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there is no treasure in the holy scriptures, because they have never been opened to your understanding. This institution may be the very means, that God designs to make use of, to discover to you hidden treasures, with which all the riches of the Indies cannot be compared. It may be that some souls in this society will be saved, in answer to the prayers of those persons, to whom this word of life has been sent. Therefore do not discourage any from going in to possess the good land; but rather put forth your hand, and take some of those heavenly clusters that are held out to you. Let our hands be ready and hearts open to contribute, for the spiritual relief of perishing fllow mortals, as God gives ability and opportunity. What if some are obliged to arise early and set up late, and even deny themselves some of the necessaries of life, in order to advance the little sum-whilst others out of their abundance, may throw much into their treasury. But let such remember, that the widow's two mites were accepted. It is the heart that God looketh at. The Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. If it is but a free will offering unto the Lord-be it more or less, it will be accepted, and returned back four-fold. For thus saith our Lord, give and it shall be given unto you good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you meet with all, it shall be measured to you again. Luke vi. 38. Therefore let us

make this precious loan unto the Lord-let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.Gal. vi. 9. Those who cannot contribute so bountifully as others, nor so much as they wish, must be careful to make it up by their prayers; for the establishment of this Society depends much, yea, altogether upon the exertions and earnest prayer of Christians. And we are as much dependant on God for a spirit of prayer, as for ability to give of our substance. But the Lord saith, for this will I be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them. Therefore wake all ye praying souls, and call upon your God. There are many who need your prayers-some perhaps within your own walls--many all around you; but particularly those to whom we intend sending the glad news of salvation by Jesus Christ.And for the establishment of this Society, let the directors of it, and all others that have an interest at the throne of grace, be earnest with their God for its continuance; for it is he that must increase its numbers and its funds. All depends upon the divine blessing. Many may say and all be ready to think, that one year will supercede the necessity of any further exertion; but who can tell what God is about to do? He may open the hearts of the same individuals to subscribe again, and make large accessions to their numbers. Jacob passed over Jordan with his staff, and afterwards became two bands.-Thus it may be with us, for the Lord giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength, for they that

Wherefore gird up your loins, be sober and hope to the end.Put on the whole armour of God, take the shield of faith, the hel met of salvation, and sword of the spirit, which is the word of God-praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit. Rejoice in the Lord always, and let your moderation. be known unto all men-for the Lord is at hand. Let the words of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs; and whatsoever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus; and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Be ye also patient, watch

wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. Isaiah xl. 29— 31. If there are but five wrestling Jacobs, and Queen Esthers, that are truly engaged to go from time to time, to the king, making their petitions with importunity; the golden sceptre will be held out. By the establishment of this Society, the Lord may work wonders, which may cause many hearts to rejoice. Therefore, sing, O daughter of Zion; shout O Israd; be glad and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem, fear thou not, let not thy cords be slack; the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love. Zepa. iii. 14, 16, 17. Sing and rejoice O daughter of Zion, for, lo, I come, and I will dwelling your hearts, for the coming in the midst of thee, saith the Lord; and many nations shall be joined unto the Lord in that day; and shall be my people, and dwell in the midst of them. Zach. ii. 10, 11. For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and a glory in the midst of her; therefore

of the Lord draweth nigh. The last words which our dear Saviour spoke to his disciples, were, observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.

mediate repentance.

[Contin. from page 333, vol. iv.]

7.

I

would next recommend to all who think themselves

wait ye upon me, saith the Lord. On the reasonableness of an imNow ye friends of this Society, fear not to meet often, to converse about the great and glorious things which concern the kingdom. You will find that in Malachi iii. 16. we are encour-impenitent, to take into considaged to speak often one to an- eration the dreadful sin of insultother. They that feared the ing the infinite God, by postLord, spake often one to another, poning repentance till some fu and the Lord hearkened and ture, more convenient season.— heard it; and a book of remem- Let us consider what is the real brance was written before him, language of those who defer refor them that feared the Lord, pentance till some future periand that thought upon his name. od. At present they are rebels And they shall be mine saith against the government of God; the Lord of hosts in that day they have evil hearts of unbelief; when I make up my jewels. they have gone astray ever since

they were born; they have sin- | unhappiness. If, when he mildly remonstrated, informing them that they were destroying themselves, and that he would offer every assistance to recover them from the devious paths of error, and bring them back to obedience and happiness; but that he could not always bear with their obstinacy, and should be obliged, to disinherit and renounce them finally, unless they complied with his wishes and their duty; if they then abused his tenderness, and treated his proffered favor with contumely, reproach, and aggravated rebellion, alledging that they should return to their duty whenever they pleased, how ungrateful should we pronounce their conduct, how hardened their hearts, and how just the indignation of the afflicted parent! If this faint sketch, should exhibit ingratitude and obstinacy in an odious light, how deep must be the stain of that guilt which refuses to obey the call of God, the kindest of benefactors, the ever glorious and Almighty Father.

