i don, and engage in the service of God; and with all the wicked, with those lewd and abandoned women, to whom you devote your service, and in whose fcandalous company and filthy embra ces you gratify your bafe and swinish lufts. Onl knowing the terrors of the Lord, be perfuaded to flee from the wrath to come. Will neither the joys of heaven, nor the terrors of hell, induce you to confult your own happiness? Shall God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, call and invite you to life and glory; and will ye still give a deaf ear to all entreaties and remonftrances ? Be astonished, O heavens! and confounded, O earth! Behold, now is the accepted time! behold, now is the day of salvation! To-day, if ye will hear the voice of the Son of God, harden not your hearts. Death will foon overtake you, and hell from beneath will be moved for you to meet you at your coming. In a little time it will be proclaimed, that time shall be no more as to you. And what will ye do in the day of yisitation? to whom will ye flee for help, and where will ye leave your glory? Once more, I entreat you, with tears in my eyes, with a heart pained and grieved for your godless and graceless state and life, and trembling with fear left you perish for ever, to believe in the Lord Jesus Chrift, who is now willing to receive you with outstretched arms, and to bless you with a full pardon for all your trefpasses and rebellions, to cancel all your offences, and admit you to a state of favour and friendship with him, and at last bring you to glory. But if ye will not come unto him; if ye live and die in a state of unbelief, and disregard of the great falvation, yc shall perish without pity. Then shall mercy that now allures and invites you, and judgment that now threatens you, accomplish your ruin, and exult in your destruction. It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for you. O fly to Jefus, take shelter under the wings of mercy, and hide yourselves under the Redeemer's righteousness. Behold, God is bringing the righteousness of Christ near to you; lay hold of it for the Lord's fake, as, unless you approach unto God clothed with that righteousness, ye will perish for ever. Mercy is now your only plea; and the righteousness of Christ is exhibited to you, as the foundation of your access to God, and acceptance with him. Receive Christ Jesus the Lord; and as ye have received him, so walk in him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Remember, that as great finners as you have been faved. The heavenly region is peopled with persons that have been as vile, wicked, and corrupt as you. Many of the inhabitants of the heavenly country have been fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, thieves, covetous, drunkards, and extortioners; but they were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. But, on the other hand, remember that any fin continued in will bring the finner to hell. Know therefore, that no whoremonger, drunkard, nor unclean person, who lives and dies such, shall have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and of God. And let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, whoremongers, and idolaters, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death. And there shall in no wise enter into the heavenly Jerufalem any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie. "To conclude, (for my strength is gone): Let me advise you, as you regard the glory of God, and would not perish for ever, to abstain from all those lewd houses which ye have haunted former. ly; forfake the company and conversation of all lewd women, and men who frequent their company. Go not to public houses; or, if ye have neceffary calls, stay as short time as possible; and drink in moderation, and not to excess. Drunkenness is often the inlet to uncleanness; and a being flustered with liquor was perhaps the feafon when you first commenced unclean, in act at least. Ply your studies diligently, and endeavour to lay up store of knowledge in your respective profef fions, that you may be fitly qualified for whatever office the Lord in his Providence shall employ youin. Carefully read and meditate upon the holy fcriptures, and join frequent and fervent prayer with your reading, that the Lord may open your hearts to understand the scriptures. Be strict and regular in sanctifying the Lord's day, attend upon public worship, and seek out such ministers as preach Christ and him crucified, who insist upon the diftinguishing and peculiar doctrines of Christianity, and press holiness of heart and life from faith in Christ, and a life of faith upon the Son of God, and union with him, as the fource and fountain of all true virtue, morality, and holiness. And join in the worship that is most pure, fimple, and free from the trumpery of human ceremonies and inventions. Still maintain a friendly correspondence with one another. Meet in your rooms respectively, and let your converse be about the things of God, and those which relate to your eternal concerns. Instruct, pray for, and with one another. But fornication, and all uncleanness, L 1 uncleannefs, let it not be once named among you, as becometh faints: neither filthiness, nor foolith talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minifter grace to the hearers. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. "Now, my brethren, I have fet life and death before you, curfing and bleffing. Chuse the life, that you may be happy for ever. Remember, that he that is often reproved, and yet hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. But I hope better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though I thus speak. I conclude with the apoftolical benediction, The grace of the Lord Jesus Chrift, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost; be with you all. Amen! —I thank you kindly for the time you have staid, and the attention you have given to what I have faid, I have no more to say, but only to defire you will visit me often, that I may talk to you further ups on the things of God." On this all the company retired, and my dear friend, quite spent with long speaking, soon after went to bed, filled with a more than ordinary serenity of mind; which made me conclude he would get a refreshing night's rest. But I foon perceived he was likely to rest very ill, though he lay pretty calm. After I had lain down in my couch, I began to reflect on the excellent discourse I had heard; and could not but wish and defire that my valuable friend might recover, and devote himself to the work of the ministry. For, thought thought I, if he without any study or preparation could deliver so evangelical and accurate a difcourse on fuch a variety of topics; if he could speak with so much precision and eloquence, even extempore, on the great doctrines relating to fin and falvation, the fall and redemption of loft finners; if he, though unprepared, was so warm and pathetic in addreffing the consciences of men; what a noble appearance would he make, what a fine pulpit-orator would he be, after a course of study and preparation? what a public blessing to mankind? what a fon of thunder for awakening a secure and fleeping generation? I could not but wish he had been mounted on a desk, and all the careless finners in town gathered about him, that they might have been blessed with the excellent difcourse he had delivered. But unavailing were my wishes, ineffectual were my prayers, as the fequel will testify. Mr Ts expresses his fatisfaction after reflecting on his address to his companions in iniquity. His reflections on the prospect of death, and repentance for his lewd life; with his affectionate speech to the author. A Fter I had awoke next morning, and my friend and I had performed our fecret and social devotions, I sat down on his bed-fide; and found, though he had got very little rest all the night, that he was in a quiet and compofed frame. He spoke to me with an unusual affection and regard; and taking me kindly by the hand, addreff. ed me as follows. My dear and respected friend, I have had the most agreeable night that ever I spent in my life. L2 |