That

the axe should be laid to the root of their sin; the aim should be to humble them, to make them feel their unworthiness, their guilt, their exposure to the holy vengeance of God as transgressors; to excite them to pray for mercy, "to seek the Lord whi'e he may be found, and to call upon him while he is near." ' endeavouring to attain perfect obedience,' is every man's indispensable duty, is freely admitted; but to urge this promiscuously on men, because they bear the name of Christians, though full of sinful lusts and passions, is "zeal without knowledge," because as proposed to them, it is duty misplaced,--as much out of place, as would be the duty of an adult to be baptized, and to partake of the Lord's supper, previous to repentance and faith: for though it is the "indispensable duty" of every man in a Christian country who has not been baptized, to submit to that ordinance; yet to urge this directly and promiscuously, without insisting on the previous requisites, would be the ready way to profane a divine institution, to multiply hypocrites and pharisees, and to ruin the honour and purity of the Christian church.

§ 8. Habitual transgressors, then, should be alarmed of their danger, by shewing them the error of their ways; reproved, and convinced of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; in

formed of the odious nature and ruinous consequences of sin, and of their own sins particularly; and assured, from the highest authority, that if they repent not, they shall perish, and if they believe not the gospel-record from the While so heart, they shall be condemned. employed, the preacher, or the practical writer, may hope, that the Holy Spirit by his gracious influence will succeed his humble and faithful efforts. If not, he has delivered his own soul; but if his message have the desired effect, or if he have room to suppose it, he describes the state of such persons, and sets before them the gospel remedy. Like a skilful physician, he adapts his prescription to the nature of the complaint, and the circumstances of the patient. The other method, which prescribes remedies and regimens to all alike, without a proper discrimination of discases and circumstances, and without observing the symptoms, is empiricism of the most dangerous kind.

§ 9. When there is good reason to conclude that persons are the subjects of "godly sorrow that worketh repentance not to be repented of," let them be instructed in the exercise of faith in Christ as "the end of the law and the prophets," as the great ordinance of God for righteousness to every one that believeth with the heart, as "the way" to the Father, "the truth."

of the promises and types, and "the life" ever lasting. "He that has the Son hath life;" the life of righteousness, the life of holiness, and the promise of the life of glory. Let him be clearly instructed, that true faith receives the divine testimony on the authority of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ as the only and allsufficient Saviour from sin, as well as from future misery; that it implies a firm trust and confidence in him as the divine prophet, priest, and king; and an unreserved surrender of the soul and body, in life and death, to his disposal. Let him now be directed to "live by the faith of the Son of God," who loved him, and gave himself for him; to walk worthy of so exalted a relation and privilege; to abstain from fleshly lusts, that war against the soul's welfare and comfort, yea, from all appearance of evil; to run the race that is set before him, looking unto Jesus, and for that purpose to lay aside every weight, and every besetting sin. Let him now be exhorted not to be weary in welldoing, but to maintain the profession of his faith without wavering, holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience; to be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, being assured that his labour, his work of faith and labour of love, shall not be in vain in the Lord. Let him now be reminded of the

greatness of gospel privileges, in order to awaken his gratitude.

§ 10. Grace, however, in its highest attainment, does not, cannot alter the nature of sin. It is still the abominable thing which the Lord hateth. Hence, thanksgiving for past deliverance from the guilt and dominion of sin, should be accompanied with watching unto prayer for assisting grace, with all perseverance, and that a belief of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, will save no one without actually persevering in the Christian course of obedience, He should recollect that he is in an enemy's country, that if left to himself he is unstable as water, that he is every moment in danger of backsliding, of grieving the Spirit of God, and wounding his own soul. He may profitably call to mind, that many high sounding professors have been apostatized to their eternal ruin, and that he has no certainty of being chosen to eternal life, or of enjoying future happiness, but by persevering in the way of holy obedience, for Christ is become the author of eternal salvation to them who obey him, and to them only: "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life," While he is often reminded of his own weakness, he is as often directed to the strong

for strength, to be obtained in the way of duty. This is the true Christian: he has been convinced of sin by the law of God, which is holy, just and good; he has confided in the merits and righteousness of Christ; old sinful courses and habits are past away, and the whole soul in its views, its judgment, conclusions, and the direction of its passions, is become new; he trusts in Christ Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh, and loves him in sincerity; he casts off the works of darkness, and puts on the armour of light, walking honestly and decently as in the day, forgetting past attainments, so as not to trust in them, he presses forward to the prize of his high calling; he sincerely endeavours to do all things, whatsoever Christ has commanded, and by gracious encourage, ments, has an eye to the recompence of reward. But after all, he reckons himself an unprofitable servant. He renounces all merit and worthiness of his own, rejoicing only in Christ Jesus, the Mediator and Surety of the new covenant; that covenant which is ordered in all things and sure. Standing by faith on the rock of ages, he rejoices in hope of the glory of God, but with holy fear and trembling, while contemplating his own weakness and insufficiency, or if dealt with in strict justice, according to his hourly failures. "Shouldest thou, Lord, mark iniquity,