know them not. They are even all that ever were acquainted with or faw you; at Home, Abroad, in all Companies, you were ignorantly patronizing the Caufe of Rebellion. At best, you can but recollect a few upon whom you have done the Majesty of GOD fignal Difgrace. Go then, bring these back: Defperate Project! Some of them are no where to be found; fome 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 an Inheritance to Childrens Children. Thou canft not but tremble at the Thought. But at least recover thofe to GOD who are still alive and with thee. Intreat 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! fome would mock, fome would defpife, and fome would dif femble with thee. It would be no fmall Conqueft, fhouldft thou gain fo much as

flexion is enough to make every Heart fail, while he thus evidently fees the irreparable Difhonor he hath brought upon GOD.

SPEAK now, what Hope haft thou of doing God Right? Wilt thou venture thy Soul upon it, that thou haft made no Breach upon the Glory of GoD which thou haft not, or canft not fufficiently reftore? Wilt thou be bold to reft the Caufe of thy eternal Acceptance with GOD upon this Plea? I will anfwer for thee, that thou dareft not meet the righteous GOD in Judgment upon fo lame a Confidence. Already thou art crying for Mercy; the Lord pardon thy Servant in this Thing. But how would thy Cry bet increased, couldft thou fee the Dishonor which Sin does to the Majefty of Heaven, as thou wilt affuredly fee it, when thou shalt ftand with the affembled World before the Judge of Quick and Dead! When thou fhalt behold GoD magnificently glorifying him felf upon finful Men and Devils for the Dif honor 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 favorable footing; fuppofing you abfolutely and moft intirely returned to your Allegiance, you fee how it muft fare with you

for

for the Dishonor you have done GOD, how incapable you would be of rendering back the Glory you had deprived him of.

BUT can I make fuch a Suppofition concerning you? Can I addrefs you as a Person returned to Go D, 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 Deteftation of and Averfion to it. This leads to

THE Second Thing which you have to get over, in order to your fettling the Difference which Sin hath made between GoD and you; You must put on the Difpofition 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 Difcourfe; I fhall speak to you as a Perfon convinced that he is fet up for himfelf and is at Enmity with GOD; as to one who hath found that he likes not to retain God in bis Knowledge, being turned away from him to earthly and carnal Thongs in all the Affections and Choice of Soul; and who confequently is affured of his intire Incapacity to enjoy spiritual. and eternal Happiness, till this finful 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.

I SUPPOSE you know all this: But you muft be told, that you had never been acquainted with it, had not God declared it to you. Now that you have been informed of the Nature of GOD and Happiness, and have been made to fee the Waste which Sin hath made upon your Soul, you can discover the Confistency of this Reafoning, and the Need you have of being renewed in the Spirit of your Mind. But had you been left to yourfelf, you had perhaps never thought of it, would not once have fufpected the ill State you find yourfelf to be in; poffibly would have known nothing of GOD at all, no not fo much as that there is any fuch Being; or at beft, have fat down with very confused Notions of his Perfections. And I leave yourself to determine, how in fuch Circumftances you must have remained altogether excluded from all Poffibility of recovering the Spirit of a Creature. You are indebted therefore to a foreign Help, even for this Knowledge of GOD, yourfelf, and the Nasure of a reasonable Happiness.

HOWEVER, fuppofing 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 Dependent; 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