often repeated violations of his law, or extenuate my ingratitude and my defection! What a fevere but righteous condemnation have I to dread! How hor rible will be my portion for eternity! Oh that I had never finned! Oh that I had never forfaken my Father and my Redeemer; never caft off the fear of God! Who will now redeem me from this misery! Where fhall I find help and deliverance!

But, continues the contrite finner, is there then no precious gleam of hope, no ray of comfort, to my amazed foul? Is no remedy at hand to rescue me from deserved condemnation, for still becoming happy? Oh, I have read that the Lord is gracious, long-fuffering, and plenteous in mercy; that he will not despise the broken and contrite heart ; that fuch as return to him he will in no wife cast out; that he will gracioufly look to him that is poor and of a contrite fpirit, and trembles at his word. I have read that he fent his fon to be the faviour of men; and that all who truft in him, and follow his facred precepts, he will again receive as his children? Perhaps then he will have compassion on me, and give me grace for justice, if I humble myself before him, and turn to him with my whole heart. No, my mifery is too great! The danger I am in is too imminent, to allow me room to hope that any thing

can fnatch me from it.

Such are the agitations and fears of the returning finner; till, his fpirit worn out with woe, his eyes

2

diffolved

diffolved in tears, and his heart all rent with compunction, he takes up the refolution which we may confider as the third ftage of his converfion.

"I will arife," fays the contrite youth, “ and go to my father, and will fay unto him, Father, I have finned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy fon; make me as one of thy hired fervants." I will immediately embrace the only means still left me to employ, for avoiding utter ruin, before it be too late and all repentance be in vain. I will exert the little ftrength I have remaining, to haften from the abyfs that lies open before me. The smallest delay may be fatal to me. To regain my loft contentment shall from this inftant be my fole concern; and nothing fhall be too hard for me to undertake that can favour my defign. Let the shame and confufion be as great as it may, into which the consciousness of my follies and the fight of my injured father will throw me; let the reproaches I have to expect from him be as cutting as they will to my vanity and pride; coft what labour and felf-denial it may at firft to renounce my wicked habits, and to fatisfy my fo long neglected duties : nothing shall prevent me from returning to him whom I have fo fenfelessly forfaken, and afking fuccour of him who alone is difpofed and able to help me. I will I will go and throw myself at his feet; I will prevent his reproaches by an humble and frank confeffion of my tranfgreffions and failings; and, instead of thinking on evafion or excufe, will condemn my

felf,

felf, and cast myself entirely on his mercy. It is not an auftere, an inexorable mafter; it is a compaffion ate and tender father with whom I have to do. What has not a fon to hope for from fuch a father? Yes, his own heart will speak pity for me, he will shew mercy towards me; and this shall be my inducement to testify my gratitude to him by a willing and faithful obedience, and to render myself worthy of his favour by a total alteration of my fentiments and my conduct.

The repentant finner takes up the fame refolutions. He trufts not to a deceitful and inefficient forrow. He is not contented with making bitter lamentations on his wretched condition, or barely wishing to be. come better, without putting his hand to the work. He wastes not his time in ufelefs doubt or in dangerous hefitation. My life, fays he, is paffing quickly away; it may unexpectedly come to an end. Death, judgment, and eternity, are ever advancing towards me; they may feize me at unawares. Shall not I then haften to deliver my foul? Shall I not work while it is day, ere the night come when no man can work? There is but one way left to avoid perdition. Shall I hefitate one moment about betaking myself to it? Life and death, bleffing and curfing, are now before me. Still I have an opportunity of chufing between them. Who can tell whether that will continue to me if I ftand longer doubting? Is it difficult for me now to fubdue my finful defires, to quit my bad habits, break with my bad compa

is

niens, and reform my diffolute life: will it not every day become still harder? Will not my fervitude be growing constantly more fevere, my propensity to vice more strong, my foul more corrupt, and confequently my amendment ftill more impracticable? Shall I not by these means be heaping fin upon fin, and punishment upon punishment, and fo at length deprive myself of all hope of forgiveness? No! today, that I hear the voice of God, while his grace yet offered to me, to-day will I follow his affectionate call, and earnestly implore that divine compaffion which alone can make me happy. My refolution is taken, and nothing fhall hinder me from bringing it to effect. I will arife and go to my hea venly Father, from whom I am now at so great a distance, whofe favour and protection I have fo madly caft off. I will bow myself before his offended majefty, acknowledge my tranfgreffions, and. intreat his compaffion with a broken and a contrite heart. I will folemnly renounce every fin, and devote myself to the service of God and the practice of virtue. Have I hitherto fhaken off his juft and gentle authority; it shall now be my greatest delight and my glory to pay him an unreferved obedience, and faithfully to fulfil the duties of a fubject in his kingdom. Have I hitherto directed my life by my irregular defires and the corrupted principles of the men of the world; henceforward the law of the Moft High fhall be the fole and unalterable rule of my conduct. Have I hitherto provided only for my body

VOL. II.

Y

body and my earthly condition; henceforward, the care of my foul, and my happiness in the future world, fhall be the ultimate aim of all my endea vours. The support which God has promised to the fincere will be mighty in my weakness. He will affift me in conquering every difficulty; and I trust affuredly that I fhall find his yoke to be eafy, and his burden light; that I fhall experience that his com mandments are not grievous.

ક

If the refolutions of the repentant finner be thus formed; if they be grounded on felf-infpection, on confideration and firm conviction; if they be taken with seriousness and fincerity; then will they certainly be brought to effect. The loft fon fuffered himself not to be turned afide from his purpose. He immediately began to put it in execution. He arose and came to his father, and faid unto him, " Father, I have finned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy fon." I have outrageously offended both God and thee; I have rendered myself utterly unworthy of thy parental love. Thus did he humble himself before his father. He acknowledged his past offences, and fought no fubterfuges, no extenuations of his guilt, but confeffed them for what they really were. He owned that he had forfeited all pretenfions to the privileges he had before enjoyed in his father's houfe. He manifested a fincere remorfe at his enormities, and petitioned for grace and pardon. He fubmitted himself anew to the discipline and authority of his father, promised