freely offers Christ, with all his fulness of grace and glory to sinners, in the gospel! When have you cried" Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me ;'* when have you, like blind Bartimeus, applied to Christ, saying, "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me?" or when have you, with holy importunity, cried out like Peter, when sinking in the waves, "Lord save me?" If you have neglected to do this, the fault of not being prepared is certainly your own. It is the established order of God to work by means of his own appointment. And although it is true that God alone can change and sanctify the depraved heart, it is no less true, that every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened!" These facts are, in their connexion, plainly asserted in the xxxvith chapter of Ezekiel : "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them!" This is God's promise; and by issuing this promise, he asserts that it is his work t change the heart. And yet, to show us our *Ps. li. 10. + Mark x. 47. Mat. vii. 8. Vs. 25, 26, 27. Mat. xiv. 30. duty, and incite us to the performance of it, he adds Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them!"* No longer, then, I beseech you, pillow your conscience on an excuse, which involves an acknowledgment that you are unprepared for death, and that you have wickedly rejected the kind provisions of the gospel of God's grace. 2. But some have a different excuse, for not professing religion, and attending on the ordinance of the supper. It is this: They do not enjoy that clear evidence of an interest in Christ, which would, in their own view, justify them in approaching the table ; and they are moreover apprehensive, that, if they should now make a profession of religion, they would afterwards dishonour it by their apostacy. This is with some a serious difficulty; and we design to treat it with tenderness. That a comfortable evidence of union with Christ is necessary to justify our approach to the table of the Lord, we have already stated. But, that many entertain mistaken ideas upon this subject, and calculate on evidence bright as the sun-and unquestionable, as though it had been announced by a voice from heaven-is a fact well known to those who are conversant with cases of conscience. That God may, in the work of conversion, suddenly cause light and peace to fill the soul, and dry * Ezek. xxxvi. S + Letter xviii. up every tear, and quiet every apprehension of the mourning, trembling penitent, by the triumphs of hope, and the consolations of his Spirit, admits not of a doubt. But, it is worthy of enquiry, whether this is his ordinary method of operation in the conversion of sinners?—and also whether the high excitements and rapturous hopes, of which some make mention, and at which many others aim, furnish, upon the whole, the best evidence of a gracious state? We are disposed to give a negative answer to both these enquiries. The work of grace is as the "shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." And unless the evidence of grace out-runs grace itself, it must also be progressive. Many Christians wish to enjoy, at the time of conversion, all the evidence and comfort of old and long established saints. This they ought not to expect. If they can, upon impartial examination, discover in themselves sincere contrition for sin; an ardent desire to be found in Christ; a supreme love to God; and a prevailing disposition to put on the Lord Jesus Christ by holy resemblances, and to honour him in all his offices; they have a sufficient cause for lively gratitude, and a sufficient warrant to approach the table of communion. Why, under circumstances like these, should they yield to the suggestions of satan, or suffer their unbelief to rob God of his glory, and their own souls of comfort? Rather let them improve their present measure of grace and comfort; and in faithful attendance on the ordinances of God's house, seek to have their faith strengthened, and their hopes confirmed,-lest, while they are waiting for brighter evidence, God, displeased with their unbelief and neglect of duty, punish them by depriving them of the little measure of comfort which they at present enjoy, and leave them to mourn in hopeless distress. Presume not, then, to ask too much: But in the way of duty seek to know and enjoy more of the God of salvation. Confess him before men; and rely on his grace to "keep you from falling," and "to fulfil in you all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power." While you dread the evils of apostacy, do not distrust the grace and faithfulness of God: He to whose service you devote yourself, in the public profession of religion, has said "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness."* "Trust in the Lord, and do good." Live by faith an the Son of God, deriving from him all necessary supplies of grace and strength; and you need not fear the result of your Christian profession: It will be honourable to God, and most comfortable to yourself; and "when Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."+ 3. But there is a third excuse offered by some for declining, to make a profession of religion, and to join in the commemoration of the Saviour's death. It is this: There are many who profess religion, and go to the table of the Lord, who are no * 2 Cor. xir. 9. + Col. iii. 4 better than their neighbours; and who, by their inconsistent practice, show that they are mere hypocrites; and therefore we will not pretend any thing on the subject: We will neither connect with the church, nor go to the sacrament. That is; because some have been unfaithful to fulfil engagements, which it was their duty to make, you will decline entering into engagements, which the positive command of God nevertheless requires you to assume. Your duty, as stated in Scripture, is first to vow, and then to pay to the Lord that which you have vowed.* Take heed, therefore, that your unwillingness to associate around the Redeemer's table with those, whom you are pleased to call hypocrites-and who, in reality, may be such-does not bind you to an eternal fellowship with them in the abodes of misery! Take heed, lest, when they are punished for their hypocrisy, you are sent to the same place of torment, for your neglect of a positive institution, and your wilful disobedience to the Lord Jesus Christ! If others make a hypocritical profession, and commune unworthily, that is not your sin, neither can it release you from your obligation to make a sincere profession, and to give an acceptable attendance on the supper of our Lord. Every man shall bear his own burden."+ You have duties to perform for yourself, with which others have nothing to do; and in the performance of which, you have nothing to do with others. Of you, as a sinner, and *Ps. lxxvi. 11. 66 † Gal, vi. 5 |