'"eet- 
 of Christ, is in deMon if ^' '"''"^•'' "'« '=™3S 
 
 »<>y feel for the^tTm? a„ ahl "'*' ' ^PP^"-' >">" 
 *"<;? ! your imag r.."." tTC ^^P"/ ^"'^^i- 
 ftehngs moved ; a • Lft^ ''.^ excited ; your 
 
 "ay have peace b... ,; fe'^ ^'' '"'"■"'' ^o" 
 one. Either yoi wi IMlt- • " Z '^ "•"»»■■«« 
 or your anxiefy w 1 loo r! '' ' • ^^"^"''eception, 
 
 -Pprehension tLT yoTha e ^dded "•'"''^'' "^ "» 
 receiving the Lord's Snnl- ^^ *'" "> ^in, by 
 
 ofttind" ThSiS ■■;: inTenlTP'-'-'''^ ^"«« 
 peaceto unbdievers hut^l ',"*!"*'«<'' "ot to give •• 
 to believers j not to brint """"'"''"'c'ion 
 
 but to be recdvedi^rlr. It r'"'^°' '•■''■'''' 
 burden of sin fmm ih ' ^* ^° remove the 
 
 remembran": S GreTs^T' V"' '« '^^^P '" 
 burden is removed TL•f'•''"^ ''J' '^b'^h the 
 '■eveal himself to the sinnt •"',""" <^'"d "W 
 bread , but the aues.ir" '" '^^ breaking of 
 b«t what he mLT'1":'^ "»' "^bat he „,<,/do. 
 
 !b>,,case. wi.at-is it t^r;z::3^Ve":o •'^^" '■" 
 
 ' burden, and givef /e t .ITS? 
 
 of 
 
 :j 
 
\ 
 
 < \ 
 
 148 
 
 CAUTIONS. 
 
 Surely not the sacrament itself, but the great truth 
 of Christ's sacrifice for sin, as set forth by it. I 
 do not intend b^ these remarks to insist on- the 
 necessity of a full assurance of hope, as a necessary 
 qualification for a right reception of the Lord's 
 Supper ; but certainly there ought to be real, even 
 if it be but weak faith ; for how else can we 
 discern the Lord's body? Nothing, no, nothing, 
 can give the guilty conscience peace, or taka away 
 our sins, but the atoning blood of Christ. And 
 to pass by the cross of the Redeemer, without 
 peace of mind, in the hope of finding it in the 
 sacrament, is unquestionably to depend for ac- 
 ceptance with God upon our own religious duties, 
 instead of the work of the Saviour. The frame 
 of mind in which we should receive the memorials 
 of redeeming love, is that of a humble, thankful, 
 and peaceful reliance upon the mediation of our 
 Divine Lord for pardon and eternal life. 
 
 2. It is of great consequence, that in the early 
 stages of your religious experience, i/ou should 
 abstain as much as possible^ from a spirit of con- 
 troversy. 
 
 Your great concern is to find out the path of 
 eternal happiness, and enter upon it. Salvation 
 is your great object, or rather the way of obtain- 
 ing it. Your cry is, *' Life, eternal life ;" and 
 your course should be direct to the cross of the 
 Redeemer. Nothing but what relates immedi- 
 ately to your reconciliafion with God, should be 
 allowed to engage your attention. Suffer not 
 your mind, then, to be diverted from such sub- 
 
CAUTIONS. 
 
 149 
 
 baptism, church gove«Lnr"^ controversies of 
 tHnos of theologf tTo ' '"' V-^" °^^^^ doc- 
 si"'' The subLis of^"*" "?'""^ conerorer- 
 ^ ibr adults" whilh wm Jt"'""! ^"^ '*"">g 
 babe in Christ and evl^.h' f ' ""'' ^^'^'"r t^e 
 ffluchupon it, without r»- ?''.'°"' cannot feed 
 impaired, and rhrrs„'u''fi;,"^'''t^P'"'"a' health 
 healthy humours. Or to eh n Jtf '''"'^ and »»- 
 n>an locked up in the ondemned cer**i"""' ""^ 
 tence of death but wl>„ i T ''^"' ""der sen- 
 
 iMafein, steS'to"b7ain" ^'^1:1^'°'!'^' 
 oe drawn aside from Iiic o« ' ; "^♦^^s not kis mmd to 
 which may be v^ p S'^' ''^ ^ 'l-'e^'ions 
 zen and the patriot ^nl ^ discussed by the citi- 
 
 a newspaper! lnd-endeavo^ur°r ""'' *° '"'^y ■>!■» 
 partisan in some poMcTsLrr^''^' *"■■" "^ " 
 wuh a lookof astonUhml haflch T"-^ ^P'^' 
 be intruded on his notice «Wi. *°P;cs should 
 
