one word of the gospel, and with those that ' have not laid the truths of the gospel to heart. I am refolved, therefore, what I will do: I will go home, and beg of God to touch my ‹ heart with a lasting sense of the danger I am in; that he will give me great concern for my foul; and that he will not fuffer me to lead a carelefs life any longer.'

And you will be confirmed in thefe good purposes, if you fhall be fo happy (for fo the providence of God often orders matters for our good) if you fhall fo happy, as in fome other fermon to be put in mind of the wretched condition of one who leads a careless and a finful life; and this both with refpect to himself and to God.

If, for example, you have been plainly told, what you cannot but know to be true, that a perfon who leads a careless and a finful life, can never be truly easy, or pleased with himself; that he is always doing that which he inwardly condemns;-that he is afraid of that light which would let him fee the danger he is in;and that though he has often purpofed to lead a new life, yet he has as often neglected to do so.

If you have been told, what is as true as the gofpel, that while you live in wilful fin, there is not the filthiest creature fo odious in your eyes, as you are in the eyes of God;-that you are governed by the devil, and are in his fervice, and doing his work;-that every moment you put off your repentance, you are defpifing

the

the goodness and long-fuffering of God, who continues your life for no other end but that you may not be damned. If you hear, and are not startled at this, it is because you are given over to a reprobate mind.

Every man, who is not fo given over, will certainly be afraid for himself, and if he hears a fermon concerning REPENTANCE, and a finher's return to God, he will probably come to fome fuch refolutions as thefe:

>

I am convinced, from God's own Word, 'that a finner has no other choice but either repentance or damnation. As long, therefore, ¿ as I have no hopes of pardon, I can have no comfort in life: and as long as I defer my repentance, I can have no hopes of pardon. And I fee plainly, from what I have heard this day, that my repentance will fignify very ' little, if I do not bring forth fruits answer• able to amendment of life. Is it not a great mercy that God will accept of a finner's repentance, after he has done fo many ill things? Is it not great condefcenfion in the Son of God to give us even his oath, that all • fins fhall be forgiven unto the fons of men; and that none ought to defpair of mercy, but • fuch only as will not be perfuaded to forfake ' their evil ways? What a mercy is it that I ' have time to repent, and to bring forth fruits 'meet for repentance! And what a foolifh, ' what a wretched creature fhould I be, if I 'fhould neglect fuch a mercy, and go on in my fins, and to my deftruction! I will 'therefore,

• therefore, through the grace of God, not de'fer my repentance for one moment, left I be ' overtaken in fin, and be for ever undone.'

Some fuch (one would hope) would be the thoughts and the refolutions of any one, who with attention had heard a fermon concerning the neceffity of repentance and a new life.

A Chriftian that reafons thus, and thus refolves, and acts accordingly, is in the way of falvation. But that he may continue in that way, he will want to be often put in mind of the danger of backfliding; of the duties required of him, of every man, in that state of life in which the providence of God has placed him; of the fins he is chiefly to watch against; and of the means of grace which God has appointed to bring us to heaven.

For inftance:-You will hear the DUTY OF PRAYER preffed upon all Chriftians, as neceffary to their falvation as their daily bread is to preserve their lives.

Will you return home without laying this' to heart? You may indeed do fo; but if you have any concern for your own foul, you will think better of it, and reafon with yourself after fome fuch manner as this:

I now fee the great fin of neglecting fo neceffary a duty as is this of Prayer. I fee plainly, that I must renounce all pretence to religion, all hopes of falvation, if I neglect it any longer. I am convinced, that all the 'fins I ever committed, and which I have not : confeffed and begged pardon for, do ftand in' 'judgment

judgment against me.

me,

And what will be

< come of me if I die in this condition? And I have all the reafon in the world to believe that God will withhold his bleffings from if I do not give him thanks for those I ⚫ have already received. I have no reason to hope for God's protection and bleffing upon myfelf, upon my children, or upon my labours, when I never pray, for them. I am ' as fubject to afflictions, to troubles, to calamities, as other people: how fhall I bear ' them with patience without the affistance of "God's grace? How fhall I efcape the many temptations to wickedness which I meet with

daily, without praying for God's help and 'direction? In fhort, if I neglect this duty, how shall I escape eternal mifery?

'I am refolved what to do. I will, by the grace of Almighty God, omit this duty of prayer no longer, left I come fhort of heaven, ' and be for ever undone. I will, as I have ⚫ been inftructed, take all occafions of praying 'to God. When I fet about any bufinefs of moment, I will pray him to profper my ho⚫ neft endeavours. Whenever I fhall perceive that I have done any thing amifs, I will 'forthwith pray God to forgive me, and to give me grace to do fo no more. If I am ' in trouble, or in distress, I will apply to the "Father of mercies, and God of all comfort.

If I am in any danger, I will pray him to ' deliver me. If I am tempted to any fin, I • will befeech him to fuccour me. And I will

' not

'not fail to give him thanks, whenever he bestows any bleffing upon me.

By doing this I fhall be entitled to the favour and protection of God, and be always afraid of offending him.

But this is not all; for I am refolved, by the grace of God, to pray with my family, ' and for my family, every day, as ever I expect God's bleffing to be with them and myfelf. By this means, I fhall put them under God's protection every morning and evening; I fhall fet them a good example of piety; and 'this is the only way to make my children and fervants ferious, holy, honeft, and diligent. < And I will, by God's help, do this faithfully, though I should be fo unlearned as to be ' able to say no other prayer but the Lord's prayer: I will hope God will hear me according to the full meaning of that prayer, if I fay it devoutly upon my knees, and with my family.

This will not hinder my worldly business; ' and I will trust in God, that he will doubly pay me for the lofs of any time I spend in ' his fervice.'

Every serious Chriftian who wishes well to his own foul, will, I fay, think and resolve, when he has heard a fermon concerning the Duty of Prayer, after fome fuch manner as this we have been speaking of.

Let us again fuppofe, that the fermon which have heard has been concerning the meaning, and benefit, and duty, of receiving THE

you

LORD'S