be an agreement between the faithful Witness, and the father of lies? Shall I sentence him, that loveth a lie, to the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, and be guilty of making one myself? Horrible to suppose! Reject the blasphemous thought, Sinner; it wounds me in the tenderest part,

No, no, I do not put on a mask of pretended love, to hide a rancorous unforgiving temper: the general invitation that formerly passed my lips, is still the very language of my heart, "Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely;" and the promise, which I formerly made, is still firmer than the pillars of heaven, "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." Let these words, like uncorruptible seed, beget thee again to a lively hope, and help thee to stir thyself up to lay hold on me, and my great salvation.

"I grant that no man cometh unto me, except the Father draw him; but does he not say, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving+ kindness, with the cords of a man, with the bands of love, have I drawn thee? Does he not draw thee even now? Who stirs thee up to repentance? Who raises in thee a desire of coming unto me by prayer? Who indulges thee at times with sweet hopes and alluring joys, to encourage thee to come? Is it not my Father, and thine, thou poor starving prodigal? And that nothing may be wanting on his part to make thee come, to drawing does he not add driving? Does he not obstruct all thy prospects of creature-happiness, and blast all thy worldly, yea, and all thy self-righteous, schemes? And while he touches thy heart with the rod of distress, does he not lay the scourge of affliction on thy back, and put this gracious invitation in thy hand? Away then with thy hard thoughts of my Father: he and I are the flame of eternal love: I and the Father are one.

"Neither say thou in thy heart, This is a day of trouble, rebuke, and blasphemy; the children are.come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. Shall I bring to the birth, and not give strength ac

cording to the day? Dost thou fear that my zeal, my strength, and the sounding of my bowels towards thee, are restrained? Am not I Jesus still? Is my love waxed cold that it cannot pity? Is my hand shortened at all that it cannot save? Is mine ear heavy that it cannot hear? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I clothe the heavens with blackness; and if in the greatest storm I say to the raging billows, Be still! there is a great ealm: fear not then: the zeal of the Lord of hosts my zeal, will do this and more for thy soul; yea, I will do for thee exceeding abundantly above all that thou canst ask or think.

"I see what passes in thy heart, O thou unwise and slow of heart to believe all that I and my prophets have spoken; I read thy new excuses. Thou sayest thou dost not suspect me, my faithfulness, and my power; but thyself, thy helplessness, and the treachery of thy own desperately wicked heart.-What, shall this sore evil hinder thee from coming to me, who alone can remedy it? Wilt thou pray to be excused from believing, on such an account as this? O drop this last, this most absurd plea; and walk in the steps of the faith of thy father Abraham, Rom. iv. 16, Consider not the deadness and hardness of thy heart, but the reviving softening love of mine; not thy want of power, but my omnipotence; not the suggestion of Satan, but the declarations of my gospel. Wrestle not only against flesh and blood, but against the powers of internal darkness, and the spiritual wickedness of an unbelieving thought. Strive to enter in at the strait gate of faith. Against hope believe in hope, that I quicken the dead, and call the things which are not as though they were. Stagger no more at my promises through unbelief; but be strong in faith, and give glory to God, by being fully persuaded that what I promise, I am able and willing to perform.

"In me thou mayest find the richest and readiest supply of all thy wants: I am both the Resurrection

of the dead, and the Life of the living he that bes lieveth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live and he that liveth and believeth in me, shall never die! Believe then, and thou shalt not come into condemnau tion. Believe, and thou shalt receive power, thou shalt see the glory of God; thou shalt be established; yea, and sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.Believe, and thou hast everlasting life, and shalt not come into condemnation. Believe, and a grain of faith will remove mountains of guilt and unbelief Believe with all thy heart-All things are possible to him that believeth, and he shall inherit all promises: for to him that overcometh (and faith is the victory) will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and to sit with me on my throne; as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne. Only believe then, and through faith thou shalt subdue the kingdom of darkness, work righteousness, obtain promises, stop the mouth of the roaring lion, quench the violence of temptation's fire, escape the flaming point of Satan's darts, out of weakness be made strong, wax valiant in fight, turn to flight the armies of thy spiritual adversaries, and re-i ceive thy dead soul raised to life again.