 tersto a man eondemS to^^l "I*? «»;' 
 gfining a pardon, and you win ^ ^^"* °"« i" 
 vee ; but do not eZleZil° "" '""»« '''■ 
 ment of that time whifh shonW ^ ^ """"*■■' " "«>- 
 we from death, men t !"" ^^ "'«'''"«d to save 
 1 can think of nolil h . " '■*'*°'"cd to liberty 
 inquirer act. L*^ y^in" J'"* "°^^-" ^^° '«* *''« 
 
 el^'in. but injudici^Is'zVafco'b ""^ ''■•°^- 
 sary would meet anrf t!,!. ' ''>' controver- 
 which is s»<.™!,!. r''""-n away the soIicit«d« 
 
 Study,hesei;;i;?he'r;af7e7h'ff"'"'- ^°" ca"n 
 
 ye in the w^, and 5 "L ''IT'' " ^"'"'» 
 / . "uu see, and ask for the old 
 
 Ml 
 
 m 
 
 .1.1* 
 
150 
 
 CAUTIONS. 
 
 1 
 
 paths, where is the good way, and walk therein ; 
 and ye shall find rest for your souls, " Jer. vi. 16. 
 Read your Bible, and plain practical books, rather 
 than controversial ones ; be much in prayer, and 
 silent meditation ; preserve a tranquil and unruf- 
 fled mind, *or it is in the stillness of devotinal feel- 
 ing, and the peace of holy reconciliation, and the 
 quiet of untroubled thoughts, that the true light 
 shineth into the soul, and the small still voice of 
 the Spirit of peace is heard. Many, adopting a 
 different course, have plunged into the depths of 
 controversy as soon as they became concerned 
 about religion, and have lost charity in the pro- 
 fessed pursuit after truth ; and instead of becom- 
 ing humble, holy, peaceful Christians, have turned 
 out conceited, stormy, and restless polemics. In 
 an early stage of their career the penitent was 
 lost in the zealot ; in their subsequent progress 
 they took up with a religion of opinions, instead 
 of pious feelings ; and finished their course, it may 
 be feared, not amidst the light and love of heaven, 
 but in that world of unsancitified knowledge, 
 where the devils believe and tremble. 
 
 3. It is necessary to caution you against a 
 spirit of curiosity as well as controversy. 
 
 You ought to seek after knowledge, as I have 
 already stated. The scripture abounds in admo- 
 nitions ou this head, and in reproofs to those who 
 repose in indolence upon the lap of ignorance. 
 Diligence in endeavours to grow in knowledge, 
 has the promise of su,ccess. "Then shall we 
 know, if we follow on to know the Lord," Hosea 
 
 
CAUTIONS. 
 
 151 
 
 InJt nf "' ^u\', " """«''■"'«'• distinct from a 
 spi It of unhallowed cuiiosity. Tlie teZn^r 
 
 nsell m various ways ; sometimes in ramblina 
 
 some £r t" '"■ P'"'' "fP"^^'" «"'rshp li 
 some cases, tins ar.ses from that restlessness and 
 
 uneasiness of mind, which is common to nerson, 
 in their first religious experience. Like Noah"s 
 dove, they wander about, seeking rest but find 
 none • or. rather like a person m^a fever fori, 
 jng that the cause of disquietude is in Ihe'mse f e'" 
 they continually change the-r place in T 1^ ' 
 hope of obtaining that^rest «hiet I'n'e eom^ 
 till (heir condition is altereo. Finding no com! 
 fort under one preacher, they impute'the bhrn^ 
 to his sermons, and ramble off to anothe. nnT! 
 whose ministry they gain a H.tle easefcwh le 
 but merely by having their attention dravvnawav' 
 for a season from its usual track of tho™ h? The 
 novel y soon ceases, and he is forsaken foi- anmh^r 
 wihtTl, ^^''^ ^r*^ *« '''"''« ™"n<l of placed 
 trom peace as they were when they left the first 
 
 cnrist, and Christ alone, and not in any partieu- 
 
 Z -P '"'^ i ""'•^'"P' «■• under any partiedar 
 minis ry that you cun find rest and peace I i 
 tlie glorious doctrine of a frep (t^l „ f ' 
 
 -Ivation in Christ, tbit „::' b 'liriC^f 
 
 your poor aohinor o.,^ .,. _. , . P'^'^^ ^t 
 
 U^ *• • 1 ^ ""'^ icsnuHs neaa, and nor inv 
 
 particu ar manner nr m«fh^.i c . ^ 
 
 doctrine. of representing that 
 
152 
 
 CAUTIONS. 
 