ned against the most convincing evidence; when they have known their duty, they have not been willing to perform it; and, to add a deeper stain to their guilt, although they have been frequently intreated to repent and forsake their sins, they have uniformly refused. Still God exhibits himself on the mercy seat once more, and causes it again to be proclaimed in their cars, that now is the accepted time. To requite him for this renewed instance of long-suffering kindness and tender mercy, they, with unexampled insolence, form the cool and deliberate conclusion, that they will continue in rebellion till they find a more agreeable time to repent and renounce their sins. To assist us in estimating the awful criminality of such conduct, let us consider an earthly parent, (yet Oh, how inadequate must be the comparison between the kindness and forbearance of any created being, and the forgiving love of Jehovah :) let us consider a parent who had brought up bis family with all possible tenderness and care; who had spent days of toil, and nights of wakefulness to provide for their wants, and to watch against the dangers which might beset their paths; and who had uniformly and invariably exhibited himself the benefactor, the friend, the bountiful parent of his family.-Let us suppose his children to be possessed of a different spirit, to show no gratitude for his kindness, to set themselves in array against his government, and to behave unceasingly in such a manner as to wound his feelings, and throw the family into a situation of confusion and constant

There is one reflection which ought to strike the minds of those who are guilty of the conduct which I have been considering, with terror, if not with contrition. It is this: God has the power to cut them off in the midst of their wickedness, and they have no security that he will not exercise the power.— He certainly is in no need of their assistance or obedience; for with a word he could create any number of glorious and obedient beings. Behold, even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight; how much less man that is a worm; and the son of man which is a worm? There is, indeed, an

awful declaration that those who, being frequently reproved, har den their necks, shall be suddenly destroyed, and that without remedy. To such persons, also, a solemn passage in the first chapter of Proverbs, is peculiarly applicable: Because I have called and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand but no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

gion where the attention of people is excited to seek after salvation, the common and earnest prayer is, that serious things may not wear off from their minds, and that they may not relapse into their former stu pidity and deadness. They are convinced how unspeakably great their danger was while they remained secure in sin; and their greatest fear now is, that they shall be left to their natural hardness of heart, and blindness of mind. They recollect, with sensations of astonisment, their former cbduracy, and the light views which they had been wont to enterain with respect to eternal things; and they see that it is of God's rich mercy that they have now any sense of the madness and danger of sin. But those persons who feel at ease for the present and expect to attend to religion at some more convenient season, are not

because they are insensible of their danger. They are travelling that dismal road, with their eyes shut, in which thousands have gone before them to de

8. Upon this naturally arises a consideration which might justly be esteemed important by every sinner, and which the bible teaches to be of the greatest importance. I allude to the danger of being suffered to go on according to the inclination of a hard and impenitent heart.-in a less dangerous situation It is a truth which can be abundantly proved both from scripture and experience, that the heart of man is exceedingly prone to sin; and it seems equally evident to every think-struction. To such the following mind, that the way of sin is the way of misery, and that all they who hate wisdom, love death. At least these truths must be believed by all who believe the bible; and therefore it seems proper that the consideration of being left to the native wickedness of the human heart should fill the conscience with alarm. The man who has a just sense of the plague of his own heart, and the wickedness of his past life, deprecates, above all things, the being left to his own froward inclinations, and his own evil habits. So in all revivals of reli

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ing passages of scripture may well be addressed. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are scitled on their lees; that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.

9. Again, let persons who are inclined to procrastinate in these all-important concerns, cast their eyes upon those who have heretofore given place to the same inclination, and they must

be awakened unless they are the subjects of a most dangerous infatuation. How few, alas, of those who in their youth fiattered themselves that in old age they should repent, have ever been permitted to see that period. While in the midst of their worldly schemes, perhaps while just entering upon a vast round of business, which was to be accomplished before they could attend to religion, they were taken from the earth, and obliged to give an account of all the deeds done in the body. How ill must they be prepared to render the reasons of their continuing in impenitency and sin! But even suppose they have reached the period of old age; that period which in their confused imaginations they had intended to devote to the service of God, what is their situation? With hands which have labored in the service of Mammon; with hearts which have been filled with the lusts of this vain and corrupting world, how can they perform a service acceptable to God? Can those eyes which, for a long series, have gazed with satisfaction upon the temptations which surround them, be raised toward Him who dwelleth in the heavens, in humble adoration! Can the tongue which has been long accustomed to profane the name of its Maker, be suddenly brought to praise the Great Benefactor, and turned in old age to the voice of melody? Far otherwise. The man who has lived to old age without religion, is in a state little less than hopeless. Is he avaricious? His whole soul is more and more engrossed with the love of riches; death is entirely excluded from thoughts; and he acts as tho'

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he was secure of living forever here on earth. Is he sensual? His mind becomes still more the seat of unlawful desire, and he not unfrequently acts the part of a pander to his young relations and acquaintance, not content with offering himself as a victim on the altar of intemperance and brutism. Is he ambitious? The desire of fame gains new vigor the longer it is indulged, and a man is never more fond of popular favor than in his dotage. In short, whatever worldly thing maintains dominion in the heart of man to the exclusion of religion till old age, it takes away even all seeming excellence, and deadens the subject of it to all considerations, except those which belong to this vain and deceitful world.

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