sciences of men, that should give him a greater power and influence over them, than such appearances of God and angels have formerly had? If an angel was to appear but once, it would by no means equal the force of the daily pleadings and instructions of God's ministers: And if an angel was to live amongst us, he would, in time, we have reason to believe, meet with no better treatment than the Lord of angels did. There is a great deal of difference between startling or terrifying the mind, and working a thorough change in it: Apparitions from the other world might alarm us, for a while; but the operation of Almighty grace, by and with the gospel, is only able to change and new mould the heart. And God has given us this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power might appear to be of him, and not of us, 2 Cor. iv. 7.

Attend therefore upon the preaching of the gospel, as believing it to be the ordinance of God. And let not the means be thought insufficient to gain their end, when under the direction, and accompanied with the blessing of him that can do all things. You are not, indeed, to look for any thing from us, as though by our own power and skill we could bring you to God; but, your expectation being once fixed on God, you cannot look for too much from him.

Yet here it must be added, that next to your having a hope thus fixed on God; it is your wisdom, and your duty, to chuse that ministry statedly to attend upon, which you find most instructive and intelligible, most serious and affecting; and to be thankful to God, if you meet with men whose gifts, and manner of dispensing the gospel, become suitable to you.

And, when at any time you find yourself under convictions, there ought to be the utmost concern that the grace of God be not received in vain; or in other words, that such convictions be not lost. For by stifling or turning away from them, the most agreeable and useful ministry will cease to be of any real benefit and service to you: And by excusing, from time, your regard to the impressions which are made on your minds, the

most important things will lose their force; and the most carnest solicitations, will become but as an uncertain unheeded sound.

Moreover, you should be very careful not to absent yourselves wilfully, or for slight and trivial reasons from the place of public worship. What knowest thou, but that very sermon, which thou turnedst away from, might have done more for thee than all that ever thou heardst in thy life? What knowest thou but that very time, God might have given some secret and particular instructions to the Preacher, to deliver those things that should have reached and changed thy heart; when through a sluggish, or worldly, or vain and trifling temper, thou wast kept from the assembly of God's people?

There is one caution, however, that 'tis proper to subjoin here; namely, not to look for a change so sudden and miraculous, as to have the whole work done upon your souls by one sermon. Sometimes indeed it has been so, that a man has come into a place of worship an enemy to all that is good, and has gone away thoroughly resolved to become a new man. Almighty grace has made the change in an instant. But this is not to be usually expected. And, I think, it is much more desirable, that our light should increase gradually; and so the change be carried on, by slower steps and degrees; than that it should be brought about with such violence, as in some extraordinary cases it has been. One point may more easily be gained upon us by one sermon; and another by another serion; and a regular attention to a course of these, may do that for us, which one discourse could not so well have done. Therefore if you should not find yourselves wrought upon, in that extraordinary manner, which has been the case of some; yet, if there be a gradual light and change, by a regular continued attention to the dispensation of God's word, you may safely conclude yourselves to be born again thereby. The renovation of some, is like opening the shutters of a window, at noon-day; and letting in a full light into the room at once. The renewing of others, is like the breaking in of the morning's light, into a room which

has all its windows open to receive it: it appears very dim at first, but increases gradually, 'till at last the room is brightened and irradiated with the noon-day's sun.

So that, upon the whole, you see what reason there is for this advice, and what regard ought to be had to it; to be constant and diligent in attending upon the preaching of God's word, in order to your being renewed and born again.

II. There must be some time allowed and set apart for retirement, and serious thoughtfulness.

If the heart be affected, and put upon any good purposes and resolutions, in the time of public worship; you must endeavour when that is over, to cherish such impressions; and to put in execution your good intentions. Let it be your care, as fast as you can, to get into some secret place; where you may be out of the reach of every thing that would divert or distract you: and then putting yourselves into the best posture for serious thoughtfulness that you are able, let those things that have engaged your attention in public, be called to mind, and more distinctly applied to your own state and condition, in pri

vate.