 fill 
 
 But this rambling spirit is sometimes merely the 
 eagerness of curiosity. Some young converts are 
 ever to be seen in any place where any thing out 
 of the ordinary course is going on ; they are to 
 be seen at all times, all places, and all occasions, 
 when and where a popular preacher is to be 
 heard, or any of the stimulating, varieties which 
 abound in the religious world are to be found. 
 This habit, however, is not friendly to the growth 
 of religious feeling, or the progress of a work of 
 grace in the soul. Even the public meetings of 
 our religious institutions are not altogether the 
 best atmosphere for infant piety to breathe. There 
 is a tenderness, a delicacy, and a pensiveness, in 
 the feelings of a mind recently awakened to a 
 state of religious concern, which finds little that 
 is congenial in the comparatively secular aspect 
 of those assemblies. Eloquence and anecdote, as 
 they are usually employed on such occasions, have 
 but little that is calculated to deepen conviction, 
 or relieve anxiety, but often much to diminish 
 the one, and divert the other. If, indeed, our 
 anniversaries were, or could be conducted with 
 that solemnity and seriousness which their bbject 
 seems to require, then might inquirers after sal- 
 vation attend them as one of the means of grace ; 
 but perhaps this can hardly be looked for, and 
 therefore do I deliberately say to them, Do not 
 at present attend such meetings too frequently, 
 you ought rather to court retirement, to nurse 
 relieetiorj, to seek to grow in deeper seriousness, 
 and to surrender jiourselves to the dominion of 
 
CAUTIONS. 
 
 153 
 
 
 conscience, an,^e teaching of God the Holy 
 valion ; and when you have fouml fl.Tf / 
 one of the evidence^of havi gtunV ^'^1:: 
 
 fh« r. V "i^'^ ™°'' established Christians vea 
 
 do™ oS °'th?D' ^--knowledge with thS 
 eq-' difficuUyr^rf S u'l^ittbt C'^r if 
 
 d" .Fthir'th?' • •",""■""•. whaty^rhC to 
 
 the go nd ' 'l^,^""P'«^« ond plainest truths of 
 
 neLf ^„^ .. "■■ ''°."*="'' '«> '0 obtain pardon 
 peace, and hope ; and to do this you must Zl 
 
 »L .1 ' T . " "'*'■« appears, clearly, simnly 
 
 tur. r'- ^' 5"' ''^«" ^»'d, th;t " in fhe s 
 ture, there arp. rl^ntKo ;« ,..u.--i . , ocnp- 
 
 v^n^K • '^?"^'''' ^^"^^ a Iamb may ford •- 
 your business ,s at present with the shallows! and 
 
 K.* 
 
154 
 
 CAUTIONS. 
 
 i:'i 
 
 to venture into the depths is a %ilous attempt, 
 which I would not advise you to make. 
 
 4.. Vou should beware of setting up other stand' 
 ards of personal religion, than the JVord of God, 
 and making the religious experience of other Chris- 
 tians a test of the truth and reality of your own. 
 
 The Bible, and the Bible alone, is the true 
 standard of godliness ; and provided your views, 
 feelings, and conduct are conformed to this, it is 
 of no consequence that they do not harmonize 
 exactly with what others experience. Not that 
 there is any radical disagreement in the real piety 
 of genuine Christians j but, with substantial agree- 
 ment, there may be circumstantial differences ; 
 there may be unity of genus, yet variety of species. 
 All true Christians love God, hate sin, feel Christ 
 precious, addict themselves to prayer, live holily ; 
 but they may not have been brought to this state 
 by the same methods, nor carry it forward to the 
 same degree of perfection. In reading religious 
 biography you will see great dissimilarity in the 
 experience of God's people, and will be sometimes 
 in danger of sinking into great distress, because 
 you do not feel iri all points as the saints did whose 
 lives are before you. When you meet with in- 
 stances of more than usual elevation of personal 
 religion, ^f nearer approaches than common to 
 perfection, do not conclude that you have no 
 piety because you do not equal them, but rather 
 see what you may become ; be humbled that you 
 
 AfA no mnfft lilcp. tVipm onrl 1<»t <li«»if /svnr«r»loa 
 
CAUTIONS. 
 
 155 
 
 •sometimes occur among profeJL oftT^- "''""'' 
 
 world. No, a feT ;,•'';„ K^ <■ ' !f' \"° "'^ "•« 
 that time cone S L i n ('T'^' ■"'*■« f™™ 
 no more. But how ■Vr-"'^^','^ ""^ ^"^'^ o*" ^od 
 conduct Did n^rrh •?"/'' ''"'^ S""'y is such 
 such instance: Xn'h':id''T,^™ Z .t^P- 
 
 oS:: elf ",-::'; ''ir- -^'t^;;:^ 
 
 ^ne^^te^?--^- 
 had not betn of r„^ Ch,,8t,.n religion ; for if it 
 
 long sLe by the '''^ ■"''''" '^'^''^^y^'l 
 frie°nds fron „^eh /m""''""' "*" "' P^'>'«^^d 
 danger .haTf^i^' L en™-,;*:;!'" '" ^IT'^^ 
 Counterfeits ^v^.TJ^Tl"^ Usavowed foea. 
 
 ienceof that which' tw'l"''f *'''""' "'*''^'^^«*'- 
 »"»ch they profess to imitate, for 
 
156 
 
 CAUTIONS. 
 
