upon whom you have done the majesty of God

signal disgrace. perate project! Some of them are nowhere to be found; some in distant parts of the earth; and others departed, dead, it may be in their sins, having left behind them a race of evil doers, and iniquity for 6c an inheritance to children's children." Thou canst not but tremble at the thought. But at least recover those to God who are still alive and with thee. Entreat with them, by the glory of their God and thine, by the eternal worth of their souls and thy own: try upon them all the force of argument and tears. Alas! some would mock, some would despise, and some would dissemble with thee. It would be no small conquest, shouldst thou gain so much as one.

Go then, bring these back: Des

Or consider yet again. Thou wast a living infection; thine acquaintance caught sin of thee, and they conveyed it to others. Say, how far will the plague even yet reach? When will it stop? Or what measures wilt thou take to prevent the contagion from going still farther? The reflection is

enough to make every heart fail, while he thus evidently sees the irreparable dishonour he hath brought upon God.

Speak now, what hope hast thou of doing God justice? Wilt thou venture thy soul upon it, that thou hast made no breach upon the glory of God, which thou hast not, or canst not sufficiently restore? Wilt thou be bold to rest the cause of thy eternal acceptance with God this plea? I will answer for thee, that thou darest not meet the righteous

upon

God in judgment upon so lame a confidence.

Already thou art crying for mercy: "The Lord pardon thy servant in this thing." But how would thy cry be increased, couldst thou see the dishonour which sin does to the Majesty of heaven, as thou wilt assuredly see it, when thou shalt stand with the assembled world before the Judge of quick and dead! When thou shalt behold God magnificently glorifying himself upon sinful men and devils, for the dishonour they have done him! Couldst thou know the hurt which thy sins have brought upon the glory of God, as thou shalt then know it, how would thy wounded soul cry out for mercy!

Putting the matter now upon the most favourable footing; supposing you absolutely and most entirely returned to your allegiance, you see how it must fare with you for the dishonour you have done God, how incapable you would be of rendering back the glory of which you had deprived him.

But can I make such a supposition concerning you? Can I address you as a person returned to God, as one framed again to the temper of a creature? I know not any power you have in yourself to become thus: I know your utter detestation of, and aversion to it. This leads to

The second thing which you have to get over, in order to your settling the difference which sin hath made between God and you: You must put on the disposition of a creature; and this you cannot. Now, having gained this point with you already, that sin hath destroyed the image of God in your soul, by

what was advanced in the former discourse, I shall speak to you as a person convinced that he is set up for himself and is at enmity with God; as to one who hath found that he "likes not to retain God in his knowledge," being turned away from him to earthly and carnal things, in all the affections and choice of his soul; and, who, consequently, is assured of his entire incapacity to enjoy spiritual and eternal happiness, till this sinful "law in his members" be rooted out, and he be brought back to a perfect purity of heart, and the true spirit of a creature.

But you must be acquainted with it, Now that you have God and happiness,

I suppose you know all this. told, that you had never been had not God declared it to you. been informed of the nature of and have been made to see the waste which sin hath made upon your soul, you can discover the consistency of this reasoning, and the need you have of being renewed in the spirit of your mind. But had you been left to yourself, you had perhaps never thought of it, would not once have suspected the evil state you find yourself to be in; possibly, would have known nothing of God at all, no not so much as that there is any such being; or, at best, have sat down with very confused notions of his perfections. And I leave yourself to determine, how, in such circumstances, you must have remained altogether excluded from all possibility of recovering the spirit of a creature. You are indebted therefore to a foreign help, even for this knowledge of God, yourself, and the nature of a reasonable happiness.

However, supposing you well informed of your

condition, and of the need you lie under to frame your heart again to the temper of a creature and a dependant; how will you effect this change upon yourself?

The word of God is plainly against you in this matter: "You cannot turn and prepare yourself by your own natural strength," Article x. Hear what

it says: :- "The flesh is weak. The flesh lusteth against the spirit. The carnal mind is enmity against God, and is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. And they that are in the flesh cannot please God." So far from any such power of turning to God, that "we are not sufficient, of ourselves, to think any thing as of ourselves;" and that, because the "imaginations of man's thoughts are only evil continually." And will you imagine that you are able to subdue the power which sin hath over your soul, and to acquire a purity of heart which will make you every way fit to see God, when he tells you so expressly, that you are insufficient for the very least part of it, so much as to desire or even to think of it?

Or if God's declarations do not convince you, at least let your own observations persuade you. Have you ever known or heard of so much as one in all past ages, that returned to his duty with a complete victory over his evil dispositions which war within. him? Hath there been one such righteous person; in the whole world, so much as one? Where is that man that liveth and sinneth not? Just the contrary; sin hath been ever the complaint of the good, and the practice of the bad. And have there been

none, think you, at all times; do you not verily judge there are many, in the reach of your knowledge, who would be rid of sin, and put on the disposition of creatures, if they could? But none have been able.

Or, finally, if you will obstinately contend that you are able; that you can at your pleasure extirpate the pride, worldliness and lust, that now dwell in you, leaving not any traces of them in your heart; that you can raise your soul to a perfect spiritual purity, and stand in God's sight, clean and holy as the angels of his presence: if you will needs cherish this fond opinion of your sufficiency; try your strength, you have no other concern which equals the importance of this to you, to have a new heart and a right spirit. Go, root out of your soul the lusting you find there after indulgence and ease, that you may be no more assaulted with vicious thoughts; rid yourself of all worldly influences that at present sway you; even of all the undue regard your heart pays to interest and honour, to men's opinion and favour. Bring down the pride and desire of selfpleasing, which have possessed themselves of you, giving direction to all your conduct; and, together with them, banish for ever the troop of their attendants, unbelief, wilfuluess, impatience, murmuring, aversion towards God; boasting, malice, envy, hatred, haughtiness, stubbornness, anger, resentment, peevishness towards men. Let neither pride, nor any of these its ugly issue and odious train, ever more appear in your mind: and then put on the love of God in whole heart, and of man even as of yourTo mention no more, try your strength upon

self.

your