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on the decease of his beloved Jonathan. you will not love God, nor his service, till the stony heart is taken out of your flesh; till that obdurate, obstinate, unbelieving principle is removed, and a living, susceptible, bleeding heart is bestowed. Then the stream of your affections will naturally reverse its course, and flow into its original and legitimate ocean, God, who is love. Yes; when he sheds light upon the eyes of your understanding, which have been long closed in darkness, and unlocks the will, which has been stubbornly and secretly bolted against your rightful sovereign, and opens a well of living water in your heart, which, springing up into everlasting life, shall cleanse that worse than Augean stable, and sanctify body, soul, and spirit; then shall you become the temple of the Lord, a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. He will dwell in you, and walk in you; he shall say, It is my people, and you shall say, The Lord is my God. A vital union will be formed. A holy friendship will be established, upon scriptural and rational principles; a friendship which no alteration of worldly cir

cumstances shall affect; a friendship which shall cause him to know your soul in adversities; to bow down his ear to your supplications; to lift up the light of his countenance upon you; to supply your necessities; to make your interests his own; and to reserve for eternity the full development of his love, in the perfect conformation of your spirit to his own, and the grant of perpetual residence in his "For above. presence this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee."

I am willing to extend these remarks; for I fear lest Satan should get an advantage over you, (for we are not ignorant of his devices) and persuade you that, as fitness for this acquaintance must arise from the operations of the holy Spirit alone, you may sit down in the

chair of sloth, and fold your arms in indifference, and take this soporific draught from the prince of darkness: If I am an elect vessel of mercy, then I shall be saved; if not, I must be lost. Dearly beloved, is your heart desirous of this acquaintance? Then hearken not to the wicked one. The promise of the Spirit is made distinctly to you as a sinner, however guilty your former life, to lead you into this happy communion, and make you a friend of God. Hear you not the sound? "Wisdom crieth without, she uttereth her voice in the streets; she crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the opening of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning? and fools hate knowledge?" Now search, and see to which of these classes you belong. Are you a simple one," guided by the fashions of others, and filled with simple prejudices against the ways of God, without a will, or decision of character sufficient to investigate and judge for yourself; sporting with your own deceivings, and flatter

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ing yourself in your wickedness? Or, are you "a scorner," who feels a satanic pleasure in converting the threatenings and promises of God into profane jests; whose proud heart has treated with contempt the doctrines, laws, admonitions, and warnings of the love of God, as well as parental and ministerial advice; and now, as if in defiance of the authority of heaven, joining league with the confederates of hell, and asking with consummate effrontery, Who is the Almighty that I should serve him; and what profit should I have if I pray unto him? Or are you "a fool," who hates knowledge, (and fools only hate such knowledge) professing a rooted antipathy to serious godliness and reformation, yet vainly supposing that, although you live in the constant neglect of divine things, you know enough to take you to heaven, and that all will go well with you at the last? Surely more guilty characters can hardly be found. Yet to them this loving language is addressed: "Turn you at my reproof; behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you." If you then

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are not his friend, the fault does not lie with him. If you are the companions of fallen angels for ever, you will not have to charge him with a neglect of inviting you to better society and purer joys. Your blood will be upon your own head. But does not such love melt your heart? Are you not astonished that you, an ungrateful rebel, should be thus intreated to become acquainted with him whom you have despised, provoked, and rejected? That he should stoop to you, who have exalted yourself against him, and with the melting tenderness of a father over a prodigal, advise, persuade, and invite you to be his for ever? Hearken to his voice, dear reader; it shall be for your health. Incline your ear, and go unto him; hear, and your soul shall live.

Again: Are you really in earnest about the salvation of your soul? Do you desire to forsake the world, to be the Lord's child, and cleave henceforth to him with full purpose of heart? Is the salvation of Christ suitable, and God's beloved precious to ? What do you answer before God? Yes, indeed, these are

you

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