 1 
 
 r. 
 
 m 
 
 who is at the trouble of imitating what is worth- 
 less ? Do not, then, permit your mind to be 
 affected by the conduct of false professors ; at 
 least, in any other way than that of deep grief that 
 such things should occur to them j and of anxious, 
 prayerful care, that they may never be repeated 
 in you. Be this your supplication, 
 
 " Lord, let not all my hopes be vain, 
 Create my heart entirely new, 
 Which hypocrites could ne'er attain. 
 Which false apostates never knew." 
 
 
 .if^h 
 
 #^^ii^' 
 
CHArXER X 
 
 '1^ 
 
 ENCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 Among all the objects of huma i ^jsire md pur- 
 sui , there is not one which we have jo much 
 encouragement to seek, or to hop. for ; there is 
 not one, in reference to which despondency is so 
 much out of place ; there is not one, to which 
 indubitable certainty so surely belongs, as the 
 salvation of the soul, if it be sincerely desired, and 
 scnpturally sought for. The whole Bible is one 
 vast encouragement to seek for eternal life ; the 
 death of Christ is another; and the existence 
 and history of the Church of God UDon earth is a 
 third. Men may despond of gaining wealth, or 
 fame, or rank, or health ; but no man out of hell 
 need despond of gaining salvation. It is nearer 
 to us, and more within our reaeh, than any other 
 blessing we ca i name or think of. Our feelincs 
 in regard to earthly possessions can never rite 
 higher than hope ; but, in regard to salvation, 
 they may take the the character of certaintj-, pro- 
 vided jve use the proper means. 
 
 1. It is one great source of encouragment, that 
 whatever difficulties lie in our way, all centre in 
 ourselves. 
 
158 
 
 ENCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 |S^ 
 
 
 God will not, and Satan and the world cannot 
 hinder our salvation. There is no obstacle which 
 IS in Itself insurmountable ;no enemy invincible • 
 no objection unanswerable. If a man had any 
 other object in view, for the attainment of which 
 there existed no difficulty out of himself, he would 
 feel greatly encouraged, and bo ready to con- 
 gratulate himself as tolerably certain of success. 
 Keader, the only difficulty in the way of thy sal- 
 vation. IS in thyself. True it is, there are many 
 and great ones there, the least of which thine own 
 Ltrength is too weak to surmount ; but the Lord 
 Oort Umnipotent has engaged to thee his power, 
 if thou art willing to be helped ; and therefore 
 m this view, of the case, even thine own weakness 
 IS no insurmountable obstacle. The only ques- 
 tion IS, '« Art thou sincerely willing and anxious 
 to be saved ? Once made truly willing, what is 
 to hinder thy salvation ? Dwell again and a-ain 
 on this simple idea, for it is full ofencouragm^nt : 
 The only difficulty in my way to heaven, is 
 
 that which exists in my own heart, and God is 
 
 willing to remove that." 
 
 2. It is a great encouragment that GocTs mind 
 
 IS so full of goodwill towards us, and that his 
 
 heart is so setiipon our salvation. 
 
 If we had reason to suppose that He was 
 
 urifnendly towards us; that he was reluctant to 
 
 save us; that his mind was jpon the balance 
 
 between friendship and hostility, that it needed 
 
 """i~~u""'"' '""'"'•^ ''^ ciiin;ai iiim lo oe merciful, 
 and that he granted s salvation unwillingly and 
 
ENC0DBAGEMENT3. 259 
 
 grudgingly; this would indeed be discoura-in.. 
 
 cee''d""=B ' "If '"'^ '^ '•''' """ -« ^'-ould no'" uc-' 
 love" .?H. • ""•"■"'■^ *' ">« '■"«'• "G'"l is 
 
