tious Ignorance, which generally arife from fome fudden Fright, Sickness, or imminent Danger; and are eafily quieted with the filly Mummeries of Prieftcraft. The Entrance of God's Word gives Light to the Soul, and the Reafon and Judgment of the Sinner plead the Cause of GOD against hini. He fees that the Commandment is boly, just, and good, and feels the Equity of his Condemnation for Difobedience: and nothing can quiet his Fears and comfort his Heart, but that Word which alarmed and wounded him.

Real Convictions receive their Strength from the Divine Authority of Scripture: they arise from a Belief of what God has there spoken. Death and Judgment are brought near to the Perception of the Mind: the awful Confequences of standing before GOD, appear in fuch a tremendous Light, that all inferior Concerns are fwallowed up in the Care of the one Thing needful: Hence CHRISTIAN is reprefented as standing with his Face from his own House.

Saving Convictions cannot be fhaken off, they are deep Impreffions of Truth, which make the Remembrance of Tranfgreffions Bitter; and the Regrets and Sorrows arifing

from

from that Remembrance, fincere and lafting. Mine Iniquities, fays David, are gone over my Head: as an beavy Burden, they are too heavy for me. I am troubled: I am bowed down greatly: I go mourning all the Day. Hence the Man is described as having "a great BURDEN on his Back," as complaining that he is undone, by Reason of a BURDEN that lay hard upon him, and which he feared would fink him lower than the Grave."

The Sorrows and Terrors of all awakened Sinners are not equal in Degree, though they are the fame in Nature and Quality. GOD wounds in order to heal: his Wifdom directs how deep to wound, and his Love prevents its being too deep. Thofe Perfons therefore needlessly diftrefs themselves, who fear their State is not good, because they have not felt thofe diftracting Terrors, of which others speak: and those Perfons are rash and uncandid, who, having felt thefe Terrors themselves, are fufpicious of the State of those who have not. Sorrow for Sin there muft undoubtedly be, in true Repentance; but the Degree of it is fully fufficient; if it caufes a Sinner to flee from the Wrath to come. Agitations of

the

the Mind are not the Standard by which we are to try the Truth of Grace.

The Man was "clothed with RAGS," to indicate that fenfe of Shame, as well as Guilt, which the awakened Sinner feels. Perfons of delicate Senfibility are greatly afhamed to appear before their Equals, much more, before their Superiors, in ragged and fqualid Clothes. Drefs, in the human Idea, contributes much to procure us Respect, or Contempt: from hence is borrowed that ftrikingly figurative Language of the Prophet, All our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags. There are no Persons, however bad and wicked, but have done fome good Things, or are poffeffed of fome good Properties; they are too fufficiently fenfible of it, and value themselves upon the fuppofed Merit of thefe Things; These are, in a Figure, their best Clothes, and they love to appear in them before others; that they may attract their Efteem and Refpect.

When the Mind glances toward God, and turns that Way, as it fometimes will, in spite of Hell and its own native Enmi❤ ty; thefe Things conftitute its Dress, and keep it in Countenance. GoD, I thank thee,

I

Ihave done this, or that: GoD, I thank thee I am fo, and fo. When therefore the Sinner is awakened to a fight and fense of Sins; and finds that he muft anfwer to GOD for them, he turns his Regards to his good Deeds, or good Properties, in hopes that thefe will operate in his Favour: but he is forced to view them now by that fame facred Light, which fhews him his Tranfgreffions and Disobedience: alas! how great his Surprize! 'tis like that of a Man, who going to his Wardrobe to put on a Court Drefs, finds it to be nothing but filthy Rags.

That free and glorious GRACE may be fuitably exalted, and the Salvation held forth in the Gofpel be fuitable and welcome; the Sinner muft fee his RAGGED, as well as feel his BURDENED Condition: must be ashamed of all he has accounted his Righteoufnefs, as well as afhamed of his Sin and Tranfgreffion. No EVANGELIST can with Propriety tell him of the WICKET GATE, or point him to the SHINING LIGHT, till he is found, RAGGED, BURDENED, TREMBLING, and CRYING-OUT, What must I do to be faved?

GOD works by the Means of his Word, whether by reading or hearing it, is no

mat

matter: the Man's Diftrefs arofe from what he read in the Book which was in his Hand. The Conviction of fome Sinners, perhaps the greater Number, is from hearing the Purport of that Book declared. Either way it is the Words of that Book, and Faith comes by Hearing, and Hearing by the Word of GOD. Mark farther, though this Book diftreffed the Man, he could not lay it by: It was the Companion of his folitary Walks, and he read it with Tears and Prayers. When GOD has touched the Heart, the Word becomes precious, and even before it gives Comfort, is more prized than neceffary Food.

A proper View of our own Danger as Sinners, will awaken a fuitable Concern for the Danger of others, efpecially our dear Relatives: and however for a while we keep our Sorrows to ourselves; that Concern will make us fpeak to them. Here generally begin the outward Trials of a Christian; he is firft mortified by the Pity of his Friends, for his fuppofed Frenzy ; and then wounded by their Ill-nature for perfifting in his Teftimony. JESUS came to fend Fire upon Earth, to divide Households amongst themselves, to make a Man's Foes those of his own Family. For this Cause, many a Perfon has been forced to give up

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