"Thou hast played with the fiery serpents, they' have bitten thy heart; but I have already sucked the worst of the mortal poison. In the perilous attempt my soul was seized with sorrow even unto death, and an unheard-of agony, attended with a bloody sweat, came upon my body. A racking cross was the bed I was stretched upon; sharp thorns proved the pillow on which I rested my fainting head. The bitterest sarcasms were my consolations; vinegar and gall my cordials: a band of bloody soldiers the cruel wretches appointed to tear open my veins; whips, nails, hammers, and a spear, the instruments allowed them to do the dreadful operation. For hours I bled under theirs merciless hands: and thy fearful curse, O Sinner, flowed together with my blood. In the mean time, noon-day light was turned into the gloom of night, a dire emblem of the darkness that overspread my

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agonizing soul; and at last, while earthquakes rocked, me into the sleep. of death, I gave up the ghost, with cries that astonished my bitterest enemies, dands made them sinite their breasts in pangs of involunel tary sympathy. Thus, to make thee partaker of my saving health, I took the shameful and painful consequences of thy mortal distemper upon me. And now, Sinner, despise no more such amazing love, requite iti with a believing look. Consider my wounds, till thy conscience feels their wonderful effect. Behold my atoning blood, till thou canst witness it heals thy in firmities.ot

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Knowing the terrors of the Lord, I persuade ment Come, thou poor prisoner of hope, turn by faith stor the strong hold of my protection.-Up! for God will destroy this Sodom, the wicked world where thou lingerest. Up! for the great and terrible day of the Lord approaches. As I live, there is but one step: between thee and death, and another between death and hell.

Let my love even constrain thee to arise, and to follow me; that I may receive thee unto myself, and complain no longer, that, with respect to thee, I have Jaboured in vain, and spent my strength for nought. Surely, Sinner, I deserve thy grateful love, for I have fought thy fiercest enemies. Dreadful was the battle! my flesh was torn, my blood spilt, my life lost, in the obstinate combat: but I have slain the lion and the bear, I have vanquished death and the grave, and rescued thy poor helpless soul: and now let thy good Shepherd rejoice over his lost sheep: let gratitude compel thee to come into the fold of my church, and join the little flock of my faithful followers. And if thou canst not come, do but look wishfully at me, and I will lay thee on my shoulders rejoicing, and carry thee in triumph into the richest pastures of my grace.

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Once more I turn supplicant: ouce more I stand at the door and knock.-Saul! Saul! it is hard for thee to kick against the sharp goads of my love.-Martha l Martha! one thing is needful; chuse the good part,

chuse me.→→→0, Absalom, my son! my son give me thy heart; I have died for thee, do not crucify me afresh Lay down the spear of unbelief, and thine is my grace, my glory, my skingdom, the kingdom of heaven.ya oood bod

"Be not afraid to surrender; rebellious as thou art, I love thee still. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, she may forget, yet will I not for get thee. If thou wilt not take my word, believe my oath: because I can swear by no greater, I swear by myself: "As I live, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked," but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn then, turn unto me, for I have redeem ed thee, I have cast all thy sins into the depth of the sea, and will subdue all thine iniquities.

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"And if thou canst not believe my oath, credit these scars. See! I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands. Long, too long, have I waited for thy return, thou poor, wandering, weary prodigal Let me see in thee the travail of my soul, and be satisfied. By the mystery of my holy incarnation and dreadful temptation, by my agony and bloody sweat, by my infamous death and glorious resurrec tion, I beseech thee come to the pardoning God by me. If thou hast nothing to pay, I forgive thee all the debt: whether it be fifty or five hundred pence, or ten thousand talents, I frankly forgive thee all. Only let me heal thy backslidings, and love thee freely; let my left hand be under thy head, and let my right hand embrace thee. See the wounds which I have received for thee in the house of my friends! Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing. Cleave to me with full purpose of heart, follow me through the regeneration; and thou shalt not only be one of my jewels, but a crown of glory, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God: yea, as the bridegroom re joiceth over the bride, so will I rejoice over thee, and give thee a name better than that of son and daughter,