 •mI rich li "t"'"'";;''"' ?"'' *■"" °f «™Pa^«sio„,» 
 >- rich in mercy;" and " plentious in mercv " 
 He even " delighm in mercy." "H.i, «;» 
 willing that any should perish, but that all shouW 
 come to repentence." "^ He delighte.h noM^the 
 
 tui D J,om his wickedness and live." Vea he con- 
 
 lin. 10. Now "by the pleasure of the Lord" we 
 
 ." thi,»n r-r-** the salvation of sinners Not 
 IS this all for it IS affirmed that " The Lord take^h 
 
 c^vii^n'" w'^ """ •'T •" •^'■^ "■e")'," Pta 
 hv„b- V- ^ """"<" ?'«««« him beter, than 
 vation ^? v" 1.° 'f^" "i^- ""<' hj- expecting sal- 
 
 you- fl^ hi ,"•'' ,f ^^' dispensation towards 
 you, tor this IS the right one. He is love- he 
 
 Lpp? 'it -n '^"t^" i" ""'''"« "is creat r 
 nappy. It ,0 true his love is a holy love, and 
 
 therefore the more to be depended upon Hav- 
 
 Clrtr"""""' '" !''^ eift and m^ediation of 
 t-hiist, for saving you in » way consiWnt „,i.i. 
 
 t.s truth, and holiness, and justicc^and" iii'^s 
 
 removed every obstacle out of the ;ay of the 
 
160 
 
 ENCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 flowing forth of his love towards you, he is in- 
 finitely intent on saving and blessing you. All 
 your dark, desponding thoughts of him are unjust, 
 and injurious to his mercy. To conceive of him 
 as unwilling to save you, is a slander upon his 
 love; a false and foul calumny upon his grace. 
 If he were with difficulty persuaded to save you, 
 why did he give his Son to die for you ? The 
 salvation of your soul, the salvation of millions of 
 souls, the salvation of the whole world, is not so 
 great an act of love, as the gift of Jesus Christ. 
 After this you need not wonder at any thing, 
 nor doubt any thing. " He that spared not his 
 own [proper] Son, but delivered him up for us 
 all, how shall he not with him also freely give us 
 all things ?" Rom, viii. 32 You have God's 
 mind and heart, and purpose, and attributes, all 
 on the side of your salvation; and is 'this not 
 encouragment enough? 
 
 3. Consider the. mind^ character^ and work of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 
 He came on purpose to save sinners ; he has 
 done every thing necessary for their salvation ; he 
 is able to save to the uttermost; he has invited all 
 to him for salvation ; he has promised to save 
 them ; and will he now fail? Think of the glory 
 of his person, God manifest in the flesh ; think of 
 the design of his incarnat" >n, sufferings, and death ; 
 think of the perfection of his work in satisfying 
 Divine justice, magnifying the law, sustaining the 
 moral government of God in all its purity, dignity, 
 and effectiveness ; think of the love of his heart, 
 
ENCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 161 
 
 the power of his arm. and the connection between 
 his raeditorial renown and the salvation of sinners : 
 
 think ofhisuniversial dominion overangels, devils 
 men, nature, providence ; think of his continued 
 and prevailing intercession at the right hand of 
 God ; think of his universal invitations, and his 
 absolute promises : what topics these, what sources 
 ot encouragement! How much is his heart fixed 
 upon the salvation of sinners! this was the joy 
 that was set before him, and for which he endured 
 the cross, despising the shame ; this is the travail 
 of h.s soul, and by which its ineffable longings 
 will be satisfied. Your salvation is his busfness, 
 and the accomplishment of which will be his 
 reward. If he could be conceived to be indifferent 
 to your salvation, will he be indifferent to his own 
 glory? Will he belie his own name, and desZ 
 his own work and falsify his own promises; and 
 throw away his own reward, and terminate his 
 own renown as a Saviour, by refusing to save 
 you^ Is It probable? Is it possible? 
 
 4. Dwell ypon the infinite and alUsyMcient re. ' 
 sources of the koly Ghost, -" 
 
 This ITivine Agent is as omnipotent to sanctify, 
 as the power of God was in the beginning to create 
 the heavens and the earth. If you were cast upon 
 
 iZv "J^'^f * ^^' *^''' *^^"g«- " and abandon 
 the hope of salvation for fixed and impervious 
 
 despair. Butthfiftnnnnmvr^f .,«;i^ *: _ i ., 
 
 no ess for the effectual application of its benefits 
 by the work of the H0I7 Ghost, than it does for 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 ^k- 'k>. 
 