Whilst there is a shunning of retirement, and consideration, the strongest convictions will not be able to make any real and lasting change, either in your tempers or in your lives. Serious thoughtfulness is necessary, to give every conviction its proper force: by this, we shall be led to contrive matters so, as that they may afterward suit our conversation and behaviour to the impressions that are made upon us. Thus much we are plainly taught, from that known passage of the Psal. cxix. 59. Psalmist; I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. He thought, and

then he turned. Yea, his thinking closely and seriously engaged him immediately to set about his duty: I made haste, and delayed not, to keep thy commandments.

Verse 60.

Sometimes afflictive providences may be very serviceable to promote a thoughtful, and retired disposition of mind: And this kind of thoughtfulness may be still as effectual, if followed and improved to produce a thorough change, as that which proceeds from a being affected in hearing the word of God. It is by afflictions and distresses only, that some men are brought to themselves: And till a gay romantic fancy is corrected, and the mind is brought to a just way of thinking, both on its own state, and the nature of all sensible enjoyments; there will be no inclination to return to God, or to live the life of a real christian. Hence it is that the Prodigal in the parable is represented, as first coming to himself, and then returning to his father. After a distracted and thoughtless life, his husks brought him to think of his folly, and of his miserable abandoned state, together with the plenty and the comforts of his father's house: And by a due consideration of these, he was soon put into a method, that proved successful to bring about his recovery.

But, whatever be the means of calling in our thoughts from their sinful vagaries, and from the pursuit of lying vanities; if they are not fixed closely upon the leading and most important truths of religion, they will never work a saving change in us. There is a great deal of difference betwixt a person's becoming thoughtful or pensive about his life, and his affairs in this world, and a religious consideration of his state and condition in the world to which at death he must be removed. Therefore, the scripture sums up all other considerations in this one; meditating on the end of life. O that they were wise! that they understood this! that they would consider their latter end. That is, consider so, as to be affected with the certainty of death; not only as it is appointed unto men in general, but to myself in particular, once to die. And then also to consider the uncertainty of the time, when death shall overtake us; not knowing but we may be in eternity every moment. We must think, farther, of the awful consequences of death: That we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, to receive according to what we have done in the body, whether good or bad. 2 Cor. v. 10.

They that are duly affected with such thoughts as these will soon be carried to a multitude of others, which have a plain and very close connection with them. Thus to consider our latter end, will lead us to think of the preparation that is necessary to our safety and comfort, at such a time. This will put you upon considering your own ways, and how much you have done to destroy yourselves. It will also lead you to think on God's ways towards you, and how much he has done to save you. This will direct your thoughts to a Redeemer, and will open to you the treasures of mercy in our Lord Jesus Christ; who, though he was rich, yet for your sakes became poor, and became a sacrifice too, that he might bring you to God. In short, to think seriously of such a change as death, will make men solicitous, first to have such a change as the new birth pass upon them; since without this they die, not only for a time, but for ever. And when once such a concern as this is thoroughly excited, there is a great deal done toward your being born again.

III. You must frequently and diligently read the holy scriptures, and other divine writings, that may instruct you in the nature of conversion and true piety.

In the first and chief place, your Bibles should be searched and studied very seriously and diligently. Here it is, that we have the discoveries of eternal life, and death; with the means of escaping the wrath, and obtaining the joys to come. Here, all the treasures of saving wisdom and knowledge lie: and from hence it is, that all other writers of sacred things derive their best thoughts, and rules of conduct, in every treatise of a religious nature.

Those that read the scriptures in order to their conversion, should especially take care to begin with what is plain and obvicus; and what more immediately relates to their own case, in their renovation and turning to God. Such as the account of the returning prodigal, in the fifteenth of St Luke. St Paul's narrative of his own conversion, in the twenty sixth chapter of