him aright, the grace which they need. Go to him as you are; confessing your multiplied offences, enumerating the aggravating circumstances with which they are attended; bewailing your folly, the hardness of your hearts, and the sinfulness of your conduct. Take your places in the dust; be abased before God, and cry mightily to him for mercy. Continue instant in your prayers, never ceasing till you find the Lord. Be not discouraged if you receive no answer; rather be animated to a more lively exercise of this duty. Realize more of its importance, and of the necessity of sincerity, earnestness, and perseverance. Remember it is God whom you address, and salvation for your souls that you seek. Hide nothing from the Lord, stating your case exactly as it is; pleading with him and representing your necessity-your miseryyour poverty. Mention his invitations-his calls--his promises. Remind him of his own glory; of the fulness there is in Christ, and of the triumph which grace will obtain in your salvation. Let the temper of your minds be a praying one, and let your desires continually ascend to the throne of

grace. Retire frequently for the express purpose of calling upon God and seeking his favour.

Let your intenseness and engagedness be proportioned to the magnitude of the blessings which you seek to obtain. "Which of

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you shall have a friend, and shall go unto " him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, " lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine " in his journey is come to me, and I have

nothing to set before him? And he from " within shall answer and say, Trouble me "not: the door is now shut, and my chil"dren are with me in bed; I cannot rise " and give thee. I say unto you, Though he " will not rise and give him, because he is " his friend, yet because of his importunity " he will rise and give him as many as he "needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, " and it shall be given you; seek, and ye " shall find; knock, and it shall be opened " unto you. For every one that asketh, "receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; "and to him that knocketh, it shall be

opened. If a son shall ask bread of any " of you that is a father, will he give him a "stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a " fish give him a serpent? or if he shall ask

an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If

ye then, being evil, know how to give

" good gifts unto your children; how much

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more shall your heavenly Father give the

"Holy Spirit to them that ask him"?" "But let him ask in faith, nothing waver" ing."

Such are the directions and encouragements which Jesus Christ himself has given unto us on this subject. Reduce these directions as well as those which relate to the other means of grace, to daily and habitual practice. Act upon these ample and these animating encouragements. Be in earnest in what you do, and see that your hearts are right with God. Use every means with that seriousness and engagedness which befit all the institutions of God.

3. Seek the Lord under the deepest impressions of your awful apostacy from him. Sin is not a trifle; it is a malignant evil. God hath pronounced it an accursed thing. This corrupts the powers of your bodies, and the faculties of your souls. Your hearts are affected by it as well as your lives. It prevents you from rendering unto God the tribute of love which you owe him. It disqualifies you for his friendship here, and his enjoyment hereafter. It makes you the sport of casualties-the victim of your passions-the enemy of your own happiness.

In looking back upon your past conduct, and recollecting your motives, have they been such as conscience approves? Do you not perceive pride and a worldly spirit to predominate in your minds? Is it not a lamentable truth that God who made you and blesses you; God who inspects your lives, and will judge you, is far from your thoughts? What are your pursuits? Such as will comfort you in adversity, support you in death, and be a crown of rejoicing in eternity? On the contrary, are they not vain things? I say vain, when weighed in the balance of the sanctuary. Let them be reputable, or grave, or honourable, what are they in the prospect of futurity? They may benefit your worldly condition; but do they prepare you for your long home? They may make you appear to advantage in the eyes of men; but will they make you acceptable to God? You make provision for your bodies, but they will soon lie down in the grave and crumble in the dust. Have you secured a haven of rest for your souls which never die? You devote all your attention to that part of you which before long will be as though it had never been ; whilst you neglect that part which retains its consciousness and its susceptibility of pleasure or pain, without cessation or end. You serve the world which you must leave behind you, whilst you disobey God before whom you must shortly appear. You have an accumulating mass of transgressions for which you must account, and yet you are indifferent about the great High Priest of sinners.

He has stood for years at the door of your hearts, suing for admittance, and for years you have refused. He has died that you might live, and you will not receive him, but choose death rather than life. He is exalted as a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance, and you solicit it not at his hand. He opens his bosom pierced by the spear---points to his hands and feet in which are the prints of the nails and says, This I suffered for you: you close your eyes to