162 
 
 ENCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 the procurement of them by the mediation of 
 Christ ; and the chiims of the Godhead were not 
 more completely foreseen and provided for by the 
 latter, than all the weaknesses, and want, and 
 wickednesses of the human heart, were foreseen 
 and provided for also by the former. There is a 
 glorious completeness in the scheme of redemp^ 
 tion J even the suspicious eye of unbelief, and the 
 searching look of a troubled and anxious con- 
 science, can find out no defect. The blindness of 
 your judgment ; the hardness and deceitfulness of 
 your heart ; the perversity of your will ; the dead- 
 ness of your conscience ; the wildness of your 
 imagination ; the disorder of your passions ; your 
 backwardness to good ; your proneness to evil • 
 your reluctance to determine ;your irresoluteness • 
 your timidity ; your fickleness : all, all have been 
 foreseen and provided for, in the inexhaustible 
 riches of grace in the blessed Spirit of God. On 
 ^ those riches you are encouraged to rely and to 
 draw, without m.^asure and without end. You 
 are not required to act, to speak, .to will, to feel, 
 to think, but :n dependence on that Divine Agent. 
 You are commanded to look to him for every 
 variety of operation, and for every degree of influ- 
 ence, and for every timely putting forth of his 
 power and wisdom, that the exigency of your 
 circumstances may require. Read especially the 
 following passages of scripture, and ask if there 
 be not enconragement enough here? Luke xi. 9— 
 --^ 5 ...^Ui. Till, i,, — J i ; ^ames i. o, o j ij^ai. v. 22, 
 23 J John xvi. 7—15 ; 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10. 
 
ENCOURAGEMENTS. 163 
 
 5. Dwell upon tlte general complexion of the 
 word of God, as so largely made up of commands 
 to seek salvation ; invitations to accept of it • 
 promises to insure it ; and descriptions, settin- 
 forth Its blessings in their vastness, variety, suit° 
 ableness, and certainty. • 
 
 If the whole Bible were to be summed up in one 
 short comprehensive sentence, it would be this : 
 ^ hu 1.9 a faithful saying, and worthy of all ac- 
 ceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to 
 save sinners, of ivhoni 1 am chief" \ Tim. i \5 
 Or reducing it still more, it would all be contained 
 in that one word, of immense, infinite and eternal 
 lyort,-^ Salvation. Every thing in the Bible 
 tends to this as its centre : here all the lines of 
 history and prophecy, the Old Testament and the 
 ^ew, the law and gospel meet. Salvation glim- 
 mers amidst the clouds and shadows of the levitical 
 economy, and shines forth in all its glory from the 
 tacts of the christian dispensation. It was tho 
 subject that dropped in sweet, but mystic accents 
 1 om the lips of Mercy on the despairing minds of 
 
 Tn t.f/ rf ''"*' ' ^'^/^^'^ ^^^ «"^^j^^^ ^^»«h came 
 n the softer tones of the cerimonial law, when the 
 
 thunders of the decalogue had ceased to terrify the 
 affrighted Israelites at Sinai ; it was the subject to 
 which tlje prophet struck hi. harp, and came forth 
 in the psalms of David, and the rapt ecstasies of 
 Isaiah J It was the subject which angels chose as 
 ine tlieme or th<Mr snnrr r^n *k-, ^:~u^ c r^ • .. 
 
 nativity ; ,t was the subject which evangelists re- 
 corded m their histories, and apostles desci ibed 
 
164 
 
 ENCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 
 in their epistles ; and which even the awful 
 visions of the apocalypse seemed designed to 
 magnify and illustrate, by ifpresenting it as the 
 point of harmony between heaven and earth, and 
 the link that connects the events of time with the 
 glories of eternity.- The Bible, then, inquirer, 
 presents salvation to your atten;! on, avl employs 
 all its fulness to attract, all its authority to cim- 
 manu, all its gracioiisness to invite you to the 
 pursnifc of this vast possession ; and even use.4 iti 
 threatenings an.! its thunders for the mercil'ul 
 purpose of driving- yo' , for reiage to the hope set 
 before you in the g>;Del. Is not this encourage- 
 ment? 
 
 6. The unchangeahleness of God's nature and 
 covenant are a source of boundless hope. 
 
 He has invited, ha has commanded, he has pro- 
 mised ; and he is not a man that he should lie, nor 
 ihQ son of man that he should repent ; but he is 
 tlu^: Father of lights, with whom there is no vari- 
 ableness, nor shadow of a change. Immutable in 
 his nature, he is equally so in his purpose, and 
 in his promise. Whom he loveth, he loveth to 
 the end. Could you examine the secret lists of his 
 friends, you would find neither blots nor erasures 
 there. '* All things work together for good to 
 them tliat love God, to them who are the called 
 according to his purpose. For whom he did 
 foreknow, he also did predestinate, to be conform- 
 ed to t^he image of his Son, that he might be the 
 xirst-born among many brethren. Moreover 
 whom he did predestinate, them he also called ; 
 
ENCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 165 
 
 nor 
 
 ana whom he called, them he also justified j and 
 xvlma he justified, them he also glorified. What 
 Bh'id we then say to these things? If God be for 
 IKS v/ho can be agj.inst us? Who shall separate us 
 froni the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or dis- 
 tress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or 
 pen!, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are 
 Biore than conquerors through him that loved us. 
 i^or I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, 
 nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor 
 things present, nor things to come ; nor height, 
 nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able 
 to separate us from the love of God, which is in 
 Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. viii. 28-39. 
 bublime language! Triumphant boast! Inspired 
 and inspiring exultation! Heaven heard itf and 
 approved ; hell heard it, and trembled ; and let 
 saints on earth hfar it, and rejoice. Inquirer, be 
 comforted . wh^re a good work is begun in the 
 heart, ,t sha I be carried on until the day of Jesus 
 Chris Phil. i. 6. The Spirit, who builds for 
 himself a temple in the soul of man, will not leave 
 It "nfinished, nor suffer it to sink to ruins after 
 he has finished it. Though enemies without may 
 oppose and ridicule, and though enemies within 
 may gtir up occasional insurrection and interrup- 
 tion the work shall go on, till the top stone shall 
 be brought forth amidst the shouts of " Grace, 
 grace. The purpose of God must stand, in 
 -_ „. , ^^.,^„ y^. jjyy^^ .^^^ power and 
 malice of earth and hell combined. Is not this 
 encouragement? 
 
166 
 
 KNCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 7. Consider the sympathies and prayers of feU 
 low christians. 
 
 Discouraged as you may have been by the in- 
 difference and lukewarmness of some, let it com- 
 fort you to know that all are not thus. There 
 are myriads of holy ministers of Christ, and mil- 
 lions of pious men and women from age to a^re 
 pouring out their fervent supplications to God[ 
 for those who are inquiring the way to Zion with 
 their faces thitherward. Have you not heard 
 your case borne with tenderness, and minuteness 
 and earnestness, upon the hearts of your friends 
 and by your ministers ? Have you not thus 
 found the feelings of the assembly poured in a 
 lull tide of sympathy into your heart ? Yes, and 
 not only do the « Spirit and the bride say, Come," 
 m this public manner : not only does the voice of 
 ttwi^erf prayer commend you to God j but, in thou- 
 sands of closets of praying met, you are com- 
 mended to God, and divine grace is implored on 
 your souls. In those sad and solemn moments 
 when you are disheartened, and ready to faint, 
 when, instead of prayer, you can send forth 
 nothing but groanings which cannot be uttere'd, 
 then think, with pleasure and with hope, upon the 
 many intercessors who are praying for you, and 
 «* thank God, and take courage." 
 
 8. Take encouragement from the consideration 
 of the ministry of angels; for <*are they not all 
 ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them 
 
 . ,,,.„. I r.-v, Li^tis ui euivuiiun r iieD. I. 14. 
 
 What offices they perform we know not, perhaps 
 
 
»» 
 
 ENCOURAGEMENTS. jgy 
 
 because it is not safe for us to know • wTix. i^ 
 are en^ployed we know not ; or wh "•; theL^^^ 
 of our obligation we know no^ • hnt th^V r 
 
 such spectators are witnessir," you j sucli f iTnl' 
 are3y„p,„,izi„g ,i,h you, i? a^swe^ ly p,S 
 and encourag,ng idea. They have ahead^y roio cef 
 over your converaion, if indeed you are converted 
 
 by ™en. bu[ you are'Tegarl:^ ^a^-efc' 
 n-ay be neglected by men, but you are" att^n^^ 
 by angels ; you n,a^ be dismissed by ^enb'ut 
 you are associated with ano-els . yoi, ™ ' ""' 
 opposed, nd persecuted by^Sen but nn"J^ ^' 
 m.n.stenng spirits. sentLTt'o"niZ^^\Z 
 your salvation. Is not this encour geme: ""'" 
 9. Consider how many who were onne ', ■ j 
 
 ''re ZtZelZZin :^%:!i^''T'' ''"' 
 lasting. * "-' ^""^ '" 9lory ever- 
 
 and ^tongues, stood before the throng MllT.^^ 
 ine L,uuib, clothed wi»h «,j,-. -—' •••"■' ""-lun; 
 
 -bei,h;nds.,.:2d:»hrfo:dv:Lft' 
 
168 
 
 ENCOURAGEMKNTS. 
 
 ing, Salvation to our O^' ' b sltteth upon the 
 throne, and unto the T,!;n), " v. vii. 9, 10. And 
 who are they that Bend iorth such strains ? They 
 that had come "out of great tribulation, and had 
 washed their robes, and made them white in the 
 blood of the Lamb," ver. 14. Thev wp-p, once 
 upon earth ; once men of like pas - u as with you. - 
 self; once beginning their religious course as you 
 now are j 
 
 Ovie they were mourning here below, 
 And wet their couch with tears j 
 Thoy wrestled hard, as we do now, 
 With sins, and doubts, and fears." 
 
 Th 
 
 ere is not a burden that 
 
 heart. 
 
 oppresses yc 
 
 but what oppressed theirs ; there is r >t a fear that 
 agitates your mind, but what agitated theirs ; 
 there is not a temptation that assails you, but 
 what assailed them j there is not an obsfncle that 
 terrifies you, but what terrified them ; they were 
 once as ignorant,, as wak, as sinful, as timid, aS 
 discouraged, as you ; there is iiot a sorrow, n per- 
 plexity^ or a danger with which you re painfully 
 familiar, bijt they pass^ ' thrc .:gh bei eyou. But 
 there they are in heaven, more than conquerors 
 over all these things thro'^ z^^ him that loved therr), 
 He that saved them uas engaged to sa j you ; nor 
 is his ear hea^y, nor his arm shortened. " Where* 
 fore seeing we also are compassed about with so 
 great a cloud of witnesses, let u:^ 7 ide every 
 
 US, dnd let us run with patience the race that is 
 
SNCOUEAGEMENTS. . ]Q9 
 
 set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and 
 Finisher of our faith," Heb. xii. 1, 2. 
 
 10. Let the magnitude of the blessing you are 
 seeking and the prospect of its consummation in 
 eternal glory, encourage you. 
 
 b„7Z''^- 1" ^r"/? *?'^«''^'*» a word which none 
 but the mind of God can comprehend, for it in- 
 
 PWnfl ^T. ^'J^^t.^^^^^ said, what is infinite and 
 eternal. It will bless you for both worlds, this and 
 the next. In the present life, it ill bestow upon 
 you the pardon of all your sins; tiie justification of 
 yourpe-sons; the renewal and sanctification of your 
 nature j adoption into the family of God : the Spirit 
 ot adoption J a guaidian of your reputation; a pro- 
 tector of your property ; an auxiliary to your 
 jhealtL J a spring of comfort in the dreariest situ- 
 ation ; lighf in the darkest scene of distress - 
 a companion m the deepest solitude ; a counsellor 
 in every - plexity ; a help in weakness ; a check 
 m tem[* ation ,- it will associate you with the 
 redeemed and . - people of God ; conduct you 
 in honour through tl,a changing scenes of life • 
 attend yoi to the verge of eternity ; soften your 
 dying pillow ; assuage the agony of separation t 
 and cheeryou amidst the agoni fdeath, with ihe 
 hopes of immortality. And all th. . is but the pre- 
 lude, the earnest, and theforetasluof whatawrits 
 you beyond the grave. What that is, should be 
 told only in the words of the Spirit of God : fr . 
 
 <• Hiiro kr.«U ^^t. , * - ..*'■- 
 
 ^v^^f*^" «uj, Doun, nor cur her i neitfaer have 
 entered into the heart of man, the things -irfch 
 Cjrod hatL prepared for them hat love him"! 
 
170 
 
 ENCOURAGEMENTS. 
 
 Cor. ii. 9. " Father," said our Lord, " I will 
 that they also, whom thou hast given me, be 
 with me where I am, thnt they may behold my 
 glory," John xvii. 24. ' So shall we ever be 
 with the Lord," 1 Thess. iv. 7. '< He that bel- 
 ieveth on the Sou hath everlasting life," John iii. 
 36. " To them who, by patient continuance in 
 well- doeing, s ek for glory and honour and im- 
 mortality, eternal life," Rom. ii. 7. *< Our light 
 affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh 
 for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
 of glory; for the things which are not seen are 
 eterLal, " 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18- «* Who hath begot- 
 ten us to an inheritance incorruptible, and unde- 
 filed, and that fadeth not away, reserved in hea- 
 ven for you, who are kept by the power of God 
 through fait!i unto salvation, ready t( be revealed 
 in the last time," 1 Pet. i. 3—5. « It doth not 
 » yet appear what we shall be; but w>e know that 
 ^ when He shall appear, we shall be like him. for 
 we shall see him as he is," 1 John iii. 2. « After 
 this, I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which 
 no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, 
 and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, 
 and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, 
 and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud 
 voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth 
 upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. Therefore 
 are they before the throne of God, and serve him 
 day and night in his temple ; and he that sitteth 
 upon the throne shall dwell among them. They 
 shall liunger no more, neither thirst any more j 
 
 g 
 
 ti 
 
 HA 
 
BNOOUBAQEMENTS. 
 
 171 
 
 look™ nn:jt- ::'7ir *^ ^°""°-' 
 
 glory, ana see wlartho'u art l^^ '" f ''""' 
 thou art encouraged ,0 expect "="' ""'' ^'"" 
 
 Jriici». 
 
 HAWILTON PUBLIC LIBRAH^, 
 
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